The Next Day

 This gifted puffy fall throw has been just the thing for these cold days.  I was gifted another for the holidays - it's on my bed - maybe you'll see it tomorrow.  I hope it won't be -1 degrees when I wake up tomorrow  

I couldn't not read the comments on news articles about the Bishop's plea to the president.  Lots of support.  Some saying she should apologize.  A few comments about how women shouldn't be in the pulpit.  A few that women should be subservient to men. Some mentioned that what she said wasn't biblical, that she should read her Bible before preaching.  

It was interesting reading.  And I did way too much thinking and puzzling and I'm glad that my garden flag reminds me to love my neighbor, no exceptions  My heart felt so hopeful yesterday, so discouraged today.  

And then there was Bernie, no mittens for him this inauguration, telling us that 'the wealthiest three people in America now have more wealth than the bottom half of our society."  And that all three sat behind the president at the inauguration.  

Today

 It's been a strange day.  I've been having trouble sleeping and overslept this morning.  PT was at 11:00 and it seems to take me  longer than it should to get ready.

The good PT news is that I'm cleared to use a cane instead of the walker.  That's a pretty big step.  It will mean that I can navigate the steps out to the car by myself and drive away.   When the snow around the car melts.  And when I get the battery charged.  Neither of which will be happening in the next few cold days. 

The oft-balance day took a turn up when I heard the small female Episcopal bishop's plea to the president.  It touched my heart.  I wish I was that articulate and compassionate and brave.

Words for Tomorrow

 

From Clergy Coaching Network

Words for tomorrow.

I think I've been in denial that tomorrow is coming.

Still Here

 

The snow is still here.  Maybe not as much, but it's still around.  When I got up this morning the temperature was three degrees, tonight's low is 16.  In a few days the highs will be 39, maybe rain on Saturday, so that should help.  And then Sunday's low will be 7, followed by 2, 5, and 4 as the week goes on.

Yesterday's PT included thirty step-ups on the bottom step - and  today is a sore day.  I've done a few simple stretching exercises but mostly took a lot of reading breaks.  Ate leftovers.  It's ok, tomorrow will be better.

As I did those steps I got a little glimpse of the top of the stairs - and I know that soon I'll be up there.  I hope my sewing machine still knows my name.  (Really, it does.) 

There is a church committee meeting tonight starting at 8:00, kind of late for me.  The chair is really good at holding meetings to an hour, which I appeciate.  I hope I don't act like a sleepy old person.

Do Over

 For the past few days I've been without internet.  My router needed to be restarted, which happens from time to time.  The router is in my basement, and the basement isn't accessible to me right now.  Yesterday it was unplugged and then plugged back in and all is right with my internet world once again.

The Chex Mix picture above is from my redo.  At Christmas I thought I could surely make Chex Mix and stir in from a chair.  That wasn't a good idea.  There was Chex Mix spilling in the oven and Chex Mix on the floor and someone else had to take over.

Now, though, I can make Chex Mix, and there is no chair.  And it was delightful.

Yesterday was my eye doctor visit, which went much better than I'd hoped.  Return in three months and in the meantime see a corneal specialist to see whether to monitor or consider a corneal transplant.  The operated eye was stable and pressure was good.

And so - I was able to navigate the steps down and up fairly easily.  And for the first time in a month I left the house and rode in a car, just like real people do.  

Thanks to my son-in-law for taking me to the appointment and for  restarting the router.

Icicles

 

Icicles hanging from my roof.  One of those repairs I need to deal with.  I wish I knew a good handy person.  I have a list.

More snow is falling, but it should be much less than last weekend.  The salt trucks are running through the neighborhood.

There was PT again today.  I tried going up and down the bottom step ten times.  Or maybe 20, I can't remember.  I was sore afterward but it went ok.  And then later I tried walking across the room.  It wasn't pretty but I could do it.

I asked the therapist whether the soreness comes from the muscles or the broken bone.  His guess is the bone.

I'm realizing the value of preventive exercise.  All that walking last summer is helping me now.  I've been reading about pre-surgery PT, strengthening muscles prior to replacement hip or knee surgery.  Not that I need a replacement - I just read stuff.

No Tracks

 

I admired the snow in the back yard this morning and noticed that it looked pristine.  No rabbit tracks, no squirrel tracks, no deer tracks, no cat tracks, no people tracks, nothing.  It was 18 degrees and I hope that everything and everyone was holed up somewhere.

(That big building across the way, it's a hospital.)

it was a good PT session this afternoon.  I walked about five steps without my walker and climbed a couple of stairs.  Did the required exercises.  And then ate a protein bar instead of lunch and took a nap, worn out.

There was Zoom at Noon today.  During the early pandemic days four of us church friends started meeting for a hour Wednesdays at noon.  Four years later, we still Zoom on Wednesdays at noon. 

No mail delivery today, which isn't unusual for me.  And no mail delivery tomorrow in honor of Jimmy Carter.  I appreciate that.