3/22/23

 Wednesday, March 22, 2023

In bed at 11:10, up at 4:40 with various unpleasant thoughts mostly of war.  37℉, high of 49℉, wind SSE at 11 mph, gusts today up to 21 mph, wind chill is at 30℉ & should reach 45℉ later. Sunrise at 6:51, sunset at 7:06, 12+14.

Octogenarian Life.  It's been almost 2 weeks since Mitch McConnell tripped and fell in a Washington restaurant, leading to a broken rib and a concussion.  He spent 5 days in a hospital and has been in an inpatient rehab facility ever since.  It appears that he was virtually incommunicado during that entire time until yesterday when he spoke on the telephone with his Senate leadership team, Thune of South Dakota, Barasso of Wyoming, and Cornyn of Texas.  He was called by President B hisiden and Majority Leader Schumer, but according to reports, he didn't take or return the calls.  No word on when he expects to be back on the job in D.C.  It seems that this "trip" has exacted quite a toll on McConnell.  Today is looking like a bad day for me, not as bad as McConnell's but nonetheless one of those days when I wonder whether I'm afraid I'm soon to die or whether I'm afraid I'm not soon to die, sentenced to live with ever-diminishing capabilities, physical and mental and with chronic pain.  I started the day in a sour mood which got worse with quite a bit of pain and leaking.  I need Kitty to tell me to SNAP OUT OF IT!

More Gilead  " . . . I have a wife too and a daughter.  It was as if the price of having them was losing them."

How interesting that this novel so focused on the relationships between fathers and sons was written by a woman.  Also, so focused on the antagonism between the abolitionist grandfather and the pacifist father with his hatred of war and violence.

VA Eye Clinic.  Appointment today at 12:45 to check to see if my retina is bleeding or otherwise distressed, how much damage diabetes is doing to my eyes.  Plus glaucoma of course, always reminding me of Kitty's trials, including giving up driving and having to rely more and more on Jim, even with his dementia and disappearing acts.  Oh the challenge of getting the truck from him and Kitty's confusion over whether to blame Michael or thank him.  Poor Michael. , ,  Glaucoma readings good 13 on the left eye, 17 on the right eye.  Visual acuity with the eyeglasses 20/20 minus 1 on the right eye, 20/20 minus 2 on the left.  No bleeding.