I slept well, and I slept long, didn't get up until 10:00 or so.

An old friend and co-worker, Pat Renyer, has retired finally, and there was a party at her and Dave's house. It was really nice catching up with them, and meeting all of her friends and relatives. Unfortunately, I'd just eaten breakfast and all I could do was look at the feast that was laid out.

After that, we went over to Stinger's, a bar in north Topeka, and met Lee Ann and Jody, where they were having a jam session. Jody's band played the first set, they finished about the time that we got there. From then on it was various bands and artists rotating, so we got to hear some damned good music, most of it country, but there was a blues group there too. Some of the musicians were playing with different groups, and Jody sat in on drums for quite a while, he'd gotten his start playing drums. I'd forgotten that he'd told me that, he did pretty damned good. And a couple of the guitar players were in Jody's class, too. Mighty fine music altogether, and an entertaining afternoon.

Of course, I was extended an offer to play, which I refused. Some day, some day....

So I've been down in the basement ever since, playing and singing.

Next week is my early week, for two days, anyway. Which means that I need to get to bed pretty quick, here.

Parts of this next week I'm really looking forward to, like a visit from JD and Tyler, they'll be here Friday through next Wednesday, it's gonna be really nice to see them.

The part that I'm *not* looking forward to is getting the pacer put in.

Although I really should think of it as being something that will keep me from worrying about dying, heh. The problem with that view is that, well, I never was really too worried about it in the first place. That was a great big glaring omission on my part, huh.

But I have noticed that I have a tendency to not worry about stuff, even important stuff like staying alive. The stuff that I do worry about, politics, religion, the fact that the world is just not going the way that I want it to, is really not important in the big picture. I will continue to worry about those things as long as I'm alive, though. As someone famous once said, "When you die you lose a very important part of your life." Well, yeah.

Damned hands breaking out and itching again, even more, even with cortisone. Itching, I say! Dammit, I don't like having itching hands!

It was a pretty pre-spring day here, clear skys, about 55°F. Made me want to be outside a little. Just a little, though.