African violet

One of Jill's African violets bloomed. She got a few of these last year, and this is the first time one has bloomed. They live indoors, but I set it on the back porch for this photo.

The second vaccine kicked my butt today. I got the shot yesterday, and it took around 13 hours for side effects to kick in. My shoulder at the injection site was sore all day, but overnight is when things happened. It started with intense chills that lasted hours. I shook uncontrollably. It was uncomfortable and kept Jill and me awake. Then I got a fever. When I got out of bed, I was lightheaded.

It felt like a more intense cold without the congestion. It also made me talk far more in my sleep. I told Jill: "I have a knife" and "This is an avocado." She laughed.

I took some Advil Dual Action, which has acetaminophen and ibuprofen. That helped.I went for a short walk in the early evening. That was nice, but I got home in case the side effects got bad again.

The chills returned about eight hours later, so I took more and lay in bed. Jill was at a bar (outdoors) with vaccinated friends. I sent her this message in my sleep: "He meant to push them over". I sure am interesting when "sick."

Overall, the side effects are much better than catching COVID-19, even a mild case. We don't know the long-term effects. I'd rather not risk knowing. In two weeks, I'll be fully vaccinated. I imagine my anxiety about being in places with strangers will be lessened.