A clean, dry, sweatshirt is worth a lot

In case some of y'all are wondering, I am still here! Low internet speeds and low energy, combined with being sick, has kept me from the computer much of the time. But life continues here, deep in these beautiful redwoods.

I caught a bug from a supporter while at the Vihara last Sunday and it's laid me low for most of the time since. Thankfully, we had a visitor here last week who did the cooking. The darned thing settled in my ears -- particularly my right ear -- and I guess it's going to take awhile for all the stuff to drain out. Fortunately, someone at the Vihara Monday morning (we stayed overnight) was a nurse-practitioner, so she gave me the low down. Yuk. I'm on antibiotics for another day or so.

Today, after the lunch cleanup I hustled back to my kuti (got a ride) and slept for two solid hours! That is unheard of for me. Of course, aside from cooking, I made two trips from the upper landing where the kitchen is to/from the lower landing where the wash tubs are, to wash some things I forgot to take to the laundromat over the weekend. This involves not only the two trips up the steep road, but two fights with the hand-operated wringer, both of which I won. And now I have a clean, dry sweatshirt to wear, among other things.

After our evening meditation, it's back to bed for me. Gotta keep the energy up. I hope this changes as the bug dies away. If not, I may need to try to hustle back to Eugene sooner than expected. Of course, that can't be before the end of June regardless.