Friday Wrap-Up – and Vitamin Advice Needed
Yesterday was another Fabulous Friday, and I had the day (mostly) off from work. I started out being very responsible and went to get some blood work done. I have never gotten in and out that quickly, it was great. Then I did a little bit of work…we get Fridays off right now, but if something important comes in, we are supposed to take care of it if we can. A good part of our team is in India, so if I waited until Monday to do these things, they wouldn’t be able to move forward until Tuesday. After I finished with that, Mulder and I had a lovely walk to one of our favorite parks in the area.
There are still roses in bloom, which are lovely.
This park has two ponds. The one at the top of my post is a little wilder, and has a lot of birds. I’ve seen a river otter there, and turtles, and deer wandering by. There are ducks, geese, coots, and lots of other animals wandering around. Then there is a more manicured lake, with fountains and a playground nearby. It was at this little lake where we met Larry. According to the caretaker we ran into, Larry is a Muscovy duck. They are not common here. He showed up mysteriously during the COVID lockdown, and he was obviously a pet. His wings were clipped, and he was tame, would let you pet him and take food from your hands. The caretaker guesses that his people had to move or someone died or something, so he was dropped off at the park. He is doing very well there, and his wings have grown in enough that he can fly now.
I like this little sign in the children’s garden.
After our walk, I got cleaned up and ran a couple of errands. I finished my errands at a small local pharmacy, where I got my second Shingles vaccine. They have a little tree where you can pick a tag and buy a gift for a local foster youth. I tend to buy for the older kids. I intended to pick one child, but after I had picked my 16 year old (who wants an Amazon gift card), I came across a tag for a 13 year old who is requesting ‘good daily vitamins’. That hurt. So I took her tag as well. Any idea what a ‘good’ daily vitamin would be? I only know one-a-day, and I know they have some that are formulated for teens. But if someone here knows of why I should not buy that, and what to buy instead, please let me know.
Today is a beautiful rainy Saturday. I’m doing well after my vaccine, though not feeling fabulous. Mulder is having a bit of a rough day, too. So we’re laying low. I wrapped some gifts for my far away family, and wrote out a couple of Christmas Cards (and I do mean a couple…2) and then plopped down on the sofa to take it easy. Looks like it’s chicken and rice for puppy’s dinner, and maybe a Christmas movie on the boob tube. I hope you are having a lovely weekend.
18 Comments
Margaret
A multiple vitamin of a name brand? That is a poignant gift. I didn’t feel great after my shingles vaccine but my mom got shingles not too long after that; seeing what she went through made me very glad that I’d gotten the shots. That former pet duck reminds me of Louise Penny’s Ruth if you read that series.
J
Poignant indeed. I left the tag there for awhile, but it bugged me and I had to go back and get it. My dad had shingles and shockingly it was not painful for him. Everyone else I know who has had it says it is horrific. I don’t know what series that is, but Larry is a funny looking guy. He’s the size of a goose.
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
My stepsons are crazy about chewable vitamins if that’s any help. It’s hard to know what some else’s definition of a good vitamin is.
My husband got his first shingles vaccine on Friday so we had a very low key weekend! He never had a bad reaction to the COVID shots but this one took him down.
I know the work routine of having the rest of my team on the other side of the world. Fridays are great but I have to get everything ready to go for them to start on Mondays.
J
My daughter also loves the gummy vitamins, I think I will do that, and fill in the gift with a few other nice things. As you said, hard to know what is nice for someone else, but maybe some socks and chocolates or something.
I’ve heard the 2nd shingles vaccine is worse than the first. That was true for me, but I only had a sore arm with the first. The second, I just didn’t feel quite right. I generally don’t have big reactions to vaccines, though. I think my immune system is lazy.
Nicole MacPherson
I think any teen multivitamin would work well – my own teens use One A Day, and we have never had an issue. I usually give them extra vitamin D, especially in winter. I don’t think One A Day has quite enough for us.
I had a friend who got shingles on her face, and it was a miracle she didn’t lose eyesight! It is terrible. Glad you got your vaccine.
J
Good idea on the extra vitamin D! I’ll keep my eyes out, and see if some have more than others, or maybe throw in some D on the side.
Ack, shingles on her face? Horrible. Glad she didn’t lose her sight.
Elisabeth
A family member had shingles and it was terrible! My husband had the start of it, but they caught it early enough (within 72 hours, I think?) that he was able to go on medication to stave it off.
What a heartwrenching request – I’m so glad you grabbed the tag and are putting so much thought into this gift.
J
I didn’t know you could stave off shingles, that is great to know! My dad had an interesting case, in that it ws shingles, but it was not painful. That’s the only person I have heard of without pain.
Years ago when my daughter was little, her class sponsored a family, and the mom’s request for her 2 year old was a warm coat. When my daughter got allowance, some of it was put aside for charity, and happily, we were able to find a warm jacket that was just a few dollars more than the amount she had saved. That made her feel really, really good.
NGS
I am shook by this request. I works guess a chewable vitamin, as well. Maybe some of those fun chocolate ones that have vitamin D, too. What an interesting (sad) request. I’m glad you went back and grabbed that tag.
J
Yeah, it got me on a lot of levels. I can’t know the story, but the things that crossed my mind were:
1. Eating Disorder. Is she trying to compensate for nutrition lost because she isn’t eating?
2. Poverty. Is she trying to compensate for nutrition lost because she isn’t eating?
3. Just very health oriented. Is she involved in sports and trying to be her best self? And maybe the other girls on her teams talk about their vitamins?
I hope it’s 3. 1 and 2 were too sad to contemplate.
nance
That rose is spectacular. Ours here are completely gone now, of course; we did have some that lingered into November, thanks to milder weather.
My second shingles vaccine gave me a small reaction. I felt a bit fatigued and under the weather for a day. Far better than shingles, of course, for most people. I’ve heard horror stories from friends and family.
Like you, I hope the gift request of vitamins isn’t as dire or poignant as it seems.
J
Thanks Nance,
The rose garden at the park is definitely in the ‘lingerers’ mode, not spectacular like summer, but still very pretty.
I would say my reaction to the 2nd shingles vaccine was about like yours. I was a little blah on Saturday, but felt fine on Sunday. Ted is dreading it, he generally has pretty strong reactions to vaccines.
Regarding the vitamin request…yeah, it’s still getting to me. Who knows, perhaps she is getting all of the vitamins and minerals she needs through diet, as most people do. Perhaps this is just a small luxury she has always wanted. I know they were a luxury for me growing up. We were never hungry, but there wasn’t extra money laying around very often.
Jenny
Well, now I really want the backstory on the vitamin request! I like your idea to do a good gummy vitamin and fill it in with a couple other things. I hope that girl is okay.
I’m also concerned about Larry- how is he fitting in with the other ducks? Is he happier now or does he miss his family? Your post has a lot of mysterious elements.
J
Jenny, regarding the girl…YES, I HOPE SHE IS OK. So worrisome.
Regarding Larry, I sometimes see him near the geese. He is so much bigger than the ducks, I think they avoid him. Poor Larry, once a pet, now on his own. I could write a children’s book about his adventures, perhaps, and sell it (very) locally.
ombudsben
Funny, I did three non-covid vaccines last Wednesday, including shingles and tetanus. It’s good that people are catching up on this stuff.
Man, I was wiped out on Thursday. Couldn’t get warm. Think my immune system was catching up. Cool about the duck, too. I have a friend in Concord who often talks about the waterfowl like this he spots out there.
J
Three vaccines in one day? Your immune system was definitely trying to catch up! I hate tetanus shots, my arm is always SO SORE. I’m glad they’re only every 10 years.
San
I’d probably ask a pharmacist for vitamin advice. Good for you for getting gifts for these kids. My friend works with foster youth and they have heartbreaking stories.
You have a lovely park nearby and I am glad you met Larry. He has his own story to tell!
How your eye, btw? I
J
San, asking a pharmacist seems like a good idea. I went ahead with One a Day gummies, and some vitamin D/calcium chews.
Larry looks like a character, doesn’t he?
My eye is 100% better, thank goodness. That was a mess, wasn’t it? Oddly, my ankle was fine for a week, and now it is bugging me a bit. That can’t be injury right, if it was fine? I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and that can mean inflammation popping up at any time. Plus as I get older, regular arthritis, which is sometimes aggravated by strain or injury. I suspect a bit of regular arthritis popping up and giving me grief. It’s not bad, it doesn’t stop me from walking 3-4 miles a day. It hurts when I’ve been sitting or asleep, it gets stiff. Sigh.