Sunday, November 3, 2013

Windstorm thoughts

We knew the windstorm was coming. It's November in the Pacific Northwest, after all. The wind gusted and threatened and blew for six hours yesterday, accompanied by rain. My husband Art and grandson Kyle had agreed to put the garden to bed, and so they did - bundled up in raingear and boots. They both love machines, and they put the new rototiller and the old chipper to good use.

I was indoors most of the day. Here's my short list of reflections:

1. There is nothing like the colors of autumn. I experienced them last weekend especially, on the second annual gathering of the Blogging Vashonistas. The six of us met last year at Lavender Hill Farm on Vashon Island - six bloggers who wanted to meet each other in person after reading each other's blogs for a while. We've formed traditions already: DJan drives to my house on Friday and we carpool to the airport to meet Sally's plane and then drive to the ferry dock. We meet Jann, Deb and Sandi at the house. Sandi makes a fabulous dinner. We gather by the fireplace with our laptops and iPads and we talk. On Saturday we breakfast at the Hardware Store, stroll through the Farmer's Market and find a hike or two - still talking. We have another excellent dinner. On Sunday we enjoy another of Sandi's great meals. And we say goodbye "until next year".

2.  I love wind when it hails the arrival of a new weather front. We have two sets of Corinthian chimes,  one on our back deck and one just outside our bedroom window. When I hear their music, I know we're going to have weather.


3. I've struggled with seasonal affective disorder for over a decade, and I'm a worrier as well. Recently I decided to get some help with both issues. Fortunately, I have a compassionate doctor. He has been my doc for 25 years and he knows me well.  

I hate taking meds. I fought taking blood pressure medication for five years. I thought I'd just get more exercise and lose some weight. I did get more exercise but I didn't lose weight; apparently it wasn't important enough to give up my daily mocha or my evening ice cream. Making the decision to accept some help for my blood pressure was a good one. 

So I have decided also to accept help for my winter blues and my worrying. My doc has provided me with information and medication and his continuing encouragement. My sister is a nurse and she is very helpful and supportive. I'm strong and independent, but refusing to accept help is not very smart. As I move forward with this change, I'm hopeful.

4. There is nothing better on a windy afternoon than to read a good book with a cat asleep on your lap.

15 comments:

Olga said...

We had big wind here on Friday--blew the caps of both chimneys. It also blew in some warmer weather but that did not last. I have to think about getting my yard and garden put to bed. I hope I am not too late.

DJan said...

That was some storm! We here in BHam missed the worst of it, you got it worse south of us. I see that there are still places in Snohomish County without power. Today is sure gorgeous, though.

I love your thoughts of last weekend. It was magical, and I'm enjoying savoring it, too. Glad to hear you are deciding to get some help with your SAD. :-)

Rian said...

Linda, I love hearing about your visits to Lavender Hill Farm. And Vashon Island seems like a wonderful place.

I too hate meds. Luckily for me I am able to go without for now. But I do know that there are times when meds are appropriate, and only you (with a trusted doctor) can know this.

And lastly, I do agree that there is nothing better than a good book and a contented cat!

Linda Reeder said...

I am looking forward to a little book and cat time, as I hope things slow down here a bit. We do have a lot more clean up in the yard after that wind storm. Outside work might be a pleasant change.
I am curious about what treatment you will seek for SAD and worrisomeness. While I deal with the darkness by getting outside as often as I can, I find it hard to turn off the worrying.

Out on the prairie said...

Welcome home. I hope you tried one of the pizza places downtown Fairfield I love to frequent. I am packing to move back over to the farm this week. I am tired of going back and forth, too many miles in transit, and enjoy a simple country life.

Perpetua said...

I read about your gathering on Sally's blog and it sounded wonderful, Linda. We've been having some very stormy weather over here, so you're not alone. :-)

As for taking medication, my husband is the world's worst, but even he has accepted that he now needs it for his BP. I hope the treatment for your SAD and anxiety works really well.

Bob Lowry said...

Our weather has finally turned nice. The summer heat is gone and the 75 degree days are here. We won't see many clouds or rain until January so now is the time to be outside as much as possible.

Desert dwellers are different folks. When it does rain and storm we love it since it happens so infrequently. A day of wind and showers is celebrated. We sit on the porch and watch the storm and listen to the rain. We build a fire in the living room, have hot chocolate, and read...and look forward to the next stormy day.

Strange, right?

Rosaria Williams said...

We heard about your weather on the news! Yes, indeed, we do get used to it, and we do adapt our ways; but, we also need respite, or new ways of coping sometimes. In the past we spent a few weeks down in California with our eldest and his family. This year, my daughter is expecting a baby in December. We'll be hanging around to give her help and to welcome the new addition.

Arkansas Patti said...

I had heard about your storm and wondered how my PNW bloggers fared. Glad you suffered no damage.
We have 3 days of rain ahead. Good time for reading and a cat.

Sandi said...

I think you got the worst part of the storm up your way. It wasn't so bad down here, not this time anyway!

I can relate to not wanting to take medication. I finally gave in on the BP meds, just a few months ago. I'm glad I decided to get help. It was too high for comfort!

My daughter is afflicted with SAD and swears light therapy is helping. We bought a light out of season (last March I think) but they are at Costco for 1/2 the price we paid, and I'm going to get another one. Jess is using it every morning and it seems to be helping her.

Now I'm the last one of us to write a post about our weekend! I have tried twice and not finished. :( I'm enjoying reading more than writing!

MyMaracas said...

Your blogger gathering sounds like a truly special time - I'm envious.

Nothing to do when storms come but hunker down, preferably with a cat and a book - perfect companions for a rainy day.

I do hope your SAD treatment is effective. I only recently gave in and started on diabetes meds again. I hate, hate, hate them. But sometimes the illness really is worse than the cure.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

Linda, I'm glad to read that you are trying medication for SAD. Going outdoors helps, exercise helps, eating right helps, but sometimes they are not enough. Oh, and I can't use light therapy because it may advance my eye problems. So I tried a couple of meds and settled on Zoloft, or its generic twin Sertraline. Some people think this alters who they are. I say it gets me out of the deep hole I used to live in and lets me be the real me. I hope you find one that works for you as well!

Madeline Kasian said...

I am so glad you are treating your blood pressure.I am a retired Nurse.. my mom in law refused to take her medication for years. She did finally have a stroke and is now in a nursing center in a wheelchair.She was always "afraid of becoming a burden.." and I have no idea why she would not take a simple daily hydrochlorthiazide pill.

You sound like your retirement years are getting better and better as you make changes and improvements in your daily life--I enjoy your soulful writing..

i love wind, also.It's just--I don't know--romantic!? Powerful! energetic.! Well, in the right amounts!

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

A windstorm, a book and a warm cat: a perfect mix for a lovely day!

I'm so glad that you're accepting treatment for your blood pressure, Linda. Untreated, it can be so dangerous. I think we all do the best we can to make healthy choices in our lives and one of those choices is to take medication when needed.

Carol said...

I am so glad to have found your blog. My son just moved to Seattle this past August from our home in the Texas panhandle. I have been searching for Seattle blogs to get an idea of what it is like in his new home. He grew up here in the desert SW, where it is flat, hot, dry, and all the trees in town have been purchased at a nursery and planted. In 2012 our city received 12.33 inches of precipitation, the year before only 7.01 for the year so I worry about him and your rain. So far he says he likes it. I am enjoying your blog. Have a wonderful Sunday!