#ouchthatstasty

I learned how to make cornbread when I was 14 years old. I've tried many others, but the first one I learned to make and eventually adapted to gluten free is still my all time favourite and maybe my favourite comfort food in rainy summer weather. #ouchThatsTasty

I deal with a lot of grief surrounding my MECFS. People who knew me in the before times, knew I always had about six things on the go - At least two jobs, a very active band and volunteering with a harvest collective and music projects as well as studying kung fu for nine years. When I finally pared that down to one job, I used to cook meals for a crew of 13, three meals a day for a month straight, rain or shine, rough seas or calm waters. I did this so I could access better care for my chronic health conditions in my time off. Even thinking about that makes me want to cry sometimes. Yesterday a very old friend stopped by for a visit and wanted to see the guitar I had built years ago and we talked about the sad reality of music these days. He's an extremely talented musician, has been on the cover of Rolling Stone, had just played a big festival the day before and still had to get up at 6am to go to work as an electrician the next day. I don't think these were the lives we were expecting when we first started making music together at 14 years old. I gave him my PA mains to donate to his son's new Misfits cover band and felt like we were passing the torch to a younger generation who still have hope for music. I lost a lot when my ME got bad, but this morning I kissed my beautiful partner who graciously makes sure I'm never homeless, which I would be without her. I hobbled around with my cane and cut some fresh mushrooms from the mushroom bed I painstakingly built in tiny ten minute increments of work. I cooked them with some garlic that I planted in another series of ten minute increments. I managed to make some scrambled eggs and pet the cat. And now I'm having a rest for several hours. Today is one of my good days, and in comparison to the life I had before that might seem bleak, but there is a beauty in our tiny garden, ongoing love, old friends, a fresh cooked breakfast and a cat who demands near constant affection. Life is astonishing and in spite of everything I don't think I would trade this. #mecfs #ouchThatsTasty