Good early morning GH. Here I am at the keyboard, and I have yet to actually go to bed. I thought that I heard a train, and I did. The usual twin locomotives pulling a long line of covered hopper cars. Not quite as long as usual, and this one was headed south, towards Holland and points south.

Our current temperature is 42 degrees, and the morning sun has by the rotation of the planet on which we live, set several hours ago. Of course, that means that the view out the Weather Window is...dark. Sugar the Weather Dog is sleeping soundly next to the bed in our room, as she is tired. Mary and I walked towards the hospital this morning, and then they peeled off to go to the cemetery as I mentioned yesterday. On our early part of the walk, Sugar just had to notice every other dog in town and smell every smell that was new to her. In short, she was being a dog.

While at the cemetery, Mary took many pictures for her blog and Sugar sniffed even more new smells. By the time I got back from the doctor and then the barber shop, they had returned home and Sugar was out cold from the long walk. I only went a bit over 2 1/2 miles while it is likely that the "girls" walked closer to five. I was all set to have soup for lunch, but a note on the counter told me to call upstairs.

I was informed that Mary wanted to go to Holland for some art supplies and spice jars. Once there, we parked, walked a few blocks and got the art things and the spice jars and also visited an overpriced antique store. On the way back, we stopped in a Mexican grocery store for some tomatillos and peppers. We also stopped in the American grocery store next door, and had to search through many different loaves of bread before we found one that didn't have a chemistry set for its ingredient list. Then, Mary had to convince the store personnel to slice it for her. One other good thing came of our stop at the Mexican store. Tortillas that also had an ingredient list that was also short and without a chemistry set for its ingredient list. If you read the things that are in most processed foods, you need a degree in chemistry or the knowledge of a chemistry teacher to read the ingredient list.

I never got to my picking today due to the unexpected but profitable trip to Holland. But that's okay, because there is always tomorrow.

I am happy to report that the treatment I am receiving on my knees is working well. I can walk a great distance without pain. But, the doctor says that my shoulder is another matter. At my age of nearly 62, he says that the damage to my shoulder/rotator cuff may not be made better by surgery, he gives it a 70% or less chance of success. Plus, once he looks at an MRI, he may find that there is nothing he can do. I plan to get that MRI and let him make a final diagnosis. If he can do surgery, it might be arthroscopic or the traditional more open form. In both cases, the healing time would be about one year. I don't think I have the patience. What I have to find out is whether the shoulder will get worse or just be painful. So, when I know more I'll let everybody know. I have spent so much time under the knife and in rehab the last few years, that I don't look forward to more hospital time.

So, that's about it for now. Bed time awaits, and then...Tea time. Ciao.