A definite low key Saturday. Day of Saturn my ass. More like day of Uranus. Big neck pain today. The catch is my insurance should be activated by Monday. It’s Saturday. Got up at 6:00 AM this morning. Bill had left for another trip to Foxwoods. The good talk seems to have turned a corner and cleared the air. I took one his pillows and replaced it with one of mine that was driving me crazy.

I immediately felt at ease. I figured out that when Bill had cleaned a lot and changed the sheets and pillowcases he mixed up our pillows and that may be the cause of my neck problems. That makes sense. I did want to get a new pillow anyhow. I asked Julio if he could give me a ride to Target. I wanted to also get a new computer chair. He said he could help but had many chores to do so it would be much later.

I was able to get bagels without the benefit of coffee, which I had to go get at the supermarket. It was risky being out in public without caffeine but it was a chance I had to take. I even had to go to the bank. The stiff neck came back a little while after taking a hot shower. By the time to the bank I was el Stiffo again and barely awake after the caffeine. It was the pain that was keeping me awake. And why not? It has been interrupting my sleeping anyway.

There was a short line at the bagel shop and no one was in the bank so that was in and out pretty fast. The supermarket wasn’t that crowded either. I gave Julio a bagel and came upstairs where I made breakfast. Sitting upright with the pain shooting down my right bicep.

I still kept myself busy with laundry but decided not to over exert myself due to my condition. That meant I sat on the sofa and kept everything in reach without having to move much. As I sat there reading the papers the phone rang. It was a deep voice saying, ‘Hi Uncle John!’ It took me a minute to realize that it was my nephew Earl. Hadn’t spoken to him in a while and now he sounds like a young man. Jeezy Creezy! Well he will be 14 in September so it makes sense.

He was asking me about Napster which I used to use. He was getting songs and trying to burn them onto cd’s, but was having problems. I told him to look for preferences or options and try a lower speed to burn. It might take longer, but it might definitely help. I spoke to his mom, my sister Annemarie who gave me some suggestions regarding the neck problem and proceeded to do what she was saying, wrapping a towel, getting a cold press and laying on the bed with pillows under my knees.

It worked. I lie there about 15 minutes and felt almost as good as I did a week ago. I was even able to take a nap for about twenty minutes. After cat napping the day away, Julio showed up and we went to Target where I bought a new pillow and computer chair. Julio was kind enough to carry the chair from where he parked two blocks away and up four flights of stairs.

Then he assembled it, knowing it would take me a long time, probably days. He gets bagels for life from now on. Oh and Mrs. Stine Lopez, arrives on Wednesday.