15 Marbles

SP and I got our second doses of Pfizer about 3 weeks back. I was going to wait 2 weeks from the day we got the jab to post about it,but I got distracted by the Lockdown! Yes, we are in lockdown again- Lockdown 5, but more about that later.

So, with the first dose, I didn’t have any side effects other than the regular flu like symptoms & a dull headache, but they disappeared in 2 days. However, with the second dose, I started feeling sick straight away. That may have caused a little excitement in the quiet waiting area at the hospital. One minute I was standing at the counter, waiting to be signed out, next I was being led the nearest chair. 4 nurses appeared suddenly and I was taken to the examination bay & then wheeled out to the observation room.

Finally my heart rate steadied and they let me go home with instructions to rest and return if I felt worse. I slept a lot for the next two days. This time I had a lot of nausea too and sleeping helped too. Besides when you are a mum, it’s not always that you get told to go back to bed & I was not going to let that opportunity pass.

Anyway, back to lockdown, I can’t believe it that we are back in lockdown so quickly and that our last lockdown was only last month! 🤯 We are doing our part – staying home, using masks, just being sensible. And despite knowing and understanding the logic of it, it’s still hard to not be impacted by it. Almost everyone I speak to talks about how they are now struggling emotionally and that’s completely understandable, isn’t it? We are social beings after all. Even the most introverted, most anti-social ones amongst us need the most basic social interactions for their mental wellbeing.

But we are also the most adaptive species on earth. The last time I was in the office, masks were mandatory. It was so nice to recognise familiar people despite the masks, seeing their eyes crinkle as they smiled upon recognising you. It was wonderful to see everyone respectfully staying the required 1.5mtrs away from each other. It was funny to watch friends do that awkward air hug, side step and then elbow bump – funnier because I had done the same thing myself. We learn, we adapt, then learn some more, until we perfect this game of life, taking all the little curveballs coming our way, in our stride.

More later, Trish xoxo

I am waiting in the car with MsA, waiting for the Dr to call us in for the appointment. She is running late, so I think it will be a long wait.

Anyway, the reason for this photo is that I have one of my favourite scarves on – it’s so colourful and has giant butterflies on it. I am also also wearing my favourite earrings . And I am finally seeing some curls in my hair again – you can see the greys too 🙂

About 4 years back, when SP was working interstate and I was rushing everywhere alone – I decided to get my hair permanently straightened. Wait! Wait .. there was a logic to my madness. I had long hair but never enough time to style it. And even if I found the time to make an effort, by the time I arrived at work, I looked like I had fought 10 battles( at least I felt like I had) .

I loved the ease of wash and wear and that I always woke up with amazing hair. Fast forward to a couple of years and MsAn started noticing that she was the only one that had messy curls but both MsA and I had straight hair and she started feeling left out and wanted to change her hair. I told her her curls were gorgeous and she asked me why I didn’t have any. I didn’t know what to say.

Finally last year, I decided to return to my original hair. It has taken a long time for it to get to this stage but I can finally see little waves and curls 🙂 it’s not a lot but still considerable since I have had dead straight hair for 4-5 years.

The doctor called us in just as I was looking for a photo of MsAn’s curly hair..so finally finishing this post 4 hours later. We managed to fit in lunch at our favourite cafe, grocery shopping and a short drive in between. Seems like a good Saturday so far.

I wanted to write something for the last so many days.. nothing big- just something little- a few lines, a few words – just something to fill the hole in my stomach..

You know the pit in your stomach when you are trying to hold it together when you are feeling nothing but despair.. despair at not knowing when we will see our families in India again… despair at not knowing when COVID will go away.

The start of winter,onset of another lockdown (Lockdown 4!!) in Melbourne and being unwell just made the hole bigger and bigger and I had to lay low to lick my wounds.

I am not ok, but it’s ok to not be ok. This too shall pass – it always does 🙂 In other news, Ms A turned 14 and the Husband turned another year older and we celebrated with lots of cake.

MsA finally got her teen birthday party with cake and friends and a sleepover. The husband had another birthday in lockdown.

SP and I got the jab! First dose of Pfizer! And since I am actually feeling better after writing this post, I will leave you with a smiling photo of me.. I promise I am smiling behind the mask 😷 I knew it that writing will help 😊

And just like that , it’s the last day of February. February is a special month for me, as it my birth month.

I turned another year older and wiser( atleast I think I am wiser!) and my blog turned another year older. I have been blogging for 14 years now.

As much as I want to blog more regularly, life gets in the way.. and .. yeah..

Anyway, here’s some cake to celebrate the blog and me 😊

I start Uni again tomorrow. I have 4 more subjects and one more year of studying to complete it order to finish this course.

Sometimes I am tempted to shut down the blog but I can’t.. active or dormant, the blog is a big part of me, a big part of who I am today – my identity. So, I will just keep posting sporadically as and when I can.

Looking forward to a fun March,

❤️❤️Trish