I am icing my right knee as I type. Yesterday evening we went to a barbecue at some friends' house. I was going up the back steps as someone was coming down. Since their hands were full of paper plate I stepped to the side politely. Unfortunately there was no side to stand on, only about three feet of empty air. With my right foot still on the landing I attempted to push off as if casually jumping off to the side, instead of awkwardly toppling off. I almost managed it, but my right knee whacked the concrete on the way down. I remained upright and didn't squeal in pain, but despite having had less than one beer at that point I'm sure the other guests who watched my performance assumed it was just another drunk falling over.

Today we took the dogs for a hike through Tryon Creek State Park. That was almost two hours on the trails. The dogs especially enjoyed paddling in a couple of creeks. It not being spawning season there were fortunately no salmon carcasses to tempt and poison them. The dogs are now snoozing away, and my knee is stiff and sore. We had the option of going to see a movie in an air-conditioned theater, it being over ninety today, but I suppose my knee would have locked up entirely in the cold. And the dogs would not be tired out and probably would be whiny and cranky.