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It was an interesting first visit. They used electric current to stimulate blood flow in my shoulder. At first it felt like pins and needles and then it felt like a massage. The physical therapist then manipulated my shoulder and massaged it. It's so strange how the pain refers down to my elbow. I suspected that it was not really tendinitis because it wasn't improving with inactivity and Advil. I was really sore afterward, but I think it will help in the long run. He talked me into the benefit of the shot. He also nagged me enough to get me to ice my shoulder. Next time, more exercises, but for now, he gave me one stretch to do three times a day for 15 counts. I'll do that tonight while we watch TV. I think I finally convinced Rick to watch Bridgerton. We're into the Queen's Gambit and I've been putting up with Outlander. I just can't anymore with Outlander. I gave up on Game of Thrones because of the violence. I just don't have the strength to watch people getting raped and tortured right now.

I really liked the PT's office. His wife works with him and she's so nice. They seem to work so well together. He's able to see several people at once, moving from patient to patient in private rooms and out in the common room because he coordinates with her. I never thought I could put up working with my spouse and then going home too, but this seems to work well for them. Two thumbs up!

Well, I'm not feeling bad today. I'm just really, really tired. I slept until 8:00 this morning and I still need a nap this afternoon. The only side effects so far are sleepiness, a few cramps in my feet, and soreness at the injection site. Not bad, Pfizer!

My old doc in Dallas used to make fun of me because I'd go see her and ask her to fix me. I was really impatient and I didn't have time for anything that didn't give me instant health. She always said she was not a mechanic and I was not a car. I have a stupid frozen shoulder and tendinitis in the elbow. I actually think both of my shoulders are heading for the deep freeze. The ortho wanted to give me a steroid shot and I was like, do you furnish pain killers/xanax/margaritas/ all of the above, because you ain't coming at me with a big needle unless I get some good drugs. It turns out that she couldn't give me the shot because I'm getting my second Pfizer vaccine dose on Thursday and it makes sense that steroids would interfere. Instead, I got a golden ticket to physical therapy at a place close to home with a therapist that one of my friends loves. This made me happy, but then I was disheartened to read that frozen shoulder can last a long time. Caca. It's another repeat of the plantar fasciitis of 2017-19. I do not like this at all.

We finally got around to watching Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. What an emotional roller coaster. Chadwick Boseman was unbelievable. I ugly cried during one of his long speeches. He was amazing and all of it is so powerful knowing that he knew he was dying when he made that film. If you've seen it, you know what part I'm talking about. Viola Davis--wow! I love her.

And in the backdrop of it all, I'm wondering if Minneapolis is going to burn to the ground this week.

How many times have you said that to someone you know is going through a hard time? I was talking to one of my friends who is now taking care of her mother--something I did for ten years. She said it's frustrating because there really isn't anything she can ask someone to do, short of something they'd never want to do (like change an adult diaper.) It's such a tough position to be in. Here's my suggestion if you have a friend who is going through this life issue--just listen. That's really what a person wants in that situation. That and maybe cook for them or do their laundry if you're a good enough friend. Being in that part of your adult life where you become a caregiver to the older generation, often while the younger generation still lives with you is like being pulled apart on a rack, but it's also full of a lot of joy. I watch my younger friends and marvel at how much work they do on a daily basis.

Now that I’m 80% immune, I’m getting a pedicure. The shop I go to (well, not for over a year) is only allowing one person at a time in the salon. They leave the door open as well. I feel pretty safe going there. Yay! I won’t look like Godzilla in sandals—although shooting fire out of my mouth would be cool. I’m looking forward to changing to summer shoes. Our weather is going to be so nice next week. (72-75)

While we were gone, Contra Costa County opened up vaccinations for 50-64-year-olds. I don’t know what I’m getting tomorrow, but I’m getting the first dose of something. Rick gets his in the afternoon. Because of the wonky website and because we signed up with our phones, we weren’t able to get our appointments together. He’ll go with me in the morning and I’ll go with him in the afternoon. I’ll report in after my shot.

We had a great time hiking and taking full advantage of the hot tub at the place we rented. I’m tired, but doing laundry now. I’ve got to go pick out my vaccination outfit! Cocktail dress and heels? Too much? It’s funny how much impact this is having on my mood. I feel like more categories are going to open up everywhere. I read that Monday everyone over 18 can get a shot in Texas. I sure hope my brother, nephew and wife, and cousins are going for theirs soon.

I'm not good at updating, that's for sure!

What's happened over the last month? We went on a trip while not forty miles away, Sonoma was on fire. We had planned to see my brother-in-law and sister-in-law in their new home in Massachusetts for several months. I wasn't thrilled about leaving Danny and Scruffles here alone, but he knew what to do in case of any emergencies.

We had lots of fun in search of fall color in Northern MA and even drove into New Hampshire. The fall color was absent this time around--I think we might have timed it wrong, but Kathy also said it was a bad year because it had been too warm. We stopped at the White Mountain Resort Hotel and had drinks in the lounge while looking at the beautiful mountain view. We went to Lowell another day to see the textile manufacturing museum. We went to Newburyport another day to look at the shops and hang out. My sister-in-law made lots of good food--dinners and breakfast. We watched baseball and my brother-in-law introduced us to his favorite tv shows, which seem to feature lots of explosions.

We left there and flew to Richmond to see my father-in-law, who lives in Williamsburg. He picked us up and we went to his house and got ready for a fancy birthday celebration at the Inn. He was taking his neighbor out to dinner. We hadn't met her yet and we liked her. They're not a couple, but good friends.

The next day we took the ferry to Surry and looked around Smithfield. We went into a historic building, which had been the courthouse back in the day. The docent was a woman who had lived in Plano before moving to Virginia where her family originated.

We left for the airport the next morning to bring Rick's dad back to California with us, landing here at about 7:00. We had a lay-over in DFW and had the first Tex Mex we had eaten in three months. Yum! We had to face the long trek home in what was still rush-hour traffic. He stayed with us for six days. He had been stationed in the area when we was in the Navy during WWII. We took him to Vallejo to the museum, which he enjoyed. We were able to see where he had been on a boat at the end of the war. We hopped on the ferry to San Francisco after exploring Vallejo, to do some touristy shopping and eating at Pier 39. It was actually quite chilly, but the ferry was nice and warm and had a snack bar with hot chocolate! Every other day we had planned activities with a day of rest so we wouldn't wear him out. We went back into town to see Beach Blanket Babylon, a musical review that every tourist should see. We ate at Joe's. It couldn't have been more cornball tourist and more fun. Even the parking garage was a historic building and the attendant told us all about the history.

We decided to do something fun this past weekend. Rick and I participated in a "race" called the Lardbutt 1K for the non-athlete. It was basically a short walk between three donut stations. It started with a mimosa/beer/cider tent and ended with a fizzy flavored water stand. People dressed in costume and we met a nice couple from Richmond.

Afterward, we went to the DeYoung to see the Teotihuacan: City of Water, City of Fire exhibit. It was pretty amazing. I can't believe so many fine carvings survived all this time, but I guess they were inside of pyramids, so they were protected. We had been to Mexico City in 1982 and had seen the pyramids, although we didn't climb them. I think a lot of what we saw in this exhibit hadn't even been discovered in 1982.

Tonight I have my writing class and I'm submitting five pages of something I'm working on for critique. I'm planning to expand it to a short story or even further. That's my goal. I want to write two versions of it, one with a normal contemporary setting and the other with a sci-fi twist. I'll be working on that to give the teacher.

This coming weekend a friend and her husband are visiting from Texas. I'm so anxious to see them. She gave me some very sad news. One of my former colleagues lost her husband this weekend. He was killed in a car accident. I was talking to another friend and we both commented that the sadness of her loss was compounded this weekend with that horrific shooting at the church.

Even with all this sadness, I can feel the rush to the holidays already. After we clean house this week, I'll get the rest of my fall/Thanksgiving decorations out and start planning for Christmas decorating. This isn't a house that lends itself to a lot of outdoor decoration. I may decorate the back deck, but not many people will see it.

I've made friends with a nice woman in my writing class who is also a yoga instructor. I'm going to join her class next week because my current class is about to end. I'm also in Pilates, which I tried and really liked. I take walks with Rick and the dog and I use my elliptical with the fly-wheel of doom. (35 lbs. That means it's really hard!)

We saw Thor and loved it. I'm looking forward to Star Wars and the Star Trek Cruise in January.

That's about it for life in the wilds of Lafayette. There's so much sadness for our country. I'm so hurt every day and so is Rick. I keep thinking about the British and how they endured WWII while their country was being bombed. Obviously, it's not that dire here, but I feel like we're in almost that bad of a place. God help us--no really God, please help us.