While it's been a while since my last posts, not a lot has changed. I am walking without my walker, both around the house and out and about. I cannot stand in one place without holding on to something or leaning against something. That situation hasn't changed much in the past month. My neurologist decided I should have six more months of immunoglobulin infusions after I finished in February. No big deal, just got to get to The Canberra Hospital once a month to sit in a recliner for 2 hours while trying to keep my blood pressure from bottoming out. Other than that, my arthritis is getting worse, especially my hands and my right shoulder. I have to be careful not to overdo. My eyes also give me fits and frequent headaches. No cure for them except unfocusing my eyes or closing them. I went through a bit of a black spell in January which coincided with record heat, reaching 41C for a few days and in general being damn hot for weeks. I hate being bottled up in the house with the a/c on for days (or weeks) at a time.  Even though I'm housebound I like the fresh breeze blowing through the house. I haven't attempted driving yet although I think I can. I get so tired just going out on necessary jaunts that adding driving to the mix would be too much.

J came over in December for a couple of weeks and we had a nice visit. We didn't do as much as I wanted to, but my body didn't want to go out exploring as much as my head did. And I do get tired pretty easily. He's due to come over again shortly.

In the meantime I've also revived another musical interest, namely the Canadian band Rush. I loved them in the 80's and lost track when I came to Australia, since they never were big here, and never toured here.  I saw a documentary about them and then started listening to all their albums including the ones I missed in the intervening years, then watched live performances and now am off chasing trivia, looking for bootlegs and talking to other Rush fans. Unfortunately this all coincided with the band deciding to stop touring completely and perhaps retiring. They've been at it for 40+ years so I can't blame them but I am kicking myself that I never made the effort to see them play while living in Ohio in the 80's. We made a big effort to see Clapton live during those years but not much else. It's kept my interest up and got me out of my head. Their music is complicated both lyrically and musically and gives one a lot to think about. Even though they play loud and heavy rock, the songs are around concepts like free will, world politics, loss and life. I thank them for many hours of happiness.

I'm still doing fibre-y stuff. I'm still spinning that wool that I said earlier seemed to go on forever. It does, it seems. I'm also washing a 17-micron merino fleece that is seriously beautiful but seriously dirty. Getting the gunk out of it takes either a lot of pre-washing attention or post-washing combing. Also hard on the hands. I'm planning on working on a quilt if my hands and eyes cooperate. I've got one that I want to piece together after I disassembled it when the colour ran. I may even attempt to do some plain weaving since I have potentially found a way to tie up the treadles on my loom without getting on the floor. Other days I lie in bed reading or working on jigsaw puzzles on my iPad. And listening to Rush....