Typing this is really painful — not emotionally, but literally, physically agonizing.

For the past 24 hours or so, I have been experiencing a flare-up of arthritis, or possibly gout (which is a form of arthritis, actually) in my right thumb and forefinger. And of course I’m right-handed, so it’s been an awkward day as well, trying to make my left hand do things it’s not accustomed to doing.

Since I don’t take anything stronger than Tylenol for pain — which, at least in my experience, is only marginally more helpful than a sugar pill — there’s not much to be done for the hand. I can rest it, apply some lidocaine cream from time to time, wear a hand brace, and wait for it to ease up by itself . . . which it will do, but in its own good time.

Did I mention “resting it”? Unfortunately, that includes not typing away on my iPad keyboard. Therefore, no political diatribe tonight, even though I had a selection of topics ready to attack. Hopefully later today.

In the meantime, I’ve started reading a new book — a non-fiction that happens to have been written by an old friend, which makes it doubly interesting. And I think I can still turn pages with my right hand.

So TTFN, dear readers. Try not to miss me; I don’t expect to be gone for long.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/11/26