I relish the idea of wandering the isles
Hello friends,
I got my second shot this week! Of course, I won’t be fully vaccinated for another week and a half, but I feel so relieved. The shot knocked me on my ass for a couple of days, but I’ve never been so happy to feel like shit. I’ll gladly take some fatigue, chills, and achy muscles (as uncomfortable as they are) in exchange for the vaccine’s security.
Even after I reach the fully vaccinated mark, I’ll need to remain careful. I’ll be getting my next Ocrevus infusion, which will lower my immune system. So I won’t be going to any bars or concerts, but I will head to the grocery store on Monday. I haven’t been grocery shopping in more than a year. I used to see it as such a chore. Even when I had an exciting recipe lined up, I still hated the ingredient-gathering stage. But after essentially being confined to my house for the past year, I relish the idea of wandering the isles. Fluorescent lights and random background music now seem thrilling. My dad, for his part, handed this responsibility back to me with a heavy sigh and a “thank God.”
I’ve also made some great progress in the garden. I’ve begun weeding and cultivating the neglected bed at one corner of my backyard. The sandy Florida soil is compacted and filled with approximately 12 billion rocks. But I’ve got about a third of it ready, and I plan to tackle the rest this week. I placed a young fig tree in a large clay pot as the centerpiece of the bed, and I plan to surround it with succulents and cacti. (Let me know if you have any fun or unusual cuttings you want to trade!) I also pruned the overgrown pittosporum back to the stump to shape it into a small tree to accent the fig. I’ve already got some new growth on that one!
And, because gardening makes me hungry, I’m baking my first sourdough loaf tomorrow. Wish me luck. I plan to bring some to my mom. Oh look, a Mother’s Day segue! Sorry, I’ll show myself out. But first, I want to give a massive shoutout to my mom. She’s one of the toughest people I know, and I’m so grateful for our relationship. I know Mother’s Day is tough for some people, but for me, it’s an opportunity to show my mom a little extra appreciation. Love you, Mom.
See you next week,
Yardena