October 01, 2022

Offbeat Offline: September 2022 (+ A Proper Hiatus Announced)


Welcome to Offbeat Offline, where I bring you up-to-date with what went on in my life during the month just gone, give you a sneak peek of my next shenanigans, and share my favourite posts of late!

What happened last month to yours truly? I've been tending to my husband and working myself to the bone and basically going mad. I only managed to finish 3 books and barely made a dent in my last ARC to date. My September posts were already scheduled, so I didn't disappear completely (also, I took the time to reply to comments at least), and I've been making the Twitter rounds daily, if briefly, but other than that...Here's a breakdown of this disastrous month.


๐Ÿ“š MCGUIRE THERAPY. As I mentioned above, I read 3 books in September, and barely started a fourth. Not a surprise, since I hardly had time for sleeping...
I read Pocket Apocalypse, Chaos Choreography and Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire (adult - Book 4, 5 & 6 in the InCryptid series). This series has officially become comfort reading at this point...just what I need right now. To be precise, I read the first two at the start of the month, before my life spiraled out of control, and I've struggled to find the time to finish the third for that reason...not for lack of interest. Mini reviews coming on the blog at some point (they're on Goodreads for now).


I started Seeds for the Swarm by Sim Kern (YA - it comes out on Nov. 1st). Now, this is the worst time ever for me to read a review book (I got an eARC via NetGalley), but I hope to make the time to finish and review it around pub date, or not much later. It's my last ARC for now, since most of my requests have fallen on deaf ears lately, which turned out to be a good thing...


Normally, at this point, I would list the reviews I plan on posting and the Tell Me Something Tuesdays I mean to participate in during this month, but due to my ongoing home problems (see below) I'll have to sit October out. I MIGHT be able to post a review for Seeds for the Swarm (or to include it in a mini-review round) at the end of the month if the situation gets less hectic, but don't hold your breath. Oh, and...October 14th will mark my tenth blogoversary! I would have liked to celebrate it in some way, but now it's out of the question. Anyhow, it's a huge milestone, and I want at least to virtually hug each and every one of my friends and readers, and all the authors I've met during this journey - the ones who trusted me as their sounding board, the ones who sent me review copies with no strings attached, and the ones who simply gave me life with their books. There are so many things my life is missing - at least you (friends/readers and writers) shone a light on it and gave it a purpose ๐Ÿงก.


๐Ÿ˜ฉ MESS & STRESS. As you may already know (since I wrote a short post about it), I've spent the whole month tending to my husband Michele, who's bedridden while fighting a nasty foot ulcer (not the only one he has...I don't want to go into detail too much, but as an amputee in his right leg who spends most of his time seated, you probably get the idea). The problem started at the beginning of the summer, but despite my pleadings, he stubbornly went on with his life until he had to admit he needed real help, not home-administered medications. So, I'm not only exhausted and sleep-deprived at this point - I'm also super angry with him. Again, I don't want to go into detail, but since those aren't the only problems he has, I'm up and running (literally) at any given hour to take care of him, plus doing tons of laundry and going on errands (though I ask my dad for rides if I have to cover too much ground). A nurse comes every day except Sunday to medicate and bandage him, but once or twice a day I have to fix the dressings because they don't stick, due to the amount of drainage. Also, a surgeon comes to check on him thrice a week at SEVEN AM ๐Ÿฅฑ๐Ÿ˜ญ. In the meantime, Michele's taking a therapeutic nutrition product that supports wound healing and helps prevent or recover from complicating infections. The surgeon ordered a venous and arterial doppler, and we're waiting to be called in (our sanitary system is going awry). Did I tell you I'm exhausted? and sleep-deprived? and super angry?


๐Ÿ˜– ICINGS ON THE CAKE. That's NOT all, folks. A month ago my mother in law was rushed into surgery due to a gastric ulcer (thank goodness she has a younger brother who can take care of her, because she lives in a different municipality, and I couldn't have tended to two people at the same time even if she hadn't). Well, at least she recovered nicely, but still. Oh, and our last elections' results were disastrous, though the writing had been on the wall for a while...hello fascism, old friend ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ. Is this a parallel dimension or what? Is there intelligent normal life in the universe?


Of course, I haven't blog-hopped at all this month, so I've got nothing ๐Ÿ™. And I guess October will be a repeat of this scenario ๐Ÿ˜ž. BUT I hope to be able to go back to my normal routine in November (I definitely plan on being around in December, come hell or high water, but November should be feasible).

That's it for now! My next post will be up...some time in the future (I hope within a month), and it should be/include my review for Seed for the Swarm that I mentioned above.

So, what were your highs/lows in the past month?

20 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry that things are so hectic right now. I hope your husband gets better soon. I see you have control back of your Twitter account too, so that's good.

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    1. Thank you ๐Ÿ’š. And yeah, that was scary...just what I needed in times like these...

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  2. Well that sucks about the probems but happy upcoming 10 blogoversary! Ten years is an amazing milestone. And caregiving is tough. No matter how long you've been together of whether it's family it's still hard- my aunt had to do wound care for months after my uncle had multiple surgeries and it was ROUGH. I know it's not much but sending lots of well wishes and virtual support to you and your husband. Sorry to hear about your mother in law as well!

    Yes sometimes I think we've slipped into a parallel dimension. It's bad over here too...

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    1. Thank you! also for sharing. I feel less alone if someone reminds me that there are/have been other people in my shoes.

      Wanna steal a spaceship with me and see if we can find a better world? ๐Ÿ˜‰

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    2. It was an eye opener to me how much she had to do! I guess it didn't occur to me not having experienced it firsthand myself how much work there was, and how she was alone. Dealing with serious wound care but not being a nurse- kind of just doing best she could.

      Sure! there has to be better worlds right??? We need a Becky Chambers style ship and all that found family vibe. It makes me sad we're never going to see that kind of life in our lifetimes, if ever... that's why I could never give up the books. I need to dream of better places...

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    3. I need to read some Becky Chambers...

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    4. I would love to see what you think of her books. Especially Long Way To A Small Angry Planet. Still my fave... although I am a little behind now, I haven't read her last few...

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    5. Onto the TBR list she goes...๐Ÿ™‚

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  3. I didn't know doctors still make home visits but I think it's nice that you don't have to take your husband to him. Seven am is a bit early especially if you don't get enough sleep. I think I would be cranky too if I don't get enough sleep. It sounds very hard for you right but I hope it will all turn out alright.

    No highs or lows for me in the past month, not that I try to remember. The good I can say about September is I got to read a lot, although one would question my sanity for reading nothing but murder mystery for a month (two months if you count August) but maybe it's better to read about murder than to commit one. I hope I don't sound mad here.

    Good luck with your husband and everything. Remember to take care of yourself not just others.

    Have a lovely day.

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    1. The doctor (a woman in our case) apparently is part of the package when you qualify for home assistance...at least when the patient has special needs.

      "maybe it's better to read about murder than to commit one"
      ๐Ÿ˜‚
      Who am I to judge you for reading a string of murder mysteries? My house is full of Agatha Christie/Ellery Queen/John Dickson Carr/Rex Stout books that I've read multiple times...

      Thank you! I don't have time to take care of myself, not really...but I try to read a little every day, and I got a dye job yesterday, so there's that.

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  4. Those election results were extremely disappointing. Even though I live in Canada, I can still vote for Italian elections because I hold dual citizenship, and ugh even though I don't live in the country I definitely was hoping for a better result for the family and friends we have that still live there.

    I'm sorry it was another rough month, Roberta! I can definitely understand your frustrations with your husband for not getting help sooner. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

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    1. I didn't know you had dual citizenship. Gah, that was a blow, though I can't say it was a surprise...

      Thank you! Have a great month.

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  5. I hope your husband heals quickly, and that you are able to slow down a bit. ((HUGS)) And, cheers to ten years! That's an amazing milestone.

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    1. Hugs received! ๐Ÿ’š

      "And, cheers to ten years! That's an amazing milestone."
      Thank you! Even if I've been forced to step back for a while at the moment, I fully intend to keep blogging and to see the next 10 years...

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  6. Happy tenth blogoversary, lovely! Can you believe we've been friends for roughly half that time now? ๐Ÿ’› I'm so sorry to hear things have been so rough at home. Sending you and yours all the good thoughts for quick healing and a better holiday season!

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    1. Thank you ๐Ÿ’š. And wow, have we? *checks her Goodreads inbox* Yes! We started talking in February 2017! You were my one and only GR lucky find ๐Ÿ˜˜.

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  7. I'm sorry to hear that things are so awful right now. I wish I was close enough to help, or at least visit with you for a bit. I'm glad you are there for your husband, tho. Yes, the election results... very scary!

    Take the time you need, we'll be here when you check in.

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  8. Aww, you can celebrate your blogiversary when you get back from hiatus! We'll still celebrate with you. I'm sorry everything is so tough with your husband's health problems right now. I hope you can catch a break or have something get better or go right soon.

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    1. LOL, I'll probably be contented to do a small Twitter celebration. Doing this kind of things on the wrong day isn't the same for me...also, I probably won't have the time to come up with anything celebratory for a while.

      Thank you! A break would be nice...I don't think I got one since December 31st 2020 (the pulmonary embolism episode)...

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