For some time, I've had trouble from time to time with itchiness from a short distance below my knees to ankles, and on top of my feet.

For a couple of weeks, I've been having trouble putting my feet, especially the left, into shoes and rubber boots and when I push some harder, there's some discomfort. It became more difficult when I began wearing heavy winter socks.

There's some swelling, that's been getting some more pronounced.

I've noticed for a few days that when I wiggle my foot, stretch the toes down, etc., that there's some discomfort in the muscles/tendons.

A friend said that it's likely gout ... but someone else says that, lacking substantial pain, it isn't gout!

So I went to see the doc today. Checking my bloodwork from the last physical, he says that the uric acid(?) level is normal ... so it isn't gout. He says that my pulse, blood pressure, etc. are fine. He thinks that there's some infection there, so gave me a course of antibiotics for a couple of weeks.

Then we'll see what to do, if the problem persists.

Guess that I'll have to buy some new shoes ... I've thought over the years that I think that I have a rather high arch. About the only current shoes here that I can wear now are runners (not so hot when there's snow around - especially if there's a hole just behind the toes) and some that I wear in the garden: they're in the midst of family break-up, I think, as soles and uppers have a rather tenuous relationship, are rather parting company. Similarly ... not so hot in the presence of snow.

It looks as though I need to take up some study of levitation. But ... then ... lacking a foot to ground ... how does one change direction?

"Change direction ...", you say? How does one start moving in the first place ... lacking some wind, that is ... and who said that we want to go in the same direction as the wind, any way??

But - let's not foreswear being willing to be innovative!

What do they say, "He who won't change ... is next thing to the immobility of death"?

Life do have its problems!

ole joyful