Kindness and Salted Plums

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I was pretty sick today. I dragged myself to Ken, my chiropractor who re-adjusted my neck which was a MESS from sleeping on stacked pillows and coughing non-stop for days. He recommended lots of ginger which I have been sipping and ingesting all along, and COD LIVER OIL. Now I remember Cod Liver Oil from all the old books I had read. It was stuff that kids were forced to take by their mothers and it was gross and noone liked it. Turns out that in the Victorian era, kids were forced to take an emulsion of it which probably stunk to high heaven and tasted similar to its smell. Back in the day they did not have the lemon flavored variety I guess.

On the way home I stopped by my neighborhood sushi restaurant- KYOTO. I craved some clear soup and some kind of spicy roll-Mexican roll being my favorites; crunchy salmon with rice and spicy sauce. While waiting, the hostess, Connie, set me up with a hot cup of tea, then proceeded to bring me something that they take in their country when sick. Salted plums mashed in hot water. The taste was salty sweet, and after drinking it I thought I was going to have the biggest hot flash ever. But it felt good on my sore throat, and it was sweetened by the kindness and caring of a friend. I drank all of it, they sent me home with another.

I spent time in the studio though I am not sure of what I got done. I think most of my day was in slow motion, punctuated by fits of coughing and wheezing. I laid down, STILL could not sleep, and I wondered how long I can go with out rest.

I just finished a pot of chicken soup, cleaned the cat litter which was crying out for a change, and washed the floor. I am heading up to rest as Larry is still wandering around picking up things here and there....cough syrup from the health food store (along with the Cod Liver Oil...) and wine for tomorrows dinner. I hope the antibiotics kick in soon. I am tired of this and want to have energy for tomorrows feast and enjoy my family.

Art today is the first encaustic piece that I made a few years back. It was a process piece, and is more abstract than the art I usually make, but I like it, and the process was indeed fun.

Safe driving, and may you all enjoy your dinners tomorrow. Patti

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