Bodacious Boomer

I don't seem to have the touch

Hooray! I woke up pain-free! This is a great day. I can move around again without having to think about it before I do. I haven’t been to the gym since Thursday when I overdid it in the pool. I’m hoping that I see the scale go down when I go to the gym next time. (Surely all discomfort must’ve been worth at least a couple of pounds). I’m at the library this morning because I can’t get online at my house.  I hadn’t realized just how much of my world is web centered til I couldn’t get on. I felt adrift. My whole routine was thrown off. I just sat in my home office (the extra bedroom), just staring at the computer. I was  trying to will it back to health- heal, heal, HEAL! It didn’t work. My career as a televangelist was cut short.

Apparently I’m not a faith healer so I spent the day without being able to get online at my house.  Since I felt so wretched from being stupid at the gym I thought I’d just lay in bed all day and feel sorry for myself, dictating my post for the day to Evelyn so she could enter it for me. I had totally forgotten that I’d agreed to take my neighbor’s out and about to run some errands. We were supposed to leave between 10-11. I was laying in bed, wondering how awful I would be if I rescheduled Friday’s outting for Saturday when the phone rang.

My neighbor Beverly, who had fallen and broken her hip about 6 weeks ago, was all ready to go. She had a question for me though, “Could I accompany her for a walk down the block before we go?” She’s doing rehab now to get back into good shape after her hip replacement. She’s already done with the walker and is just using a cane. Her recovery is nothing short of miraculous since I believe she’s about 75. Of course she was active in good shape prior to the fall, doing Tai Chi and really keeping on top of things mentally. I hope I’m as sharp as she is when I’m that age.

I had but a second to reply so of course I said “No problem”. (I think all baby boomer women were programmed at a young age to always say “yes”). Doug was already gone when she called so I didn’t have him to hang onto when I tried to get up and dressed. I mentally “girded up my loins”, since I didn’t have  any leather straps or buckles handy. The pain in my right leg shot through me like an electric shock. After that first jolt however, it was tolerable- not pleasant at all, but tolerable. It would have been better if someone had been there to listen to my whining, but I was all alone. I did complain to the dogs. However, they were unconcerned, but eager to offer me a face washing to get my mind off the pain.

So with no one to sooth me, I got over it, got dressed, went next door and for a walk with Beverly. Luckily, she didn’t notice my Hellacious limp, instead focusing on getting down the street without falling. After that I backed her car out of the garage and she and her husband Hank got in. Doug was back by now, saw the car backing up and walked over. He looked at me and said quietly, “Are you OK?” I crossed my eyes when I looked at him. (He knew what that meant). I thought we’d be out for about an hour. We were out for three. Getting in and out of that car with my right leg hurting that much was a spiritual experience. (I figured I was paying penance for something ugly I’d done in the past). Beverly and Hank never caught on. After I took them home, I went home, took some more Alleve and laid down. After dinner I went next door and used their computer to do yesterday’s posting.

Mentally, it felt great to go the extra mile. Perhaps that’s why I feel so good today. But whatever the reason, I’ll take it. Today’s trivia answer- you study legendary creatures- the Yeti, Loch Ness monster, etc.