My I-Phone won’t recharge and the battery is dead. I’ve had trouble with it for the past few months and it finally died. It means a trip to the Apple store today, and what hopefully will just be a cleaning. I’ve had this problem before, and it makes you wonder what you’re missing in life? I couldn’t look up scores last night without borrowing someone else’s phone and worried about calls/texts that just might have vanish. It’s always an unsettling feeling for me being out of touch with the world, while others may relish the idea. Just before my phone went dead, it went on a butt-dialing spree, so now others are probably concerned why I’m not responding to their call backs. Yes, I’m Apple-less. 

It changed my whole routine this morning, but at least I have to computer to check-up on e-mails and stock market prices. Cash flow is a bit of a problem right now as my wife waits for her Social Security payment. I will need to sell some stock soon to cover some upcoming travel and home building costs. As a result, I’ve been keeping too close of an eye on the Dow Index. It becomes an obsession, just like checking baseball scores and bank balances. You have to find something to worry about when you’re retired. What if my pension deposit doesn’t arrive on time, or the government shuts down so payments are not made in a timely manner? These are some of the many hassles of retirement. 

I did some yard work yesterday at my wife’s daughter’s home, as she continues to recover from a broken leg. They were in the middle of many projects when the accident happened and need our help. My wife cooked them dinner last night and weeded their gardens. I moved mulch, changed some light bulbs, and prepared a bunch of empty cardboard boxes for recycling. Our dogs played happily together. All this happened while my phone went dead. I then became anxious to get home and try my charger, but that also failed to restore life. It used to be “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but now it’s Apple ALL day. I won’t rest easy until I get it fixed. What if I need to call the doctor?

There was a steady rain when I ran this morning. I felt naked without the weight of the phone in my pocket. Fortunately, I have my I-Watch to keep track of the miles and time. It’s the only “Apple” I have left. At least, the old-fashioned radio gave me a sense of connection with reality. The protests and violence in the city continues after a few days off, ten fires in the state continue to burn, and the virus won’t go away. Without my phone, I have the perfect opportunity to withdraw from this mess. Instead, I apparently just can’t stand to be Apple-less.