Not Happy About This

I did not get my shingles vaccine today. I assure you that I didn't just wimp out. For the past day or two I've been having symptoms that I am 99% sure are indications of the movement of that kidney stone. Or a kidney stone. 
Yesterday afternoon I started having gastric discomfort and my back was hurting more than seemed usual. Nothing horrible, just a constant feeling of heaviness in the abdominal area. I woke up last night with all of that as well as what felt a bit like menstrual cramps. Of course I am long past those days but again, I had the same type of pain with the last stone. 
It just seems like this may really be happening and I am very unhappy about it. I got up this morning and cried a little. I do not want to go through all of that again. I truly do not. But what I want or do not want does not matter in the least when it comes to kidney stones which are evil little entities who do what the fuck they want. 
I knew for certain that if this situation worsens, as it may well do, I don't want to be dealing with two issues- a kidney stone and a reaction to an immunization. I am a "nuclear" reactor, as Mitchell so perfectly put it in a comment yesterday. So I called and canceled my appointment. 
I've felt low and achy and puny all day and haven't done a damn thing except to get a little visit with the Weatherfords and work on my jigsaw puzzle which is my distraction of choice for kidney stones. And yes, I have been working on that puzzle for eons but so what? I enjoy it when I do it and it's not taking up any space we use regularly. 

It was so nice to see Jessie and Vergil and the boys. And Ms. Goofy Doodle herself, the fluffy Sophie. They are going to leave tomorrow morning for a camping trip at a local state park on one of the most beautiful beaches in this area and quite possibly the entire United States. Cape San Blas. They won't be camping on the beach but nearby, in the primitive camping area which is accessible only by kayak. 
Hello! 
So they wanted to borrow our inflatable kayak and a cooler for their trip which of course we were happy to lend them. Sophie ran around our yard like a free dog in heaven and when Jessie and I picked peas and gave her some, she was even happier. That dog just loves sugar snap peas. Of course Levon wanted a peanut butter, honey, and raisin sandwich because that is what I always make him. I think I am overly generous with all the ingredients, especially the honey, which he loves. August asked for a toasted cheese sandwich and so that's what he got. They all seemed very excited about this camping trip. It's a lot to plan- packing everything they need for a few days in two kayaks which will also be holding their own personal bodies. But they can do it and I'm sure they'll have a good time. We hugged them all goodbye and August gave me a kiss and Levon puckered up but then turned his face away and said, "I caught you red-handed!" This is his new thing. 
Oh well. 
August told me a joke. It goes like this:
"How do you spell ICUP?"
"Uh, I-C-U-P?" 
"Ha-ha! I see you pee!" 
"Good one, August!" 

Mr. Moon did get home safely last night. He was still giddy. I think he and Chip had a great adventure and then the craziest thing happened. It turned out that the tow guy had looked at our Dog Island house when we first put it up for sale but had made what we thought at the time was a low offer. So when he saw the house yesterday, he told Glen about that and wouldn't you know, it now looks like Tow Guy is going to buy the house and I think both he and Glen are pleased at the price. And a big plus- he wants to finish all the restoration himself. 
Holy happiness! 
It's not a done deal until the deal is done but this looks pretty solid. And now that that has happened, I am feeling great pangs of nostalgia and even sadness that we are letting it go. There are a few things in the house I know I want. Not big things, just small things that they'd probably throw out anyway. A piece of bark cloth that Sue-Sue gave me that I used for a curtain, a Madonna that May made me. Things like that. A picture on the refrigerator that Jessie drew when she was a little girl and got stung by a sting ray. "Ouch! That hurts!" she'd written on it. Things like that. 
Ah, lah. It's been a weepy day. 

So here's something more cheerful- if you were, and/or are, a fan of The Band (and you should be because they were the best band to ever come out of North America in my opinion) there's a show that's part of an old series about the making of certain classic albums. It's on Amazon Prime if you get that. It's only an hour long. In this case, the album being discussed is their album called, The Band, appropriately enough. Also known as the Brown Album.

It was released in 1969 and it was like nothing else coming out then. It was timeless, it was pure, it was a coming together of musicians who created something incredibly powerful, unique, and beautiful. The Band's music was certainly part of my growing up years and I am so grateful that I was at the right place in the right time for that to happen. 

The film was made some time back. In 2000, I think. All of the musicians in the band are now gone from us except for Garth Hudson, the guy with the long pointy beard. George Harrison is in it too. Also, Eric Clapton. Great interviews. The best music. It's been drifting in and around my brain for a few days now and it's a comfort and a joy. 

One last piece of news- Lily and Lauren and the kids AND Jason and his mother are all up Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Today they're at Dollywood and I hear that Maggie was set on seeing Dolly herself although she was told that she most likely would not. 
I feel certain that if Dolly had known that Magnolia June was coming to see her, she would have been there. 

And don't worry- if this whole kidney stone thing keeps up, I'll go to the doctor. Please don't bother to tell me I eat too many greens or that I don't get enough citrus or...well, whatever. The fact is, some people make kidney stones and some do not, no matter how many greens they eat. I got my first kidney stone when I was 34 and didn't even have much of a garden then. This is just the way it goes. We are all unique in how our bodies react to certain things and what they do in their spare time when we're not paying attention. 

Here's The Band, 54 years ago on The Ed Sullivan Show. 
Could of been yesterday. As I said, timeless.

Love...Ms. Moon