Big Trade Day

Today is the trade deadline in major league baseball.  Actually, it's more complicated than that, but I won't get into those details.

Hopefully, my Pirates will get somebody to help them down the stretch.

Chest Muscle

I did something to a muscle in my chest a few days ago, but it's much better.  I've done this before, and I think it took weeks to heal, so this time seems to be going well.

Last night I sneezed after trying not to, and I thought I strained that muscle again, but it's no worse today.

Cool Summer

The weathercasters on television are saying this might be the coolest July on record in central Indiana.  Few people seem to be complaining.

Hopefully, however, it doesn't lead to the kind of cold winter we had last year.

Dachshund

Lots of dogs live in this complex.  Over the weekend I saw a guy walking a little red dachshund.

I had a beautiful red miniature dachshund as a boy.  Gus was my buddy.  I miss having a dog around.

So Far, So Good

I had a couple accidents yesterday right after the scope, but everything seems fine today.

My brother Jeff thinks the accidents were the result of all the water pushed into my bladder for the scope, and he's probably right.

Good News

I went to the urologist today for a bladder scope, and everything is still fine.  I'm cancer free.

Now, I only have to get the scopes once a year.

Tomorrow

I go back to my urologist for another scope tomorrow morning.

I'm feeling fine, and my urinary stuff is working very well, but I'm still dreading tomorrow.

A Little Excitement

My aide accidentally stepped on my emergency button this morning, and a fire rescue unit came barreling out.

All is well, however.

Tough Weekend

Not only did I pull a muscle Saturday, which was really painful and limiting. but Tendercare failed to cover four of the six shifts for which it was responsible, which made me have to improvise.

It was not a fun weekend.

Baseball

The second part of the baseball season starts today, and my Pirates are in the thick of their pennant race.

With luck, they'll make the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Agent Push

Yesterday afternoon I queried five literary agents about possibly representing my novels.

We'll see what happens.

Cool Days

We're having a run of cool days for July this week.  I doubt many people are unhappy about that.  Weathercasters say it's a polar air mass dipping farther south than usual.

I say better now than in January.

All Star Game

The major league baseball All Star Game is tonight.  It's a game I look forward to every year.

I don't even watch the NFL Pro Bowl or the NBA All Star Game.  The guys don't take those games seriously.  In baseball, though, the level of play is more like a regular season game.

Next Week

Next week I go back to my urologist for another scoping of my bladder.  If everything checks out then, hopefully we can cut these scopes down to yearly events.

I'm feeling better now than I have since this cancer thing started, so I have high hopes.

Fixing My Sweeper

My aide Tiffany tried to sweep my carpet Wednesday, but the sweeper wasn't picking up.  So, over two nights, she took the sweeper apart, cleaned it, got a lot of gunk out of it, and put it back together.

Now, it works much better.  Tiffany is clearly willing to work.

Dad's Eleventh

Today is the eleventh anniversary of Dad's death, not the tenth as I mistakenly wrote last week.

All his kids still miss him.

Out Of Books

I have some books on order from the book club.  I got an email last week saying two of them have been shipped, but they haven't arrived yet.

Hopefully they'll come today.

One Email

When I got online today, I had a grand total of one email waiting for me.  One.

That's fine-- most of the email I get is junk, anyway-- but I can't remember the last time I only got one.

Fireworks

I saw some fireworks over the building across the way Friday night.  It was pretty nice, even though they didn't seem to get very high.

I didn't hear explosions into the night, however, so maybe fireworks are banned from this complex.

Aide Ultimatum

An aide last evening told me flatly that if I haven't had a shower in some time when she comes next week, she will give me one-- presumably whether I wanted one or not.  She also asked me if I would tell her the truth about the last time I had one.

I don't doubt she's a good aide and a good person, but I didn't appreciate being talked to like that in my own home.  I try to remember these aides probably deal with people and situations when they have to be more assertive, but I am perfectly capable of deciding when I take a shower and who gives it to me.

Dad

We are coming up on the tenth anniversary of Dad's death.  His family has been through a lot during that time.

I wonder sometimes how things might be different if he'd been here to guide us, but of course that's one of the unknowables of the human condition.

Battle Of Gettysburg

Today is the 151st anniversary of the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, which stopped Lee's thrust into the North. At the same time, Grant's army captured Vicksburg, giving the Union complete control of the Mississippi River.

Together, the two battles formed a pivot in the Civil War.  Together, they struck blows for the cause of human freedom and independence.

Taquisha

Recently, an aide named Taquisha has been coming.  I like her.  She's calm and competent.

I don't know if she's going to be a regular aide with me now, but I won't mind if she is.