Ahh, it’s the fourth, this time a holiday in the middle of the week. For some, this holiday spans two weekends, so they get time off before, during and after the fourth. I suppose that others don’t get any time except the fourth off. I suspect this is true of postal workers.

Me, I have taken the day off from my non-paying job. And I am taking the day off from riding (grr, grr, grr). The reason is that I’m trying to lay low and keep my hip from seizing up again. I was before saying that it was “going out,” but it does not go out. It gets to feel like a clock that is being too tightly wound – then the alarm goes off.

The pain when this happens is more intense than anything I have ever felt before. I don’t know if the chiropractor has ever dealt with this sort of thing – or anyone in such pain. It seems to me that I have been testing his tolerance.

I don’t mean to test his tolerance, but it really does hurt.

I got up this morning and it felt like it was going to seize up. So I moved very slowly and went and took care of the animals – movement does seem to help, thank dog.

I decided to take another day off from riding. Hard to do. I want to get on a horse and see how the hip does. And I might just do this. I’ll ride Raudi and see how it goes.

I erred yesterday and worked way too hard. I did not do heavy lifting, but I did some lifting. I also was up and down and sideways, shlepping individual books.

I learned my lesson, which was don’t overdo it. This is hard for me.

I have been working on writing up trip dispatches. I did not put them on the computer because Pete said the computer could not be recharged. So I wrote them out by hand, in a notebook, which means that I’m writing them up now.

This is a good thing because in typing them in, I’m revising them. Maybe there is an article in this. I am not sure where I’d publish it.

Writing up these dispatches also brings the past into the present. I just wish the trip had been longer.

Those who are successful writers take the initiative to get their work out there. They believe in their work. I am too critical of my own work.

So, my lying low means I have more time to think about things. My energy level is low, so I am not having an ideas day.

Pete’s energy level seems to be high. He spent considerable time picking strawberries. He took some over to Keith’s place to put in our freezer and Keith gave him a bouquet of flowers he grew. Flowers, as always, bring me great joy. I don’t know what it is about them, but they do raise one’s spirits.

Next: 182. 7/5/24: Back to the Future