(no subject)

[galadhir]

It's being a very weird Christmas this year.

Firstly, our daughter is at her in-laws for Christmas and is coming back up here on the 27th, so we're not celebrating until the 28th, when we can all be together. This made yesterday (the actual 25th) a very low-key affair of just eating nicer snacks and watching Christmas media (Knives Out and the Great Christmas Pottery Throw Down.) And only opening presents from Gran, so we could thank her on the phone. All other presents are being saved for Second Christmas.

Secondly, I must have slept on a mosquito, or something, because I have been bitten hundreds of times on my right cheekbone, brow and eyesocket. I don't deal well with bites in general, and my face has swollen up - my eye is swollen nearly shut. The bones of my face hurt and it's not really adding to my festive mood.

Still, today is the Boxing Day dance-out, when we will dance next to the river for about an hour and then go to the pub to play tunes, and that's always fun. People who are taking their post-Christmas 'oh God, if we don't get out for a bit we'll go mad' stroll are always pleased to see us.

Comments

[malinaldarose]

Ugh, sorry about the bites -- that sounds miserable. But have fun at the dance-out!

[galadhir]

Thank you! It was a good day, and I managed to get antihistamines which means that the swelling is going down a bit now. Fingers crossed, I'll be back to normal by second Christmas :)

Hope you're having a good time!

[umadoshi]

Your poor face! *winces*

I hope today is lovely despite that discomfort (and that family Christmas is too, when it comes)!

[galadhir]

Thank you! I did feel like I had to explain it to everyone in case they assumed the worst of DH and thought he had punched me in the eye. But that aside it was a very nice day, and after a dose of antihisamines it has gone down a bit this evening. Hope you're having a good time too!

[yarnofariadne]

I'm so sorry about the bites, that sounds awful. I hope you're still able to enjoy the dance-out!

[galadhir]

Thank you! Yes, it was a really nice dance and then we went off to the pub and I was able to play all the tunes during the session, so that was a great success. And then we went to the Minor Injuries Unit of the local hospital and they gave me and antihistamine, which seems to have brought the swelling down noticeably.

[yarnofariadne]

I'm very glad to hear you're doing better!

[galadhir]

<3

[ex_flameandsong751]

Is it Morris dancing? I have a great fondness for that [yes, even though I'm American].

I'm sorry about the bites! I hope you feel better soon.

[galadhir]

Yes, I was dancing with Sutton Masque and DH was dancing with the Riot. We've had a couple of really good US morris teams visit with us in the last few years, though! I think there are a few sides over there.

Thank you! I took some antihistamines and it does seem to be going down a bit, so hopefully I shouldn't look like I have a black eye tomorrow :)

[watervole]

I'm desperately hoping I'll be able to get back to morris and if/ when this wretched bursitis goes.

I did a very short two man dance with my granddaughter last week, but I've not been to practice in months.

[galadhir]

It is beginning to get too much for me, I must admit. I have bad feet and bad knees, and while the knees can be put in knee braces, I sympathize because there's not much you can do about the feet. I've compensated by learning an instrument so I can join the musicians instead, but it isn't the same.

[watervole]

I know where you're coming from...
I do a lot more melodeon playing than I used to.

For what it's worth, longsword is a lot easier on the knees, as it's mostly done at a brisk walk ratherthan a step hop.

I have lots of useful longsword dances for small teams..,

[galadhir]

Ooh, I wonder if I could persuade Sutton Masque to add a couple of longsword dances to the repertoire. We have several people whose knees/feet/other medical complaints make it hard for them to participate and it would be nice for them/us to be able to do a turn or two. We also have a couple of people who do rapper on the side, so they might be able to interpret and teach the dances for us, if you were willing to share?

We're trying to learn the melodeon as well (I normally play the whistle) but I'm finding it really complicated! The fact that you can play every tune in several different ways depending on the bases is doing my head in! I admire you for managing it :)

Happy New Year, btw :)

[watervole]

Visit http://southernstarlongsword.co.uk you'll find music and notation (and often a video too) of dances for three/four/five/six dancers.

If anyone is willing to put me up for the night and help with travel costs, I'm also willing to run a workshop.

You can buy wooden longswords from the Fed (I think) or the oneStopMorrisShop

Melodeon is easy if you cheat. Just miss out the bases...

[galadhir]

Oh thank you! I'll put the idea to our Squire and Foreman and see what they say. I think it would be grand to be able to get some of the less physically abled folk back out for a dance or two, but we'll have to see whether they think it would be too much of a departure for the side. I'm really keen though :)

[watervole]

I have a really good beginners dance that is carefully written to work with any number of dancers from 4 to 8.

I use it for teaching school children.

I could do that one first, and then move to a more difficult one later, depending on how long the session is.

(I also teach maypole dancing, but I can't drive at present, so bringing my maypole for added entertainment isn't an option at present)

[watervole]

We have two dancers in our sword group with limited flexibility. Plus me. I'm normally pretty limber, but I can do some longsword even with my current bursitis problems.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>Secondly, I must have slept on a mosquito, or something, because I have been bitten hundreds of times on my right cheekbone, brow and eyesocket. I don't deal well with bites in general, and my face has swollen up - my eye is swollen nearly shut. The bones of my face hurt and it's not really adding to my festive mood.<<

Ugh. :(

1) Check for bedbugs. Another possibility is fleas. You might also check if you've changed laundry supplies or sheet type recently, in case of allergies. In any case, you can start by changing and washing your bedding and vacuuming the room, which will reduce the population of any pests or allergens.

2) Take a bath with something skin-soothing like oatmeal. Here you can buy oat powder at the store, not sure about your part of the world. But you can make your own if necessary.

3) The most effective antihistamine is ... massage. Use a mild oil like almond (not mineral oil) for lubricant. Stroke over the whole body with long smooth sweeps. This encourages the body to flush out toxins and stress chemicals, including histamines (which make you itch). 30-60 minutes should help.

How we discovered massage as a treatment for bug bites: we were working an outdoor event and our door guard got eaten up by mosquitoes. So we provided an extra massage to make up for that. Next morning, what had been big silver-dollar-sized welts were barely visible pink specks. We had known about massage flushing toxins, but the visible effect was quite dramatic.

Alternatively, over-the-counter antihistamines for allergies will work on bad bug bites too, whether pills or topical cream.

Re: Thoughts

[galadhir]

I did think about bed bugs, but I think if it was them then the bites wouldn't have stopped. I've only got this cluster and no new ones. That suggests a singular incident to me. But I have hoovered and changed sheets anyway, including taking up the mattress and hoovering underneath it.

I went to the Minor Injuries Unit of the hospital and they told me which antihistamines should work best, so I've been taking those, and it has been going down. He was like "it can take ten days to clear up!" so I'm doing my best not to be impatient.

I have a very ambivalent relationship toward massage. I once had a sports masseur heal me of an injury that meant I could barely walk in one session, which was miraculous, but I hated the entire experience. Being touched is not something I tolerate easily, even though I think it might do me some good.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>I have a very ambivalent relationship toward massage.<<

Alas! Touch aversion sucks.

Does self-touch bother you, or just other people? That is, are you averse to anything touching your skin, or averse to someone else in your space? Because some types of massage work on yourself, just in case you need them.

Re: Thoughts

[galadhir]

Thanks! Yes, it's just other people. I actually have a foot massage machine which is my most favourite thing, and a neck massage machine which I use whenever I have headaches. So I suppose I could just put those both on at once :)

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

Those are just a few of the many massage tools available. For long strokes, a roller is good, and some have long handles so you can do hard-to-reach areas.

There are also other things for people who like contact, but not being close to someone else, such as weighted blankets or canoe chairs.

Re: Thoughts

[galadhir]

I did try a weighted blanket, because I thought it sounded really appealing, but I just ended up feeling a bit trapped by it. But I've never heard of canoe chairs (other than as chairs that you use in your canoe!)

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

Bummer.

https://funandfunction.com/cozy-canoe.html

Re: Thoughts

[galadhir]

Oh wow, that looks amazing! :) When I get my castle, there will definitely be some of those in it :)

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

I'm glad I could tip you to a fun thing! :D Canoe chairs come in various styles, so you should be able to find one you like.

[mistressofmuses]

I hope second-Christmas is good! I'm glad you got to have a low-key day on the 25th, though I'm sorry the celebration is a bit delayed.

But ugh! The bug bites sound miserable! I hope they clear up soon. How rude!

[galadhir]

Thank you! We rather enjoyed the complete low stress Christmas, and we're now waiting for my daughter to arrive for Second Christmas and it all seems rather decadent now :) Still the swollen face is keeping me more down to earth, so it's all balancing out :)

[mistressofmuses]

I can see the appeal of stretching the celebratory season out! I hope it's a wonderful Second Christmas day. Though bleh on the swollen face! That part is no good!

[galadhir]

Thank you! We had a lovely time, although the face is still swollen. It's going down, though, just very slowly :)