Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish after both a frustrating but ultimately productive day. It began very early, when I arose at six o’clock, an hour earlier than the alarm. But I got up, answered e-mails and relaxed until I was on my way at 7:40 to go over the hill to see the doctor. There was a bit of irritating traffic on the Valley side of Laurel Canyon – I thought that by the time I got there that there wouldn’t be any, but there’s an entitled Studio City middle school there, desired by all the rich, and that was where the traffic was. Once we passed that, it was fine – a little slowing down here and there coming down from Mulholland, but once past Sunset it was a breeze to Cedars. I parked in the east tower parking lot even though this doctor is in the west tower. It’s just where I’m used to parking when I see the eye guy. Anyway, I got there about eight-twenty, sat in the car until eight-thirty, then walked over to the west tower and had my appointment. He got me in and out of there very quickly. He asked about any issues, and I said there were none except for the cramping and locking of my hands and feet and that the eye guy said it’s a side effect of the Mestinon that I take three times a day. So, this doctor asked if the double vision and speech issues were gone, and I said yes, so he wants me to stop taking the Mestinon for now and we’ll monitor my eyes and speech, and I can always go back on it at any time. He said if I wanted to finish what I had I could do one a day, and that’s the plan. He said because I was doing well, he would not start me on the final med yet, which I think is called Vyvgart, so that was good news. He’s going to get me on a lower dosage of Prednisone, too, and eventually take me off that. As to my still wandering right eye that makes me look like a lunatic and its still slightly attendant droopy lid, that can be fixed with eye surgery, and I’ll discuss that with the eye guy – it wouldn’t happen until we’re sure the double vision is really not coming back. Then I won’t mind so much taking photos. That and losing sixty pounds. I still want to get on Zepbound and will talk to my PCP again about it and see if the insurance will at least cover half. And I need to see a dermatologist, so I’ll get a recommendation for that.

Once done, I came right home and that drive was very quick – was home at ten. I futzed and finessed and wrote one new page, but then had to split my focus and do liner notes for our upcoming release, which will probably announce next week, and the announcement blurb and remind Doug how to do the codes for PayPal because he NEVER writes anything down or saves the information I send him, plus get him the design elements. So, that took a chunk out of the day, let me tell you. It was okay, though, because I had to figure out a way to navigate to the end of the chapter I was on and it took me a while to figure out how to do that. I knew exactly what the end of the chapter was, but it was getting there that took me a while to figure out. I had two hot dogs for food, and later a Philly cheesesteak for my evening snack. Around six, I began writing new pages and I did not stop until I got to the end of the chapter and started the next chapter, as I never ever finish a chapter without starting the new one. That way, I’m never ever faced with a blank page in the morning. I passed page 200 and I’m thinking it will be around forty more pages or thereabouts to get to the end. After that, I really needed a break – twelve pages in all – so I watched the second half of the Mel Brooks documentary. There are a lot of talking heads with today’s comic actors, none of whom I find the least bit funny, so that’s a bit weird. But Mel is delightful, and the old clips from his movies and TV appearances are really fun.

Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll futz and finesse, then send Muse Margaret her second batch of 100 pages. Then I’ll eat, try to write some new pages, hope Muse Margaret calls, and I’ll attend our show in the evening because I know some folks who are coming. After the show, I’ll come right home and perhaps write a few more pages.

Tomorrow, I’ll attend the matinee and then go out with the Pearls for some food after. Then I can write in the evening. At some point, hopefully by Tuesday or Wednesday, I should finish the book, and I’ll get those final pages to Muse Margaret. We’ll announce our first CD release in over a year, and this year we’ll probably do at least eight to ten releases.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, futz and finesse, send Muse Margaret the second batch of pages, hope she has time to read and then call, eat, attend our show, then come home and write. Today’s topic of discussion: Let’s hear about hot sandwiches – I don’t eat a lot of hot sandwiches, and I don’t know why, really, as I always enjoy them. I’ve had some great meatball subs and sausage and peppers subs, I love a good hot pastrami sandwich from Langer’s or Daughter’s Deli, I love a good Philly cheesesteak, fried chicken sandwiches are fun, I really love a good po’ boy or fried catfish sandwich, too. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to be heading to the finish line, book-wise.