* * *

What's worse; having nothing to write about, or too much to write about? I guess I'd have to say the former although the latter is the tedious undertaking which leaves me at this moment asking myself "where do I begin?"

As I stated at the end of a previous column, I am on vacation this week. (Until Monday.) While I didn't plan to do much, it was not quite as restful as I had hoped it would be. But then again, it's hard to relax when you know that you must return to the galley next week.

Add to that an unexpected guest and all hopes of rest and relaxation go right out the window.

The only concrete plans I had for the entire week were for last Monday. I made two appointments as soon as I was notified that my time off was secured.

The rest of the week was open; play it by ear; do whatever I want, when I want. It would have been nice if it would have worked out that way.

I went to my first appointment, my optometrist, last Monday and confirmed what I had known for some time now. Over the past couple of years, it's difficult to pin down just when it started, but the degeneration of my retinas has progressed at an accelerated pace.

After trying to find the right correction to enable me to see the big "E" at the top of the eye-chart, the doctor hesitantly said that he couldn't do any better than my present prescription. My current vision (with correction): 20/400 with my left eye, and hand movement only with the right. It's hardly worth wearing spectacles at all.

Nonetheless, I ordered a new pair of special glasses made by Corning, called CPFs (I don't know what that stands for but I think the "C" is for Corning). I had a pair of these before but lost them. I'm buying the new pair more for the comfort which is afforded by the ability of their red lenses to filter out nearly all painful light, than for the marginal benefit of seeing a little better. Besides, I think they look pretty cool with my fedora.

There was an intern at the doctors' office whom my doctor wanted to have a look at (in) my eyes. so I was a little late getting to my second appointment -- and the last thing on my plate for the week -- a second visit to a counselor for the Worker Wellness program.

Instead of talking about work, we discussed my vision loss and how I was dealing with it. It seems that I am coping with it just fine on my own and he feels that my attitude is healthy and sound. No further sessions are needed but if I feel the pressure building again I've got his card in my wallet.

So far so good. Julie was outside waiting for me and I was looking forward to a nap and then a few beers with my cousin-in-law, Butch. But as we pulled up in front of our house, Julie informed me that the unexpected guest I mentioned was sitting on our front steps.

I don't want to publicize my friend's problems, so all I will say is that he was here until yesterday (Friday) and I feel good that Julie and I were able to help him through a difficult transition, despite the imposition.

Of course there were other things going on which I just don't have the time or energy to include in this report, so I'll have to save them for future columns. Though not what I had in mind, the past week was better than working, and I could use another week, but now it is time to get back to the last remaining vestige of my life as a sighted person.

How much longer can it last? Tune in next week to find out if they got anything accomplished in my absence.