I don’t like not really posting something, but my mind is a blob right now. I’m better today though. I’m not as sick in my stomach as I was yesterday. And my leg hurts less. So progress is always good. My routine is jacked. Maybe not jacked, but really different than before the broken hip. I’m sleeping from 10 to 4 ish now, then awake until 6 or so, and then back to sleep on the couch, usually, for an hour, before hobbling back to bed somewhere after 7. If I’m lucky I can sleep another hour or so then.

I’m usually waking up at 4 because of a stomach ache. Cinnamon Raisin toast and hot tea seems to make it feel better. I like both those a lot, so maybe that is why. I haven’t drank any coffee at all this week. I had some the day I got out of the hospital, last Wednesday, but not since then. Maybe that was the splitting headache I had a couple mornings ago, I don’t know. I don’t feel a craving for it for sure. Same with wine. I haven’t had any wine since last Wednesday and don’t miss it at all. Guess your body knows what to consume when things go awry.

I’ve been listening to the BBC on NPR from 4 on. Then Morning Edition. Morning Edition gets repeated at 8, so I’ve already heard it by then. The BBC is way more interesting to me than our NPR news. I’m not sure why that is. Maybe it is just more worldly.

I’ve been sitting some on the back porch, before the sun comes up and listening. It seems like the birds all wake up in the same order every morning. It always seems way too early for them to start, but then the sun starts to rise. They always sound so chipper, so happy to be alive, it makes me feel better. I really enjoy it, so there are always these small, ancillary upsides to what seems bad. You just have to look for them.

Okay, that’s pretty much my morning schedule. The rest of the day is way less constant. Sleeping on and off, a little TV, yesterday morning I watched the live feed from the Apple World Wide Developers Conference. I realized how little I use the functions of the Apple products I own. I doubt many of us do much.

Maybe today I can get out a little. It is supposed to thunderstorm tonight. That is always good. Funny how little of things you look forward to when your down and out. That’s about it for now.

Trudi is always in non-stop mode. She got some straw to cover the garden with yesterday. Saves on pulling weeds, plus seems to hold the water in better.

She also got a couple strings of solar lights for the backyard. A couple of the cats are always around interested.

I was sitting out on my front porch a few minutes ago, kind of moping around. I’ve been moving around super slowly today. Actually, it started around 2am this morning. I woke up in a cold sweat and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I just got up and started my mopey day. I didn’t stay away all night. I went back to sleep around 6 and slept again for another hour or so. So, today was never going to be stellar. I tried to post something earlier, but didn’t have the patience or the mental capacity to do it.

Anyway, I’m sick. My hip feels way better, but I’ve got a constant stomach/back ache and a on and off again headache. Plus some other symptoms. I’ve been trying to go outside a few times a day and just sit. The front porch has a good view of squirrels collecting acorns so I picked it.

I’d only been on the porch for 15 minutes, or so, and here ride up two fixtures in the city of Topeka, Ken Hackathorn and Brian Hammondtree. They have been riding their bikes around Topeka for years/decades. I think every city has a couple guys like Ken and Brian, guys that make the rounds through town and always make sure to check in at the bike shop often. Ken and Brian have probably had 50 different bikes between them over the years. They buy, upgrade, then sell bikes constantly. I don’t think either has a driver’s license, so their bikes are their only mode of transportation. Kenny has some issues and his balance isn’t good enough for a two wheel bike anymore, so he got a tricycle.

So, they see me on the porch and come on up. Kenny had brought a bag of bike parts for my brother, Kris. Ken’s trik was making a ton of noise, so I hobbled out to check it out. He has cable disc brakes and were easy to adjust. Kris got a 5 mm and it was done in a few minutes.

Anyway, Brian wanted me to autograph his new Specialized 29’r. He was saying it was an honor having someone from the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame’s signature on his bike. So, Kris went in and got a Sharpie and I signed both Brian’s bike and Ken’s.

I was pretty much done after standing in the driveway for 15 minutes, so I went in. But not before Ken told me a few jokes. He always has a constant supply of jokes. I’d tell you a few, but most, nearly all, are rated X, or at least crude. Crude, but sometimes funny.

Anyway, it was nice having those two stop by. They ride by fairly often, but I’m usually pretty busy, or just not around. It temporarily got me out of my doldrums and was a pleasant break from moping. It will probably be a highlight of the day.

Brian on the left, then Ken or the right.

Brian showing me where he wants me to sign his new Specialized.

Autograph.