FEVER

It's 58 degrees outside and 68 inside. I'm lying on the bed burning up. Before, I was snuggled under the covers, 2 furry blankets, one sheet under, one sheet over and the electric lap blanket in between in case I need it. Actually it's more for the cats than for me. But, then, suddenly it hits me like a menopausal hot flash, and I strip off the old puffy sweater and throw off the sheets and blankets to allow some air to circulate over my fired up skin.

Hot
Cold
Hot
Cold

Yes, I have the flu. I think. I was so sick when I started to take the Tamiflu, and so much better now. But the fever keeps returning. Or is it just metabolistic misfiring? Fever, it would seem would remain at one level for a while before making subtle changes dipping down or climbing up the degrees. One time I felt so feverish, I found the thermometer and took my temperature. I was surprised it was 95.6 degrees. How can that be? Yesterday and day before at different times it was 101. That was a bit low. Isn't normal body temperature supposed to be 98.6?

Today I felt better. Coughing takes the energy out of me. Lays me low. Not only because it is from a cold or flu, but it aggravates the asthma too. Today there is not so much trying to hold it back, feeling it in my chest waiting to bust out. No more need to hold the chest tight to keep the coughing from starting. Once it starts it just encourages more.

So, now, the legs are cold and the blankets go back on. In a little while the sweater will rejoin them. Then the whole process will start all over again. There is no happy medium. I've tried changing the number of blankets, the type of nightgown, the sweater to a night jacket. Doesn't seem to make a difference. It's always the same, or I should say.... always changing.

Photo Friday

I live in Watsonville California. Though there may be others, it is called the strawberry capitol of the world. I can understand why. Even though it is a city, it is surrounded by strawberry fields right up to the city limits, and in some cases right into the city. The population is about 50,000.

Because Watsonville was basically agrarian, the town grew up inside the fields. In order to get into or out of town, one must drive past the fields. There's no getting around it. Well, unless you want to go through the forested areas.

As you exit beautiful Highway 1 to come into town, the first view you see is the fields on the right (and left). In the picture, the field is fallow. If you look in the background you can see how the fields abut to the homes and apartments.



Strawberries are planted nearly year round, so you are likely to see one field ripe with fruit and the one next to it just begining to grow. The picture below is a fully planted Strawberry field waiting to fruit. This little dirt road will take you somewhere into the middle of the strawberry fields (on the left). That is the Mount Diablo range in the background, but known to locals as Mount Madonna.



There are two other exits from Highway 1, but the rest of the roads that leave town are more pleasant to ride along, and I often take a detour on one of those old roads. This road will take you up into the mountains and forest.





Since Watsonville is a city in the midst of rurality, some other surrounding areas include forested lands. Every year the dangers of forest fires often threaten our existence. The picture below is of Casserly Road. The trees are no longer there, as they burned a year ago in a fire that went right up to the edge of town, next to the hospital.



















This lovely Monterey tree lined road takes you out to the beach.




















I had to show the railroad tracks because all those strawberries have to get out of town on their own special transportation. Watsonville strawberries are shipped all over the world. That's the overpass of Highway 1 in the central background.