Sick so sick

I have been sick for a week now. I blame the pubic swimming pool, as clean as it looks all those germ ridden kids swimming around and running with bare feet has to be a festus breading ground. Im not sure festus is even a word but it fits. As soon as I started swimming I got sick.

For almost 5 days I didn't know what it was. I was off food, couldn't eat, nauseous and tired, even the thought of cooking turned my stomach. At first I thought it was my diabetes, then I thought I might be pregnant (I'm not). Finally on Friday I developed a sore throat and my nose got blocked, ran constantly and I had a constant headache. I must have been fighting some bug. Saturday night I got a fever and it broke around 3am. I slept on the cool leather sofa with the air trained on me and peeled my self off the next morning. I am still pretty wiped out, I have my appetite back and can manage small amount of food but I still get nauseous and I am still a little congested.


The sad thing is I missed the family cabin trip. I was so looking forward to having family time with GM, mom and dad. My sister Myra and bro Jeff and the little munchkin. I'm sorry we couldn't make it guys.

On the bright side, this is the first time I have been sick this year. Hopefully I have built my resistance up cause I'm off swimming again tomorrow I hope.

Last but by no means least. A wonderful thank you to my husband who cooked, brought me Ice cream and generally looked after me while I was sick. I love you hunX

MORE MASSAGE

Aaron conceded and came and had a Chinese massage with Myra and I. I was worried as had to wait quiet a while before his lady started work on him, I wasn’t able to relax until I saw he was ok. I was finished at least 15min before Aaron because he had to wait so long to start. I waited anxiously in the reception area for him to come out, how would he react? Out he emerged from behind the screen of the darkened room with a huge smile on his face, he loved it. So did I of course I had a different lady and this one (Lisa) climbed on my back and stayed on my back for ages, she rocked back and forth on her knees and feet moving up and down my back giving it a complete workout. We will be going back.

ps, Jessica we will call nxt time I promise

Tootise is Sick

I took Tootise to the vet yesterday (Saturday)she has been unable to lie comfortably since Friday. She has had her tail between her legs and refuses to come when called, she has confined herself to her basket and has not eaten much. I felt her stomach and its is distended, as tight a drum. The vet took some Xrays and her stomach and colon are clean but her intestines are enlarged and wavy. They are supposed to be smooth and tube like in appearance but on the xray the other edges are wavy and another section very enlarged. He didn’t know why this had happened. At first he thought it might be a foreign body but Tootise is not a chewer and an older dog. That would be more likely if she was a pup chewing on everything. He also thought It might be nutritional, that she had eaten something she was not used to and was reacting. He couldn’t tell. He gave her a pain injection and reffered us to a place further away, telling is that if there was no improvement by Sunday today we should take here there. It would be costly but they would do an ultra sound and be able to give me more answers. In the meantime he gave me some pills and sent us on our way with a digital copy of the xray. That visit cost us $208. Well I’m happy to say that Tootise has made some improvements. She has eaten a little today doesn’t seem like she is in as much pain. Her stomach in no longer tight and she has played and been with us today. She isn’t completely better but a big improvement. I am slightly worried because if this is serious and she needs surgery we cannot afford it and they will not accept a payment plan. They will recommend we put her down if we do not have the $1000 + it would cost to have her fixed. Here’s hoping she gets better soon.

UPDATE MOVING TO LONDON POST

Its two days later… From the day I wrote the post above. Today we had our meeting, I went out on the ministry and then I went swimming while Aaron cooked dinner. It was a beautiful sunny day, the pool cool and crisp, the sun on my back as I glided throuhg the water. There were a few to many kids for my liking but I found my spot and swam, tuting and sighing as they jumped in the pool were I was swimming and cut across me with out the slightest clue. It wasn’t so bad and I’m not quite that grumpy yet. I jumped in my car wearing my sarong and Capri’s and drove home, a huge smile on my face. A little later I decided to collect the post so I sauntered down my driveway still in my sarong, flip flops, and hair still wet from the pool. It was quiet not a soul in sight. It made me think I couldn’t do this in London. I cant enjoy the outside were my apartment currently is, but here I feel free. I love the space, the quiet, the fresh air.






On my cons list I mentioned that we probably would have to sacrifice the Harley, that was until we went for a ride today. I was reminded this is one of my favorite things for Aaron and I to do together. Riding through the forests, the smell of pine filling the air. A smell I will always associate with Northern California. I have decided that my research must include finding out how to ship our bike across. I think I could deal with city life if we could get on the bike at weekends and hit the road, riding through the English countryside would be amazing. Today California won out. Today I’m content and happy to be exactly where I am. I have a traveling feet so who knows where I’ll want to be tomorrow.

Musings about moving to London

I'm thinking about moving back to London!

Let me just add a little note here.. This isn’t in plan mode its me thinking out loud.

As the title suggests I have been thinking about moving back to London. Aaron isn’t quite there with me yet so as I said this is me just thinking. It popped into my head last week. Up until now I hadn’t really considered it an option to move back to London. I might have let the thought pass through once before but it never took root as was probably due to being homesick.

This time I’m thinking more about our lives, do I want my life to continue as it is now? Is there room for change and a challenge. I have considered how the move would effect us from a spiritual, economic and health view point and I am struggling to come up with reasons not to go.

The watchtower this weekend was especially helpful as it was all about making decisions, It reminded me not to run off gun ho with an idea. There is still a lot of research to do regarding Aarons status in the UK and the process that involves him getting legal rights to stay.

I wrote a list of pros and cons for moving.


PROS

Walking is part of your life style, in the USA you have
To make time to walk

Sports Centers - there are sports centers were you can We are starting with nothing
Swim and do tennis, squash, basket ball, I used to swim
A few times a week.

More jobs in the city

I have a apartment with low rent

I could do foreign Lang ministry and still go to an Aaron might find it hard to adjust
English cong, back to Somali, being apart of starting congregations and groups.

Aaron and I could work only part time

We could both pioneer

Free/low cost Dental

Free Healthcare

Travel more as we are in Europe

Do not need a car


CONS

City living we love the mountains

Would be back to having worldly family pressure

Aaron would have to give up a stable job.

Aaron could not work initially

Would miss my new family here

We would have to give up the Harley

We might hate it and it not work

Tootsie would have to stay in the USA



The cons it seems stem mostly from fear of failure. Having to adapt, starting over, walking away from a job, making a mistake. I know the grass is never greener and maybe I’m underestimating how hard it will be to have our roles reversed. Aaron will not be able to work until he has legal status. In the USA it took me nearly a year to get my status. Am I prepared to work while Aaron pioneers. My heart says YES… but what are the realities of that and the effects to my spirituality. Would we cope if I worked only part time? I know the answer to this lies in my doing more research. So that’s the next phase. I would also like advise from my readers and any additional points that I may not of thought about or considered.

Massage Chinese Style and Curry

We had our convention at the weekend, more about that on another post. Saturday morning I received a text from my Sister in-law Myra. She wanted a massage and would love company, would I like to have a typical Beijing style massage?
Myra lived in China for 2 years before she became pregnant with our wonderful happy chap Elliot who is 8 months old. I believe she used to get a massage every week as they are so cheap in China and very good to boot.
Well she must have read my mind, I have been thinking about and needing a massage for a few months now. So I wholeheartedly agreed.
After the convention we went back to her home so Elliot could be fed, bathed and put down for the night while dad watched ice hockey and ironed. Her husband loves to Iron and he spends many a free night happily ironing away. I looked on in envy as he ironed like a professional, one eye on the game and barley a glance at his ironing as he first Ironed the back top of his shirt, then cuffs, collar and the rest of his shirt, systematically spraying with his very posh looking water bottle. Now that's a trait all husbands need to come pre programmed with.
Before we head to our appointment we are famished so Myra suggests we have dinner. Just around the corner is an Indian restaurant she says is fab. I don't need to have my arm twisted to eat Indian.. Lead the way Myra.


www.kathmandukitchen.com


The food was some of the best I have had in the USA. You had a choice of having your dish Tali style or a la cart. A la cart means that it comes just with rice. Tali style is above, it comes with Dahl, vegetable curry, rice, nan, a yogurt dip and a potato dish. All this for under $20.


Shortly after we made our way to the Massage place. Its called has a sign that says FOOT out side. It advertises itself as a reflexology place but its more massage, a little foot work but if your expecting professional reflexology you'll be disappointed. However the overall experience was very good.
Its not the most elegant place I had been to, but as Myra has been there before I had confidence. The location does nothing to install confidence but if you can look past that your in for a treat. You enter a small typical reception and the rest of the room behind a Chinese screen is darkened. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust, but when they do I see the room is full of leather spa chairs. Each one facing the wall so that there is a degree of privacy. Myra had given me some basic info ahead of time. Its would be in a room where others were getting the same treatment and that you wear loose comfy clothing so that they can massage underneath straps etc.
The above picture is not where I was but its a good representation, minus the pond, and the chairs are against the walls.


There were several others getting massaged but the lighting was dim enough and there was enough space that I didn't feel that like I would be uncomfortable. We requested women. We were lead to 2 spa chairs, our feet were put into a hot water and we were laid back in our spa chairs, and a long towel placed over us.
My lady said hello and then got to work, I personally do not like alot of chit chat. First she worked on my scalp, head, face and neck, this involved deep pressure and a little hair pulling. Something I hadn't experienced before, but it was relaxing and the different sensations were pleasant.
The lady then moved on to my hands and fingers, a typical hand massage, very nice. Next she moved on to my arms and under arms and arm pits. This was very strange to me. She used the towel at all times and she put alot of pressure on my underarms, this sent pins and needles feeling throughout my body and it wasn't my favorite feeling but I went under the assumption that they knew what they where doing. They lady then proceeded to use small slapping motions along my underarms and armpits. Well I just burst into a fit of giggles and so did the lady massaging me. Her reaction was sweet and this further relaxed me. After they finished my face she put a hot towel behind my neck and then wrapped my feet in one too. I also had a small towel over the my eyes and this added to my relaxation. The only sounds I could hear were sounds of nature coming from a dvd somewhere and the slapping sounds of others being thoroughly pummeled. All I could think was, I wonder if they will do that to me, I was soon to find out!
I was asked to lie on my front and put my face comfortably in the custom made face hole in the spa chair. My little Chinese lady was STRONG, she worked my back and shoulders with her elbow at times. I had moments of "I cant take this anymore" then she would move on. I thought about asking her to soften up a bit as she did ask me if the pressure was ok and I said yes. Because I'm tough!! At one point she climbed on my back her knees in my calf's, she slapped her legs up and down on mine and then put all her might into my back. It was all very strange but I have never felt so loose. It takes a little getting used to, and I have a sports masseuse I used in Placerville and she is great but she costs twice as much and she talks to me too much. I am sold on FOOT massage on Stockton Blvd. Its not fancy but its only $20 for a whole hour. Tip is $10, and they work hard. They are not what I would call professionals like my sports masseuse but they do know what they are doing. I loved it, highly recommend and will be taking friends there..