Breathe...

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.

Soften those expectations...

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.

A little of this, a little of that...

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.

A small comeback...

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.

Just how bad is it?

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.

Yeah, it hurts. And so?

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.

The Road to Wellville...

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.

Yeah, as a matter of fact I do have a permit for it...

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.

In my own defense...

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.

Rain! At last!

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.

Ha! It's only Friday!

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.

So this is how it goes...

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.

Bring me another, doc, and make it a double...

Another decent night’s sleep—till morning.

Logged in a strong morning at the keyboard, but still haven’t finished the pieces that’ve seemed so close, so long. No worries. It’ll happen. Meanwhile, just keep plugging.

Good workout, despite the arm. After, long conversation with old buddy B in the Czech Republic.

Wish I could say something new is going on, but it wouldn’t be true. Just looking to maintain an even strain until next Monday when I see the doc. After that, things’ll either get better or I’ll get better about living with what I have.

Small reason to celebrate. Found a lotto ticket with three numbers! Now if I can only get it over to a machine and cash it in. Or, reinvest, as I like to call it.

No word from the boys for the past couple of days. Miss those guys, but that goes for a lot of things.

Someday, right?

Wins and losses...

Slept pretty well last night. Till morning, anyway. Arm had me up a little after six, but that's when I rise most days, good or bad, so it all worked out.

Put in some good time at the keyboard, then abandoned the cottage to clean the house.

TruGreen tech stopped by to do his thing, did it and left.

Drove through Starbucks for late afternoon latte, picked up a few groceries, and settled into a hot bath to see if I couldn’t knock down the ache.

Gonna take it easy tonight. See if I can’t hit the rack early and get a jump on tomorrow.

Another acceptance.

The Opiate (small pub out of NY) picked up “Working to Beat Hell.” Began to wonder if anyone would take it, given the subject matter, etc., but here we are with a new home.

Front and center...

Slept in today without meaning to. Wasn’t up until 7:40. Long night twisting and turning ruined my sleep.

Good morning working the various drafts I’ve got in play. Good morning working out, too, though the arm spoke back on occasion. Doc appointment set now for the morning of the 18th. Here’s hoping we can have a discussion that sets the rehab in motion.

Got my lawns cut this afternoon, and caught up with my neighbor R, in the process. Had a nice chat, many pleasantries.

K had her surgery this morning, and it sounds as if it went well. A couple of weeks in recovery and she should be back for eye number two. Can only imagine how good it would feel to regain all that lost vision. Who knows, might find out firsthand someday given my folks had both glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Got in a quick nap around four, then out for walk. Neighborhood quiet owing to the cool weather.

Gonna throw together some omelettes for dinner. Kick back, watch a little TV.

Entertainment galore...

Swear I live a fuller life now, during the Covid-19 days, than I had before the pandemic.

Up early after a halfway decent night’s sleep, and off to the keyboard. Put in revisions, enjoyed a couple of cups of coffee, worked out, and spent the rest of the afternoon chatting with Mom and Jack.

Got in walk later, after making a pot of potato leek soup. Pretty evening. Lots of sun, a cool breeze and blue skies.

Feel like I need another day fishing. Something. We’ll see what the week brings.

K goes in for cataract surgery tomorrow morning. TrueGreen guys come later in the week to diagnose the lawn problem. Need to get out and do some mowing. Venture across the street to have a look at my “nice” lawn.

Rome wasn't burnt in a day...

Just back from H&T’s for a socially-distanced glass of wine in the back yard. Nice to get out. Weather could have been better (spitting rain) but there was a fire going and the trees were pretty and the company was good, so no complaints.

Productive day at the keyboard. Close to finish on two of the new short pieces and happy with both. Need to quit dodging time with the new novel, now, bear down while the opportunity to make headway is there.

Had a nice workout around noon, then settled in for some reading a quick nap.

Looking forward to a movie tonight. Maybe a hard deep sleep if I can manage. Ten days till my physical, and with any luck, some sort of PT to get this arm in order.

This kind of thinking is (probably) counterproductive...

Talk about losing track of time.

Woke late, went to work late—hell, the rest is all a mystery.

Did get in a decent workout late morning, maybe the highlight of the day. Then went off to Costco to do a little shopping.

Tried to get in touch with the doc’s office again, but without any luck.

Socially-distanced drinks with the neighbor’s tomorrow. Tonight? Who knows.

Guess it’s the weather, but I’m feeling a little frayed. But maybe it’s the healthcare fiasco, severed brake line, miserable looking grass and all the rest.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give right now for a pain killer and a glass of wine.

You'd think otherwise...

Opposite reaction day.

Thought I was on a roll after yesterday’s small triumphs, but the whole train went off the rails after an hour-long chat with the financial advisor.

Still, got in a nice early workout, packaged up a new parcel for the boys, and got my retainer re-glued at no cost. So, whoohoo!

Figure to get up early tomorrow and soldier on.

Meantime, I’ll dream about grass, shoulder rehab, and a creel full of trout.

Inching my way back...

Managed some pretty good work at the keyboard this morning. Rest of the day went well, as well. Did some lifting and rope skipping, got my hair cut for the first time in about two months, face-timed with young Jack for about an hour, picked up the (repaired) truck, and even got in a short walk.

Almost forgot. Fertilized the lawn, too.

See the orthodontist tomorrow to have my broken retainer fixed. Also hope to hear from the doctor’s office. Was supposed to get a call back today, but—wait for it—they blew me off. Nothing like third-world medicine at Disney World prices. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Beat. Think I’ll call it an evening.