Friday’s Theme Music

Sol’s magic numbers for the Oregon coast for Friday are 6:26 and 8:13. That’s AM and PM. If you had those times in the pool, you may already be a winner.

Hello. Today is August 20, 2021. In the news today, COVID-19 vaccinations, cases, and deaths are all up. Locally in my county, the vaccination rate jumped to 2.1% a week. Yeah, progress. Probably because people are becoming woke. ICUs filled. Hospitals running out of beds and staff. Greater reports of people who said, “I’m healthy. I’ll survive it.” Then they succumb. In one case, it was a forty-two y.o. mother and her forty-eight y.o. spouse. They left four orphaned children. Mom’s final request was that her children get vaccinated. Why didn’t you go get it, Mom? Why?

In other news, there are still wildfires burning and a drought going on. Politicians and columnists are wringing their hands over the evacuation out of Afghanistan. Yeah, they apparently didn’t see that coming. Perhaps I’m too cynical but it’s exactly what I saw coming back when George Bush and his administration made their promises in 2001. War was going to pay for itself. A cakewalk. Wasn’t that the gang that said they’d always have an exit strategy? The ones who weren’t into nation building? Yeah, so, sorry, not surprised by this disastrous end to a disastrous war. Should have never been there. In drone news…

Yeah, not going there. Just revving you up a little.

Turning to weather, it’s partly cloudy and cool here on the Oregon coast. Low sixties. High will be in the mid sixties. Breeze of about ten MPH blowing. Clear air.

My mind began playing “Love Hurts” for me this morning. I don’t know why. Decided to go with it. Nazareth. 1975. Stay positive. Test negative. Wear a mask as needed. Get the vax. Let’s be careful out there. Here’s the music. Cheers

August 20, 2021 1

Betrayal

Had happened before. Wouldn’t bet against it again. Always without a hint. Always from unexpected direction.

This time, it was below. A knee went off on an excursion. He was walking up steps. Not hurrying. Nothing special. But that knee took a detour to the right. An action that almost threw him back down the stairs. Made him grab the handrail and gasp. Pause to breath. Swallow pain. Yeah, and fear.

Others saw. “You okay?”

He nodded. Not sure what they saw. “Just.” Didn’t know how to explain it. Didn’t want to. “Caught my toe. Tripped myself.”

They were looking. Mute. Knew what had happened. Understood why he lied. Nodded. Accepting.

Continued on.

He followed. Betrayed by his body again. Worried that another betrayal was imminent. Maybe not a knee. Maybe memory. Or cognitive process. Damn body. No long trustworthy.

August 19, 2021 2

August 19, 2021 2

Thursday’s Theme Music

Good afternoon. Today is 8/19/2021. Thursday. Still on the Oregon coast. Having a late start because, issues. See, we’re on vacation with others. Everything must be done by committee. With great discussions. Great reluctance for others to make a decision. Want to come to consensus, whether it’s to take a walk, drive someplace, or eat something. “You’re eating something now? What is that you’re eating? Well, are we all going to eat now? Is anyone else hungry now?”

Beautiful weather, thought. Sunrise stole in over the coastal mountains at 6:25 AM. Expect it to slip out over the Pacific’s horizon at 8:15 PM. Temperatures are expected to top out at 68 degrees F. Light sea breeze blowing. Beautiful, you know?

Today’s morning crises was about kayak tie-down straps. One was failing on our friends’ car. New one required. Where can we find it? A hard target search commenced. Meanwhile, other shopping was indulged. Crackers. Cheese. Drat, forgot to procure another bottle of wine. I’m doomed. Must endure with beer. Alas. Took us two hours of searching stores and talking to people to find that strap. Fortunately, I had a large coffee with me to help me cope. Coffee. Good for what ails you.

While I was there, my mind began singing a variation of the Eurythmics song. “Would I Lie to You?” became “Would I Shop with You?” That’s because of that verse that goes, “Watch me walking, walking out the door.” It morphed into “Watch me shopping, shopping in the store.” Then, to amuse myself, I created other verses as critical discussions regarding what chocolate to buy was raised and engaged.

Stay positive, test negative, wear a mask as needed, and get the vax. Here’s the music. Watch me typing, typing up this post. Cheers

August 19, 2021 0

August 19, 2021 0

August 18, 2021 0

The Healers Dream

We were outside, on a wooden deck. Like a restaurant deck under blue sky. Three tables. Eighteen people. Men, women. No one I knew.

Women came among us dressed in purples, raspberries, golds and yellows, greens. Loose clothing. Skirts, blouses, and vests. We knew they were healers. Everyone was there because they wanted to be healed.

The women walked around us, checking everyone out. One, short and swarthy, with brown hair, came up to me and said with a friendly laugh, “Don’t worry. You’re okay.”

Dream end.

August 18, 2021 2

August 18, 2021 0

Words

They slice and dice

Little cuts that bleed

Scabbing without healing

Bruising without showing

Being without being

August 18, 2021 0

Wednesday’s Theme Music

Another day on the coast. Sunshine shouldered in at 6:24 AM. Clouds took note of Sol’s mood and sauntered off oh so casual, not really going because he was there but just ‘cuz. Temperatures perked up. They swear it’ll be in the mid sixties by the time Sol strolls out at 8:16 PM.

Today is Wednesday, August 18, 2021. Our housesitter back home said smoke is gone. AQI sits at 105 this morning per the Innertube. Still not healthy. Yesterday’s high in Ashland, she said, was in the mid-seventies. It’s going to be in the low eighties today, is the claim. We’ll see.

Nice to be indulging in a little vacation. Sharing a condo with friends. Two couples. It’s enough space but my energy veers away from the spectrum’s social end. I’m more internal. Like my writing. Routines. Those are all unintentionally trample by others. Because, to be normal in America means you stop what you’re doing. Socialize. ‘To have fun’. Just shut off one thing. Turn on the other. Doesn’t work like that for me. While the wife knows, she suffers it. So I suffer because she suffers. There.

My mental music today is “Push” by The Cure. Picked it up from my friend yonks ago. Think it came out in 1986. At least, that’s when I associate the song with my life. Could be wrong. Wouldn’t be the first. Could attempt to hunt down the correct year but I’m a little lazy this morning, sitting by the water in the shadows as the sun’s presence grows.

Stay positive, test negative, wear a mask, and get that vax. Even talking a third shot. At least 99% of those encountered in stores and restaurants are masked. Bit reassuring. Here’s the music. Cheers