FEELING | much better after my bout with Covid last week. Thanks to everyone who’s checked in with me. I’ve heard from so many different people now about their experiences with Covid and my take-away is that every case is different and people experienced a huge variety of symptoms, both in variety and intensity. While I don’t feel like I had a bad case at all, I do not want to create any lingering post-Covid issues, so I am trying to ease myself back into my regular work and workout routine slowly and carefully. I was very pleased that my supervisor approved my request to completely work from home this week and not come into the office for my weekly “office day”.
HAPPY | to report that I also tested negative on my Covid-test on Tuesday (which was Day 12 for me). It’s possible that I was negative before Tuesday, but I didn’t test over the weekend. It seemed like a “waste of tests” to me since nobody was checking if or when I had a negative test again (not even my work cared about it), but I wanted to know.
EATING | homemade ramen. I didn’t realize how quick, easy and satisfying a bowl of ramen can be. I made this last week just to get started on some food again (I didn’t really eat much for three days), but I’m adding this to my list of quick meals for the cooler months.
WATCHING | Ghostbusters. Ha. I hadn’t seen the movie in forever. Since I am usually not doing horror movies for Halloween-time, Jon picked this non-scary scary movie last weekend to keep us entertained on a Saturday night. Man, the 80’s were fun.
MISSING | my piano. My friend Nicole (HI NICOLE!) just posted a picture of her piano (and her cute new dog Rex) on Instagram and seeing it gave me a jolt, as I have the same Yamaha piano sitting at my parents’ house, 6000 miles away. I bought the piano with my own money when I was a teenager and I wish I had it here with me.
MAKING | homemade pizza for Jon’s birthday last week. Since we were both stuck at home with Covid, we had to improvise the birthday celebrations a bit. As you recall, I had asked for input on how to make Jon’s 40th birthday extra special… you gave me some great ideas and I had planned a few things for him. Well, and then I gave him Covid instead. Terrible timing, I know. Luckily, Jon is pretty easy-going and had a sense of humor about it, and I think he did have a good birthday despite the Covid-wrench that was thrown into the works (at least, he said so).
STOKED | that just before I was knocked down by Covid, I had completed the last power zone challenge and finished up with a FTP (Functional Threshold Power) test. The FTP test is a 20-minute ride to find out how much average power you can produce over that time span and my last training cycle had produced a 20-point increase, which I was super-proud of!
IN DISBELIEF | that my niece (and god-daughter) turned 14 this month. When I asked her over FaceTime if she had asked me for permission to grow up so fast, her sassy response was “no” (with a daring grin on her face). Is this what typical teenager behavior looks like? I don’t want any of it – haha.
TAKING ADVANTAGE | of the “pilot-program” to renew our passports online. Both Jon’s and my passports expired in September and we were dreading the process of getting them renewed, because it’s such a hassle having the passport pictures taken (which always look terrible, IMHO) and getting all the paperwork submitted by mail. Then I read about the pilot program to renew the passport online on the Travel.State.Gov and we were lucky to both get our renewal applications submitted during the brief time frame that they opened the portal for volunteer customers. Filling out the online application was super-easy and we were even able to submit photos that we had taken of each other with our cellphones at home! Pretty cool! The turn-around time was really quick, too. I had my passport in the mail after just 4 weeks (we submitted my application first) and Jon’s passport should be here in a couple of weeks as well.
ENJOYING | the last warm days on our front porch. I moved the two benches that we used in the backyard this summer up to the covered front porch, so I could still use them for a little while longer before the rain and cooler temperatures come.
LOOKING FORWARD TO | NaBloPoMo, which starts next week! Eek! Thank you to everyone who’s expressed interest in joining me again this year and also for spreading the word! It’s been so wonderful to see you’re getting just as excited about it as I am. I will put out a list of all committed participants when we get started on November, 1.
What is currently going on with you?
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
October 27, 2022 at 8:13 amEvery case of COVID is different but I had a few of the same experiences! I lost my appetite and had a day of extreme nausea. My first “normal” meal was ramen and nothing has ever tasted better! I didn’t put anything in it but after seeing your picture I wouldn’t mind having a “deluxe” bowl. I also didn’t want to “waste” tests and the only reason that I tested at all after the first positive test is that we had a few that were about to expire.
San
October 28, 2022 at 10:40 amYes! It’s so “easy” to make a deluxe bowl of ramen at home…
Elisabeth
October 27, 2022 at 9:46 amI’m excited to do NaMoBloPo, too! You inspired me last year <3
We are COVID twins; my symptoms are hard to pin down because I'm not sure when I actually got COVID vs. when I ended up testing positive. The biggest thing that happened was sudden hearing loss. I'm currently on a 7-day course of steriods, but it has been quite the wild ride with that. It's an uncommon, but documented, response to a viral infection apparently.
So glad you're feeling better. Love the pizza for Jon and did have to laugh (in a sad way) that your gift this year was giving him COVID. This birthday will be memorable, I suppose. We have so many Christmas and birthday stories of things going wrong and in retrospect, it DOES make them more memorable.
How I love ramen. So delicious.
And kudos for getting the passports done. Why does it always feel like such a huge task? In Canada now they last for 10 years for adults, but only 5 years for the kids (and kids require a brand new application, it's not a renewal). Every time I go through the process I dread it – it's not really that bad?! But still, it just feels overwhelming to get the picture and fill out the form and get the signatures and take in the forms and find the birth certificates. Actually, it does sound pretty bad when I write it all out, haha.
San
October 28, 2022 at 10:43 amI am so excited that you’re joining us for NaBloPoMo this year. I know you can rock it – you’ve been so consistent with your blogging as is!!
We really are Covid-twins… and I agree, nailing down symptoms is so hard when everything that people normally experience (headaches, coughs, sniffles, etc.) could be a sign of Covid now as well. I am glad that you got your ear pain/hearing loss checked out though. It’s hard to make the decision to go to the ER, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!!
kim
October 27, 2022 at 10:45 amI am so glad you are feeling better and Jon still had a good birthday despite being sick too! It really becomes apparent after you have it how different it is for everyone – even in your own house! It’s interesting Elisabeth mentions hearing loss – I am still struggling with my hearing since I had it, and it was NOT good to start with!
That passport program sounds amazing! I hope they implement it!
Currently I am excited to see my family for Halloween.
San
October 28, 2022 at 10:45 amThe Covid-experience really is different for everyone… I think that’s partly why I was “afraid” of it, because you had no idea what it would do with YOUR body. I am sorry to hear that you still seem to have residual issues with your hearing. I hope it clears up!!
And yes, I do hope the implement the online passport program. So easy and efficient!
Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
October 27, 2022 at 10:56 amI am glad you are feeling better! I had a pretty rough go with covid. I wasn’t dangerously ill but I felt pretty awful and in hindsight, I should have just taken time off instead of working from home while sick. I would lay down for 1-2 hours each day but I was still working and doing internal calls. On one of those calls, the leader of the group I work with said I sounded awful and that I should lay down and we could regroup when I was feeling better. It was a busy time, though, so it was hard to take time off knowing I was making my coworkers busier. But I should have!
The passport program sounds amazing! Especially being able to use photos from your phone! Getting passport photos is the most annoying part of the process IMO!
I’m currently excited for the upcoming weekend. We have some Halloween-themed events and then paul is sooo excited to trick or treat on Monday.
San
October 28, 2022 at 10:46 amOh no, you worked through Covid? I know some people who have (and probably should have taken time off, too) and I am sorry that you felt that you had to power through. As apparent from your last blog entry, you have since changed your mindset about that a little bit and I think that is very good.
I hope you and the boys have so much fun with Halloween this weekend!
NGS
October 27, 2022 at 1:28 pmOh, I’m glad you are feeling better! COVID is so weird, but I guess a lot of viruses are really variable. When we had chicken pox (I was 3; my sister 5), my sister had a terrible case with lots of blisters and sores in her mouth, but I was just fine! Bodies are weird.
I’m excited because I’m going to visit my best friend this weekend and I can’t wait! Hopefully I’ll get at least one NaBloPoMo post out of it!
San
October 28, 2022 at 10:48 amIsn’t it interesting how different people react to illnesses? My (twin!)-sister also reacted really badly to the vaccines (she had a response with fever and fatigue every single time), while I was completely fine. It’s so weird how all bodies are so different.
I hope you have a great weekend with your best friend <3 and get hyped up for NaBloPoMo!! I have some prep to do for that this weekend too!!
Nicole MacPherson
October 27, 2022 at 1:48 pmAw, I wish you could have your piano with you. What an incredible thing, buying it yourself AS A TEENAGER! Really amazing.
So glad you are feeling better!
San
October 28, 2022 at 10:48 amThanks Nicole! And please feel free to slip in a photo of your piano here and there :) it’ll make me smile!
Suzanne
October 30, 2022 at 6:10 amI am so glad you are recovered from Covid, and that you were able to find a way to celebrate Jon’s birthday despite being sick.
I am in awe that you bought a PIANO with your own money when you were a teen! Wow!!! That’s an amazing commitment to music for a young person.
Since we read a lot of overlapping blogs, I have been seeing so many mentions of NaBloPoMo and I want to do it so badly… but since this month is super busy, I am not going to join formally for fear I will fail. LOL. But I will try to post as often as possible and to keep up with everyone’s posts. Such a fun challenge!
Sara
October 30, 2022 at 9:15 amI’m glad to hear you are on the mend. I’ve had two staff members down with COVID this month and it’s been a very different experience for both.
I love the new prompts for your currently post. I think I’ll have to change it up next month! The pizza you made for Jon’s birthday looks delicious! I’m glad you were able to come up with some ideas to make his birthday special in spite of everything!
I’m intrigued on the passport renewal. It’s definitely something that we’ve been trying to focus on, as Tom’s is coming up and we need to get it done before the holidays because we will end up just outside the 6 month expiration date when we return in January. We don’t want to chance it.
I hope you continue to feel better! <3
Tobia | craftaliciousme
November 1, 2022 at 12:21 amDespite your Civd it still seems like a fun and good month. Too bad Jons b-day was not as planned but I am sure you made the best of it. And it will definitely be one to remember. Ha. How fun to get the passports online. I wonder if that would be possible here in Germany by now. And I am wondering when mine expires. I should check…
Stephany
November 1, 2022 at 7:44 pmI’m so glad you’re on the mend after your bout with Covid. And yes, it seems like everyone’s experience is so different! Like I mentioned before, I could barely sleep and mostly had viral symptoms like a cough/sore throat/congestion. Not fun at all!
I am so excited for NaBloPoMo – can’t believe we’re finally here! YAYAYAYAYYA.
anne
November 6, 2022 at 8:56 amSo glad you and the others are all doing NaBloPoMo! This will FORCE me to take more time to read my favorite blogs, as they are all the people who are doing it with you! :D
I am so glad you’re feeling better, and easing back into life, and that you were able to have your homemade pizza celebration for Jon’s birthday. I hope that COVID is not the gift that keeps on giving for him, though!
I miss the piano terribly – it was a wonderful stress reliever for me in HS – but I gave my (digital) one away because I never played it, and felt guilty when I saw it (which was, fyi, all the time, given the size of my apartment, LOL).
And omg, they had that passport thing open just a few months after I renewed mine. I look like a felon in the picture. Honest to Pete. Hopefully they keep it around so I can use it in… 9.5 years. Sighhh…