Now Playing: And So It Goes by Billy Joel. The album.

Today I have flowers from a teen in a bonnet on the table, a poetry collection deadline breathing down my neck, and spoiler alert, I just ran up the stairs like it is 2017.

This is the album that goes with the doc, sweeties, and yes, I am STILL listening because it is literally over seven hours long. Billy is the bomb, but I had to take a break. Worth it for the in-between tracks where he tells stories between the songs, for sure. 

Did YOU know he once worked on an oyster boat? Me neither. I can see it, though.

No, Word Raccoon, we do not have time this morning to put Billy back on an oyster boat in a poem. But hold that thought.

Good, no GREAT, thing alert. 

But first, yesterday we saw Freakier Friday. Cute, a little confusing. Mild spoiler: four people swap bodies. That is a lot of tracking for this wandering poet’s mind. Fun cast. 

Also, I pretty much have Lindsay Lohan’s mermaid waves without meaning to. LOL. Yay naturally curly hair, I guess?

I am gathering poems for the collection I was working on yesterday and found at least five that belong but had been hiding outside the folder. Half-burned coals went straight to the “maybe to be developed later” pile. Those little stubbies added nothing.

The press I am submitting to closes TOMORROW. Why did I not pay attention to the deadline? Oh, I did. I just did not realize the competition I entered (cheeky, I know, but it loosened me up to submit anything at all) was not the same as the open call. Cue frantic assembling. My MacBook now looks like a raccoon (hmmm…who…) broke into it and opened every Google doc.

And now…the good thing.

Remember how I have been on steroids for my fingers? They hurt less, still swollen, but progress. 

I suspected something last night and wanted to test it. Something felt…different. As we left the movie, I told Barry to walk to the car and turn around and wait for me. Then I walked absolutely normally to him. No hesitation. No pain. Normal pace, not slow. 

Whattt??

Y’all. THE STEROIDS HELPED MY HIP TOO.

I have been dealing with hip pain since at least 2017, maybe earlier. 

Last night I walked up the stairs to bed without touching the rail. Half ran, if I am honest. 

It is still a bit stiff, like it wants a massage or a good stretch. The parts of me that have been compensating are looking around asking, “Now what?” 

I feel so hopeful, though research suggests the effects may leave with the steroid taper. Doesn’t mean we haven’t hit accidentally upon some answers that can be tweaked. 

See, it pays to be patient and hopeful, duckies. 

It is proof to me that I have not been lazy or imagining the pain and limitations. Maybe I don’t have to be as ashamed of myself as I have been. 

There has been kitchen dancing along with toast making this morning. (Bread toast, but champagne doesn’t seem totally unwarranted.) 

While I compile this book, more formatting than heavy revising, thank goodness, I will chair dance at the very least. Word Raccoon has been doing the dancing for years. Now it’s my turn.

Something else to celebrate today: my poem “What Does a Poem Do When No One is Watching?” has just been accepted by Suspended Magazine. It comes out in November. Contract to follow. This is one that grew in the dark, like most mushrooms. Quiet, patient. Waiting to be noticed. 

I’m proud of it. 

I bought flowers from the farmers market to celebrate: Lisianthus. Could not say no to a bonnet-wearing teen selling frilly pastel blooms almost as pink as her dress. The flowers are coming to the coffeeshop this afternoon while I wrestle this poetry collection into an arc.

If they complain about them, Word Raccoon says she will walk out with the flowers, all the brownies, and possibly the tip jar.

You know, Word Raccoon, You May Be Right. IYKYK.

BTW, my neighbor is burning his brush and the smoke is coming right into my porch windows. Not cool. Word Raccoon says she’s going indoors now. But haha, she will set her writing desk in the window so she can still watch the “wild life.” She set out some birb seed this morning. 

Before WR goes inside, she’s putting something special on her car. You’ll recognize it when you see it.