Just keep breathing...

Slowly drifting back to normal. Whatever normal is. Up at a good hour to finish revisions on the new short. Thought I might take a walk when I’d finished, but didn’t dress warm enough to make a go at the soccer field stairs. Just as well. When I got home I’d forgotten I had a PT appointment.

Spent the early afternoon trying to get the shoulder in shape, then came home and took a nap when I realized i wasn’t going to have an office for a while owing to tech work being done in the next suite over.

Was feeling energetic until I woke up. Been trying to shake off the doldrums ever since. Cold weather…covid…cabin fever…they’re all getting to be a nuisance, aren’t they?

Heard temps are going to hit the sixties next Tuesday. Already put a pin in the date. Going fishing, for sure. Meanwhile, some new N stories to read and critique.

And we have a winner. I think...

Decompressing.

Got an early start, but let myself get waylaid. Didn’t accomplish much of anything today other a than a nice workout in an empty gym, and later, some reading. Guess I needed a break.

Took a FaceTime call from young Matt this morning, but missed Jack despite promises of a call back. The way it goes, sometimes. 2020, right?

Thought I might get in a day of fishing today, but I guess that’ll have to wait. No worries. New work came in over the transom, so I’ll stay busy other ways.

Election night, one more time...

Another beautiful fall morning.

Up early.

Worked in some revisions before heading off to the gym, then back again to read and make notes on my last N manuscript.

Cold weather predicted to move in tomorrow night. Not sure how much, or when, but I guess it’s coming.

Haven’t heard from the boys in a few days. Maybe we’ll catch up tomorrow.

Meantime, navy bean soup and a bottle of wine.

Still Election Night...

Got to work early this morning, avoiding anything in the way of news. Turned out to be a good thing in that, (a) had a good steady day of writing, and (b) the news improved as the day went forward.

Had a nice workout at the gym. Was the only one in the joint for a change, and was able to put in a lot of extra work. Rope skipping in particular is getting easier. Put in 500 reps today without straining the bicep or shoulder. If the pain stays manageable, may be able to get myself back into form before the end of the month.

Hard to believe it’s Thursday tomorrow, though it’s hard to believe a lot of things at the moment, good and bad. In a place of missing at the moment. Probably means I need to get out more while the weather’s nice. Did take a pretty walk this evening. Got a chance to breathe in some clean air.

Election night...

Well, it’s here. Election day. Did my best to avoid thinking about it, and in doing so had a pretty productive day. Got a lot of edits in place on the long piece, managed to push through PT without killing myself, and found time for some reading late in the afternoon.

Also had a brief, ten minute chat with the boys.

Also finished teak-oiling the furniture.

Looking to watch the returns, which may or may not make for a long evening. Eyes forward, as always.

Over and out.

Imperfect timing...

The clocks have orbited out of control.

Up earlier than I thought this morning, then out to the cottage for a decent day of revisions. Yesterday’s policing of the back patio had its way with the allergies, but the yard looks good and I’m ready to make the next pass at teak-oiling the furniture.

Sneaked away for a short workout this afternoon, then home for trip to Costco to pick up wine for tomorrow night’s long watch over the presidential election.

Pretty day today. Supposed to have more of the same tomorrow.

Wondering what the weekend’s going to be like, and weather there’s a chance of some fishing.

Keep dreaming, right?

A brief interlude...

Woke to find the day an hour earlier than expected. Got in some good revisions, then spent the rest of the day working around the house. Guest room cleaned, back patio raked, doors teak oiled.

Watched The Great Train Robbery last night in honor of Sean Connery.

Not sure what’s in store for tonight, but whatever it is it’ll be accompanied by a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of wine.

Breathe...

Back at it.

Wrote most of the morning, then the rest.

Neighbor kids dropped by for Halloween. Had a brief FaceTime with Jackie. A nap.

Walls are closing in, and need to push back.

Daylight Savings Time tonight, right? What’s that mean? Get an hour, or lose an hour?

Guess I’ll find out when I wake up.

Small gains...

Pretty good sleep last night. Arm decided to give me a break. Woke at a decent hour to put in some good revisions on the novel, and finish a reader draft of a new short.

Also got a chance to chat with young Jack a while via FaceTime.

Made what I expect will be a last trip to the barber for a while, and put in an easy workout at the gym. The way the numbers look, I wouldn’t be surprised if the gov shut down the state again.

Pizza tonight. Maybe some wine and a movie.

Signing off.

The lush life...

Another good day revising.

Another good day weather-wise.

Even a good day with the PT.

Going into the weekend with the wind to our back, and with any luck things will keep moving in a positive direction. I’ll stop there at the risk of jinxing things.

Looking forward to a quiet night.

Here we are, again...

Still struggling with the bicep. Can’t seem to make it through the night without waking up. That small bitch aside, had a good day at the keyboard putting the finishing touches on a new story. Thought I might get back to the novel this afternoon, but got caught up in other business instead.

Warm temps made a slight comeback today, but not enough to melt all the snow. Maybe tomorrow. Meanwhile, it feels like everything’s hanging on next week’s election. Even the weather.

Got in a brief jaunt to the gym, but left early. Only about eight people there, but even that felt like too many. Wondering how long it’ll be before the gov shuts everything down again with Covid numbers on the rise.

Missing my boys out in Pittsburgh. Missing all kinds of things. Nothing to do about it but push forward and hope for the best.

Nothing big on the agenda tonight, and maybe that’s for the best. PT tomorrow. Other stuff. Gotta find some new ways to keep myself busy.

Cold snap...

So. Up at 5:30 and off to work. A light snow came overnight, and the neighborhood looked like winter. Dusted the patio with a broom. Snow in my slippers.

Got in a good morning’s work, went off to the gym, turned around when I looked in the window and saw people without masks and came home to take a nap.

Pushed all but one of my N reviews out the door.

Papers say everybody’s tired of the pandemic, and all I can think is we’ve got to hang tough. The cold weather’s gonna be a challenge. Like to make it through another winter without getting sick.

Here’s hoping.

Not Debatable...

Yeah. Back at it.

Slow rise today, but not a late one. Needed some time to meet the morning.

Good day today with revisions, then off to PT, a short workout, and home again. Finished work on the boys’ zombie costumes. Got everything ready to ship off.

New fire moving into Grand Lake. Another threatening Estes Park. Hoping the weather turns cold, and the snow forecasted shows up in spades.

2020 can’t get a whole lot worse.

Pike, yes, peak no...

Couldn’t sleep last night. Just as well. Made for an early rise, and fresh made sub sandwiches for the fishing trip. Had a good drive up to Denver, and a great day fishing with my uncle. Didn’t catch much—one small walleye, but had a great visit, long overdue.

Gotta get back at it and shoot for big day tomorrow. Lots to accomplish. Tonight, kicking back and doing lots of nothing.

The day before...

Up before seven, at work a little after.

Another day of good progress with the book. A nice workout at the park, too.

Did some painting on the boy’s Halloween costumes, then went off to tank up the car and pack the gear for tomorrow’s fishing excursion. Should have a nice time if the weather’s anything like it was today.

Calling it.

Hope to report a respectable catch tomorrow.

Taking it as it comes...

Good night’s sleep.

Early up, early to work.

Nice progress on the revisions.

PT a little after noon, short workout a little after that. Made a late afternoon excursion to Sportsman’s warehouse to pick up some equipment for Wednesday’s fishing trip with my Uncle Joe. Been a long time since I’ve fished for bass or walleye, but as of this evening we’re prepared for whatever comes.

Still playing catch up with a few things, but doing all right otherwise.

Eager to get started on a new short.

Fire...

An easy Sunday.

Late rise, straight to the cottage to work. Close to finishing this pass on the novel.

Worked, made a brief jaunt to the gym, then home again to watch a little football.

Gotta kick it into high gear tomorrow and finish another couple of reviews. Get some kind of read on the new fire outside Boulder and make sure my mid-week fishing trip isn’t going to tank.

Scouting the possibilities...

Good day. Lots of catching up.

Sped ahead with revisions on the new novel, too. Still a lot of clean up to attend to, but feeling good about the progress.

Spent the afternoon scouting the lakes up in Denver, looking for a good place to take Uncle Joe. Think I’ve settled on Cherry Creek. Good handicap access, short walks to the lake, and all the rest.

Smoke from the Littleton fire boiled over the north part of the horizon like something from a volcano. Was sad to see that. Not wishing the fall away, but wouldn’t mind seeing snowfall on the western states soon.

Figure to take it easy tonight, get a head start in the morning.

TGIF...

Back at it. Felt like Saturday, all day, and don’t know why. Anyway, got in another morning’s worth of good revisions, followed by a long FT conversation with young Jack. Not sure where the middle afternoon went—if there in fact was one—but took a late walk and jogged the soccer field stairs, then came home and started a pot of leek and potato soup.

Got to be later than usual last night, so hope to make up for it tonight. Tired from all the running around.

Couple of Aleve and a glass of wine ought to move things along.