Sidetracked Charley

Sunflower I bought a large free-standing umbrella for deck sitting and the days got cold and the winds whipped up. I have not set under the shade of my new red umbrella even once. The deck goes unused. And the flowers I used to gaze upon and photograph have undergone a killing frost. I think I am in mourning for the end of summer but I have been too busy to stop and think about it. My decade long physician retired, and the new doctor does not seem to be able to read my files. It might have been easier for me to have deliberately changed my medical provider, but I was too busy with my dentist to consider that. Genetics have finally caught up with me in the mouth department, which in my humble opinion, takes a toll on my one health issue. Dr. Cohen would have understood that. The new one doesn't except in that he can hold me hostage to more appointments. More visits to doctor and more trips to Questa to see my dentist translates into less deck time. Less lap time for Thicke,...

First the disclaimer: This blog has nothing to do about lions. I just felt like posting a happy picture of lions to erase all the pictures of a dead Cecil currently on the internet. This blog is really about a tooth. My ex-tooth. And that I will put off going to a dentist until it is so painful I consider pulling it myself with a pliers. I know I have blogged about how I feel about dentists before. This blog about The Tooth and nothing but The Tooth . Because that is what your life becomes about when you have a bad tooth. Your focus at every meal is how to chew on the side The Tooth isn't on and in such a way the movement of your mouth or tongue does not touch THE TOOTH. THE TOOTH becomes the entire focus on your life. Even when it isn't hurting you are thinking about The Tooth. You think that when at last THE TOOTH  is gone you can get back to normal but then you get to think about not exploring with your tongue where it was, and how much it cost to have it gone, an...

Mardi Cresting the Hill There have been a large amount of huge things going on in my life; Getting ready for the July show, trying not to go blind before then, a plethora of pet sitting engagements, and two badly infected teeth that must be pulled today. All of it has been complicated by requirements, re-scheduling, people not coming home when they said they were, and a winter which seems to be playing hide and seek with spring further delaying planting the garden. Beneath all that noisy stuff have been the little gifts and victories it is wise not to miss as they are our reasons for living. Mardi Gras at 14 and one half is still taking cross country walks. If she is not always keeping pace with Magique, Magique is slowing her pace to not lose her. Even letting her lead sometimes. Mistress, as usual, is overly concerned with her photography. Mardi and Magique's annual physicals showed that Mardi is doing great. And my vision improves. With a perfectly functioning right ...