Done yesterday (20090623)

[mdlbear]

0623 Tu
  * up 7ish (alarm); drugs, nose, teeth; coffee, C
  * 09:00 Dentist
    => find Colleen a dentist with an accessible office
  * Walk, ~30min -- just down to the pond and back
  * climbed the tree on the hill behind $work!
  * investigated hospital-bed packages.  Nobody has bed+mattress-rails.
  * 4:35p Birthday call to (brother) Al
  x 5:00p Mindfulness group
  & Long talk with a tearful, lonely Colleen.  Cheered her up.
    => Thursday evenings out with Colleen -- we'll start with the Pruneyard,
       now that she can keep up with me.
    => Walk with Colleen at least once/weekend -- Rose Garden feasible.
  & Wonderful snuggle

A couple of days ago I realized that the tree on the hill behind the building where I work is extremely climbable. Yesterday on my walk (cut short due to schedule pressure) I took advantage of that fact, combined with the picnic table somebody had thoughtfully put underneath it. Fun, even though I stopped at the first branch because there were people working in the vicinity.

I've been working in that building for nearly 17 years. The tree has been there all that time. It's been a lot longer than 17 years since I last climbed a tree.

I gave my brother a "happy birthday" call later in the afternoon (i.e. after dinner, East Coast time). He was glad to hear from me -- I need to call him more often.

In the evening I had a longish talk, or rather a series of talks over the course of the evening, ending with a couple of things resolved and some wonderful snuggle before we both somewhat reluctantly went to sleep.

Colleen is lonely a lot of the time, and doesn't get nearly enough quality time with me. Now that she has the scooter, we can go walking together again for the first time in maybe a decade. We're planning to spend Thursday investigating some of our favorite local shopping malls, and take at least one walk together on the weekends.

It's been a pretty good week so far.

Comments

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

I am reminded of a tune: "If growing up denies me the dignity to climb a tree, I won't grow up. Won't grow up. Won't grow! Not me!" How wonderful that you did some tree connection. Makes me grin and feel happy.

I think it would be very helpful for both of you to get out into the sunshine. It will help with the depression, and Colleen's loneliness, too.

[mdlbear]

"If growing up means it would be/Beneath my dignity to climb a tree/I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up, not me!"

From the musical version of Peter Pan. Very popular on TV when I was growing up. Yeah, that was fun.

Sunshine is good, at least if Colleen's wearing sunscreen. I tend to be a cave Bear, which is one reason why I need vitamin D supplements.

[shadowe_wraithe]

Hmmm the comment about sunshine and depression reminded me...are you both taking extra Vitamin D? It is something that can really help with depression, especially if you are sunscreened and not out in the sun much...just a thought. And it's cheap and easily digested as well. Most folks up here, in the PNW need to be on about 5000 IU per day during winter and at least 2000 IU during summer. Yes, it's that important.

Love, Hugs and Blessings,
Shadowe

[mdlbear]

I take about 4400 IU/day; Colleen's not taking much more than 800 or so, but she doesn't have my problem with malabsorbtion, either. (I've posted earlier about D metabolism and gluten sensitivity; it's why my mood is better when I lay off the gluten even though I don't have any intestinal symptoms.)