A child's garden of grass it ain't...

Weather warmed a little today, but it took a while. Was out to the cottage in good time and made the most of the near-early rise. Wrote for a while, answered a couple of pieces of correspondence, then went off to the gym to see if I could make something of this mostly lost week. Had the best workout I’ve had in days, and was thinking I’d turned a corner, but this afternoon’s long nap proved I still have work to do.

Made a trip to Maggie’s Farm late this afternoon looking for some medical chewables, but turned around and headed home when I saw the reception line. Never thought I’d find myself buying cannabis from a retail outlet, yet there I was. Funny where chronic pain will lead you. Hope to get up early and score when the queue is smaller. Keep myself rested until my Tuesday appointment with the orthopedic folks.

Yeah, think positive...

Late start, but not too late.

Put in some good revisions before heading out to the dentist. Spent the rest of the afternoon messing around. Took a long nap (what’s up with the fatigue?), not expecting to doze as long as I did, and lost all ambition to salvage the day once I woke up.

Friday tomorrow. Time to right this ship.

Okay, okay. I give...

Gotta say I’m tired of being tired. Had a good morning, a decent run at the keybboard, and a short but okay workout at the gym, but haven’t been able to squeeze anything more out myself. Not sure if it’s the lingering effects of the flu, or whatevever, and not sure it even matters. But there it is. I’m still dragging, man.

The road home...

A decent night’s sleep can cure almost anything. Woke today feeling better, and got a good way into the afternoon before the neck became bothersome again. We’ll see what comes of it. Meanwhile, pushing ahead with the stories I have, and trying to get things back the way they were.

Made a pot of asparagus soup. Looking forward to a quiet evening.

Monday, and counting...

Thought I might move into something like a productive day today, but instead woke with hangovers of Christmas, and the boys, and all the ways the holidays moved in directions that seemed to make no sense except as disruptors of a plan laid out in late November that never quite came to fruition.

Still sick with—whatever—and tired of it, along with the sore neck. Appointment with the surgeon next week, Tuesday. Hope to get to the bottom of what’s wrong, and how to deal with it. Meanwhile, need to find a way to get back to the gym and preserve what’s still there.

Felt good getting back to the keyboard, though I can’t say I got very far with it. Like the gym, I need to work myself back into a routine. Been pecking away at the new book, and think it’s going to be a good one if I don’t lose track of what I’m doing, or how to get there.

Miss the boys. Happy to see the holidays move on this year, but the rest is hard. Lots to do in the next few weeks. Let’s hope to catch a few breaks in the process.

Bless us all, each and every one...

It got here. At last.

Quiet day today. Went to a movie, picked up groceries, dinked around the house, and generally took it easy.

Got a call from Caitlin today saying Drew and Matthew were both sick. No word on Jack, or the flight cancellations, but have a strong suspicion their Christmas visit might be postponed.

Some rain came late this afternoon and, more importantly, snow in the high country. Don’t think we’re expected to get too much, but this late in the year we’ll take anything and be grateful for it.

Decided on Chinese tonight, given the way things are shaping up. That, and maybe a movie. Whatever happens were going to remember how good we have it, setbacks accepted, and how we’re still looking forward to the new year.

Missing is just part of the formula anymore.

Gotta learn to live with it.

Almost Christmas Eve...

So, the honeymoon ended and the neck pain returned.

Even so, had a good day catching up with friends and family.

Wrote a little, took care of a few chores, and spent the better part of the afternoon entertaining my old buddy, Scott. Talked to my Uncle this morning. My pal S, too. Lucky to have so many nice people in my life.

Wish I’d been able to get to the gym today. Might have made a difference. But maybe I’ll make up for it tomorrow. Meanwhile, looking forward to a movie, and more good company.

Joan Didion passed today. Sorry to hear about that. She was a hell of a writer.

Christmas card to myself...

Strangest night. Woke twice, spend most of the night staring at the ceiling, but was up early to work and feeling pretty strong despite the lack of sleep.

Hit the gym a little before noon, put in a light but decent workout, then came home napped.

Up and out later, shopping for Christmas cheer. Have most everything in place for the kids arrival on Sunday, and nothing to do now but clean the house, hang back and wait for the company.

Not feeling quite “there” because of the neck. Looking forward to getting it squared away before long.

Shingles shot went pretty well. Arm’s a little sore at the sight of the injection, and a bit of soreness in the other muscles, but no complaints.

Gonna catch up with my bud, Scott tomorrow. Looking forward to a quiet afternoon.

Looking ahead to the next one...

Cheerful early morning coffee with my old buddy, G. It set the tone for a long day that might otherwise have gone completely sideways.

Did a little work around the office when I got home, then went off to Walgreens to see about a Shingrex shot. No dice. All signs said walk-ins welcome, but we were turned away by the pharmacist who said reservations only. Came home, made reservations for later in the day, and spend the rest of the afternoon waiting. Mission accomplished, but not without a great expenditure of patience. While in the waiting area, we saw a young dad with his kids on leashes. As in, dog leashes. They both wore dog collars as well, and moved about on all fours. I don’t even know what to say about that.

Pretty day, but again, no moisture. Things just seem to be getting more and more dry. Some years I might have welcomed the solstice, but now I live in dread of what the summer’s going to bring in terms of fire. But, why buy trouble? Maybe we’ll have a record spring with lots and lots of snow.

Neck still troublesome. Not seeing a cheerful end, but again, don’t want to think ahead, either. My guess is, if I could find a way to sleep, I’d find a way to cope. Need to get back to the gym tomorrow and see if I can’t warm it up a bit.

Plugging away...

Well, this one was different.

Put in some early work at the keyboard, then went off to the gym to try and work the kinks out of my neck. Well, wait a minute. Maybe it wasn’t so different after all.

Raked the yard when I got home, clearing up the mess the windstorm left behind, then drove out to Rocky Top to empty the truck for the next run. Wish I could say I did more, but it would be a lie.

Got a pair of rejection slips today, both for the same story. That was different. Sort of.

Early morning coffee tomorrow with my buddy G, and if possible, a shingles shot afterward. Woohoo.

Sunday evening, 6:09 pm...

A pleasant day from the get-go. Had a decent night’s sleep despite the neck, finished my reader draft of the new short, finished the Christmas shopping, and even got in trip to Starbuck’s.

Watched the late game this afternoon with K, and that pretty much took care of the day.

Having a pizza tonight, and maybe movie.

Got to FT with Jackie for a while during the game, and he is already quite the analyst. Heard Matt’s voice in the background, but will have to wait till they arrive to actually see his face. Boy, what a Christmas gift that’s going to be.

Weather’s still quite mild. Be kinda neat if we got some snow soon, but it doesn’t sound like there’s any in the forecast.

Counting down...

Quiet day at home.

Caught up on a few things, missed out on a few things.

Can’t believe we’re coming up on Christmas, and haven’t seen any snow yet. Maybe we’ll get lucky come the end of the week.

Speaking of getting lucky, I think I’ve arrived at a reader draft for my new short, “Natural Piety,” a kind of twisted homage to Wordsworth’s “My Heart Leaps Up.” Took a while to get there, but that’s all right. It wasn’t like I had anything better to do.

Only a week before the boys come. Happy days.

A good Friday...

A lovely Friday.

Worked on a short this morning, then drove up to Denver with S & K for a splendid high tea at the Brown Palace. The weather was a bit cool, but the sun was out and the sky was blue and nearly cloudless. The food at the hotel, perfect. Last time we were there we had mom with us. She was the only thing missing this go-around, but just the memory of her brought back smiles.

Took a nap when we got home to try and ease the neck. Results of the MRI came in and the good news is, no tumors, no cancer, spinal cord damage. Lots of compression and other goodies, but no show-stoppers. Now if I can just get to the bottom of the pain and get back to rehab.

Not sure what tomorrow’s round up looks like, but a walk around the neighborhood would be nice. Have had my fill of cars for a while.

Where's the snow?

Another later-than-usual rise. Chalk this one up to a halfway decent night’s sleep.

Spent some time with one of the short works, which seems to get shorter all the time and is now creeping into the territory of short-short. But that’s okay. Haven’t written a piece of flash fiction in some time, and this one’s begging to be brief.

Worked on some Christmas wrapping later, then went off to the gym to get some lifting in. Decided to forego the bike, as it’s been aggravating the neck, especially when I’m reading. Good policy, I think, at least until I have the MRI behind me. Tried again, unsuccessfully, to schedule an appointment with surgeon. Not sure what the glitch is in the system, but nobody seems to know who I’m being referred to, or when.

Wrote a little more when I got home, then begged off a trip to the store in favor of a nap.

Kit’s suddenly become reluctant to take his meds. I think maybe he’s not feeling well. Seems to be ignoring his food, too, though not entirely. Like to get him back into his routine.

Here and gone again...

The day didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. What day does?

Got some nice writing time in the morning and made the most of it.

Meanwhile, Christmas-ing.

Have a feeling tomorrow’s going to be a wild one. Hope so/not.

Long talk with my sis this evening. Some nice reminiscences.

Made a pot of beef stew for dinner. My hoodie smells like onions. That’s it, folks. Life in the fast lane.

An entertaining day all the way around...

Thought I’d be up before dawn—and was for a while—but fell back to sleep until a little after seven. Not sure what that was about, but I guess I needed the sleep.

Worked on a short this morning, then headed out to the theater to catch the new release of West Side Story. Man, I thought, why remake a classic? But having seen what Spielberg did, I take back every bad reservation I had. It was a splendid piece of work. Really wonderful.

Finished the last of my N critiques when I got back, then talked on the phone to my sister for a while. Had a nice chat.

Day went by in a flash, but that’s okay. It turned out well.

Looking across the street and around the neighborhood I’d have to say it’s a bit lonely this year. But the boys will be coming in a few weeks, so that should help. Been a melancholy holiday in some ways. Hope that passes soon.

Just this much...

Pretty good day—all around.

No big wins, but no loses either. Was up early working on a story, then off to the gym for a late workout.

Got the tree decorated last night, and it looks great.

Movie tomorrow.

Air smells like winter.

And we have a winner...

Up early today. Surprised to find the cold front that moved in the night before had been courteous enough to move out again. They’re saying snow tonight, but I don’t buy it. It’s 5:30 and temps still have to be in the mid-forties.

Worked on a short this morning, then drove Kit to the vet to have his bloodwork. Was worried with the new thyroid regimen, but the doc called later in the afternoon to say his levels looked good. Kidneys, in particular. Was happy to hear it. Really happy.

Ran a few errands late afternoon, then came home and trimmed the tree. Had to back off when we lost the sunlight, but quit with things pretty well in hand. Tinsel tomorrow morning, and after that we’ll have most of the big stuff out of the way. Toughest thing now is keeping watch for the packages and the porch pirates.

Looking for a good night’s sleep and an early rise tomorrow. Getting back to the book draft. Pushing my latest N critique out the door.

Meantime, taking it easy in front of the fire.