Nature's Abstract

I think Dr. Jennie may have diagnosed John's itching. He was lying on the couch with his leg up and I got a good look at it. I immediately thought eczema or psoriasis although I know very little about either and not enough to even know the difference. A check with Dr. Google and the Mayo Clinic isn't terribly enlightening, but does confirm the idea that it is at least a possibility.

The weather was below freezing overnight, it was still cold this morning and we were both feeling a bit down and demoralized when we got up. 
When I saw what a mess his skin is, I decided it was up to me to raise the spirits and the energy level. I instituted a care plan for his skin which I participated in, putting ointment on the places he can't reach. Then we took Spike for a nice long walk where I took this picture of a burned madrone tree silhouetted against the sky and  followed up with our first trip to Trail House since it was taken over by the Specialized bike company.

The coffee wasn't hot enough, but the people were nice. The young woman at the cash register loved Spike. I gave John my therapeutic yoga teacher's speech about what he should do about his stiff neck. I admit that I have been less than sympathetic. His stiff body is finally catching up with him ,while I have learned to live with hypermobile joints which often ache.

When we got home we both got on with finishing up little projects, I at my sewing machine, he making long postponed phone calls. We made a food shopping list and he went to the store. I worked on making a neck pillow for him to use at night for his stiff neck. Tomorrow we are going to go through his closet together, throw half the clothes out, wash the rest and over the weekend we'll go to the store and buy him a new wardrobe.

I know there is such a thing as a mid life crisis, but now I think there is also a senior citizen crisis. Dr. Jennie may or may not have diagnosed the skin condition, but I think the treatment is a little more sympathy and TLC. I think John is feeling better and I know I am....
 .