Just a bit of winter depression, I think

So, it is the doldrums of winter. 

Doldrums - look it up.  

I don't need any optimistic "glass is half full" stuff. 

It is winter.

I went to Portland, Oregon last weekend to visit my oldest brother, his wife and only daughter, Char.

Well, Char was married Sept. of 2009, right while I was in the middle of a 

health crisis. 

My brother used to live here in SLC near me so we saw each other often. 

I saw Char grow up.  She was my child also, 

I thought.

I don't know why no one told me she got married.  

I hope it was because I was sick.

Sure, I got involved in life and sort of lost track of them since they moved to Portland but...

So when they told me she was expecting I was a wee bit shocked, 

anyway so they now have a new baby boy born end of this last October.

I don't want there to ever be any reason for my brother and his family to not be comfortable in having me in their life so when Char suggested I come up some weekend when the airplane fares were cheap and

meet her new hubby and baby

I took her up on it. 

My wonderful Aunt Lois says,

"the measure of a friendship is how far you will travel to see someone for 5 minutes."

I paid $250.00 for an overnight trip to see all my brother's family and it was wonderful.

I really hope to do it again, I had a wonderful time.

So what does this have to do with winter?

I'm trying to find ways to get through it without suffering so badly.

An unplanned trip was wonderful.  

But I came back to winter.

I feel the surgery spot in my sinus every time I take a deep breath through my nose,

My back hurts and now pain shoots down the back of my leg,

So, I bought a new goose down "sweater" from Patagonia.

That felt better.

My right shoulder is trying to seize up on me like my left shoulder did two summers ago, it hurts constantly but I must keep moving it or it will freeze up.

I play the piano and read instead of doing housework.

That feels better too.

My headache has been very bad this last week.  One 7th grade student asked me in class if I was 

all right because I had that "1000 yard stare" going on.

I showed a video in every class last Friday - that really helped

And, I sleep a whole lot more but

I can't get enough sleep at night because I wake up so often.

I just want to eat sweets and sit by an open oven door with the heat up to 400 degrees.

My right knee hurts, my skin is very dry and itchy. 

my feet hurt, especially where my bunion is coming back, 

I miss high heeled shoes.

I downloaded two new books onto my Nook, but I think I also need a new album from itunes - 

the NEW Bruce Springsteen will be out soon!  Will that help ??

I miss having a salad for dinner for a whole week and always losing 5 pounds.

Oh skip it, that is depressing even in summer!

It is the doldrums of winter, I can't stand it any longer.

Do not remind me that February is still to come and oh yeah, don't remind me that February is 

A DAY LONGER THIS YEAR!

it is so cold outside I hate to go out to play with the dog because I come back in and

have to put my hands in lukewarm water to get them back to a color other than white or blue.

I just want to sit in a chair without a blanket around my legs.

Did I mention I hate winter.

I just don't feel well in winter, it lasts too long. 

I think I'll go to bed.

Plug for a great little Restaurant in Syracuse, Utah - Cafe Limon

Last month my 2 nieces from two different of my sibs, and I went

to dinner at a little Peruvian restaurant.

Please, if you happen to be heading north out of Salt Lake through Layton area, perhaps going to Antelope Island 

(there is a whole other blog waiting to happen about Antelope Island somewhere inside of me)

then plan to stop at

it is owned by Ron and Amparo Alam

   located:  

973 West 1700 South Syracuse, Utah 84075 

  www.cafelimonrestaurant.com   

801-825-0219

The food is spectacular!  But don't fill up too full because the desserts are spectacular also!  

The flan was so thick and smooth and rich, I could have rolled in it and been in heaven.  

The rice pudding was 10x better than my Mother's

and I thought nothing could top Mom's - again way creamier and richer!

Look at their website - she has AWARD winning chicken from the food network!  That is what I ordered and I ATE the WHOLE entire thing MYSELF!

Just take the exit for Antelope Island -

head west to the city of Syracuse and then look for the address of 973 West.  It is at the west end of a little strip mall right there on 1700 South.

________________________________________________________________

Misc:

Just in the effort to be totally up front and honest with whatever readers there are -

I haven't yet started any new years resolutions! 

I don't want to get to eager and start before I am really ready.  

I'm flying off Saturday, Jan. 14th to Portland to see my oldest brother, his wife, my niece and her hubby
and their new baby Parker! 

I will return late on Sunday the 15th to rest up on the holiday on Monday and that is when I will start
in earnest on my new habits, along with starting 3rd term at school. 

All I want is 10lbs a term - is that asking too much? 

Maybe a little exercise thrown in there for good measure?

  (Do you know how much easier it is to read a Nook book when exercising?  

You don't have to hold the pages open!  Bingo! 

January and the first snow - which will stick longer; new resolutions or the snow

Ok, so I haven't done too well so far this year in the resolution department. 

But I am starting a contest at work.  

We borrowed the name of "Biggest Loser".   

I have to be down at least 20 lbs for my final appointment this summer with my brain/eye doctor. 

I can't go to the appointment like a 7th grader who procrastinated doing a term project!

  -just sitting there looking at my doctor trying for excuses as to why I can't seem to do the one thing that has shown to possibly get rid of the pressure in my head. 

It is like looking at a table covered with money that I am free to go pick up, instead I just sit there complaining;

"but it's all green and wrinkled! and can't you bring it to me?" 

How do you spell that sound that babies make?  Wa Wa or something?

But on a better note:

Did I ever rant on how much I hate wasting time on useless, poorly written books! 

My reading time is precious to me. 

Very precious. 

And I just spent an entire Saturday on a bad teen's book called Incarceron.

  I will not be reading the sequel.  

I spent money on these paperbacks.  

Money can be replaced, but MY TIME!  Please. 

I should have taken your comment on this book to heart Amy, but I had already spent the money! 

This is why, I think, that I don't write books.  I would be a crappy writer and people would say "what was the point" and "can't you describe any better than that", and "your characters were flat" and on and on... 

So to not prolong this point to a nauseating length,

I will just say good-bye for today and not ruin any more of any of my reader's time! let's all go back to reading a great book!