There are days like today when I just want to crawl back into bed. I resisted the urge because the sun was shining brightly and I knew that if I laid down, I’d just get back up.

Sometimes the best way to deal with pain is to keep busy, then you don’t think about it. Other times, the best way to deal with pain is to concede that doing less or nothing at all is better.

The last time I had a tooth pulled I was just fine immediately after. I expected the same this time. My expectations have been dashed against the high rocks of dental care.

Hrimmi moving out

My brain is telling me that I am experiencing discomfort in the area where my tooth was pulled. This is the way it works. The brain is the site of the pain alarm box. It’s saying, hey, do something about this. I’m not sure what I am to do. My brain might also be telling me that I feel headachy – now I do not know if this is because the tooth that is being reabsorbed is causing problems or if the remaining tooth socket is causing problems.

I’ll give it a few days. The dental assistant did say that day #3 would be the day in which I’d feel the most pain.

And so, I didn’t give in today. Rather, I went outside, took Tinni for his daily constitutional, and then I saddled up Hrimmi and took her for a ride around the loop.

She seemed to me to be glad to be out and moving along. She moved at a pretty good trot most of the time. It was an uneventful ride.

I next got the dogs out on the trail, which was firm, not firm enough to ride on, but firm enough for me to walk on.

I then went to town and resumed sorting books in the U-Haul storage unit. I’ve now sorted two pallets and have six more. I wish this was all I had to do. I next went to the meeting house and got books ready to go the military base. Pete and Craig, the college librarian, were there.

Craig, the librarian, he was perusing the Alaskana section. He took a box of books. I was sorry to see them go, but then I reminded myself that this was for the best – now these books will be in a safe place and other readers will have access to them.

I had dinner with my friend Sarah who is the only person I know who shares my interests in both horses and books. Could be a good riding season, last year I didn’t get much riding in.

I have to find a balance. This is now my biggest life challenge.

A life with no challenges is boring.

The only time I am ever bored is when I stand in supermarket or post office lines.

Time to again catch some illusive z’s.

Next: 88. 3/31/22: Goodbye March 31, 2022