12/22/2021

The solstice heralded my return to the lands of Monmouth after toiling in Ocean County for weeks. I found a station near a printers and set up camp for the day. My task was doing rundowns, cover records, and then whatever was thrown my way. The rundowns and cover records were done by 11:45 and I had 300 pages of legal crap to send back to the home office. Instead, I went out to lunch at Sweet Lew's Cafe.

It was good, predictable, comforting after a fashion.

My friend Sarah from south Jersey texted me to wish me a happy winter solstice. She's amazing.

The main storyline of the day was finding out about Bloomfield's health. Bloomfield has a really rare condition, there is no support group because so few have it, and Bloomfield thought they had an event on the 20th. Fortunately there was a doctor appointment the next day and there was no event. Whatever happened is a mystery but mmy friend is fine and still among the living.

Work was okay. Monmouth is caught-up with work but it seems I'll be banished there 'til the 23^rd for whatever reason. Probably Ocean county being slow. After work, I went to Walmart in Freehold because it lacks the Alabama-je ne sais quois endemic to other Walmart locations. I acquired more ibuprofen, a non-slip bath mat, and a small ice pack for my left ankle. Checking out didn't take long nor was my sense-of-self assaulted with comparisons to lowlifes who typically patronize Walmart.

At home I took a shower. Used my new bath mat, wore my surgical shoe on my right foot, and this hose attachment which stretches over a shower head giving one the ability to spray water where needed. Water pressure here is pretty damned weak and it's barely a trickle. On the bright side I am clean and I was rock-solid stable with no slips.

Last bit of my day was spent cooking ramen, texting one or two friends, and getting stoned.