BY MICHAEL SCHENK

Are the deer just so deprived of space that their poor souls must ravage our landscaping? Are there so many of them? I guess more than usual. It really is a small nuisance, but we are trying to allow them room in the woods around us and let them do all the munching they need to do in the wilds of our property. Maybe they could just give us a break on the Hosta plants, etc. We know how smart they are as our dog can only chase them so far with invisible fence, and they clearly know the limits of his chase.

I really love running as a solitary mind-clearing exercise. You either love to run or you do not. I do not run distance or time or really measure either any more. Those days are gone. I do, however, determine the effectiveness of this distraction based on just the subjective of how did it feel. Once in awhile, it still feels so good and my legs seem to move at a pace that I do not describe as an old man barely moving during those slow days. On those days, I know why I have run for almost 50 years on and off. That runners “high” you achieve just more infrequently now – but wow what a feeling. I read the book “Born to Run” about tribes that run into their 80’s in sandals in the desert, so I know the human body can and does push to this age. Maybe I will make it, maybe not, but for now I say thanks to God I can still run mostly for mental health at this point.

In the exercise of purging, I discovered I had six types of razors collected over the years. I searched at the store for replacement blades, and many seem to be obsolete. I had some that were two-blades, some five-blades. Oh, how time passes and the world of personal care goes with it. Is it Just me?

I seem to bump my head so much more now. Cupboard doors and other inanimate objects seem to just be in the way, and what used to be a reflex protective move is no longer. “Is it Just Me?” Hopefully this does not get any worse as I am not completely sure how many brain cells I can sacrifice at 70.

Songs in my head are of course old blue eyes Frank Sinatra and “Luck Be a Lady Tonight,” a plea of sorts for luck at the gambling table. Not sure how this works for me as I am not a Vegas fan or a gambling fan at all, but the song is the bomb to replay in my head. Also, The Four Seasons song “My Eyes Adored You” about connection left behind has been a constant for me as I broke out the Four Seasons CD the other day.