Monday, August 13, 2007

It's hot out

I always appreciate when others let me know when I say things I shouldn't. Part of this is because one of the effects of my brain injury is the tendency to spout off without thinking things through. The concept of tact is one I have a hard time grasping now a days. This is why it is important for folks to simply talk with me and help me understand. So thanks to my friend who just did so. I removed what I said here because of his advice. I don't have a problem being corrected, at least not after I think about it. Can get defensive at first but figure things out.

At Sunday school I realized the need for teachers. Despite all my doubts and questions I know the Bible and am an able and experienced teacher. But there is the reliability factor. I never know when I am going to be sharp or have a slowdown so can’t be depended on. That makes things hard and is one of the reasons I can’t hold down a regular job. But I’d still like to try.

This morning I decided to get some outside work done before it got to hot. I haven’t done much in the garden lately as I’ve been focusing on getting the cabinet done. So I began rebuilding the catch basins around the apple trees. They had been leveled when we cut down the weeds and besides that weren’t in good shape anyway and needed to be made larger. I got six of them done before the heat got to me. Raked up a lot of the cut grass to pile around the trees as mulch. This will help keep the soil cool and moisture in. I drank three big cups of Gatorade and juice but when I started getting dizzy and fatigued figured it was time to stop. Those are signs of heat exhaustion. It’s close to a hundred degrees out here in the sun. Maybe more. The thermometer has it at 98 in the shade. So I’m resting in front of the fan. Cherie whipped up some mac and cheese and I drank three more glasses of fluid. I still have three more trees to do but should wait till seven or eight when it begins to cool off. In the meantime I can finish up on the cabinet. Only have a few pieces of wood to cut and then it’s time to put the finish on it. It will be good to get that done.

I’m relearning another old lesson. For years I would do my own surgery on my hangnails until I saw an episode of Mash that mentioned how allowing the nail to grow long prevents hangnails. This I remembered again when I got another infected toenail so had let them grow on out. Last night I noticed how long my toenail was so cut it. As I worked on digging around the trees I noticed the pain in my big toe. Pulling my boot off to look I see that the nail once again dug in, broke the skin, and became infected. So I learn again. Hope I don’t forget again.

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