I am trying to stay off my feet as much as possible due to the swelling in my legs. The swelling goes down at night but as the day proceeds comes back. It’s disconcerting but the nurse practitioner was not unduly alarmed by it. I am reasonably sure that this dang rash is not affecting my overall health in a detrimental way. My BP and weight this morning were unchanged from the day ‘s before (a rare occurrence but reassuring at this point). I feel okay. But my rash itches and burns on various parts of my body almost constantly. I can temporarily alleviate some of the discomfort by rinsing with a wet wash cloth and/or applying skin moisturizer.

Also a bit like chronic pain I can distract myself and then it’s easier to endure. Good distractions seem to be having meals with Eileen, reading, practicing, and blogging.

I still did some exercising this morning since today marks the day that I no longer have to worry about injuring my eye after surgery with strenuous activity. I did a no thank you helping of each exercise, plus stretches. I am minimizing the “old man running in place” exercise since it seems like that would aggravate the swelling in legs.

Potion, Emotion, Devotion: Wagner‘s Tristan und Isolde

Started my day listening to this. Alex Ross joins the panel. I found the aria in my score and followed it.

I love this piece and this player is amazing. I listened to it last night with Eileen for a bit and then again this morning while exercising and making coffee and tea.

Ben Lerner Reads Julio Cortázar | The New Yorker Fiction Podcast

Sometimes these discussions with authors about authors with Deborah Treisman the New Yorker Fiction editor are like a class in writing and thinking. I found this one to be like that. I lay in bed before getting up and listened to the entire podcast, then dug out my own copy of Cortázar’s Unreasonable Hours out of the my library before coming downstairs.

Later I interlibrary loaned a couple of books by Ben Lerner. I like the way his mind works.