Posting . . . posting . . . I’m posting . . . . .

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything.  I’ve got to do it more often, but sometimes it’s late and I’m tired.  Not a good excuse, but I’m going to use it anyway.  ■  My days/hours at Dr. Wood’s Guitar Emporium have picked up drastically over the past couple of weeks.  It’s cut into my drawing time.  It’s good I’m able to make a little more money, but bad on the time to draw houses.  I’ve gone from working Monday-Thursday-Friday   to working Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday.  ■   And once again it’s late.  I’ve got to get some sleep.   ■  A new topic, before I grab some sleep – a new book to be published . . . interesting . . . . . .

Warm Saturday . . . acoustic music . . . Metallica . .

A beautiful day.  Warm – in the high 60s and I didn’t even get outside.  Tomorrow is supposed to be warm too.  I’ve got to clean gutters out and mow/mulch leaves.  ■  Went out to Kelsey Roadhouse for dinner and to hear the Wiggelo-s.  The Wiggelo-s are my boss and Alex the vocalist from his band Alex and The Allstars.  There were a lot of people there.  And in true fashion Buddy (my boss) had me get up and do one song.  The picture above is Holly at the restaurant.  ■  And Metallica – I’m listening to some of their songs via YouTube – Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters.  ■  Oh, and tomorrow we’re hosting our Cribbage group.  Looking forward to that.  ■  Bedtime . . . or way past it!

Right foot – ok …. left one…. still sore . . . ..

No picture again.   Bummer, but now on to feet.  My right big toe is black ‘n blue, but ok.   For awhile I thought maybe I’d broken it.  Not so.  My left foot still has pain in/on the  back of the foot – the heel.  I’d hoped that it would be gone by now.  ■  I’ve got to clean the gutters this weekend.  Last year before I’d had a chance to clean them out for a final time the temps dropped and they froze.  I had water coming over the gutters instead of going down the downspout.  ■  Good night.  ■

Now it’s feet . . . seriously . . . . .

My left foot has some kind of problem in the back heel – and it’s not on the bottom, but below the Achilles tendon.  Today I opened the front door to the drum shoppe and hit/ran over my big toe on my right foot.  The big toe on my right foot is aching.  So now I’m limping with my left and right foot.  Wonderful.  ■  Booked two more gigs at Jimmy D’s.  That’s good.  We need to book more gigs and I’ve got to do my part doing that.  ■   

Feet . . . I think I’m ok . . . . .

This is, I think, something I’ll have to deal with for the rest of my life --- gout/arthritis/pain/limping/hopping/ . . . ok, maybe not hopping – but I’m not sure about that . . . . .   My gout attack on my right foot went-away.  I woke up with typical gout symptoms in my right foot.  I waited awhile before I call my doctor – then convinced that it was a gout attack I called my doctor’s office.  They advised me to call my rheumatologist, which I did.  Long-story-short – my gout disappeared.  Good and bad.  Good ‘cause it went-away, but bad, because my rheumatologist couldn’t stick a needle in the affected area and withdraw fluid – so they could test for gout.  This is long enough. . . . .  ■  Our luthier has found a full-time job with a guitar manufacturer.  This leaves a lot of hours that he worked now free – which I think/hope gives me more hours.  We’ll see.  ■  Time for bed. . . . . . . . night . . . . . . . .

Feet . . .

I woke up this morning to gout coming back in my right foot.  Called the doc and am awaiting a call back.  I’m sick of this.

Good gig . . . sore left foot . . . . .

Had a good gig tonight (Friday night.)  I started the night with my left foot sore, but not too bad.  Hours later it’s aching – actually throbbing.  I probably should have sat a bit – or maybe a lot.  ■  Tomorrow we’re performing at a benefit gig.  It should be a good time.  I’m looking forward to it.  ■  Time for bed.  ■  Where do I get the Slick 50 stuff, Jac.  I’ve tried Ace and Autozone.  No luck so far.  ■

Fall, leaves, browsers, arthritis/gout . . . . .

Fall is definitely here.  Trees have turned, leaves are falling and the grass has pretty much stopped growing, or at least vastly slowed down.  Now if mother nature will cooperate this year and let me actually clean out my gutters before freezing . . . . .  ■  About a week ago I decided to give Chrome (Google’s browser) another chance.  I’d downloaded it when it first came out, but it didn’t offer as much as Firefox did.  For those of you still using Internet Explorer – there are other browsers that you can use – ones that offer more features, etc.  At any rate I decided to give Chrome another try.  It’s A LOT faster than Firefox!  As a result I’ve been using it more and more for the past week.  Today I downloaded ChromePlus.  It’s become my browser of choice right now.  It’s got to be twice as fast as Firefox and offers mouse gestures – which is a feature that plain Chrome lacks.  Enough on browsers.  ■  Gout/arthritis:  I think my gout is gone – but I have one spot on the back of my left foot that has pain.  I don’t think it’s gout.  I have a strong suspicion that it’s arthritis.  I’m limping because of it and really should be using a cane to help alleviate some of the difficulty in walking. In the morning it actually throbs.  It’s painful going up and down stairs.  ■ 

Frog me this!

I have no idea what my post title means . . .  but it is a big frog.  ■  I don’t think we have this frog anymore – I believe we gave it back.  It was/is a big frog.  ■  Gout update:  I still have gout in my left foot  . . . at least I think it’s gout – but maybe it’s arthritis.  I’ll have to ask my doctor.  I’m still limping and my left heal hurts – it’s not fun, but it’s not a “killer.”  I can still function – just not very well.  ■  Jac, my across-the-street neighbor – came over today and cut his lawn and mine and my next-door-neighbor’s lawn.  Thanks, Jac, I do appreciate it.  ■  Tomorrow I have to get gas for the lawnmower and I think, get a haircut.  And I think the band needs to practice.  We have two gigs coming up this weekend and need to work on a new song – an original.  ■ 

Cat in the Hat? I think nat! . . . . . .

Yes, you can pull it out of me – I’m a dog person.  I didn’t grow up with cats – just dogs, so cats have never been on my list of favorites.  Mostly cats seem distant; don’t come when you call; are finicky; etc.  Our daughter has 2 cats – Francis and Carl.  Francis is not only your typical cat, but hisses at you and used to scratch you (from ambush) before she had her claws removed (thanks for that.)  Carl, on the other hand, likes people (meaning me, of course) and will come if you call.  Additionally Carl seems to seek me out and will jump up on my bed.  Good cat.  He’s a keeper.  Francis on-the-other-hand . . . . . ■  Back to work today.  It felt good – except for this lingering bout of gout that impedes my progress in going up and down stairs.  ■  

Home again . . . . .

It was nice visiting my mother and seeing our daughter.  I wish both were geographically closer, but life deals different hands.  We’re pretty spread out --- Cary, Illinois, Louisville, Kentucky, San Diego, California, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Gig Harbor, Washington, and other places.  ■  At any rate, we’re home again.  My gout is still a major factor right now.  I can get around without a cane, but would take 2 of them with me if I went out.  The right foot is about 90% cured, but the left foot is only about 45%.  This gout attack has been a killer – and maybe a life-changing one.  Will it change my life?  Don’t know.  It’s definitely a wake-up call type of thing.  I’ve never had it when I’ve really been unable to walk because of the pain.  I’ll have to talk to my doctor.  ■  I know it’s an old sign-off, but it is time for bed.  More tomorrow.  ■

At our daughter's home

Finally made it.

Making time . . .

The rain has let up a bit. Still about 3 hrs from Louisville.

Rain in the capital . . .

Still in WV

The trees are beautiful