How I Used Algebra Today

Dear John,

 

Today was mostly a rest day. I've been hurting a lot since the snow and the cold arrived - since it became February - so I took my day off to be off. Except for this morning.

 

I took Maggie in early to get her sutures removed. I thought I was going to have to call June and cancel and take the sutures out myself, which wouldn't be a problem since I've removed nobody-knows-how-many sutures over the years. But the roads were manageable. I was also supposed to take in a stool sample from Jethro, which caused all kinds of difficulties.

 

We got about four inches of new snow last night, so any existing Jethro-poop was buried. He went out at 3:00 this morning and then refused to go out after I got up. The temperature was below zero, but I've never had him refuse to go out first thing in the morning. So I put on my coat and boots, and got him to go out with me. He immediately peed - on my boxwood, of course - but wouldn't poop. I went out into two feet of snow to see if I could find any from yesterday, getting my jeans wet and my boots filled with snow. He went with me and romped and played, then yelped and started limping. So I brought him back inside and checked out that leg. He was fine and didn't limp again. But he never did poop for me.

 

I got Maggie into the carrier and headed off for Rome City. County Line Road wasn't bad, just snow-covered. But State Route 9 between Wolcottville and Rome City was a sheet of ice. There were two slide-offs, and the semi I was behind was going fifteen miles an hour, so you know it was bad. It was a good thing that I left plenty early. Maggie got de-sutured and given a clean bill of health, and we got home without incident.

 

I spent the rest of the day knitting and resting. I'm having enough pain these days that I have to rest my arms after about half an hour of knitting. But I did finish the socks I'm making for Jim for his birthday, and started a pair for me. He won't get them on time because the next chance I'll have to get to the post office when the office is open will be when I'm off again next Thursday. But he'll love the socks. They're just like the ones he admired that I made for AJ for Christmas. I owe him so much more than a pair of socks. But it's a start.

 

As I drove into Wolcottville today I saw that sign that says "Reduced Speed Ahead," and I laughed at it like we always did. It sounds for all the world like Wolcottville is having a sale on amphetamines. So here's another funny sign for you to ponder. Of course, it's easy to solve. But I do love it. That's our kind of creativity. I miss laughing at things like that with you. We've always had the same sense of humor that enjoys the absurd; it's one thing I've always loved about you. I can't laugh with you now, but I think about you when I laugh at things without you. So that's the next best thing to laughing with you.

 

Missing our silliness,

Joan.