Monday, October 29, 2007

Run Your Body Down

Today is my nineteenth wedding anniversary. All credit should go to L, who puts up with my nonsense. I'm no one's idea of a day in the park to live with, but she manages. :-)

After running myself down all of last week, I hit the jackpot and caught a head cold. I've been working the Coldeez and feel a bit better, but I also know I'm pretty much down for the week. I need to point to Saturday, as my brother's driving up for the FSU-BC game. So, it will finally be early nights and taking it easy...like I should've done last week.

The Jersey trips usually take something out of me...the drive, meeting up with friends. Unfortunately, I had a very late night on Wednesday doing some maintenance, then the BC-VT game Thursday, then out to the local for a while on Friday. By Saturday, I was dragging, but I had promised my friend I'd go see him and the team he's coaching, so that turned into a long day between the game and heading out afterwards. I woke up feeling horrible Sunday, and here I am now. You'd think I would've learned by now.

I'll have to do some housecleaning to be ready by Saturday, but that will have to wait another day or so. All I'm thinking about now is the Nyquil I'll be taking in an hour.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

A long few days

Back home from New Jersey, updating the blog and watching the Indians-Red Sox game 7. It's been a lot of driving and late nights, going back to Thursday. And on to the recap...

Went to the Experience Hendrix show at Hampton Beach Thursday night. I enjoyed it a lot - got to see some of my favorites, like Buddy Guy and Robert Randolph, as well as some players I've grown to appreciate, like Doyle Bramhall, who did a wonderful cover of Angel. Mick Taylor played an extended version of Catfish Blues, which didn't do a lot for me. I've never been a big Kenny Wayne Shepherd fan, but thought his songs were good, especially the Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) finale with Randolph. A friend stuck around after the show and talked to Bramhall and Billy Cox and said both were extremely courteous to the fans. I split as I had to be up by 5:45 Friday and had to drive an hour home through thick fog. All in all, a good time.

I dragged through work Friday on four and a half hours sleep. I left from Maynard @ 4:15pm and wound up needing five hours to get to Jersey. Drove through rain better much the length of Connecticut and hit some traffic at the beginning on 495, and at the CT-NY line. I was pretty much exhausted by the time I got to the hotel - checked in and got settled, then headed over to my sister's place to work on her PC. I finished pretty quickly and was back at the hotel by 11.

Spent Saturday with my parents - my dad's Alzheimer's is progressing. He was pretty quiet for most of the day, and I noticed he frequently zoned out on our conversations. He really doesn't initiate conversations very much anymore, although he does well when I or other people talk to him. His short-term memory is pretty much shot. It's sad to see. My mom is holding up OK, but it must be a nightmare to see someone you've been married for 50 plus years disintegrating.

Went out to a Portuguese restaurant in Lyndhurst called Tero's Saturday night with a friend. Dinner was delicious - had clams in a garlic broth for an appetizer and a huge paella as the entree. Highly recommended. I didn't want to bring the leftovers back in the car, so I stopped up where my brother was bartending and gave them to him. Hung out and watched the Sox and some college football. By the time I got back to the hotel and ready for bed, it was 1:30.

Drtove home today after stopping by and seeing my folks...much easier drive and got home in about 4 hours. Listened to the Giants win their fifth in a row on the drive. I'm cooked now though...early nights this week!

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

The Torture Never Stops

Football season has been wearing me out, but I'm not really complaining. BC is now 7-0 and rolling along to a showdown next Thursday night with Virginia Tech. Watched the Notre Dame game between a benefit at Avenue C and the Ale House. Then off to Burlington to meet up with a friend and watch the Sox. Needless to say, it was a long day, but a lot of fun.

It doesn't get any easier though - going to Hampton Beach Thursday night to see the "Experience Hendrix" show. Some of my favorite guitarists are on the bill (Buddy Guy, Robert Randolph, Robby Krieger, Doyle Bramhall) playing with Billy Cox (Band of Gypsies bassist) and Mitch Mitchell (JHE drummer). Looking forward to it...meeting up with some friends there. Then on Friday it's down to NJ for a family visit. I want to spend some time with my dad before the holidays start up.

The way things are going, I might have a quiet weekend in December. Maybe. :-)

Friday, October 12, 2007

Flatfoot

Managed to get to the doctor this week to have my ankle looked at. He thinks it's a strained tendon, which will take a while to heal. While he's looking at me, he says, "You've got flat feet! Get some arch supports!" Now I've either made it through 50 years without knowing that fact, or I have fallen arches. So out I go to CVS and now I'm adjusting to having the supports in my shoes. I also bought an ankle support for when I work out. Aging is fun, huh?

Been to the gym three out of the last 5 days, so I'm making progress. I've lost a couple of pounds, so I'm getting there. Busy day tomorrow...going to a benefit in the mid-afternoon, then over to my local to watch the BC-ND game.

Monday, October 8, 2007

Catch up

Been way too long to update this blog. So, here's what's happening....

Have to call the doctor tomorrow. My right ankle has been swelling on me, mostly after standing too long or exercising. I felt something pop in it when I was playing volleyball at a company outing during the summer - it hasn't been an issue until two or three weeks ago. I haven't been good with my gym attendance, so it might be inactivity has weakened the muscle support around the ankle. Could be a lingering injury or the onset of arthritis....but I won't know until I get it looked at. I did buy a ankle support wrap after going to the gym this afternoon, so I'll use that until I get in.

Speaking of the gym, today was my first day back in two weeks. My weight is back up near 230 and my gut has returned. I had a cold that settled in my sinuses two weeks ago, and last week was a blur between work, attending the Dylan/Costello show and going to the BC game. The funny thing is that up until recently, I would've beaten myself over this, but nowadays I realize it and just set about to correct it. Maybe it's the onset of wisdom. :-)

Anyway, I know I need to get back on the stick and get into the gym 5 days a week. That and cut out the sweets, etc. I'll set a target weight/waist size and that usually gets me started.

The BC season has been an extremely pleasant surprise...they figured to be good, but undefeated and ranked #4 in the nation is heady stuff. I attended my 6th game in a row this past Saturday (5 home and Atlanta) and I'm more than happy to have a week off and watch the Notre Dame game on TV. I was actually thinking of driving down to NJ this weekend to see my family, but decided a weekend at home was needed. I'll probably head down the weekend of the 20th.

L and I went to see Bob Dylan (and his band) and Elvis Costello (solo) at the DCU Center in Worcester last Tuesday night. Met up with some friends and had dinner/drinks, then headed in to catch Elvis into his second song. I've been an Elvis fan for decades, and I loved the solo format. He played 45 minutes and mixed in the hits with some unreleased songs. Hope he comes back next year with his full band.

Dylan's voice is shot, even by his standards. The rumor is that he has carpal tunnel syndrome, which limits him to guitar on his first 3 songs, before switching over to keyboards for the rest of the evening. He has a great band though and I thought it was a good show. Glad I finally got a chance to see him.

Took G out on the road for the first time two weeks ago, on an early Saturday morning. She did well - was understandably nervous when she started, but settled down and even got out on two of the main drags here.

Work has been slow...I'm growing more and more doubtful of there being a fulltime job for me once the work is transitioned to a data center out of the state. However, I am working and should be secure at least through the end of the year, if not a bit into the new year. It's been a full year since I was let go from my last job - can't say I miss it.