Day 187 – Out and About and a Doggie Bag

Since I bragged about Jeff’s improved stamina, he needed a couple of days to rest.  The weekend was busy and fun - and tiring.  He spent last evening watching YouTube videos which may inspire him to do small projects in the shop – potential Christmas gifts.  When I got home from work today, I asked if he’d worked in his shop.  He said, “There wasn’t any time!”

Here is how he filled his day:  After some light cleaning he decided to get gas in his truck.  He drove across the bridge for better gas prices and then stopped at Heath Lumber to buy a board.  “No tin of cookies this year,” he lamented since he hasn’t been a big Heath customer as he had been in the past.  I assured him he’d survive without the treat.  In fact, he’ll have time to bake his own cookies!  Anyway, he was happy to chat with his ol’ pals at Heath and then headed to Doolittle’s Deli to pick up a sandwich for lunch.  My cousin’s husband, Craig, and their son, Eric, were both hard at work.  Jeff was glad to see them and they discussed the possibility of meeting for dinner sometime.  He crossed back over the river by way of Scudder’s Falls Bridge, came through Yardley, stopped at the bank and drove down Canal Street.  He has worked on many of the old houses on Canal Street.  He saw a customer/friend who invited him in.  They visited for an hour and a half.  He was glad he’d already picked up lunch because he needed to eat and get going to PT.  By the time he was done with PT there wasn’t much left of the day.  I’d say that was a day well-spent.  He loves to see people and his people like to see him. 

PT Mike says Jeff’s scapula is popping out again so he went easy on Jeff today.  Mike says Jeff has “good form” when he does his exercises; this is good.  Jeff exercises as often as he can stomach it and he is anxious to see some improvement.  He needs encouragement because it will take a long time.  He gets a little discouraged. 

Jeff lost another toenail but this one had a fully-formed, thin toenail underneath.  That’s good.  It won’t be so tender.  His weak fingernails look as though they are very close to being grown out but they keep splitting lengthwise, increasing the weak areas.  He says he is ready to glue artificial nails on.  I have experienced split nails before but only one at a time.  It must be so annoying to have multiple nails folding over and catching on things.  Jeff occasionally rubs and scratches my back – in exchange for the many, many back massages I give him (but who is counting?) – and his effort means a lot to me.  His thin nails don’t exactly scratch but I won’t tell him not to try. 

We went out to dinner tonight and Jeff could not finish his pasta dinner.  As we left the restaurant, he had a hang-dog look about him and said, “Here I am, carrying my shameful doggie bag.”  Yes, this is a new phenomenon – leftovers at a restaurant.  Shameful?  I don’t think so.