Back

Well, that sure sucked.

Around 2 pm at work I was putting U-boats together on the loading dock for the truck delivery today, when I got a huge muscle pull in the lower left side of my back. Arty, the new guy saw it happen, and said that I 'screamed', but I just remember a sudden hard pain, and then yelling and grimacing. I don't scream. Chris was right there too, and he saw the aftermath: my inability to move from my spot on the dock, my difficulty raising my arms above my shoulders, and my hobbling snail's pace to the front  of the store.

Julio called the accident in, and I spoke to the representative. Then I called Ma to come pick me up. She brought me to Leominster Hospital's emergency room, where after an hour (and several Red Sox/Blue Jays innings) I got checked out and prescribed medication. I was also given a note for work. I can't go back without my doctor's approval, and due to the holiday weekend, the earliest I can reach him is Tuesday. Julio has already covered my entire week, so hopefully it'll all work out by then.

After dropping me off, Ma ran around to get my prescriptions, snag some essentials from the grocery store, and drop Jean Marie off at work to retrieve my car. After they left I watched the 100th running of the Indy 500, which I had recorded from earlier today. As I ate my turkey club sub from D'Angelo, rookie Alexander Rossi won the race. It was exciting, and definitely took my mind off my back pain. I was able to wash a sink full of dishes during commercials (doctor's orders: don't stay in one position for too long, whether it's laying down or sitting down).

Later it was "Food Network Star" and "Game of Thrones". It all flew by, but the day felt super long.

Lameness

It has been a dull and annoying week of un-noteworthy happenings. Though I note them here:

Work is lame. The same mess every day, run by an inept, time-mismanaging, self-involved manager who has no people skills.

I hurt my shoulders/upper back Tuesday morning, and left work early. I was useless the rest of that day.

Days off (Wednesday & today) have been lame. Not enough money or ambition (and my shoulders & upper back still sore) to do anything interesting except small household chores and maintenance. Though I did finish a book ("A Spell for Chameleon"), a graphic novel ("Jupiter's Circle: Book 1"), and several piles of comics (as I sort the latter for dispersal/disposal). And I watched a lot of tv.

I NEED A NEW JOB!!!

I Feel Good

...right now.

They say writers get a lot more out of their brain if they write drunk. Maybe I should try it sometime.

Anyway, tonight after my 3rd closing shift of high-intensity effort in a row, I decided to have a beer when I got home from work (I haven't had any beer since my trip to VT, and none at home for even longer). I had the Gnomad Farmhouse Ale from the Riverwalk Brewing Company in Newburyport, MA. It smelled fantastic, and tasted even better.

I followed it with recent favorite Backseat Berner IPA from the Otter Creek Brewing Company in Middlebury, VT.

I have tomorrow off, so beer seemed like a nice alternative to night coffee for a change...

Three Pictures

My day off in three pictures:

Rainy Day Drive

I wanted to do something outdoors today despite the rain, so I packed my car with hiking gear and other stuff, and headed down Rt. 2 W and up 63 N to New Hampshire to hit the Pisgah National Park, with plans to eat dinner in Brattleboro, VT.

I never came across the entrance to the park, and it was raining and grey anyway, so I continued on to Brattleboro, and the Whetstone Station Brewery. The staff was very friendly (and all three bartenders were cute - bonus!), and the view of the Connecticut River from my seat at the bar was amazing. I had the Brewery Burger ("Fully Loaded": with maple bacon & sauteed mushrooms, hold the onions please!), which was awesome. And the fries were good too. They were out of their signature IPA, so I had a Brown Bear ale, which was good, but not spectacular. I'd go back with friends on a sunny day in a heartbeat. Also, I took a bunch of photos from inside and outside of the place.

Then it was off to downtown Brattleboro to get coffee and walk around for a bit. I popped into a building that looked like a museum, but was actually a high-end vintage furniture & art showplace. There were many cool chairs, cabinets, and carvings inside, which made it a great place to get out of the rain for a few minutes before heading off to Mocha Joe's.

I walked down the stairs into the basement coffee shop, and was warmly greeted by the cute brunette behind the counter. I ordered a large dark roast from Cameroon and a dried raspberry-encrusted chocolate bar (I snagged a logo sticker too), chatted with her for a minute (her dad is totally against fruit/chocolate pairings - "He's truly missing out!" she said, and I agreed), and then headed back out into the rain...

I stopped on the way back at the Connecticut River Paddlers Trail to walk around for a bit, took a few photos, and then headed back home. It was a great 4½ hour adventure, and I am glad I got out of the house on my day off.