C.J. Cherryh's Blog, page 55

I have been remiss!

Sorry, folks…these are the drapes.

I made them wide enough so that the insulated drape tucks in behind. Some of you might recognize the top part of the hangy-down. They are the runners from the wedding!

Well enough to start the walking campaign.

So we walked down the block and back. Nothing like several weeks unable to get out of a chair to argue that all the excuses for not exercising are not all that persuasive. I did it, and hope I won’t kick the pain up again. It’s good for me, it’s good for Jane, and on that Costco trip we got two coats with hoods so as long as the ground isn’t icy, we can brave the weather. When it does ice, we have the exercise horse that we can use. I have no desire to spend another several weeks with bursitis. I have nothing to compare it with but one tooth filling without anaesthetic and one broken arm. I’d say it’s about equal.

Plumbers. Got the leak fixed.

Ordinarily WE do it…but when the pipe in question is the house water supply, connected to the city water supply, in our basement—we call the guys with the really big pipe wrenches and the knowledge.

300.00 later we have a new 5 dollar part installed: a ‘bleeder valve’ on our house water line, just before the water meter, had been leaking for a while, but the leak accelerated to create a daily small puddle. This is karma’s advisement that you really need to think about this leak.

It could be worse. The pipe that’s embedded in the cement basement floor is sound. This is always good to know. And the city has probably bestowed a new water meter on us.

One item on the ‘before winter’ agenda taken care of.

6:45 at the lab. Glug.

I swear ultrasound has side effects. I just fairly well collapsed when I got home. Due to that or the fact our sky is going that peculiar shade of not quite a color but verging on brown that indicates Idaho is burning.

I think I’m going to spray some Lysol about and see if that wakes us up.

There’s a remote chance of rain. That would be helpful. We need the rain, too.

Actually got out of the house today…off to Costco.

After breakfast at the waffles place….

I knew I couldn’t go the hike around Costco, so I asked, and indeed there are wheelchairs for loan, so I got one, persuaded Jane I’d be the shopping cart if she’d push, and we whirled around Costco at a speed at which I began to protest whiplash– But it was good. I got to see things, got a few free food samples, Jane got some coconut-covered cashews, and a nice winter jacket, and I got to get out of the four walls I’ve been in since Shejicon ended. Fun!

Got some writing done, too.

And a MOUSE just crawled up the brickwork beside my window—I think the cold is coming. Sei watched it go, with every hunting instinct ih his kitty brain going off. He didn’t know what to do about it, but the Scottish Folds are descended from one Scottish mouser. The mouse climbed down again and left, so he didn’t get into the attic. This is a good thing.

The neighbors who had the two cats that kept our garage mouse free have moved. Alas, we now have no yard-kitties. WE will have to resort to other means to deal with the garage mice. I hate doing them in, but we can’t have them in there chewing up our stuff all winter.

Jane got this new sports energy drink…

She likes it. I’m picking up a flavor that makes me want to down it fast. But…if it’s a good, healthy way to remember the damn vitamins, that’s a good thing. Ook. I drank it before coffee. Now I want a lot of coffee. One thing I don’t think this stuff has is caffeine. Maybe that will help.

Got up at 8:30 after going to bed at 10. Left to my own devices, I’d probably have slept 3 more hours, but I’ve got a 6:45 AM lab appointment Thursday, and I don’t want to oversleep.

Doing better—I think.

The knee is fevered.. I think I’m going to give them a call tomorrow and see what they think. Improved but still painful. At least I haven’t had to take Advil today. Hurts, but doesn’t hurt awfully.

It’s improving…I think…slowly…

Last night was the pits. I’ve had bursitis and broken bones, and I would say the pain level on this one is about that of the broken arm. Kinda gets to you. Last night I opened the spice cabinet, got caught in a cascade of bottles, stepped back, and yes, that hurt. I kept trying to put the bottles up, and the bottles kept falling, and Jane came in to take over, thank goodness. I’ve tried to do a bit about the place, but that was the absolute pits, and I had to admit I needed to go sit and stay there. 2 AM, it lit up again, along with a case of heartburn, and I spent two miserable hours trying to ice it down to quiescence and not have to take Advil.

Today has been much better. I have gotten through most of the day with out Advil and without a lot of the pain…Jane’s spent the day picking up, bless her, and doing the bit of yard work that needed doing, and now she’s fixing dinner. I am not lifting a finger. I’ve taken 2 Advil, hoping for an evening when I can do a little gaming and get to bed for some sleep.

Poor me, poor me, chorus of moans and violins. But da-amn! this has been miserable!

We didn’t get the aurora, either. Bummer.

But—over all—doing pretty well. We’re now settled in for a swiftly-approaching fall, and the waterlily is slowing down on its blooms, with increasingly cool water in the pond.

I want so badly to get to work on this book. But one thing about writing—you can do it lying abed with chicken soup.

Aurora possible tonight in northern states…

I was so full of painkillers yesterday I didn’t note the date. Maybe tonight, weather depending.

1127 e-mails in the box…

I tell you, painkillers for a few days and the mail just keeps coming. I think I have it all handled.

Disappointed this morning that the knee’s still touchy. Had to start the day with Advil, and I don’t like to write when I have anything in my system. Bummer!

We went out and looked for the aurora last night but that mean old flare must’ve missed us—we didn’t get a thing.

I do pretty good with this knee during the day, but boy, standing on my feet to cook (which I love doing) sets me up for an evening of pain, serious pain. I don’t know how I got through the conventions with it, but then I was on a LOT of Advil. It’s weird: it’d get to hurting so my eyes would just start watering—streaming down my face, but I wasn’t as aware of specific pain as I am right now, with the bad spot down to one. Weird. I collect weird human reactions, and this is certainly one.

I think I’m going to send Jane out after a few cans of Bavarian sauerkraut and we’ll have some of that nice kielbasa we picked up at Costco.

Am I rambling a bit? I think it’s the Advil. Jane’s got to clean the pond filter. I sure can’t. Jane’s gotten stuck with ALL the work before and during and after Shejicon, so I’m feeling like Camille, lying grandly abed, being dramatic. But ah, well, the rest of the injury is healing fine. Swelling’s way diminished. Just that one pesky spot that can light up in neon…