The end of a typical year for me is a sprint … finishing up work projects, shopping for gifts, preparing to leave town for the holidays, etc. It’s a high-energy month.
The end of this year has been more of a limp. My dad died two weeks ago and was cremated soon after, but his memorial service isn’t until Sunday. My mom was understandably drained at the end of that experience and didn’t want to deal with the arrangements for awhile. The Older Brother had to undergo knee surgery for a torn meniscus (same procedure I had two years ago) the next day and was out of commission for a spell. So two weeks after the fact, there’s no real sense of closure. Maybe Sunday will fix that.
(By the way, my dad told me years ago that when he died, he wanted us to dump his ashes in the water hazard on the 17th hole of the Lincoln Greens golf course — that way he could spend eternity with all this golf balls. I doubt my mom was able to honor that request.)
I took a few days off from work after my dad died, then worked from home for a few days, then went back to the office. Two days after that, I got socked with a head cold/sinus infection/ear infection or whatever the @#$% it is. Haven’t had anything like this one in years. The megadoses of vitamins C and D didn’t work their usual knockout magic. Maybe I was overdue, maybe it was bad luck, or maybe emotional stress weakened my immune system just enough.
I still have the infection, and it’s been seriously zapping my energy. I sleep 10 or so hours per night, then need a nap in the late afternoon. Back in the day, I would have gone to a doctor, who would have prescribed an antibiotic, just in case the infection was bacterial instead of viral. Now that I’ve learned quite a bit about the importance of the gut microbiome, I’m choosing to just wait it out. I don’t want to decimate my gut flora unless absolutely necessary, which means I’ll only take an antibiotic when I’ve got a dangerous bacterial infection.
I’ve tried sit down and write a post or work on the book a few times, but my brain refuses to cooperate – probably because it doesn’t like residing in a head jammed full of gooey stuff. So I’ve been going to work and then coming home and vegetating in front of the TV – after a nap, if need be. I managed to get to the gym once for a workout, then came home and slept for two hours.
So like I said, I’m limping towards New Year’s this year. We’ll attend the memorial service on Sunday (driving to Illinois and back all in one day, since we have dogs, hogs and chickens who need tending), then Chareva’s relatives start arriving on Monday for the holiday. I apologize for the long absence, but I don’t expect to take up active blogging again until after New Year’s.
So to the Christians out there, Merry Christmas. To the Jews, Happy Hanukah. To followers of the Master of Sinanju, Merry Feast of the Pig. And to everyone, Happy New Year.
See you in 2015.
p.s. – Thanks to all of you who posted kind comments about my dad.
If you enjoy my posts, please consider a small donation to the Fat Head Kids GoFundMe campaign.
I’m so sorry about your dad.
I’m so sorry about your dad.
Hi Tom,
Just a note to say- that I’ve just gotten my 94 year old father settled for the night- am alone for a while- am thinking about people who mean a lot to me- family, friends, etc. And I count you and your family as ones who mean a lot! Following your blog has meant the world to me in that I’ve been able to keep with what I know is best for me being surrounded by carboholics and wheat addicts during the past year! Watching your little farm grow, your girls grow, and what your amazing wife Chareva does is a light in some otherwise dreary days for me. Thank you for everything you do! Wishing you and yours a safe and wonderful New Year!
Linda
Thank you, Linda. Happy New Year to you and yours too.
Hi Tom,
Just a note to say- that I’ve just gotten my 94 year old father settled for the night- am alone for a while- am thinking about people who mean a lot to me- family, friends, etc. And I count you and your family as ones who mean a lot! Following your blog has meant the world to me in that I’ve been able to keep with what I know is best for me being surrounded by carboholics and wheat addicts during the past year! Watching your little farm grow, your girls grow, and what your amazing wife Chareva does is a light in some otherwise dreary days for me. Thank you for everything you do! Wishing you and yours a safe and wonderful New Year!
Linda
Thank you, Linda. Happy New Year to you and yours too.
Hi Tom! Sorry to hear you’re sick at a terrible time. When I start to feel sick I immediately take a Paleo Bomb shot: a handful of vitamin D3 washed down with equal parts raw local honey, coconut oil and lemon juice microwaved to a liquid state. It’s pretty tasty and the equivalent of Olympic lifting for your immune system. It sounds like you’re feeling better now but your fam should keep this in your back pocket for later. I hope your spirit and body continue to heal. You’ve done great things with your life (which is the best way to honor your father’s memory) and you deserve the best! Take care
Becky
Thanks, Becky. I’m not getting a fever anymore, but the congestion is sticking around. This is one tough bug.
Fodder for your return. Global warming food guidelines?
http://news.yahoo.com/diet-guidelines-might-pull-back-meat-183321871–politics.html
Yeah, they’ll try any wacky theory to persuade people to stop eating meat.
Fodder for your return. Global warming food guidelines?
http://news.yahoo.com/diet-guidelines-might-pull-back-meat-183321871–politics.html
Yeah, they’ll try any wacky theory to persuade people to stop eating meat.