Saturday night...

Early rise, early to the keyboard.

Finished the second of the shorts I’ve been working on, and will look to get it into submissions tomorrow. Meanwhile, finished letters to the boys, and made an abortive trip to the art store looking for watercolor paper.

Dinner with K tonight.

Tomorrow, more of the same with a few exceptions.

Think big...

Working through this neck thing. Not sure where it’s gonna go but maybe I’ll be able to find a compromise between the drugs and the PT. Guess it’s gonna take more time than I thought.

Meanwhile, got my short-short out the door. The one I’ve been working to clean up the past week. I’m calling it “Riddle Me This.” Pretty happy with the way it turned out, but I may be an audience of one, as I frequently am.

Got in a decent workout at the gym, plus a run to the grocery store to pick up a new prescription. Wish I could say I did a whole lot more, but I didn’t.

Tomorrow. There’s always tomorrow, right?

Gonna shoot for an early rise and a productive morning at the keyboard. A game in the afternoon. Peace on earth and all the rest.

Enough is enough...

Early meeting with the orthopedic surgeon this morning. She had all the charm and personality of paper cup.

The good news: most of my problems are the result of age. Which means I needn’t cease doing what I’m doing. I can still work out, etc., without worrying about damaging the bone any further. Need to resume PT, however, and consider chiropractic and a change meds. If things work out, great. If not, pain management, cortisone injections, and possible radiofrequency ablation. One step at a time.

In other news, learned that a tooth implant failed. Surgery next week to remove it. Where we go from there will be dictated by time and money, both of which are currently in short supply.

On a pleasant note, got to FT with the boys this afternoon. Jack continues to amaze, but so does Matty, who’s become more and more affectionate over the past year.

Look forward to seeing them again. They’re still the antidote to all the rest. Meanwhile, it’s on to the next speed bump, eyes wide, caution to the wind.

Not to complain too loudly, but...

A got-up-late, never-got-going kind of Monday. Slept through the night, but not without being wakened by the neck a couple of times.

Worked on some story drafts early, then went off for a haircut and a brief session at the gym. Read from the McCartney book for a while when I got back.

Made an exploratory drive across town sometime after three to try and figure out where I’m being examined tomorrow. Eight o’clock appointment with the doc. Hope I come away with something useful.

Still mired, fighting each and every manuscript. Guess it’s the distraction of the neck pain, but whatever it is I need to push through it and start something new. I keep telling myself the pieces are getting clearer and tighter, but when I read them they seem to make less and less sense.

Been there before, so I know it will pass. But meanwhile it’s not much fun.

Putterings...

Wasted a good part of the afternoon watching a football game, though I’m not sure it wasn’t a good waste given I didn’t have much else to do.

Went to the gym and lifted early in the morning, then spent some time grocery shopping later in the evening.

Took care of a few housekeeping chores in between.

An uneventful day, I guess you’d call it.

Cracked the McCartney book, The Lyrics, eager to get into it. The volumes are large and a bit unwieldy, but I’m willing to sacrifice another vertebra, reading, while waiting for the digital version to come from the library. (Thank you, Santa!)

No nap today. Maybe that’s progress, I’m not sure. Feeling better and better, except for the neck.

Musings on a Saturday night...

Up later than usual, but to a pain-free neck for a change. Not sure what brought me that two hour window of carefree living, but hope I can find a way to replicate it some day.

Still haven’t found my post-holiday footing in terms of work output, but hope to correct that, too. Need to put these two new stories to rest so I can get back to the novel.

Weather got a little warmer today, and the overcast skies finally produced some moisture. Not much, but enough to wet the grass and pose an early morning traffic hazard when it turns to ice tonight.

Took it easy most of the afternoon, and plan to continue on with that trend this evening. Christmas tree is down now, ready for Rocky Top, and the house is nearly back to normal.

Spaghetti tonight. Wine. Maybe even some revelry.

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.