What IS This?

Spike's keen nose wasn't giving him any information about what was under it. John was busy taking a picture of this mushroom/fungus when Spike photobombed the picture. They were wise to go out early on 'Spike's Favorite Walk' as it has been raining quite hard much of the day.

Fed up with sitting around on the couch, I called Kathy and asked her if I could come a day early for her to assess the situation with my back and make recommendations. She thinks it is a sacro-iliac joint dysfunction but in light of how slowly it is responding to treatment she recommended that I see someone who could rule out fracture or something else that she might have missed. I don't think she misses much, but I realize that I was putting her in a difficult position without a definitive diagnosis. I have an appointment to see the 'back pain specialist' nurse practitioner in my internist's practice tomorrow. I am grateful both to Kathy and to the medical clinic for being able to accommodate me so quickly.

The extra is a picture of a small portion of Kathy's extensive and delightful nutcracker collection. She had some arranged on the half wall at the top of the stairs overlooking her kitchen and said her daughter thought they seemed a bit 'menacing' from that height.

As I drove over to Kathy's I listened to an interesting discussion on the pros and cons of being single, and also of care giving solutions for people who are single. I have often thought how much easier life could be in multi generational housing situations. I will muse more about this when I am not so dependent on my own dear spouse for so much.  I'm very grateful I'm not single....

Greg was here when I got home finishing up the painting of the vanity drawers for the bathroom. Poor man was working in the garage in Arctic conditions and is coming back tomorrow morning at 7:30am when it will be even colder. We offered him a  space heater, but it is so small that I think he would have to sit on it in order to feel any effect. once the drawers are back in all that remains to be done is the glass shower partition and the grab bars. I plan to test out the tub ASAP. 

Stay tuned to find out if I make it out of the tub....