Later that same day....

Pain! I loathe it. But a bucket of it is in my upper back/neck. At times, when I move the wrong way, it’s excruciating. Sigh! But it will pass, I know. I’ve an excuse for rest but the pets have neither understanding nor empathy.

Above is the view out my office window. I took the photo this morning before the sun disappeared. Sadly, the photo does little for me whereas the actual view is inspiring. The way some tree trunks are sunlit and others are dark gets my heart pumping.

You can see the bird feeders on my fence posts. I’m ripping through seed keeping the Chickadees, Jays, Thrushes and Woodpeckers fat and happy. One feeder also hosts two suet bricks. The curved trees, leaning left, are where the Peregrine Falcon was perched last week.

Inspired by the light I went out to attend to today’s major duty: Sawing up Darrell’s waste wood and cleaning up the studio.

The table saw made the work easy but it’s a soul killer; the noise is deafening (and sensitivity to sound is a particularly strong symptom of my PTSD). However, I have an abundance of kindling and all the waste wood is gone. I swept and tidied as a way to subtly thank Darrell and to show my respect and appreciation for his work.

My alter ego, Moss Planter, took over once the sawing and stacking was done. I pulled some moss out of the depths of the ditch and I put it down on the scars left by the old rotting woodpiles I removed from Pinecone Park. Sheba absolutely loves to sleep on the thick plush new moss and most of the black stain of rot is covered.

After that, I had a (short) shower, after which I added well water to the cistern. This will go on until the switch is installed — likely this week. It was right after the shower that I started noticing the pain.

Sheba and I went to town. We thought we’d check out the stores we’ve not yet been to and see what they carry in case we can lead an even more hedonistic lifestyle. (Although it’s hard to beat the daily thrill of bagging pet poo and the constant slivers.) Plus, I had to drive into town to get cell service that allowed me to deposit a cheque. The stores were fabulous. One has a vast array of incredible gourmet cooking supplies.

I needed pie. After the Spartan shower and all the sawing, I earned it. And that was the last reason Sheba and I went to town.

The balance of the day has been devoted to pain management: I’ve been resting, applying a heat pad and waiting for Grantchester.