What to Do When You're Fried.

I am definitely fried. Five weeks of exhaustion and headaches. Three weeks of a nagging, low-grade fever. Lingering effects of four days of intense vertigo. Doctors who don't take me seriously. A GYN appointment (even though it wasn't that bad, and everything is normal). A husband who is overcommitted and also fried. An energetic son who has two days off school this week when he desperately needs routine. Difficult conversations. Difficult memories. Early darkness. So what do I do? Here's what I'm trying:

• Looking at Christmas catalogs--Brighton, Goldspot Pens, The Company Store, and whatever else comes in the mail.
• Eating a shrimp, refried bean, Mozzarella, and guacamole burrito.
• Tearing out cozy scenes and colorful penscapes for my art journal, when I get to it.
• Drinking an iced peppermint mocha.
• Drinking an extra Dr. Pepper.
• Making tomato soup.
• Making cheddar and sour cream mashed potatoes (the easy kind).
• Lighting the Pumpkin Clove, Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun, Vanilla Pumpkin Marshmallow, and Vanilla Pumpkin Creme B&BW candles all in one day.
• Lighting two Christmas trees (yes, I decorate after Halloween and until Valentine's Day if I feel like it!).
• Letting Josh stroke me with a cold washcloth.
• Changing the sheets (if I have the energy tonight).
• Answering cheerful student E-mails.
• Writing in my Italian leather bumblebee journal.
• Reading Bella Grace articles.
• Starting a list of ways to feel like a kid again.
• Letting Josh take on more of the chores and driving tasks.
• Eating room-temperature coffee cake. 
• Wearing velour star pants.
• Showering with philosophy Sugar Plum Fairy gel.
• Taking Cinnamon Sandalwood bubble baths.
• Reading an easy, engaging book (Being Lolita).
• Reading poems about fairies.
• Organizing a pink binder with (for now) my 2023-2025 reading list, highlighter coded (green for what I need to buy, glitter pink for 40 before 40 goals, and glitter yellow for annual goals).
• Adding to my Amazon wish lists: one for me, one for Josh, and one for Bruce.
• Kissing for every goodbye.
• Carefully filling our four pill boxes for the week (a Tuesday task).
• Reading a juicy poem ("Girl Eats Her First Mango").
• Reading literary analyses of the juicy poem.
• Sending out class announcements letting everybody know what we're doing this week.
• Reading student freewriting journal entries about all their trials and excitements.
• Reading Toni Morrison essays in the dark while I put Oliver to bed.
• Writing a blog post to remind myself of all the good little things in these days.