1. It's been well over a month since my left big toe recently blew up with inflammation and pain. While it has settled down considerably, over the last week I've still felt some teaspoons of pain and have continued to rest it. Today, I needed to go to the Shoshone Medical Center for my monthly blood draw. It's not a long walk. I decided to give my toe a test run, see how it held up. For at least two years, I've been wearing two insoles in my everyday shoes, but, for this walk, I removed one insole. Sometimes tight shoes inflame my toe. I'm happy to report that my stroll to and from the hospital was painless.
I'm going to see how it goes to walk uptown to the bank on Tuesday. (Mom's federal income tax refund arrived today. I'll bank it.)
2. Ed called just before I left for the medical center with the sad, but not at all unexpected, news that Carol Lee's father, Roger Fulton, had died. Carol Lee and Jake got the call from the nursing home at about 3 a.m. After I returned from having my blood drawn, the Deke and I piled into the Sube, picked up Ed in Kingston, and drove out to Jake and Carol Lee's home on Rose Lake to pay a visit and express our sorrow that Roger died. It was a good visit. The Fultons were friends of Mom and Dad's back as far as I can remember and it was good to talk with Carol Lee and piece together different parts of her dad's life.
Most of my memories of Roger Fulton center on what a fine athlete he was. From time to time, while in his forties, he joined some of us younger guys, in our late teens, in pickup basketball games at the YMCA and I remember how strong he was, especially as a defender and rebounder. I might still have bruises! I also used to see him on the golf course at Pinehurst and it impressed me that he carried his clubs in a very lightweight canvas golf bag, unlike many golfers who carried (or carted) huge bags that held numerous golf balls, tees, greens markers, a rain jacket, an umbrella, rain pants, a water bottle, and, for many, pints or fifths of booze. I always liked how, on the golf course, Roger traveled light.
3. Certain of Joseph Mitchell's writings focus on seafood. Thanks to Joseph Mitchell, I've been longing for some oysters on the half shell or some fresh, sweet unpeeled shrimp or any fresh sushi. The Deke and I dropped in at Radio Breweing for a couple 10 oz beers and the best I could do to satisfy my longing for seafood was order a couple appetizer plates of fried oysters. I prefer oysters raw, on the shell, but I still savored these fried ones and daydreamed of stealing away to an Oregon coast oyster house or bellying up to an oyster bar in New Orleans and slurping oysters while sipping on shots of Tennessee or Kentucky bourbon or rye.
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