Hog's Breath is Better Than No Breath at All

Over the last few months I've been experiencing chronic pain and a good deal of fatigue. I'm quite certain that it has primarily to do with the arthritis in my knees and back. I'm not sure what to make of the fatigue, except that I'm getting older and my body doesn't want to do what it used to. I do have hypothyroidism. For whatever reason my thyroid isn't producing enough juice or whatever it produces to keep things running in top shape. Frankly, I really hate the whole process of getting older. It just isn't fun. Whoever coined the term "golden years" probably wasn't there yet. In any event, I'm still alive and kicking, although the kicking is a little half- hearted anymore. Periodically I run across someone down at the dock or in the store who ask how I'm doing, and I usually reply something to the effect that I'm surviving another day. Not the most optimistic outlook, but I've never been an optimist in the best of times. A few weeks ago I was searching through the mess on my desk and I came across this little coaster from the Hog's Breath Saloon down in Key West. Jan and I used to live in Key West back when I was in the navy. There was no Hog's Breath Saloon when we were there, just some head shops and Earnest Hemingway hang outs. I guess he used to frequent Sloppy Joe's bar. I never made it in there, but I was never much of a drinker, so it didn't really appeal to me. Anyway, in an effort to keep things in perspective, I have to admit that even with all the ills and ailments that I'm dealing with, there is still an awful lot of good things in my life to be happy about. I have a great family and some wonderful friends. I live in an incredibly beautiful place and people pay me to go fishing- at least on the days when I catch fish. I can still get out and around, I'm not stuck in a bed or a wheel chair. I'm not dealing with a drought or wildfires or floods. No hurricanes, tornadoes, or mudslides. No snakes, fire ants, scorpions or centipedes. We do have tourists, but for the most part they're harmless. Irritating for sure, but harmless. So, all things considered, things are pretty good. Now, I've never been told as much, but there's always the possibility that I suffer with hog's breath. Or rather whoever I might be speaking to would be suffering, but as the saying goes, "Hog's breath is better than no breath at all." You can take that to the bank. Enjoy your life people.