Wednesday, September 08, 2010

KEEP ON KEEPING ON

Last night I began to have a migraine - they begin with an aura of sparkling, wavy circles or lines of light and usually travel from one eye to the other. I immediately got off the computer and went to bed. Ordinarily that will stop the progress - a dark, quiet place. I didn't sleep all that well. After I dozed, I woke and my stomach was hurting! No Pepto in the house. Finally went back to sleep.

This morning all seemed fine until I looked at the computer screen and the lights began to sparkle once again, snaking their way across one eye's vision and then the other, and pretty soon just a "circle of light," not a good kind either. Back to bed for a few mintues and they stopped. Up again and started again. I very fortunataly got an appointment with Dr. Mitchell, but by the time I was ready to go, the lights had stopped. I went anyway and he did tests, dilated my eyes, said all was very good - no physical problems, pressure good, blood pressure good. I went home with doe eyes from the dilation, and just picked up where I left off...

Making Morgan's apron.

I don't usually have these migraines back-to-back, so I was a little concerned, but all is well. I have at least one of these a year, and I've learned over the last four or five years they're nothing to worry about, but morning and evening were too much. Having glaucoma I don't take chances, either.

If you haven't had your eye pressure checked - it is painless, and worth having done! Glaucoma itself is a silent disease that will blind a person if not arrested. And it can be treated, but not reversed. So just go.

Back to the apron... Partridge in a Pear Tree...



These are easy, quick and believe it or not, good therapy - working with my hands on something like this - and having the time to do it - is so... peaceful.

Another thing I did today is put my great aunt Clara's pictures in an album. She was one of two sisters of my maternal grandmother who never married. She had all these old pictures, curling and fading, and somehow I came into possession of them. I think the couple of boxes I have of hers are ones Bren and I rescued from the dilapidated old general store Clara and her sister Arie operated. So here I have all these old pictures and 9/10's of them don't have anything written on the backs! I have no idea who they are. But of course, I can't throw them away. I'll take them to Sherron's when I go and see if Aunt Margaret can identify anyone. A very few I knew - there was one of Aunt M and one of sister Sher (school picture) among them. A lot were school pictures; one from "Diane" to "Aunt Clara" and I have no idea who it is. Maybe she was her great aunt, too. It's amazing to see how many people are related on the other side - and you thought it was only your family!

This is Aunt Clara in 1942 (this one had the date on the back, and I know it is her - black hair, black piercing eyes), and she was 45 years old. She looks about thirty, if that. This one has been colorized - notice the little pink bow mouth! In the second one, she is 50. Same "studio." I have a feeling Aunt Clara was a bit flamboyant. I have a few other pictures of her where she is striking a pose - and she was quite pretty! She was a contemporary of the movie star Clara Bow - could she have been a fan? In later life, she was practically a hermit - had she lived alone (only with her sister) too long? She would scuttle back to her little room behind the store when anyone other than family was there. She was rail thin, probably had not had new clothes in thirty years, and wore her once beautiful black hair tied up in a headscarf (on top of her head, not under her chin). Funny how people turn out. Arie was the quieter one, yet she was the one who stayed mostly out front when people would drop in. After there was nothing to buy, the "store" was open for neighbors to stop by, bring vegetables and chat a while. Wonderful memories of visiting there, from very early childhood...

Aunt Clara 1942
Aunt Clara 1947 Silent film star Clara Bow ~~
I guess my eyes have had enough of this computer light for one night.

1 comment:

Perry said...

Love these phtographs. Much more interesting than some of the newer ones we see now. I think black and white photos have an aura of mystery. I would love to know her story, wouldn't you? As for migraines, If you will turn down the brightness on your computer and iphone that will help your eyes. It seems to take some of the glare away.