Another bit of Yule

[elainegrey]

My sister waved me off from going up to see Mom yesterday, so with a little bit of energy i tried to make the most of the day. I hemmed two tea towels as gifts, trying not to be too much of a perfectionist about it. I think i'm getting the hang of the miter seam at the corners.

We had Christine's sister & her husband over for dinner. I'd bought Alaskan black cod (aka sablefish*) when i bought the salmon, so we served that with a salad (out of a bag). D-- brought cheesy grits made with blue corn, and that made a delightful meal. We will have my Dad and mom's sister over on New Year's eve with lasagna from a nearby restaurant: an unusual round of entertaining for us!

Christine's not feeling great this morning - the cold i've had is probably taking a toll on her.

I've a sense of urgency about getting organized and clear about next priorities. I don't know how much of an impact Mom's care will have on me. I think i probably have the capacity if i become better at time management.

I don't think i mentioned it but i recently read a NY Times article on "The Brain Fog of Menopause." I've been aware since before we moved of a sense that i was slower, that things took longer, and i'd just written it off to the inevitability of aging. The thought that a mental sharpness might return on a rebound is delightful and wonderful.


*I'd also seen it sold as butterfish in California, but looking up "butterfish" on line it seems a common name for a number of species, some of which seem unappetizing.

Comments

[egret]

That article is really interesting. I had been experiencing brain fog -- hard to remember student names, having to pause to remember the right word, feeling overwhelmed. I thought my brain was slowing down too but lately it's been better on all counts. I now think that maybe it was menopausal and maybe it was a little depression. Good to know there are options to treat it.
Wishing you peace in the new year.

[elainegrey]

Glad to hear your brain fog is getting better. And i hope peace, joy, and good reading & writing to you in the new year.

[annie_r]

I remember sable fish from when I was a kid in NY; I haven't heard anyone use that term in a long time. When I was little it was often part of a big bagels-and-everything Sunday brunch that older relatives would have at someone's house (and lox, pickled herring, etc. What a different time it was.)

I will read the article (I have a million browser tabs open.) It's hard for me to distinguish brain fog from depression and my ADD-like spaciness, but it's definitely worse than in previous decades. And I'm past menopause so I guess I should read the article and see what I'm in for.

I'm sorry I didn't get to make plans with you and C during my vacation time, but I haven't managed to do much of anything, and between your cold and mom, we probably wouldn't have managed it. Back to work Wednesday.

[elainegrey]

You've probably read by now, but the bottom line is the menopausal brain fog gets better with time.

I've ferns sitting and surviving for you in their temporary homes, so some time i will make a delivery trip up if we can't entice you down to have a dog walk and then see the orchard/dog place of joy. Whenever it stops raining and before summer misery. It has to stop raining [quite so much -- no drought! no drought!], right?