PATCH, PATCH, PATCH

Patch, patch, patch! That's all you can count on in these latter years of our lives. My little sweetie had to have a capped tooth pulled today and will be needing a small partial to fill in similar to the big one I have on my lower jaw. She's having to use the pain pills she was given and won't be eating anything too hard for a few days.

That shadow of the former me gets longer and darker as time goes on. I'm seeing my father's fading very personally now. We all know it's going to come, but it's still shocking as it creeps up on us. I know that a couple generations previously, Phyllis woud already have departed just due to her heart condition. Modern medicine brought that under control and it's helping me stave off the inevitable too. Still, there's only so much that can be treated and thwarted. I'm sure Shirley Temple Black had medical care second to none, but she's gone and she was only six years my senior.

I'm not really fearful, just resigned. Overall, it's been an OK ride, at least for the past 4 decades. No deep regrets either. I feel I did acceptably well considering the hand I was dealt and some of the dumb ways I played it early on. Of course, in hindsight, I could have done better numerous times, and I'm sure Shirley would have said the same thing. It's futile to dwell on that.

I like Truman's quote of the old tombstone which said, "Here lies ____. He done his damnedest." Whoever scatters my ashes can say something like that about me.