State of the Ape II Things aren’t going too badly. I’m off both the steroids and the acetaminophen and so far the back/rib pain hasn’t come back (only a twinge now and then). I still get tired very easily; I’ve had to give up yard work (no regrets there), so we’re looking to hand it over to a professional landscaper (we’ve had someone to cut the grass, but the weeds have gotten out of control).

We had a minor scare a couple of weeks ago: early one morning I had an uncontrollable shivering fit that lasted an hour, followed by a slight fever and a persistent cough. We have a home COVID test kit: the test came out negative. The shivering hasn’t come back and after a few days the cough went away; no idea whether the problems were symptoms of the cancer, side effects of the meds, or really bad allergies.

A few days afterwards I started a rash which quickly spread over my arms and legs (thank God it didn’t itch) but which is now fading. Again: symptom, side effect, allergy — who knows?

On the bright side, my novelette is back from the copyeditor and the cover designer has recovered (groans all around), so with any luck it will be up on Amazon soon. More importantly, I’m writing regularly again.

I’m working on a spinoff from Unexpected Tales: a series of stories about Zoe the Flying Rhinoceros (not exactly a spinoff, since the idea for the series came first and I deliberately set it up in the last Tale). I had written the first story and started the second but stopped when I went into the hospital; I was afraid the stoppage was permanent. But now the first draft is finished.

We’ve made a new will (setting up a trust for the girls), purchased a cemetery plot, and pre-planned my funeral (and paid for it; I don’t know why people bother to die — it’s so expensive). Not that there’s any urgency: all of this was on our agenda before the cancer diagnosis.

Finally: My mother is out of the hospital and in a nursing home for physical therapy. Thanks for your prayers; please keep them up. Posted by Bob the Ape 9:08 AM

Prayer Request I would be very grateful for prayers for my mother, who is 92 and hospitalized after breaking her thigh. Posted by Bob the Ape 7:51 AM

Literary Announcement The Bride's new book, The Harbor Cove Brunch Club, is now out and available on Amazon. For those who live in the in and around Northampton County, PA, she will be holding a book signing at the Barnes and Noble at 4445 Southmont Way in Easton, from 1 to 3 on Sunday July 10. Posted by Bob the Ape 10:11 AM