Slept in at Robin's, got up, showered, tweaked my back putting on a pair of socks. Visited a bit more with Momma Robin, packed, got into my rain gear and headed for Tad and Carol's home less than an hour away. Of course, it stopped raining as I left Robin's driveway, but that was alright. An overcast but nice drive, back did not bother me, had no trouble finding the house, all was good. Had a little trouble getting off the bike, but I usually do because it is packed with so much gear there is little room. Had trouble standing straight, had to have help getting the rain gear off and by the time I made it from the garage to the living room I could barely walk. Spent most of the rest of the day on my back, sometimes with ice. It is one thing to hurt your back moving a big rock so the rescue workers can get access to a trapped infant, but it is humiliating to incapacitate yourself putting on socks.
Tad, who went to Kenyon on a full scholarship, has his PhD in mathematics. He is co-author of quite a lengthy paper on Banach space. Google it; be impressed. He sent me a copy and I even made it through 8 more or less introductory pages before my head exploded. Carol is an RN. Pat thinks Carol has hospice training that will come in handy if my back gets any worse. Tad is even worse because he just chortles when I spend two minutes getting up from the floor or a chair only to walk bent over with small, shuffling steps. Carol is a compassionate human being who will not burn in hell like the other two.
Their house is very close to the Pennsylvania line. So close that their's is the last street in Ohio before you hit PA. It parallels the state line. Right across the road from their home is a golf course, part of which is located in PA. Yet Ohio is considered the mid-west and PA lies in the east. Instruction in the limited usefulness of fixed lines rather than gradations. This is true for most things, not just matters geographical.
Had grilled boneless ribeye from Amish raised, that is, grass fed, beef, salad, and Tad's recipe baked beans. As a friend has noted, the YMCA will be there when I get back. It's not just the food that is doing it. Every time I go to the Y I burn an extra 550-600 calories and I'm not doing that now. Also, I am getting an education in how fast you lose muscle tone when you're older. So all you young'ns enjoy it while you've got it. By cracky.
Tad has quite the sense of the absurd, coupled with an off-beat sense of humor. This is a neutral description. We spent much of the evening watching trash TV on cable. I had never seen the Turtle Man before. Watched other shows, too. We were laughing so much, I hurt.
(I overheard Tad just now talking on the phone to Robin. He told her he felt badly for me with my back and all. This is a giant lie.)
Road weirdness: On the way here passed by a gas station/C store. About 10 pumps, so it was not a small thing. The owner's name was emblazoned across its highest point. Sheetz. So I figure everywhere there is not one of these stations is No Sheetz.
Tad and Carol's house, which I name Back Rest, is below. Very nice, very comfy and, as you can see, quite the yard, as they live in a semi-rural area. Birds all over and they are somewhat birders. Saw an Eastern bluebird, for which they built bird houses. And speaking of birders, I need to tell you about John. He was married to Tad's mother's sister, Ann. Both John and Ann are dead now, but the last time I visited John he asked me if I wanted to see his bird feeder. "Well, sure," said I looking out into his back yard and seeing only a flat wooden platform on a pole. So John, who is in his upper 80s at this point, goes to his fridge, pulls out a bag and says, "Watch this." He goes out to the wooden platform on a pole and proceeds to throw chicken parts up onto it. He comes inside and sure enough a hawk swoops down, lands on the platform and commences to tear apart chicken pieces. "Oh, yeah. Look at that. Sometimes I get vultures." I love these people.
Back Rest
Part of Back Rest Back Yard
you are in terrific hands with ma shura when it comes to healing. dad hides well his depth of care and caregiving, but it's just below the surface and the berating. i surely hope you heal well and swiftly. i realize it was no consolation to tell you what difficulty i have with socks these days, as my 38+ week belly hides my feet from me... so i do have empathy for both back pain and the daily challenge of footwear. you are in a good place, though, to have a sore back. :)
ReplyDelete