It still feels good that the holidays are over - they were rough this year. And after a couple of days back using the dog door it still feels luxurious to have my time to myself now that they come and go as they wish. I have to puff a dry medication onto Pepper's tummy daily, where one wound is still healing, but that's it.

A few days ago I took pliers and level and a pry bar and a couple of bricks to the side gate installed last summer and I raised the height (it was dragging) and tapped the hinge into place then tightened it completely. A determined burglar could bring a pliers and dismantle the gate latch and come through; these kinds of gates keep the dogs in and honest people out. Now that the gate is working well I need to take the wheelbarrow through it and finish moving the last of the dead garden vines and plants to the backyard compost.

The knee surgery six-month follow-up shows good progress. I went from there to the gym, but it was late afternoon and the place had more people than usual (with their resolutions to get in shape). I spent only 30 minutes this time, getting back to the routine, but left before the after-work crowd arrived for the fitness classes. I wear a mask and make a point to use machines that are fairly isolated in the rooms. They finally finished the work in the wet area so it's time to get a suit and add laps to my routine. We'll see if Charmion's description of "bingo flaps" or such (the upper arm wattle) in the pool is very noticable. I expect to just swim, not wave my arms around in the air. ;-)

I hope Dorothy locates this new thread pretty soon. She had a lot of moving around planned and keeping up with it is always interesting.