Feeling much better. Except for the asthma.

And the gi issues. Been taking copious medications, and it’s helping. Paxlovid mouth is still a thing, but my trick is still working. 

Wishing with all my heart I never catch this again. 

Pretending like it hasn’t been four years

I tested positive for COVID on Friday, despite all my precautions. I was boosted in September, I have been a (relatively) careful masker. 

It’s pretty obvious who I got it from. They tested positive three days before I did. They were not masking. They had not gotten the booster this year. They got a milder case than I did. 

I am not bitter about that. Much.

My symptoms were: coughing; sneezing; stuffy head; fever; chills; headache; dizziness; high heartrate; and a cranky digestive system (which is common for me anytime I get ill, ever since cdiff).

I called the doctor right away for a paxlovid script, started taking it Friday. Saturday I still felt like utter crap. Sunday (today), I feel much better. Still have a cough, exhaustion, and dizziness, but otherwise good.

Paxlovid tastes as bad as everyone says, sort of a sour rubber mouth feel, but there is a solution: strong flavors. Hall’s cherry cough drops. Pesto. Ginger candy. STRONG flavors.

I’m feeling better enough to get on Teams calls tomorrow. I may not have the energy to do more than that. 

In any case, it got me back on here. I’ll send this link out to the socials and we will see what happens. 

Question for our times: Video Conferencing Preparation

Hi! Dusting off the blog to ask a community question:

If you teleconference at home, do you check out your outfit and background on your set-up's camera before you start your day?

I check to see if my top is see-through or looks weird, and I look at the background to make sure there aren't any wadded up tissues or other visible evidence that I'm not a great housekeeper.

We spent time last weekend making the room behind me look as neutral and professional as possible.

Not shown: the side table overwhelmed by nebulizer paraphenalia, and my purse and the file boxes.

So, questions. Do you do this? And also, do you think the pajama shirt I'm wearing in the top picture is okay for professional video conferencing?

Finally, here's a picture of the Sargasso Sea I took when we went on a cruise to Bermuda in 2018. When I'm feeling penned in now, I just look at that horizon and breathe deeply (or as deeply as my asthma lets me.)

Yes. It really was that blue.

Learner's permit

My son holding his temporary permit

In Virginia, you can get your Learner's Permit at 15 years, 6 months. That was yesterday, but there was a two-hour wait at the DMV, so we got there before they opened this morning.

And now I'm all verklempt.

My grandmother's latest poem

My grandmother (who is in her late 90's) writes poetry and has been published in magazines and elsewhere.

Her latest poem got shared around by family, and it's beautiful. Evocative. Heart-breaking. Joyful.

She gave me permission to share it with you here.

I’M SAYING GOODBYE TO MY BODY

I’m saying goodbye to my body,

long ago disdained

for size of breasts, shape of legs,

now nudging me downhill all the way.

I’m saying goodbye to my body,

ancient collaborator with

the smell of new-cut grass,

the thrust of arm throwing a ball,

the velvet feel of East New York’s slates

under my speeding roller skates,

the taste of June’s wild strawberries,

the pull of dancing à la Isadora, à la Martha,

the glory of May Day marching,

the sight of Jenny Lake in the Tetons,

of broom in bloom in the Luberon,

the sweet oasis of Shabbos,

the pride of menstrual flow,

the head-loosening orgasms,

the glow of babies suckling, the mindful heat of Emily’s poems,

the hug of Sons and Lovers,

the startle of “Sunflowers” hanging in a school,

the wake-up of Mozart’s G-Minor,

the movies subtitled, French and Soviet,

most of all, words, words, words,

jousting among us until 2 o’clock in the morning.

I’m saying goodbye to my body and

its first-time joys,

now recycled into memory.

I’m saying goodbye and thank you.

©Ruth Dropkin

June 2017

My grandmother's memoir of her oldest sister

My grandma wrote a beautiful memoir of her sister Emma. Emma was the oldest of four daughters born to a rabbi and his wife. They immigrated from eastern Europe in the early part of the 20th century.

Here it is, just as she typed it, with her hand-writing on it. Published as 5 jpegs with her permission and also the permission of my cousin, Emma's daughter.

Fifteen (posted a week late, oops)

Silly, charming, taller than me, all hoodies all the time. Was in THREE plays since his last birthday!

Here he is in his high school's production of Radium Girls, playing The Reporter (photo courtesy my friend Erin)

Here he is in the red hat playing Nathan Detroit in his summer camp's production of Guys and Dolls. (photo courtesy my friend Erin, again)

And, of course, he was Iago in his middle school production of Aladdin last spring. 

He went from blue hair

To gold hair

To pink hair 

And back to blue.

He's got a great group of friends, and a terrific sense of humor. I'm proud to be his mom.