Thanks Mockie, I appreciate your comments. I didn't go to the boat today, though I had serious thoughts about it until I tried to walk to the van and found I couldn't breathe. So, I stayed home, did pretty much nothing all day but watch old shows on TV and sip Jim Bean Honey Bourbon.
The pain is still fairly intense in the ribs, but at least now I can sleep without taking morphine first. Just some aspirin and booze seems to be the ticket, now.
When I saw that bear on someone's deck rail, that photo could have been taken from my kitchen sliding door. The scene outside is nearly identical, though the trees are much closer to my deck. We do see an occasional bear behind the house, but it has been about 5 years since the last one passed through the area. Last week, there were three wild turkeys on the patio pecking at the sunflower seeds that fell from the deck's bird feeder. They were fat birds, but not my first choice for Thanksgiving dinner. Wild turkeys have the tendency to be a bit tough and gamey tasting.
All the best from a beat up old man,
Gary