Plans can be a distraction. Yesterday I planned to head off distractions. That will have to wait for another, less distracting, day. I think I’m becoming attached to my sore throat. It’s been eight days. It’s finally letting up, and I keep swallowing to test if it’s still there. It’s given me something to constantly focus my attention on, day and night.

I can’t believe it’s day ten and I haven’t turned on the television.  I wonder what it will feel like when I finally do. I am really getting used to the quiet. Well, relative quiet. I used to think my neighborhood was quiet. It is, really. But I hear so much going on outside. I hear the neighbors coming and going. I hear cars and trucks, mostly that seem very far away. I hear different clocks ticking throughout the house. Now, as long as I don’t get attached to that as well.

I thought about giving up refined sugar this month. And so far I’ve been very good about it. The staff took me out for my birthday today. No one ordered dessert! So I was off the hook. Not that I have a problem being the only one not eating dessert. However the waiter brought me a wine glass of ice cream with a candle in it. So I had to eat it, right? Isn’t it always good to eat ceremonial ice cream? I was distracted by his singing of “Happy Birthday.” My instinct told me to sing with him so that he wouldn’t keep modulating instead of reaching the high notes. That would have been bad. I should just let it go.