Ow Ow Ow

Creatures abroad. Raccoons climbing the trees, a skunk releasing its scent, deer passing by twice. Yesterday, I dreamed of beasts. I dreamed the big dog next door was napping on my front walk, and my cat was fearlessly inspecting him. Later I dreamed that that dog and two more big dogs were in the front yard an my cat was playing with them. I've been dreaming a lot about he cat lately. In my dreams the skittish creature is always braver than I am. She tempts danger. Maybe she's not braver but just more foolish than I am.

I think it's going to take aspirin to get me to sleep again this morning. Yesterday it took two doses, as massive headache woke me after only a few hours of sleep. This afternoon's appointment is the last for a week, as the doctor is going out of town. Whatever I'm left with today I'll have to live with for seven days-- unless I'm lucky enough to die before then. Aspirin seems to be losing its potency. I wonder how long before I have to move on to the hard drugs?

It's possible that I have a fever, but I can't tell for sure with the air so hot. It's said that a deer can split your head open with a single blow of a hoof. I must stay on good terms with the deer. Never can tell when I might need one to perform a service for me.

Can't sleep yet as the trash must be taken out, and I want a bit of light to do that. Always stuff to do, regardless. If I survive this summer, I'll surely curse its memory.

I hope spellcheck can fix all these typos. I don't feel like proofreading.

Swelter and Ache

It's far more enjoyable to be a hypochondriac than it is to actually have something wrong with you. For one thing, it costs a lot less, provided you're not one of those hypochondriacs who has to have all the latest tests. I was always quite happy to suspect that I had some terrible disease which was undoubtedly incurable and thus there was no point in spending money on doctors. Now, actually having to get my neck straightened out is costing plenty. The list of stuff I now have to not buy is getting longer and longer.


The cross street is being worked on today, right near the end of my block. I keep hearing the noise. They might be patching the pavement, though I'm not smelling any hot tar yet. It needs patching. A couple of good-sized potholes opened up in it during the very wet months. Practically every street in town needs patching, in fact, and some need complete repaving. This has become much more noticeable to me since my neck has been out of joint. Some of the main roads have so many patches already that they're incredibly bumpy. It's downright painful to ride on those roads.


The day is slightly less hot than yesterday. The paper had a story about young bats who have been falling from their perches under a Sacramento overpass during the day and frightening passersby. I wonder if they're fainting? The bats, I mean, not the passersby. The valley is almost always hotter than the mountains, so the last week has been even more hellish down there than it's been here. The glare is just as bad, though. I have to be careful when going out to allow myself to gradually become accustomed to the light, so I won't sneeze. Sneezing, it turns out, is very painful to my jaw when it's jambed up the way it still is.


Have to start getting ready for my appointment. Everything takes longer to do now.