Monday

What a day. 

I count it as the first day of my summer vacation. I know I finished work Friday, but I would have been off Saturday and Sunday anyway. Monday was the first day that I woke up and didn't have to go to work when ordinarily I would have.

The day started with me using the bathroom at 4:30 am and deciding to turn my alarm off and sleep a little longer. The original plan was to run early, but I was still tired and my back was extremely tight. Ever since I dug around the Golden Age Nursing Home with a pick ax thirty-five years ago, I have trouble with my back from time to time. Now is one of those times.

The day proper started with a trip to the dentist where I received shots and tooth drilling and a big bill. Then it was off the Mark Brights's funeral, a sad affair no doubt. After that I ate lunch, rested, and pondered the chore I had ahead of me that I have dreaded for weeks now: mowing the front lawn.

Don't get me wrong. I always liked to mow. But something happened to change that. Beginning last summer, every time I mowed the front, I got a severe case of red bugs. Talk about misery. It has happened twice this year already. I spayed myself down last time. This time, I sprayed my bare legs and feet, let that sit and then put on my socks and sprayed them, then soaked my shoes with Off, and then resprayed after I put my shoes on. I mowed the front yard as rapidly as possible and immediately took a bath after finishing. I didn't even put the mower up. Now as I type this I am thanking God that I am not itching.

So finally, after 5:00 pm, I got around to some training. I went to the indoor pool because I didn't want to freeze out outdoors. I don't know what the temps are but after three days of rain, clouds, and cool weather, the temps no doubt have plunged. I swam

1,000 18:40
200 for time 3:00
1,000 18:37
200 for time 3:04
1,000 18:35
200 small paddles 25 hard/25 easy
1,000 19:01
400 medium paddles
total: 5,000 yards = 4,570 meters.

Only one workout, but a good one during a full day.

Thank you, Lord Jesus.