The Sunday Thread. It's July 23, 2023

Good morning, fellow travelers. It's not as early as I sometimes post, but it's early enough. For the first time in two years, I'm going to run a road race. COVID did a number on these events, but I did run a few "virtual" 5K races. But then my hip and knee issues flared up and ramped back to just walking 30 minutes a day.

But the running company I worked part time for from 2011 to 2020 is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a 5K and a party, and I felt like I'd like to participate.

Maybe not the best decision ever. I went for a run Friday and my quadriceps are STILL sore! Well, I'm not out to set any records, so I'm going to do it anyway. And who knows? I may get back into running. It certainly would be good for my body (heart, lungs, stamina, blood pressure, weight, etc.). I'm not getting any younger, you know.

I'll likely miss church service this morning. Thus, my day will be spent likely massaging sore muscles, watching some baseball and taking it easy. The upcoming week has me training again, so this will be my "down" day before then.

Have a great Sunday, everyone! Unless you have other plans.

for the first time in seemingly ages, we have a decent weekend on tap. For a few hours at least, it looked like we were on the cusp of nearly an entire week without any rain. In spite of the insane precipitation we've received this summer, last night when I was going outside for a (very) short walk, my neighbor across the street actually had his sprinkler running. Seriously, dude? You could probably go 10 straight days without watering after all the freaking rain we've gotten. His grass is drowning, turning brown.

I'm going to be discharged from PT this week, got discharged from OT and I think I have one more LNA visit this week. See a doctor in 12 days and hopefully get cleared to drive and lose some of the motion restrictions. In the meanwhile, I'm getting outside 3x daily weather permitting. I walked the length of my yard and back. Today I add the neighbor's yard and back. In 3 days, I'll add the yard after that. By the time I see that doctor, I'll be walking about half a block 3x day. Looking forward to outpatient therapy. They'll work me hard and I will ache but that is what ice and cold packs are for.

Couldn't stand it, Friday night I was sitting in my office chair and thinking it wasn't too uncomfortable, maybe I could play guitar if I used a strap to keep it up off my hip. Damn, it was a rusty, clam filled mess but it felt good. Then I realized that it was a reasonably cool night and some people tend to have the habit of sleeping with open windows, something I do not even consider ever doing and it was after midnight so I shut down. Not because it was painful.

Just pulled into the driveway a short while ago. We went to Saco, Maine for the weekend to visit friends. They have a nice place on the shore and it's always a blast to visit them. The wife grew up next door to my wife and they've been friends for over 60 years. Her husband suffers from Alzheimer's and there is a huge difference from last year to this. So sad to see him deteriorate. I spent yesterday fishing for Striped Bass at the mouth of the river. I said fishing, not catching. The tide and timing were not condusive to landing any fish, but I loved every second of it anyways!

The trip out and back were exhausting - usually a three hour trip, the trip out wasn't too bad - 3 1/2 hours, but it took 4 1/2 hour to get home today. It's nap time now!

Have a great week. I plan to! I have vocalist coming into the studio on /friday to help with harmonies and vocals. She sounded good on the short recording I heard - we'll see if she measures up, but she's a good friend, so it will be fun in any case!

Wow, totally forgot about stopping here today. I played a Friday night gig with a group of friends I’ve been involved in music with for nearly 60 years and then played the Bryan Lee Blues Fest on Saturday with the same group of friends. This old dude is kind of tired today. Along with all that activity I got to spend 10 days with my son who lives a fifteen hour drive away (he does it non-stop) and he left this morning so hitting the internet hasn’t been a high priority.

I don’t know if this link will work, but it’s our group playing last years’s Bryan Lee Blues Fest.https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=599178678312509

I hate ampitheathers. We played a show at one this weekend and it's the classic "shell" type of ampitheater - and they still suck.

The sound is always horrible, there is no air moving inside them and of course it's required that they park the diesel generators right behind them so the fumes onstage are so bad you get a splitting headache. Not my idea of fun. Still the show must go on. When we showed up and saw the shell we all went into "Let's just get this over with" mode so I'd say we phoned it in. There wasn't much of an audience due to weather issues so all in all it was kind of a downer.

Oh, the joys of being in a band! Seriously thinking of retiring from playing soon. At least at this level.

Spent Sunday bass fishing on a lake known for giants. I had to work all day to get my co-angler a decent fish. I could have scored a good number but I had to put the boat in situations that allowed an unskilled fisherman a chance to score on simple cast and retrieve type lure. Mission accomplished but not the most fun I've ever had, and the guy has no sea legs and it was choppy out so he was falling all over the boat and gear.

Still, beats working, lol!

Chuck