The front does not look too bad. I
could patch a hole at a “sensitive area.” Do you see my toes? Do
you see the little red spot on my right foot between my big toe and
the next one? If and when that spot and the one on the back of my
right heel (not visible) both go away, my right foot may recover
fully! Let’s hike! The area around my right ankle and the bone to
my big toe still feel every step differently than my undamaged left
foot.
The back, however, has a fatal hole! It
would take too much patchwork to cover that gaping hole! (Of course,
I could delegate the task to Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, but I won’t.)
So, the blue jeans that are at least 14 years old are retired. Oh,
yes, I wear an ankle wrap on my right foot when in the house and
walking barefoot. It helps, as far as I can tell. I don’t need the
ankle wrap, but it’s just my habit now. Let’s hike, if you can
keep up with me! I still keep a strip, cut in half, of kinesiology
tape on various locations on my right foot. I change it once a week.
Flag Day
I am ten days late! I remembered Flag
Day and the reason why it’s called Flag Day. How many other
Americans remembered in the midst of the current new cold virus and
racial tension? America used to be a great nation, but we are
dropping into oblivion very quickly, if you believe the media
propaganda.
Dear Lord, I hope that folks who
need to do so will restore their minds and hearts, before you return
and call everyone “out of the pool!” We will see what happens.
6/16/2020
On 6/16/1901, Lula Frank Amos
Wood (last name by marriage to Aby William Wood) was born. She was
and is (awaiting me in heaven) my maternal grandmother. Granny
Wood was a wonderful grandmother! I love and miss her. I
will see her again in heaven one of these days!
On 6/16/2016, I took my first
three steps using a rolling walker in our kitchen. My wife was
standing behind me in case I fell. Those were my first steps since
3/29/2016, when the uninsured, eighteen-year-old female failed to
yield to my right of way. Why did I only take three steps? It hurt
too much to take more!
Eight days ago, 6/16/2020,
marked the fourth year since taking those first three steps. I have
recovered to this point due to fine medical care, my dear wife's
help, my stubborn Irish will, and help from neighbors, friends, and
family. Of course, it is all by God’s grace. I am still recovering.
I have a fine friend, Dr. Antonov, who
hikes House Mountain. He has a doctorate in physics. He has
self-taught doctorates in medicine, nutrition, philosophy, and other
fields. He is about nine years older than me. I met him on House
Mountain for the first time on 1/2/2011 (my 76th hike). I have hiked
with him or met him on the trail ten other times. The most recent was
on 12/3/2017. (I need to call him. It’s been a while.)
Dr. Antonov told me, when we met on
House Mountain on 12/3/2017, that my recovery could take ten years.
Since we hadn't seen each other since our hike on 2/7/2016, I told
him about the wreck on 3/29/2016, the subsequent hospitalizations,
the outpatient physical therapy, the chiropractic adjustments, and my
own ongoing recovery regime. He listened carefully, observed me, and
asked questions. Dr. Antonov concluded that my recovery could take
ten years.
Numerous medical professionals have
speculated about my recovery time. For example, I wouldn’t recover
any more than I had, which was wrong! Also, I would never recover
fully. (I may not.) Finally, it may take ten years to recover to the
point that I don’t feel much difference. The last one, by Dr.
Antonov, is about right. Since I am inside this body, I know that my
fine friend was probably correct. Now into year five, I am halfway
there. Let’s hike, if you can keep up with me!
By the way, my recovering left shoulder
has been “talking to” my left side even more than usual lately.
Who cares? It just means that my “bionic” left shoulder is
improving and sending “messages” to my left side. I do what I do,
regardless! The power in my body is there! The will in my spirit will
always be there, even after the power in my body comes to an end as I
leave my body! Again, let’s hike!
Gnats
Gnats are pesky. Last Friday evening in
my bathroom, I hunted down and sent to oblivion an adult gnat (i.e.,
a small fly) that had been pestering us. Last Saturday evening, I
sent another one in our bedroom to its grave (i.e., a trash can). On
Sunday, I swatted another two to their graves. That was four adult
gnats in three days. The pesky aggravation seems to be over. We have
not yet come across any more adult gnats.
Anyone who shares the everlasting
perspective on life should agree with my comments about the first
three gnats mentioned below. They are aggravating our once-great
nation. The following are four gnats, which, by way of irony, match
the number of adult gnats that I killed recently. I didn’t plan it
that way. It just happened by coincidence.
(1) The new cold virus gnat: It
is also called coronavirus or COVID-19. The media (print, television,
online, and social) are filled with propaganda about it.
One social media soon-to-be-ex-friend
won’t lie down on this gnat! Twice now, I have stopped viewing his
posts for 30 days! Further, I have invited him to hike with me and
email me. He has done neither. I hope that his wife doesn’t share
his Corona Myopia obsession.
Statewide, my employer wanted
colleagues and me to work from home for several weeks. Now, coworkers
and I are working at home one week and at the office the next week in
rotation, doing exactly the same type of work. At the office, I must
have my temperature taken. The secretary (temperature checker) no
longer asks me the required health questions. I tell her anyway, as a
joke, that I have all the symptoms! Last week, while working at the
office, I had to wear a mask unless I was sitting at my desk! The
insanity of it all was almost unbearable! Even alone in the men’s
bathroom, I am supposed to wear a mask! Really? (I am the only
man in the office, along with two or three women). So, when I am in
there taking a leak with my mask off, where is the hidden camera that
catches me in violation? Argh! Get some common sense, employer!
Are you not tired of the insanity of
this new cold virus gnat? Let’s move on, shall we? Who gives a
rat’s rear end about the number of cases, recovered cases, new
cases, and so forth? I might test positive for the virus. If I ever
had it, I didn’t know it at the time, since I had no symptoms! The
new cold virus death count in Knox County has been, for many weeks,
and still is, at the time of this publication, five. I regret those
five deaths. I have written previous articles on this topic. I’m
done. Let’s move on!
(2) The racial tension gnat:
Recently, a bad white cop killed a bad black man. The white cop and
the other cops were wrong. They will face their crimes. That is
justice. In a separate and recent event, another white cop killed
another black man. The evidence seems to indicate that the killing
was justified. The court will decide correctly, I hope. In contrast,
many cops have been injured or killed recently, but they don’t make
the news at all or only rarely.
Recent peaceful protests are fine. In
contrast, there are recent and ongoing riots, looting, vandalism,
destruction, and so forth. Those are absolute insanity and anarchy!
They must be stopped! No one has come around this house yet to riot,
loot, vandalize, or destroy. If it happens, I have firepower and
plenty of ammunition.
Everyone should have been taught the
childhood song, “Red and yellow, black and white, they [all]
are precious in His sight.” Yes, black and white slavery was a
historical fact. My Irish heritage includes slavery to the English.
Blacks have enslaved blacks and whites. Whites have enslaved whites
and blacks. A wise man once stated that we should judge a person
by the content of his character, not by the color of his skin. I
agree. All lives matter, and that is not a disregard to blacks. They
are included in all lives matter! By the way, unborn children are
included in all lives matter!
The Good Lord gives us permission to be
“fruit inspectors” without being judgmental. I inspect fruit. I
do not judge unjustly (which is prejudice). I have known many people,
yellow, red, black, and white, who are fine folks. I have known many
of the various color shades that are not fine folks. I cling to the
former and avoid the latter, unless I can help educate the latter
into the Good Lord’s grace!
Grow up, America, and get over your
childishness and your hidden agendas! Move on!
(3) The Supreme Court gnat: The
judicial branch has no greater or lesser power than the legislative
and executive branches. The three equal branches of government can be
right or wrong, based on absolute truth. Absolute truth emanates from
the divine Law Giver, whose absolute moral law has existed eternally,
long before the United States Constitution came into existence.
Last Monday, the Supreme Court, which
doesn’t see itself to be bound by absolute moral law, “ruled”
that the 1964 Civil Rights Act's prohibition against sexual
discrimination in employment also banned employment discrimination
based on “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.” By the
way, about five years ago, the Supreme Court decided that same-sex
marriage is constitutional, even if it is opposed to God's absolute
morality.
Going forward, moral employers (e.g.,
small business owners, churches, and such) will become ongoing
targets. I could write more about this, but it is a gnat.
Last Thursday, the Supreme Court's DACA
“ruling” allowed illegal children of illegal alien parents to
remain in the country legally. The illogic is obvious. It’s another
gnat.
(4) The deck repair gnat: Yes, I
know. This one is a much smaller gnat in the context of the previous
three larger ones. I was aggravated, however, by a young man who
needs to learn a life lesson. I hope that I am teaching him. His fine
father is my friend. We need to have our deck repaired. In respect to
my friend, I called his son, who repairs and replaces decks. He and I
spoke once by phone. He did not want to meet in person to inspect the
deck. An email exchange continued for a while. Finally, I “fired”
him, which he understood, and I moved on. Afterward, we had two
face-to-face visits from seasoned businessmen who inspected in
person, provided suggestions, and should provide written estimates
soon. We will select one of the two. That is how business should be
done!
Yes, I know this was an insignificant
gnat, but I had my Irish dander up for a while. I am now over it. The
work will be done in the proper (old school) manner of doing
business. The young man lost income. An older and wiser man will make
money. The older teach the younger, as it should be done.
Conclusion
Well, I’m done, but wait! Another
article is following this one today.
