Enduring

Deer passed, their noses toward the sultry north breeze. The air's heat is less than the heat in my head. The deer did not stop. Though moonless night concealed them, I heard their steady progress. I listened to them, and then to the crickets, and then to the pines resisting the breeze. The smell of forest mingled with the smell of desert, and the now faint perfume of the last gardenias. Odd how the gardenias have dragged out their season this year.


I now feel as though I'm getting a sore throat. It's impossible to look down there and see, as my jaw won't open far enough. I would have to find a doctor who has one of those clever little cameras that looks through a fiber optic cable. I won't be finding one of those. But maybe my throat is merely raw from breathing dried out air conditioned air all afternoon and now all this arid desert heat. July be gone! Next head yanking not until Tuesday afternoon. I hope it adjusts my jaw to a less painful and inconvenient position.

Aspirin now, I think. I've downed more aspirin in the last few days than in the previous ten years. Another thing to foul my disposition.

Oh, Crap.

Still hot, jaw still sore, head still aching, still stuff that needs to be done. Having felt like sour owl shit for ten weeks now, I don't feel like doing any of it. I don't have a choice.


Heat expected to continue. Power outages likely. Avoiding the computer.


I just want me and the weather to be normal again.


Crap.