writer
So, a step forward maybe. Two steps forward.
Up to work early, some good writing before going off to PT. After, home again, a little more writing.
Worked out, then drove to the bank, the barber, and the doc’s office for X-rays. Talked you young Jack when I got home. After that, Mom.
Got in a short walk around five. Beat now.
Calling it a day.
This is why expectations are pointless.
Woke early, was in front of the keyboard before six, managed two hours of decent writing, then watched the rest of the day implode.
Three hours plus on the phone with the health care idiots. First with tech, trying to get the patient portal to work, then with a parade of well-meaning, but mostly benighted underlings. Played advocate for myself in an attempt to get treatment for the arm, but without much success. Explained there was no point having a discussion unless we knew exactly what it was we were talking about, but rather than prescribe an X-ray or MRI—anything that might provide a picture of the injury— they recommended another round of teleconferencing. I hung up, called an orthopedic specialist on my own. We’ll see what comes of it. Supposed to hear back from them tomorrow.
The rest of the day went pretty much the same. False starts, wasted time. Nothing accomplished. Didn’t even get around to working out. Took a nap to try and forget about the pain, and it turned out to be the best decision I made since getting out of bed. Feeling better now, clear-headed anyway. Maybe I can salvage the evening.
Mom’s angiogram positive. She’s now looking at release sometime tomorrow with possible heart-valve surgery in two weeks. Fingers crossed she gets what she wants.
Back in that place. The bad arm place. Evening comes, I get tired, the arm gets tired, and pretty soon nobody’s having any fun.
On the bright side, the revisions of the new novel are coming along pretty well. Got an easy, relaxed thing going. Oddly—and this may be the first time ever—I’ve found myself worrying about exceeding a word count. Anyway, things are moving in the right direction.
Soft day today. Worked, walked, worked out. No nap, but none necessary.
Gonna try and get to bed early tonight and hit it hard tomorrow. Need to make another doc appointment, check up on Mom, and see about a potential commercial project. The rest should be cake, right?
Early rise today. Not enough to beat the sun, but not bad. Put in some good work at the keyboard.
Spent some time working out, and think it helped the arm. Warmed it up anyway. Can’t say I did much the rest of the afternoon but lie around and read. Take a short nap before a firewood delivery truck came rumbling through the neighborhood raising hell.
Thought I might grill a couple of steaks tonight, but lost the ambition after the rain started. Figure to stay in and have grilled cheese sandwiches instead.
Got a note over a story submission. Editors letting me know the piece has made it to the top man. Making sure it’s still available. Watch, they’ll reject it in end!
Skies gray and weepy tonight. Hope it adds up to some serious moisture.
Young K across the street appears to be doing some home ministry. Long line of cars keeps coming and going. Masks, no masks. People of all shapes and sizes. Strange times, indeed.
There’s story material in just about everything, I guess. For me, the arm’s provided a novel’s worth. Woke in the middle of the night knowing exactly how Grendel must’ve felt when he met up with Beowulf. Like someone was tearing it from its socket. Worse, it stayed that way all day. Is still that way.
On the positive side, got some decent revision work in, and later, managed to catch up with mom. She sounded strong, less down than I might’ve expected. Said they’re looking at releasing her after the weekend. There’s been some discussion of a valve procedure, but haven’t heard anything official.
Got to FaceTime later with Jackie this afternoon. So maybe the day went better than I remember. He was waxing philosophic about his part in developing a Covid vaccine. Said, “I’m not a researcher, I’m a builder.” (In this case, I believe he meant builder of consensus. But hey, I don’t want to put words in anyone’s mouth.)
Mowed my lawns. One looks fine, the other not. The way it goes, right?
Took an early evening walk around the hood. Not much culinary ambition tonight. Pot pies. A glass of whiskey. Hemlock? Whatever works.
Beat tonight. Must’ve been the PT.
Up early thanks to the arm, and out the door to the cottage. Made a lot of good revisions on the new novel before going off to therapy.
Wrote a little more when I got home, proofed some old material, worked out and took a nap watching Double Indemnity. Got in a short walk late evening. Made an olive/chicken dish for dinner. Wasn’t much of a day, but it was the best it was going to be.
Enjoyed the Grant series on the History Channel. Gonna have to bookmark it for another viewing.
Mom not released yet. Happy she has so many people looking after her.
Up early, just after 5:00. Got in some good time with the new novel. After that, coffee on the patio and an easy workout.
Spent most of the afternoon in a Zoom conference with the doctor down in Albuquerque. Mom’s to be released in a day or so. Calcified aortic valve, congestive heart failure. Other stuff. Palliative care, then hospice.
Later, got a call from Jack and Matty. Nice way to end a downer day.
Not sure what tomorrow’s gonna bring—except for more PT.
Slept in as best I could. Up at 7:00, but only got in a submission or two before heading off for PT.
Worked out. Took a nap. Spoke briefly to mom. She’s in palliative care now. No direct conversation with doc, but understand we’re to have a zoom conference soon. She’s in the hospital through tomorrow. After that, who knows?
Letter off to the boys.
Sad night.
Looking for an early rise tomorrow, start piecing things together.
Each day gives you something new.
Was working out this morning when Patrick called to say mom’s in the hospital. Respiratory issues. They don’t think Covid, but no one knows for sure. Congestive heart failure might be just as likely. Hospital down there is overrun, so will just have to wait and see what the diagnosis is.
Put away the Frontgate garland, then drove to King Soopers to pick up some groceries. Prescriptions, too. Ran out of Symbicort and didn’t even know it. Strange, strange weekend.
Dipped back into the new novel. Found it wasn’t as sucky as I imagined. Need to bear down on it the next few weeks, see what I can make of it.
Would’ve liked to hear from the boys this weekend. Maybe tomorrow. Have a PT session early, 9:30. Looking forward to it. Looking forward to it a lot.
Just back from a walk around the neighborhood. Pretty night.
Not entirely sure where this one went, but go it did.
Up later than usual. (Too much of a good time the night prior.) Put in a few easy edits, then drank coffee out back till the clouds moved in.
Took it easy all afternoon. Did some research, made a couple of submissions, and decided to skip the workout in favor of a little rest. Made a pot of navy bean soup took a short nap, and here I am. No better/worse for the wear.
Miss my boys. Thought maybe we’d get a call this weekend, but no dice. Well, at least we got a little work done.
Gonna hit it hard tomorrow and see if I can’t get something started. Meanwhile, will hang back and see what happens.
Arm came back with a vengeance today. Serves me right for thinking I was on the road to recovery. Worked out anyway, ran through the PT, and spent the better part of the afternoon cleaning out the storage unit. Not a whole lot of things to move but what’s there is big, heavy, and breakable.
Work at the keyboard came a little slow this morning, but believe I have a reader draft of another new story. Should know by tomorrow.
Hot again today, no rain in sight. Locust trees in back are finally beginning to bud out. They’re usually earlier, but it’s been a crazy eight or ten months of weather. Ash trees in the front are often the last to come into season but this spring they beat the locusts and the oaks. Cottonwood in back hasn’t fared as well as the others. May have to give it the last rights soon.
K coming for dinner tonight. Pasta pomodoro. Should be a nice relaxing evening.
Better night’s sleep last night. Arm backed off a little. Woke up fresh and got to work on the Philharmonic project. Pushed it out the door just before noon.
Got in a nice workout with some good rehab reps. Maybe I’ll get this thing in reasonable condition after all. Fingers crossed, right?
Wanted to go for a walk, but the day got hot and windy so opted for a short nap instead. After, showered and went off to the storage unit to take inventory of what stays and what needs to go. Gonna clean the place out by week’s end, have done with it once and for all.
Didn’t get to go fishing today, but maybe next week. No point pressing for the high country this weekend with a holiday going on. Done that before, and it was ugly.
John and Edie in concert tonight. Gonna catch the feed on TV this time. Looking forward to it. Should be a nice quiet evening.
Losing ground here.
Up early to work, then off to the physical therapist for treatment. Got through everything fine, worked out, took a short nap, then went back to the keyboard.
Gotta get this arm thing in perspective and back working again. It’s a GD nuisance, and worse.
Cut the lawns and was happy to see the progress of at least one of them. Maybe there’s hope for the other, I don’t know, but it looks pretty bleak at the moment. Gonna try changing up the sprinkler system. Water deeper and less frequently. Who knows?
Memorial Day weekend coming up. Was hoping to go fishing tomorrow, but looks as if work will keep me from it. No complaints. Maybe after the long weekend.
More later.
Day of recovery. I think.
Spent most of the morning working on a new commercial project, fighting off the “ow” of yesterday’s therapy session. Got in a workout later, and a nap after that. Feeling trashed, but not unexpected. Another PT session early tomorrow.
We’ll see what comes.
Rip roaring day, for sure.
Got a new story in place, touched up an old one, put in a decent workout, then went off to my first PT session. What didn’t hurt before hurts now. But glad to be moving forward.
Took a short walk when I got home. Didn’t have much left in the tank, so called it quits after a few blocks. Picked up some necessaries at Costco, came home again and called it a wrap.
Gonna hit the rack early tonight and see if I can’t get a good night’s sleep. Shoot for an early rise and get a new project drafted for the Philharmonic.
Hot today. Upper eighties. Hope it doesn’t last into the weekend. Need the grass to have a chance this year.
Okay, attitude improved.
Made it through the doc appointment today only to learn—wait for it—I must have tendonitis. Well, it’s over. That's the important part. I scored my prescriptions, was given a clean bill of health (even though no one laid hands on me, not even a stethoscope), and finagled some physical therapy. Which starts tomorrow.
Took a trip out to PetSmart this afternoon. Picked up some goodies for the cats. Kit in particular.
Read a Denis Johnson essay when I got home, then tried to take a nap.
Feel exhausted for the first time in a long time over nothing but worry. Guess it’ll pass. Talked to our wonderful neighbor R, this morning before driving out to the doc’s. Always good to see her when I think my life is out of whack. What a jewel, she is.
Summer came knocking this afternoon with temps in the eighties. After all this time! Hope it’s not the start of a heat wave yet, but I suppose it can’t be far away. At least the planting is out of the way. Will cut the lawn tomorrow, after therapy. Tonight, just gonna sit and reflect. Toss back a few Tylenol.
I haven’t quit caring. Not as such. I’m just tired of everything and everyone. It’s probably the arm that’s making me crabby, but then again maybe not.
Was up early, started to write, then quit out of apathy and went back to bed. Might have been the best decision I made all week.
FaceTimed with Jackie when I got up. A second sunrise.
Grocery shopping went all right, though can’t say it was particularly exciting. Those of us with masks looked with disdain upon those who didn’t, and we all understood was going to come to a head someday. S told me to chill, some security guy in Target had his arm broken in a dispute over a mask. Yeah, this country’s great all right…
Neighborhood kids have been creeching and wailing all day. Laid down to rest and some bozo’s car alarm went off—twice—for fifteen minutes at a stretch. Not sure I can pass up a trip to Wyoming, plague or not.
Hope the doc’s appointment tomorrow morning goes well.
Got in a workout and a walk today, and neither did much good.
Okay. Let’s review just this much.
Up early? Yeah. Revisions? Check. Yard work? Of course. Workout? Yup.
So there you have it.
Another day on the block.
Did manage a quick trip to Ace to buy some compost for the new apple tree. Other than that (and a short nap) the day passed pretty much the same as all the others.
Started another short piece this morning. One I’ve been thinking about for while.
Tomorrow, back to the novel.
Tough day.
Writing went well, managed a pretty good workout, even got in some nursery shopping—but everything was overshadowed by the arm.
Picked up a small espalier apple tree to plant against the north wall of the house on the back patio. Didn’t have the ambition to get it in the ground, but think it’s going to look pretty good once its planted.
Took a long nap after I got home and woke feeling better. The pain was still there, but mitigated.
Rained while I was asleep, and by the look of things more than a sprinkle for a change. Yard’s starting to shape up. Even the grass.
Read a nice essay by Sherman Alexie when I got up. Enjoyed it quite a bit.
Launched into work early this morning after another decent night’s sleep. A cloudy sunrise gave way to a beautiful day later on. Cool, sunny. Blue sky.
Got in a nice workout, too, despite the arm hurting pretty good. Not sure what’s going on in the world at the moment, and don’t really care. Just wanna get back to the long piece, make some strides, and not worry about anything else.
Letter from Jack today. Simple, wonderful, touching.
Took a late afternoon drive out to Hardings Nursery to scout bushes to replace the dying arbor vitae. Hardly any people out there, and of those who were, most were wearing masks.
Re-read Gina Berriault’s “The Bystander” this afternoon. Lovely piece of work. Been a while since I spent time with it, and happy, as always, I did.
Took a nap after the drive out to the nursery. Fell into a deep sleep.
Veal piccata tonight.
