Whistling in the dark

         So I took a blog break to address line edits for THE SECRET TO SEDUCTION, which were followed by a beast of a headache, which I’ve finally vanquished. If you suspect that one caused the other, you may be onto something, but there’s no proof, really. However, I did manage to go out for inexpensive and delicious Indian food over the weekend, followed by a stop into a local café where you can occasionally catch live, free music. It was dark and not very crowded in there, ideal conditions for music watching (at least for me these days), and in an odd twist of fate, the band playing—comprised of three adorable boys, all in plaid shirts, two of them wielding guitars (one of which was used solely for percussion), one wielding a bass—were called the Makepeace Brothers. Like Susannah Makepeace, the heroine from BATS. A sign? I wondered. Of what, if so?

          I’d never seen them before, but I liked the Makepeace Brothers. I always like the kind of close harmonies only siblings seem to be able to achieve (like the Everly Brothers, or the Beach Boys), and the music was sort of…folksy, world beat-ish. A little too cheerful for my usual tastes, perhaps. Unfortunately, one song featured whistling, and the audience was entreated to whistle along. (Oh, I think not.) And during the break, one of the band members actually came up behind me, gave my arm a little squeeze said something along the lines of, “I noticed you watching us.” I tell you, you have to love a bold youngster. And by young, I do mean bright-eyed and dewy-cheeked and I suspect I could have almost-but-not-quite have been his mother. Then again, it was dark, so who could really tell? But get this: His name was “Connor.” Now…that’s even stranger, given that the hero of THE RUNAWAY DUKE is named Connor. Another sign? Of what? That I need to get out more? That's what I'm thinking.

          So did anyone else do anything fun this weekend? And what are some of your favorite ways to get rid of a garden-variety (yet beastly) headache?

Comments

[Maureen]

Here's a trick that sometimes works. Put two tennis balls in an old sock (a clean one)and tie it tight. Lay down and put it under your neck right were your neck and head connect. You can feel behind your head where they would fit. Try and go to sleep.

[Jennifer Y.]

I get daily headaches and occasional migraines...haven't found anything to lessen them but time. I try to sleep, but can't because of pain.

[Estella]

I have learned yo just live with the headaches.

[Julie Anne Long]

Oooh, Maureen, I like your tennis ball idea. It's a sort of ongoing acupressure technique! It's a funny thing about headaches (the non-migraine variety)..but sometimes it takes a while to figure out just what *kind* of headache you've got, and you have to experiment. I have this big stuffed sock thing I put in the microwave to heat up and put on my shoulders, in case it's a tension headache. I sniff lavender oil, which sometimes work, or Tiger Balm. :) Peppermint oil sometimes works, too, or peppermint tea. If it's allergies, there's this Eyebright Nettle herbal stuff I put in water—tastes nasty, but clears the sinuses right up. And several years ago I had accupuncture for crippling sinus headaches—I'd had them since I was very little, at least one a week—and after one treatment, they were gone!! Now I only get the occasional bad headache. I take Alleve or something as a last resort, because I'm a lightweight when it comes to medicine...I have to take half-doses of things. You can probably tell I'll try just about anything! LOL. and I'm always interested in hearing what works for other people. Pain's no fun.

[Kathy K]

Hi Julie. I love the Makepeace Brothers story... and the young 'un, Connor...a ladies' man? LoL...cute tale!

It was an good weekend; the weather, for the most part was nice and we had a very nice Thanksgiving dinner on Monday [I'm Canadian; we need a longer break between two big feasts!].
My four kids were all here, one of my daughters' friends as well as my mom and youngest sister ~ but my husband was out of town with his mom and some of his siblings. His dad had a stroke a week ago this past weekend and won't be going back home, so the family had to get together to make some decisions ~ which they never got around to doing.. typical of the family. ^.^ All I can say is that I'm glad I married into the family and wasn't born to it... I'd have gone nuts ages ago!...but I digress, as usual.
The day sure wasn't the same without Joe {DH} around... he's a mainstay for any holidays, but my daughters and even my son, were a big help.
So, that was my weekend!

As for headaches... if it's bad enough to interfere with reading, then I take something for it; if I'm not babysitting, I nap... I have also used a heating pad on the back of my neck for tension headaches; but if it's a migraine, all bets are off...straight to bed!

Take care! Get out more! *grin*

Kathy

[Diana]

Those are very interesting coincidences, Julie. Look at you, gettin' hit on by the youngsters. :P

Fortunately, I don't get headaches often, and when I do, one or two Tylenol usually helps alleviate the pain. I hope you're feeling better.

Over the weekend I went to a wedding. I didn't even know I'd been invited until two days before the ceremony. My invitation had gotten lost in the mail. I hadn't assumed I was invited to this wedding, so I wasn't on the lookout for the invitation. It was a nice ceremony and reception and fun to dress up a little.

I had Burmese food again today. My sister and I took our dad to lunch for his birthday. Yum. ;)

[Diana]

Oh, this didn't happen over the weekend, but I just had to add that I saw The Killers in concert on Monday. They were awesome. It was my first time seeing them live, and they didn't disappoint. :D

[Julie Anne Long]

Jennifer Y and Estella...don't know if you've ever tried any of my headache remedies, but what the hey! If nothing else, you'll be fragrant (or pungent) as a result. LOL. Eau de Tiger Balm and lavender. Tres sexy!

Kathy K., I forgot it was Canadian Thanksgiving! Happy belated Thanksgiving, then! Is it always on a Monday? (the way the U.S. Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday?) Sorry your hubby couldn't be there!! I know of a great nonprofit organization for caregivers of loved ones with chronic illnesses, and they have myriad Fact Sheets on health and strategic issues, including some on how to hold family meetings and how to make decisions for an incapacitated loved one, etc. -- http://www.caregiver.org. Who knows? Might come in handy.

And I know, Diana -- talk about a satisfying weekend -- Indian food, followed by free music and ego flattery! LOL. I must have been having a good hair night. And if the other brothers in the band were named "Kit" and "Tom," I would have had to freak out. (They had extreemly Irish names, instead.)

Your surprise wedding sounds like fun...someday I might blog about weddings. I've been to a few, um, memorable ones in my day. LOL. They never seem to quite go without a hitch, which is half the fun.

And I read the notoriously snarky Aidin Vaiziri's (sp?) review of The Killer's concernt in the SF Chronicle, and he loved the show! Sounded like a great one. I actually wish I'd made it to the bluegrass festival in the park this weekend, as Elvis Costello and Billy Bragg were both there, and the weather was so gorgeous. Hope the weather holds for a time. (A futile wish, probably, but hope springs eternal, and all that. LOL).

[Diana]

I didn't know the bluegrass festival took place this past weekend or that Elvis and Billy played. I love both their music.

[Kathy K]

Yep, Thanksgiving up here is always on a Monday, but I'm not sure exactly how they figure it ~ the second Monday of the month? Never really thought about it.

Thank you for the link, it may very well help my husband and his siblings, and mom...I skimmed through it and there are some great points; they all tend to dither when they get together, this will allow them to focus.

Our weather here is definitely turning into winter; the furnace is on, the sky is gray, gray, gray and there is more than a hint of moisture in the air... had to happen, just wish it happened later!
Darn the short autumn and long winter.

Keep warm everyone! [if you can... ^.^]

Kathy

[Haven Rich]

Hmm this past weekend...

I worked on graphic templates (yeah I know boring huh)and made some candles. I created this one called Island Dreams and it's already sold. Good thing I wrote down how I made it lol.

I've been really busy getting things ready for this upcoming weekend..Romantically Inclined is hosting our first chat. So I've been getting things organized as best as possible. I'm hoping that it goes off with some sort of ease...as it's much like a wedding, just cheaper haha. Wish me luck!

Julie, if I remember correctly your visiting your sister this weekend? Have a wonderful time...take a much needed break from the writing world. Then maybe everything won't seem to be apart of your book hehe. (not that this is a bad thing)

[Julie Anne Long]

yeah, our weather is clouding up, too, Kathy K., though we've been blessed with some Indian summer-type days for almost a week. I mind *seasonally-appropriate* gloomy gray days less than the ones we get during the summer. LOL. But yeah, our Indian summer was pretty short this year, too, and I can feel Fall in the air, for sure. An excuse to buy a new winter coat! :) (Mine's pretty old.) And glad you think you guys might get some use out of those Fact Sheets!! Stay warm this weekend. It sounds like it'll be good reading weather.

Haven, I typically spend my weekend on graphics and stuff, too. LOL. So I don't think it's boring, really. And your upcoming chat is pretty exciting!! (For anyone reading this, it's at http://www.romantically-inclined.blogspot.com this weekend). I'm sure it'll be fun and fantastic, since you're so good at organizing things. :) And I bet it'll be just a taste of great things to come, too. Hope it goes wonderfully (I'm sure it will!), and I'd love to participate in your next one. I know I'll be blogging with you on Monday and Tuesday, so let me know (off blog—when you get a chance, go ahead and send me an email) if you guys would like me to talk about a particular topic, and if I can just email the stuff to you.

Looking forward to a bit of a breather this weekend. :) But I'll still be peeking at the blog. LOL.

[Lareign]

That's funny about the young guy, Julie. You know, I think I would rather have a younger guy than an older guy hit on me. Actually, it would depend on how old the guy was. 30 or so would be sort of flattering. 60 would be just plain creepy.

As far as this weekend, I have to work. But then next weekend I have off, and I'm going to my last homecoming game as an undergrad. Woohoo.

And oh, I picked up WTBW tonight at Wal-Mart when I got groceries. Looks lovely, I like the covers, both front and back. Nice colors. This is theh first book I bought since about August that wasn't for class, so I figure I deserve it. I have what I call the five-book rule, where sometimes if I feel I am buying too many books, I say okay, I have to read five I have first. It doesnt' always work, but this time it did.

[Julie Anne Long]

Hey Lareign! For me, I think it all depends on *how* I'm hit on. LOL. That is, whether I prefer being hit on by younger guys or older guys. This youngster was very direct and honest and friendly. LOL. Either he was just an inherently easygoing, confident guy, or his heart hadn't been stomped by love's cleats, as it were, too many times, yet, and so he wasn't yet too cautious or cynical. Plus, I'm sure beer helped. :) Gotta hand it to him, though!!

And yay! Thanks for picking up WTBW! I really hope you enjoy it. I know what it's like to have a book allowance, and I'd hate for you to waste it on a book you didn't end up really digging. LOL. You sound awfully disciplined—the five-book minimum, and all. :)

Have a great weekend, everyone!!