I have been a bit remiss

I haven't written in a while.  Been busy and still not sleeping well, even with the Restoril, which is a very mild, apparently too mild, sleeping pill. Oh, I will sleep well for three of four hours and then I am awake.  Some of this is due to pain in my left hip, the one I broke eleven years ago. The hip aches down the thigh to the knee.  I have four rather large screws in that hip up high but most of the discomfort is down around the knee.  Last night it started yelling at me at 1:30 a.m. and in spite of some aspirin I am still in pain.  Yes, I will tell the orthopedist about this when I see him in November, get new x-rays and see what he says.  It's not miserable pain, just a constant ache.  Oh, well, getting old ain't for sissies

I am flying solo today as Sophie is taking her sister Ethel to get her cataracts taken care of.  Later, after therapy, Sophie's granddaughter is coming over to help straighten up the garage and then we will go to Sophie's. House to get her tablet going.  I have some errands to run on campus today and should get a walk or two in.  Last night 6 p.m. I decided I had to go to Walgreen's and get some lotions and potions. Unfortunately it gets dark fast these days and I was cavorting home in th dark.  I put out some Halloween decorations that are sure to annoy the neighbors.  Motion and sound activated gremlins in the tree and a motion activated candy bowl on the front porch that is in the shape of a spooky tree trunk that growls and moves its arms.  Delightful.  The light up zombies will go out the night of Halloween.  Then I was in bed by 10 and up again at 1:30. What a bitch

I was putting together a list of retirees from the library to have on a mailing list.  One retiree, the Queen of Tempeh, wrote right back and we have been conversing since.  She lost her husband of forty years recently and is so bereft you can feel it tangibly in her emails.   We have had several good exchanges of emails and I set my aunt Marilyn on her as I think they might be able to strike up a friendship.  The Queen is very lonely and misses the give and take of a good discussion and of course this is right up Marilyn's alley, so to speak.  In the meanwhile I will continue to write and offer what solace I can.  But then I was in worry mode for my friends and their spouses.  I guess death, or the idea of it, is never too far from my mind.  In writing to the Queen of Tempeh I realized how many people I have already lost.  So more morbid thoughts followed me.  It was good to get out last night and walk while trying to process this.

The evening as windy but mild.  A good night to set out Halloween decorations.  And, of course, I bought more candy and swiped for myself a small Almond Joy and a smaller Kit Kat morsel.  That was dessert last night.  Maybe tonight the Sherpa, AKA Sophie's Granddaughter, and I can work outside and also get a walk in.  I do enjoy a cavort at dusk.  However it is supposed to rain today so we may just work in the garage and get the lawn furniture put away.  I'd like most of the stuff off of the front porch and put in the garage.  Have her break down boxes and make room in the garage.  And, as they say in the Mikado, I have a little list of stuff that won't be missed.  Get that done and move on to Sophie's tablet and then have another restless and pain-filled evening.  What a bitch.

And that is the theme for today.  Pain and a bitch.