When you go to vote, they give you a sticker after that says, “I Voted!” I have to print my own this time and wear it proudly. Not because they were out, or because I voted, but because I did not vote. I got my colonoscopy done. I understand that these days a person is meant to have it done when they are 45 years old. This is advice that was fairly recently adopted, perhaps after I turned 45, making me not late for mine by o much, but nonetheless, I am late. I am 54. So, I would still be four years late under the old guidance. I think that has something to do in part with that feeling I had when I set up the appointment, and looking at the paper the doctor’s office printed out, seeing my age on it, and thinking, “surely not.” Maybe I am 45! Apparently, I am not, however. I am 54. I am also 215 pounds, down from 245 last year. But that is another matter. I am meant to have another colonoscopy in ten years. For this moment, I am fortunate, and everything came up clear. Peace of mind. Now off to try not to get run over by a bus in the meantime.
In addition to the medical appointment yesterday, it was also the girls’ first day back at school. They both seem to have had a great day. That’s exciting. Today will be our first normal run to the bus stop, still in a field, miles from here, because the bridge is still out between here and the local spot that we would otherwise be using. I get to take them seven miles because of it, so I will be going off to work from there. I will put in my time today till about 3:00PM, then come get them, and see if I need to get more hours in from there or can stay the evening with the mind to make up some hours on the weekend. I remember that I liked to get some hours on the evenings last year so I could catch dinner rush. I get to reschedule everything now, so I may be taking a different day off, may I not? I’ve no idea at the moment.
Whatever the schedule, I need to get in time for firewood gathering, splitting, and stacking, time for woodworking, and the sawmill, and time to do some things like clean the chimney, and change the oil in just about everything. Gah! Getting the wood sorted out is one of the big ones! I need to go get dry logs and get them here, at least! Time to take advantage of my health, and get more work done in the days. I don’t know how I am going to balance my family time. But I guess it would be best if it were spent with them in a warm house over the winter, rather than freezing, and trying to dig scraps of wood through the snow like a family in 19th century Colorado I once read about who had to send their children to do just that, only it was corn stalks from the cornfields, and that just seems cold!
My dear sister-in-law flies back to England on Monday. I am bummed. My schedule has kept me from having much time with her while she has been out. When she has been here before, I had the time to do some creative things with her, like work some leather and make a little pouch to hold a pocketknife in that I had bought her as a gift. It was pretty terrible, and I have tools now to do much better work and would love to have done a little project like that. Last time, she also tried the lathe out and quite enjoyed that. I have not had the time to do that with her and really think she would have had a good time doing that this time around, too. But she has had a pretty bad injury at work herself, and that also may have impeded in her even saying she wanted to do such. I may be off the hook because of it, but I cannot say for sure, as I have not had the chance to really approach the subject. If I am going to, now is the time, as she gets on the sky-bus soon. She has, after all, had the ability to help Missus get a lot of stuff organized and sorted.
I keep meaning to get a message across to a couple of old friends and see how they are doing. I am hesitant because that usually gets a conversation going, by text or by phone or other, and I really want to devote the time to the chat rather than be distracted or be stuffing messages in back and forth while working. They are worth devoting the time to, and I hate conversing with less than my full attention to the subjects. I also hate typing on the phone screen, and would really much rather use a keyboard, or converse by phone, and not with side chats going on about the work I am doing with other people.
I have in the nights recently finished reviewing all of the Mortise and Tenon Magazine video courses I have purchased. I rewatched the entire course on tables. It was all familiar to me by the video content, and by what I did in the shop when I made my little table in my room. That was fantastic! I think I am ready to apply the knowledge to another project soon and build something completely different. I want to do a cabinet. It is a pie safe, really, and I would like it to hold the bread and some stuff that is loose int he kitchen and makes the space look untidy. Missus is eager for me to make things I can sell at market. I don’t at all blame her for that. I do wish, however, to do just enough for around the house that I can proudly use it daily and see for myself in a practical setting just how much I need to improve on things. I know, for example, I must tighten my joints, or nothing is going to come together, at all. much less stay together or sell. I tried a joint the other day, and it was just terrible. This cannot be! I will try again, soon. Then I will finish another project I have going and get it out of the way so I can tackle the cabinet, and maybe a few other projects, too. You know, after I get my family time in, and those conversations with old friends. Good Hell!
So, that’s the synopsis of my days now. The biggest thing is that I can carry on without worrying that whatever feelings I am having in my bowels, it is not cancer. There was not even a mention of anything to biopsy and return lab results. I am incredibly fortunate for that. I feel incredibly selfish even saying it out loud. Results are often farm more terrifying, and I do not envy anyone who gets the worst news. But for many, the procedure catches things before the news develops into that, and it comes highly recommended. It’s not painful or difficult the way our local doc did it, as I was under general, and out for the procedure. I am even told about a conversation that my wife and I had with the doctor after that I do not remember so much as a scrap of. That is a little unsettling, true! But still worth the results of knowing what cannot be known in any other way.
Right then! It is coming up 5:00AM! I have to wake Missus in a couple of minutes, then get some chores done, then get my day out started. I may get in one more little nap in the next hour, but I am not sure if I can fall back off. It would be nice to. But if not, then there are animals to feed, and I am certainly clear enough of mind to do not only that, via heavy equipment, but also to go sort out a thing or two in the shop that are bothering me. If not enough time, then it is off to work with my old bones. For now.