Just a note about the images: they do not always reflect what I write about because I just like to include them on the blog to pretty things up on the page! :-) Oh, the treasures of De Luz!
I can't believe it's been over a month since our llama trauma! I don't know how to change the date of these posts and for some reason, "it" (the brain in blogland) assigns the date that I upload images and it might be days or weeks before I write. SO, today is Sunday, March 15th and I want to give an update on our scrappy, skinny, sweet, caramel colored camelid, Brown Sugar! She has completely recovered from the attack, albeit some crusty scabs and scars. Warren and I gave her antibiotic injections twice daily for ten days and treated her wounds with a potent antibiotic ointment. Brown Sugar was a wonderful, compliant patient. Warren held her while I injected, and then he doctored up her wounds. After about three days she decided it was less painful if she cushed while we gave her the shot. In case you wondered what the heck I mean by cush, it is when llamas lie down and tuck their legs underneath their body, head up, looking like an oblong boat on dirt, with a mast, no sail! Brown Sugar was delighted to be allowed onto the pasture with the other girls after two weeks of confinement. And, it is so comforting to feel and see her presence among the herd again.
BOOK REVIEW!
I recently read "The Middle Place," by Kelly Corrigan and was completely engrossed in her story. I read it in a couple of days. Many of you have seen her on youtube where she is featured reading her essay, "Transcending." I was so moved by her words that I googled her and found that she had written a memoir. She writes about life, which includes her diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, her relationship with her parents (childhood through adulthood), marriage, children, and her father's battle with cancer. It is the way she writes, with such candor, humor, strength, and vulnerability that makes for a compelling story. This short passage displays Kelly's ability to reveal feelings that are often left unspoken. After a biopsy of her breast, she writes, A sick part of me actually wants the bad diagnosis, if only to prove that I know my body, that I am not a hypochondriac looking for unwarranted attention. And, given the ongoing push-pull with my husband, who sees no danger in the world ("she's not going to crawl out the window") and me, whose imagination runs toward the catastrophic ("we're three floors up!"), I almost want the lump to be tumor so he sees that sometimes fears are justified. But, it's more than that... Later, she wants to suck back the words, On the way home, I close my eyes and pretend to be resting while I secretly take back my perverse thoughts and promise whoever may have heard them that no matter what flashes of curiosity I may have had, I definitely, definitely, don't want cancer.
I cannot imagine that some part of Kelly's story wouldn't resonate with most of us. It is an inspirational tale, touching the reader's rainbow of emotions.
Okay, I am done writing for today even though there is more on my mind. I will have to continue this coming week because right now, I must go cook some eggplant, shitake mushroom, green pepper goulash for my tractor lovin' husband!
