A good day yesterday in so far as the sinus-upper palate was concerned. Yes, still there, but nothing too debilitating. I've had long periods (of years and years) where I've never had the need to blow my nose - say, in the mornings - unless I was sick, sick not being something that happened very often.

Lately, since this last fall, I find I often need to clear the nose in the mornings, often while eating breakfast, almost as if the plumbing up there were coming back to life after a long hibernation. A sign of recovery? We do clutch at straws, and so, if only for the rush, we'll clutch for the while at this one.

Discussing the blowing of one's nose can be a little off putting.

True, but not trivial if it is indeed a sign of improvement. A straw in the wind? A wind in the straw? It can, without much effort, become quite confusing.

Later. It is cold out there. Still, dressed against it, I set out to the farmers market for a Belgian waffle (with whipped cream on top, keeping a keen eye on the diet) and a look around (without taking a picture). On then to the greeting card shop where I picked up a birthday card a good month before it will be needed. (A pat on the head is in order.)

Back then to take a nap for an hour before getting up then at noon. So much for the morning. Still overcast, grey, not looking like rain, but it will take another hour for the system to stabilize and then decide if another walk is in order. We haven't had any ice cream in a couple of days, maybe best to head out and head off possible withdrawal symptoms

Later still. Warmer out there now in the afternoon, a walk over to the morning restaurant to have a crumbly blue berry thing and coffee out on their patio (they were out of ice cream) with one or two other stalwart sorts who sitting at tables with their dogs. The sinuses felt is some vague sense as if I had a head cold: packed up, ringing. I don't know if you can talk about your sinuses ringing. The ears were indeed ringing a bit, but, as I said, like a head cold that wasn't at all a head cold.

Made a conscious decision to skip the bus and to walk back, stopping to sit on a bench by Lake Merritt, the farmers market almost packed up and gone when I passed, should I buy something more to eat at the drive-in farther down? Decisions, decisions. We' make due with spaghetti and clam sauce later if necessary. Home now, maybe a nap.

Evening. The set in Venice, dialogue in German, subtitled in English police procedural at six. I'd seen it before, but again, had no idea how it progressed or would end and so I watched all the way through the full ninety minutes. Remembered the ending when it came to the ending, but not before.

I also practiced along on the chords and the finger picking exercises while I was watching (and reading), so I'm feeling pretty good about that. Time for another gold star and pat on the head.

Trudging on, started of another Netflix movie, managing to get through about half an hour before realizing I'd picked another clunker. Rememberd they were running House starting at six on Saturday nights and so entered one at the halfway mark. I decided, after some fifteen minutes of this, that I was still an idiot, but in a somewhat better mood idiot. Maybe it's time for bed. It's still early, but we've gotten all our practicing in and we're allowed.