Grumble, grumble, grumble. Sometimes minor annoyances seem to take on a life of their own. It is not that they can't be resolved, its not even that they even ruin your day. Sometimes, when too many things come undone, one simply wants to grumble.
My knees hurt. They have hurt for a week. No actually, only my left knee has been painful for a week, my right knee just started acting up yesterday. I barely got my 10,000 steps in, but I did; 10,012 to be exact. 10k steps is a pretty low-activity day, but I've done worse, far worse.
The fluorescent lights in the kitchen are not working. I don't like them, but they are there, and the kitchen is dark without them, I bought new fluorescent tubes. Then I had to buy a 6-foot ladder so I could reach the fixture to replace them, I don't know how I managed to move from New York with two step-ladders and without our previous 6-footer, which was far better made than the one I bought yesterday. But there you have it. The past is the past. No point in fretting over it.
Before my back surgery I was afraid to climb up on ladders as my balance was very poor. In fact I am still pretty nervous about ladders. But up I went anyway, and I'm glad I did. I replaced all four bulbs and the fixture still doesn't work. It must be either the ballast or something in the switch. Time for professional help, which is timely as the bulbs in the ceiling fixture in the master bedroom just burnt out again, for the second time in less than 60 days. It uses halogen bulbs that are none too cheap. Something is wrong there as well. How convenient that my electrical issues have so conveniently aligned their petty revolts.
One of the master bathroom sinks detached from the cabinet. It was an undermount sink that was apparently simply glued to the granite, which I am not convinced is correct, but which nonetheless needs repair. Moises was standing next to it on the counter when it fell. Needless to say, he was a bit startled. I located the company that installed it originally, and am now waiting for them to email me the contract I need to sign before they will agree to come out to fix it. And waiting.... If I don't hear from them by this afternoon I will have to call them again. In the meantime, I am using the other sink, the one I continue to think of as "George's sink" even though I am well aware he will not return to reclaim it. Whatever happens, the master bedroom and bath with return to normal and there will be both light and water.
And very simple pleasures, like putting a puzzle to rights, take on a joy that far exceeds the effort involved. One of these days my grandson will figure this puzzle out, and he will be amazed at how simple, and obvious it was all along. And I will lose the pleasure of watching him trying to sort it out, and the pleasure of putting it back to rights.
Overall I am feeling far more hopeful, despite my grumbling. Or is it because of my grumbling? They are all minor things, these annoyances. Yes, there is always much to do. Yes, things always go wrong or break or change in some unanticipated way. But I am growing stronger, and not just in my ability to do things, but in my ability to not do, to go with the flow. What will be done will be done, and what is not, well, its ability to annoy me will fade with time.
