It’s been an interesting weekend. It appears that Covid has kicked my ass for the third time but somehow here I am, on day 5, doing a whole lot better. Thank goodness for that. I’m not exactly back at my hundred per cent just yet but then again I feel I haven’t really been there in quite a while. The most important thing is that I’m not struggling as much as I was over the weekend. The pounding headaches, which were preventing me from being active, have pretty much subsided. I didn’t leave my house to go get tested but having been symptomatic for Covid twice since the beginning of the outbreak I’m now familiar with my body’s response to the virus. The last time was during Christmas 2021. It came upon me with an avalanche of trials and tribulations. My immune system was completely shot and I remember it being a lot more vicious then. Artemisia and turmeric tea were my best allies during my recovery, but it did take some time. I was feverish and sore, oscillating between hot and cold, with little to no appetite. My latest drift with Covid was a bit different. It started out with a creeping sore throat last Thursday followed the next day by a bit of coughing here and there. I drank lots of fluids and popped a couple of Ricolas thinking it would do the trick but came Friday evening I was feeling ill. An over production of mucus which was quickly filling up my airways, all of my muscles were aching and I had no energy whatsoever. I tried sleeping it off but the next couple of nights were anything but restful. I was so backed up that I’d rise out of sleep every few hours, panicked, feeling as though I was on the verge of choking. I had fever and chills again, but I wasn’t freezing and compulsively shaking like I did before. On Saturday I woke up very congested and exhausted. First thing I did was step outside with the pups to get some sun, armed with jug of water and a hat protect my face. Although I probably shouldn’t have, I spotted a half smoked joint from the night before and finished it. I remember skimming through an article months ago which presented cannabis compounds has inhibitors blocking cellular entry of Sars but, with so many environmental factors coming into play, layered with a subject’s own health history and natural predispositions, I took that with a grain of salt. It is clear to me that the method of ingestion plays a critical role in producing this kind of result. Given that smoking does not support lung health, in the case of Sars I’m assuming other methods of ingestion would be preferable. I indulged anyway. I’ve been purposefully avoiding relying on pain killers to cope with stomach pain or migraines and my head was throbbing. I lit it up, sat on the front porch, did some breathwork and sweated until it got way too hot for me to comfortably lounge outdoors. For lunch, I made Hainan chicken for the very first time - a simple dish I thoroughly enjoy. Soon after I relocated to this part of town I started regularly ordering it from a local eatery that makes it really well. I had virtually all the ingredients required to cook it so I gave it a try. I had used fresh lime juice, thinly chopped garlic, ginger and garlic paste, soy sauce and a little vegetable broth to marinate the meat and left it in the fridge to rest for 24 hours. I was only missing rice wine vinegar and chili sauce but decided to bypass that until next time. While I was poaching the chicken and cooking the rice, Ri decided to take himself on a walk. Maya had been close to me the whole time, eyeing the chicken on the stove, while Rio was zooming back and forth from the kitchen to the front yard. When I came back outside, he was nowhere to be found. I turned off the stove and went around the neighborhood to look for him for a good twenty minutes - without success. A few minutes retreating back to the house to check on Maya, I was sent Rio’s location. He was playing at a neighbors in a building right across the street. I walked over with his leash to retrieve him and take him home. I was so relieved to have found him that I didn’t even reprimand him. By then, I was also too tired to eat or do anything else. The migraine was rather violent and uninterrupted. My head had been pounding since the moment I woke up and nothing I did was helping to stop it. I caved and swallowed to aspirin and buried myself under the blankets. We all cuddled up on the couch. I dozed in and out of sleep all of afternoon. Eventually, I woke up starving and devoured the food I had left on the stove. It gave me some fuel. I thought I was feeling better and tried practicing Tai Chi but I couldn’t focus on the new sequence of movements. Instead of rushing through the program, I elected to put in on hold until I was more energized. I tried watching a Christopher Walken and Johnny Depp movie I had never seen before but didn’t make it past the first half. I went to sleep early that night. Sunday was a repeat of Saturday, except Rio didn’t turn himself into Dora the explorer. I think I found the opening from which he manages to leave the yard. I’m going to have it sealed asap. What I’m using right now isn’t going to last very long but I’m working on a more permanent solution. T is going to help me out. I’m blessed to have in on my team. He lives close by and is always dependable when it comes to work related stuff. He helps with tricky things around the house too. He’s got tools I sometimes need but don’t have. It’s been nice to have support from people who genuinely concern themselves with other people wellbeing’s and are happy to help a friend in need. I’m not just thankful for V and A for reciprocating within the context of our friendships, I’m also thankful for T and G who have assisted me in big and small ways throughout this transition. I wouldn’t have made it this far without their help. Anyhow, I had the house to myself for the weekend. It was wonderful to just be still and rest in silence. Today I woke up feeling significantly better. No more fever, or chills. I’m still a little bit congested but my body seem to have successfully combatted the viral infection. This time, it didn’t require a pile of over the counter medicine to get me through it, only a couple of aspirins + joints - my body worked it out its own. A strengthened immune system and  improved immune response is my takeaway from it; my overall is improving and that makes me really happy. This morning I spent time catching up with mom and dad, but not after Rio had broken out of the yard again… Yep. Again! 

Ri squeezes out through the bushes in certain areas. I thought I had identified all of the weak spots but there is most definitely one left and I need to figure it out before something regrettable takes place. Ri isn’t aware of potential danger - he is also very trusting. He walks up to any dog or human seeking to befriend them. I can’t let something happen to him. Three scares in a week - that’s intense. I panic every time I realize he’s gone; thinking it could be the last time I saw him. I can’t be mad at him for exploring either. He needs more training, sure, but he’s also an animal with instincts and it’s my responsibility to keep him safe. One way or another, we have to come to an understanding. For my own peace of mind, I’m also going to have to re inspect the perimeter multiple times to try and anticipate his next strategy. He is too smart for his own good and not a quitter… I bet he’ll be looking for another way to go visit his neighborhood friends. Both Maya and Rio are napping right now. I took a break to journal but I’m about to get back to work. I have a few more things to do before I wrap my day up. I’m currently staging and photographing my art so that I can update my website. I’ll check in later to give an update on my overall health but so far so good - I’m feeling alright!