My right ear is very gradually improving. It would be too, too utterly boring to go into it, but the basic complaint was attributed first to ear wax and then to a virus. Three months it's gone on, not four to six weeks as the doctors predicted. It's annoying and a little worrying to have the ocean roaring in one's ear night and day. Luckily, it is definitely getting better. Most days now I have a few hours free of the noise. One day I didn't hear the ocean at all until right before bedtime. It doesn't seem to be tied to loud noises going off next to my ear such as hair dryers, or time of day, or any of that. Maybe stress. But maybe not. Maybe it's random. I am just glad it's not permanent.
However, I have damaged my right hand and it's gradually worsening. I think it's from digging the insanely compacted and heavy clay soil in my back yard. I dug up a 6x3 foot plot to plant roses, and then I had to dig a bunch more because I didn't amend the soil properly the first time, and then I pounded on my right palm with the trowel trying to dig down a few inches in the front yard in order to put in a tiny piece of fencing (the kids are always tramping on my lawn when church lets out which is fine while there's only grass there, but will seriously torque me off if I ever put in a garden). I think I've torn a ligament, or a tendon, or whatever the hell is in the center of one's palm. Grasping anything is like having a hot knife plunged into my hand. Do it just the right way and it also goes numb from a pinched nerve.
No, I haven't been to the doctor. Every time I go to a doctor they tell me it'll get better on its own. I'm going to try wrapping it with an ace bandage and lay off the rowing and lat pull machines at the gym for a while. And maybe I'll get some of those cool little gloves with no fingers in them. A legitimate reason to buy gear! Excellent. I love gear.
I bought some college gear tonight. I went up to WHCC to sell my science textbooks and buy the Anthropology textbook for tomorrow night's class (I am slightly concerned that the author's name is Crapo. Please god don't let this be an omen). I parked in the visitor's lot because I haven't put my parking permit on the car yet, rounded the corner, and discovered 40 people lined up to get in the bookstore. Yow. I didn't have a coat on, and the evening breeze was pretty stiff, but I sucked it up and stayed because I had to have the book for class, and I wanted to sell my other books right away. Last time I missed the deadline for sell-backs and got stuck with a $90 Algebra book that no one wants. Tonight was the first night since finals in May that the bookstore was open so I figured I was in plenty of time.
Well, kind of. I got inside after half an hour and discovered I can only sell books between the hours of 9:00 and 6:00 on Wednesdays and Thursdays beginning July 18th. That's fine, except for one small detail: I WORK from 9:00 to 6:00. That would be why I go to college at NIGHT. So I expect to be able to sell my books back at NIGHT. And I EXPLAINED this to the manager in NICE CLEAR TERMS. She seemed rather taken aback at anyone having problems with the hours, but said she would arrange to stay until 7:00 on any Wednesday or Thursday in the appropriate time period if I just rang her the same day to tell her I'd be coming up that night. Then she gave me the phone number. So everyone's happy now.
I got my book, of course. I also bought a WHCC sweatshirt. Curiously, the school mascot appears to be a Trojan. I figured it would be a howling banshee or maybe a fog bank. "Wuthering Heights, fight, fight! We will fog you up!" It's always so damned windy and cold up on the hill. I can't imagine it reminds anyone of Greece or the Trojan wars. I don't get it.
The sweatshirt felt good on the drive home.
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