Last time I posted a picture of this vine, it bore a clematis blossom.
Today we woke up to an ice storm that kept the kids home from school for the third day running. They’ll be home tomorrow, too; we’ve blown through all of our snow days, and then some.
The university closed due to weather for only the second time in the past eight years. In Columbus, Ohio State canceled classes, too.
All this ferocious beauty. The neighbors’ Japanese maple was one of the few trees that seems not to have lost any twigs or boughs. Lots of people lost power. I got lucky.
Oddly, we had a lake in our backyard in the midst of all the snow and ice. In the foreground, you can see my butterfly bush, bowed but not quite broken. It’s an apt enough metaphor for all us beleaguered parents, wondering when our kids will ever return to school.
My boys have been pretty great about letting me tinker with lecture material while they play. The Bear has even shoveled snow as stoically as his North Dakotan ancestors. (It probably helped that I bribed him.) We’re just all really ready to get back to a normal routine.
As for me, I’ve felt a bit better the past two days, though still far from normal: less tremor-ish and a lot less stupid. I’m off the Bactrim now but the improvement predates that. So the mystery thickens, and we’re doing more tests. I luckily got in to see my doctor yesterday … because today, even the clinic was shuttered due to the storm.
Patron cat of Kittywampus (1985-2001)
I got lucky.
It’s about time, Sungold. I was catching up after being offline for a few days and was dismayed to read about the ordeal you’ve been through. I hope you are better and that you find the cause of the tremors et al.
All this ferocious beauty.
You captured that quality in your photos and perhaps something else. Implacable may be what I’m thinking of, as in Ang Lee’s movie, The Ice Storm.
This is no time for sad movies.
Rent some Muppet movies, make some hot chocolate, enjoy your family and get well soon.
Hi Kochanie. Wonderful to hear from you. I actually wouldn’t mind watching The Ice Storm again. We’ve had lots of Muppets lately!
I’m so grateful for your concern and support. We still don’t know what’s up with me. Tomorrow I go for an MRI. The worst of the likely scenarios is MS. I’m trying hard not to go there, but I’m doing a rotten job of staying brave. I do feel a little better but that wouldn’t necessarily rule out MS or any other demyelinating condition.
Just a thought: Hippocrates is still right. Look for a nutritional solution first. Lack of the ‘G’ fraction of the ‘B’ complex vitamins can cause muscular tremors. The ‘G’ fraction consists of the alcohol-insoluble heat-labile vitamins: riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, PABA (para-amino benzoic acid) choline, inositol and betaine. The high-potency Stress Formula made by LifeTime used to have most of these, but the wretches seem to be discontinuing the one thing they made that worked.
I’ve been meaning to check with my friend in Columbus to see how they’re faring. Beautiful ice photos, though I know ice is a drag. We had our nice snow in NC last week, which makes a lot of people here giddy–not to mention bloating the coffers of the Bread and Milk Consortium (phrased coined by a friend) who conspire to manipulate the weather.
I’ll be thinking about you tomorrow and hoping you’ll get some relief soon.
Thanks for the tip, John. I’ve restarted fish oil supplements and am thinking I should add some B and D vitamins, and get a B12 shot. Since this malady had a fairly sudden onset, a deficiency is unlikely – but I want to make sure I’m doing all I can to support whatever recovery is possible.
Carla, I have friends and colleagues whose power went out Wednesday morning and can’t expect it to be restored until sometime tomorrow at the soonest. I think whatever weather manipulation is afoot should be blamed on the consortium of teenage babysitters who are getting rich this week, watching over the younger kids! (And my am I grateful to the high school girl down the street who has covered the middle of the day so I could teach without dropping my boys at their dad’s office!)
Thanks much for the good wishes. I may know more on Monday.
[...] and the neighboring one have been under a state of emergency for the past couple of days, following the ice storm. Many people in my town still don’t have power; today is day four for them. Some are now out [...]