Challenged by Arthritis

Another day of sunny but pleasantly un-hot weather, with the hills visible in the clear air. Prudence came trotting up the steps for breakfast, Monty approached me asking for food twice—in the driveway in the afternoon, then in the garden in the early evening—then when I took out recycling after dark, Prudence materialised from the shadows (the motion sensor light over the side door no longer reacts unless you approach from way down the driveway or jump up and down). She walked almost right up to me, but shied away when I offered my hand.

I only took a short walk today, after traipsing around a supermarket for quite a while (and cutting back ivy yesterday, which surely counts as exercise). I started off waiting for the light at a busy crossroads, and saw 4 Waymos while I waited. All cruising empty and presumably aimlessly; one was decorated with a colourful cartoon in an attempt to make us like it, so I recognised it when it passed me again after circling around the streets. I decided to count the things ... and didn't see any more for the rest of the walk, even though I went around the park, where there are usually a couple of the things loitering, spinning their sensors. Maybe I should make a habit of counting.

Monty has reappeared; he let himself be seen in the back yard, ate some food, then when I took out recycling after dark, he was lying near the side door in sphinx posture. And Mama Violet was in the driveway in the afternoon. But I haven't seen Prudence.

The dog was barky this morning, I'm not sure why. Maybe objecting to the height of my current bed.

And suddenly after midnight the dog was barking in terror and trying desperately to get out of the house via the front door. The housemate said there was booming going on, further away. Whatever they were letting off, I hope the cops got them. I eventually managed to move some stuff out of the way and close off the living rooms and kitchen side of the house from the bedrooms and bathroom side, whereupon the dog curled up exhaustedly on the hallway carpet. She didn't join me in bed for hours, but she did stop barking and get some sleep. And she wasn't too scared to go out in the garden in the morning alone, as she was last year.

Mama Violet was also not too scared to be there at breakfast time. She even let me get past her to retrieve the newspaper. She fled when I came back with it in my hand.