I’m way behind on my writing these days.

My brain’s in a fog because every now and then I need to take pain medicine–especially when I need to go to physical therapy.

I had a total knee replacement about a month ago on my left knee. In 2016, I had the same procedure on my right knee.

A matched set, I’d say.

The healing’s well underway, but, because I’ve been focusing on this, my writing’s suffered.

I need a clear head and focus to be able to write. I have three projects in the works, one of which is a sequel to Empty Seats, because people are asking me what happens to the three characters I created in that novel. Another contains some of my favorite anecdotes about baseball. The third is another novel about a suffragist, who happens to “be” the grandmother of one of the characters from Empty Seats.

I still need pain medicine every now and then. I rely on this two or three times a week prior to physical therapy so that I can handle the rigors of improving my physical condition.

I’m not addicted to painkillers; however, I AM addicted to flexible ice bags that provide incredible relief to my new knee and the surrounding incision. Rarely do I sit for any length of time without one of those bags covering my knee.

Icing on the cake? No, icing on the knee. No calories. No addictive substances. If word gets out, will someone want to take my icebags away?