I started wearing the boot again for the past couple of days. Even though I could walk a little better and had moved myself into a splinted ankle brace, the boot gives me more protection and a little more peace of mind. Then this evening I went back to the ankle sprint to give my left leg a break from compensating for the height difference in my two legs with the boot. Every day in every way, it’s getting better and better. I was going to go on a weekend backpacking trip, but I canceled a couple of weeks ago for fear of my knee and hip. Wasn’t thinking about an ankle. I haven’t been backpacking since solo walking St. Cuthbert’s Way in 2000. I see Sherpas in my future.

My new bike battery charger finally arrived today. My electric pedal assist battery ran down a couple weeks ago and the charge conked out, so I couldn’t juice it up again. But in keeping with the tradition of changing technology, Shumano changed the battery charger connector in the past 6 years, since I bought my bike. So not only did I have to buy a new charger ($200) but an adapter to fit my battery ($57). Really, Shumano? At least I’ll be able to ride again, even with a bum ankle. I’ve been dying to go farther on daily excursions but there’s only so much ground one can cover on a knee scooter.

The sidewalks and tree bases, and streets are now littered with the molted skins of the cicada nymphs. The Washington Post has an awesome video with sound featuring the (short) life and times of a Brood X cicada. Today I started hearing them in the distance. So far, not making noises in my yard or the neighbors’, but that is coming. Earplugs on standby. Speaking of noise, for the first time in two weeks constuction crews were not at the house. No drilling, now sawing, no hammering, no sledgehammering, and no noisy machinery. Just a view out my office window of empty water bottles, bags of cement, plywood, two-by-fours, drainage pipes, and other sundry items of the trade.

Today is National Be a Millionaire Day. Okay, bring it on.