6/18-21/25 I went up to Camp Serendipity for 4 days: Wednesday through Saturday.
I had to be home on Tuesday to attend a graduation ceremony, so I didn't leave for Camp Serendipity until Wednesday. I stayed an extra day just so I could get another batch of stones laid.
I arrived Wednesday morning at 10:40, brought my gear up in one trip, hoisted the flag, unpacked my gear and had my lunch. Then I took a nice nap. When I got up, I walked to the grave after adding a pebble to my pack because it was Wednesday. When I got back, I practiced the piano.
In the evening, after I had talked to Ellen, I developed a nosebleed that just wouldn't stop. I plugged the nostril up with a wad of cotton and waited for a half-hour, or so. That usually stops the bleeding, but this one was more persistent. It resumed bleeding when I removed the blood-soaked cotton ball, so I plugged it back up with a new one.
Since it was getting to be bedtime, I had no choice but to sleep with a plugged up nostril. The problem was that the other nostril also plugged up, so I had to breathe through my mouth. That made it a very miserable night, and I didn't sleep much.
On Thursday morning, the bleeding did not stop so I had to keep a cotton ball stuffed in the nostril all day. I got up at 5 AM and tried to keep to my usual schedule in spite of my nose.
I started out by fertilizing Tiger, the snake plant. Then I noticed that a big snag that stood near the back stoop and which had been leaning more and more in the past weeks had fallen during the night. It landed on a brush-covered steep bank where it could do no harm.
After practicing the piano, I went outside to work with my nose plug in place. I started by wheeling one 60 lb. sack of mortar mix up from the truck in the wheelbarrow. Breathing through my mouth caused no problem because that is how I have to breathe anyway when pushing the wheelbarrow up that hill.
Next, I selected, retrieved, washed, and laid up a batch of stones using mortar batch number 126. Then I had my lunch and a nap. I was able to breathe through my left nostril while lying on my back, so that made the nap possible and even pleasant. When I got up, I walked to the grave and then practiced the piano.
When I talked to Ellen in the evening, I related the miserable night and day I had because of the nosebleed. She did some research while we were talking and found some products to buy that might help. She also found some advice on how to try to stop a nosebleed. I told her I would try the technique as soon as we hung up.
When we hung up, I pulled out the bloody cotton ball and to my surprise, the bleeding didn't resume. In fact, it hasn't started up again even at this writing which is a couple days later. Hooray. It felt so good to be able to breathe normally again and not have to worry about cleaning up a bunch of blood. I was a happy man.
On Friday I was up at 5 again after a very restful night. I practiced the piano for an hour after breakfast and then went outside at 8:30 and started working on the wall. I laid up stones using batch number 127. I finished at 11:00 and then had my lunch and a nap.
When I got up, I walked to the grave. On the way I talked to Clint Smith, our next-door neighbor. I also talked with Dave Picarello who stopped in his truck when he recognized me walking. I was glad he did because now I know what his truck looks like. I had seen it many times before but didn't know it was his.
When I got back to the cabin, I practiced the piano for a while before my shower.
On Saturday, I was up at 5 again, had my breakfast, practiced the piano for an hour, and was outside working by 8:30. I started by harvesting a few stones and wheeling them down to the wash station. One of them was too big so I got the Bosch Bulldog with a chisel bit and cut the stone lengthwise and got two nice stones for the wall. The stone parted right on the line I had scored with the Bulldog. I laid up those two stones plus the others I had harvested using mortar batch number 128. By then it was 11:00. I went in, cleaned up, had my lunch, and packed up to go home. I only got three batches done this week, but I figured with the short week and the nosebleed, I would have to settle for three batches and call it good.
I left for home at 1:00 hoping I am done with nosebleeds.
©2025 Paul R. Martin, All rights reserved.
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