I left Florida on Tuesday, hoping for cooler and drier weather here in the north. It was not the case. We have had high temperatures and high humidity. Ugh! Anyway, here is this week’s Friday Five.
- At first, it felt odd being back in Punta Gorda. So many of my friends and fellow church members have passed away. Then something wonderful happened. Each day I saw people I know well, and we sat and talked as though the last 28 years had not separated us.
- I did not make it back to Florida in 2019 for my friend Candy’s funeral. I knew her ashes were in the church’s columbarium. So I spent time at the church to find her grave and pray. Well, I looked, and I looked, and then sat down because I couldn’t find them. As I sat there, I glanced down, and there they were. I prayed, lit a candle, and then left. I stood in the doorway of the church, sighed, and looked down.
There was a small white feather. Since Candy died, I have found a multitude of feathers whenever I think of my friend.
- I also found myself in a difficult position. Although the outside temperatures were in the upper 90s every day, the temperatures inside hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. were in the 60s!
Needless to say, I needed something warm. I shopped and found a sweatshirt. I slept in this every night and used an extra blanket.
- I had problems with my feet swelling up. I mean huge! One friend is a retired nurse, another is a Nurse Practitioner. Both of them were concerned and asked me to see my Primary Care as soon as I got back. I did, and so begins the long journey of determining what is wrong.
- The early diagnosis was congestive heart failure. I still have many more tests to go. But at least I am doing something about this.
I have had this problem since 2010, and, being slightly strange, I have taken pictures of my feet all along. The above pictures are recent.
So that’s it for this Friday Five. It’s pretty compressed for all I accomplished in a very short time. Have a great weekend!
