6 October 2026

It's Vax Time

Yep, it is the vaccination time of year. Last week, I got the latest covid shot in the left arm, and for the first time, the senior extra-strength flu shot in the right arm. That was Wednesday morning. By evening, I could tell that my immune system was aware that I was fucking with it. 

Even better, my primary care physician (PCP) had "reminded me" that it would be best to take nothing for the symptoms, in order for the vaccine(s) to yield their best immune system "training." Yeah. I got maybe three hours of very broken sleep that night. I did do the whole 2.5 mile dog walk on Thursday, but a brisk walk that was most certainly not. Thursday I slept slightly better, and got  8+ hours of sleep Friday night.

I think next year I'll split the covid and flu vaccines over a few days, instead of both at once.

Tomorrow, I'm getting the recommended-over-65 pneumonia vaccine (a PCV21 that only needs the one shot, according to Mr. Internet.

Also on the health front (ust to get this all out of the way), I've got PT scheduled and an MRI referral for my right knee. That's been causing me some grief for a couple of years, but not enough grief to slow me down lots. Marcia was more important. Once I saw my new PCP, I raised that as one of my deferred maintenance issues. 

Finally, I've got a dermatology visit to get something burned/frozen off of my back. It's been there for years, and hasn't worried anyone else, but my new doc was not happy with it, so off with its head!

Fall 

The leaves are plummeting, and some of them have changed colors first. Given how dry it's been, many of the trees are going straight from green to brown to down. I haven't raked any yet, though.

Today, while I was walking the dog, one of my regular acquaintances noted, "t-shirt and shorts, still?!!!". Yep, okay, it was ~48°F and breezy, giving a "feels like" temp of 40°. But since the knee is doing better than usual this week, I was maintaining a pace that let me break a mild sweat at those temps. I don't want to wear/carry any clothing I don't need. My general rule of thumb is that if the thermometer is over 42°F, and it's not a very windy day (and my knee is cooperating, these days), I can wear my regular summer get-up. 38-42° and I'll wear a sweatshirt, and layer down as needed. Below 38°, the jeans are on.

The boat has been out of the water and in storage for a couple of weeks now. Nancy had the dock taken out last Friday.

Oh, hey, I built a thing - basically a permanent pallet on the far side of the upper garage to store the overstock of wood pellets for the main floor stove:

That's on the outside wall of the garage, and where I will stock 32 bags (1280 pounds) or more of pellets. I have a similar setup that holds 16 bags on the wall closest to the house door, and I restock that spot from here a couple of times a month or so during the cold months. I'd been stacking pellets here without the intervening wood structure for the last 5 years, but keeping them off the concrete will keep all the pellets dryer, which makes them burn better and with less residue.

Also today, I took what is probably the last round of tomatoes and peppers out of the garden. I made another big batch of salsa, and then I minced a bunch of the hot peppers and put them in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, I can double-bag those into plastic storage, and use them for chili and soups through the winter, as a cube or two will provide the right portioning, depending on what I'm making. 

Winding Down

That's about a wrap for now. No, not talking politics, it makes me too fucking angry, and I don't need that in my life right now.