May 1st

It's the start of my new normal: for the next two months (so, all of May, all of June), I can expect to be uncomfortable and less mobile than at any other time in my life. I can pay great attention to my exercise program (which consumes too many hours to allow for any meaningful time for less boring stuff) or blow it off and suffer the consequences.  I have so many visits with the PT guy that I expect we'll be on first name basis by the end of the season. Oh, we already are? Well now, there you have it. My spring in a nutshell.

But it's a great season nonetheless! I mean, aside from the weather yesterday today and tomorrow. Really, May -- you're starting us off with March temperatures!

I haven't yet figured out a good way to sleep at night so I begin the day with getting up, getting dressed and taking a nap! This is a ridiculous routine, but I rather like it!  Eventually Ed and I sit down to breakfast.

And afterwards, I start on my Physical Therapy visits. David, my PT person, has been doing this for 37 years. I say to Ed -- he's so experienced! Ed replies -- he must be so bored with it by now! But I think that's not the case. Every patient is different, right? And indeed, David offer a lot of comments on where I am at on this fifth day after surgery, as compared to other similarly situated patients. Here are some of his words: That leg is just two degrees off! That's amazing! Incredible! ... No, you're doing that all wrong ... You have to use your cane even if you dont think you need your cane ... Dont skimp on the Tylenol! ... All nicely black and blue, just as it should be! 

I like him. He's very... realistic and just slightly more upbeat than Ed!

At home, I force myself to do some of the hoists and wiggles and shuffles. And in the afternoon, Snowdrop comes over. I wasn't sure I could drive, so a parent picked her up at school and brought her to the farmhouse. Once here, the girl is totally self sufficient. My big effort requires nothing more than to cut up some fruit and find a comfortable position in which to read with her.  

(trying out my ice pack machine)

And after she goes home, I return to light cooking. I'm supposed to challenge myself to a big(ish) walk every day, but of course the weather sucks to high heaven so I'm not going anywhere. But at least I can shuffle around the kitchen and throw together a veggie soup. This of course proves to be exhausting -- sort of like hiking the Grand Canyon only without the hiking or the Grand Canyon. 

May 1st -- it's a holiday in so many countries! For me, the day marks the beginning of intense blooms in the farmette gardens. I cant say that they are exceptional yet. The buds on the crab haven't opened up. The tulips are holding their heads tightly shut. 

But it is lovely out there. Tentative, but so full of potential! May is the stubbornly pretty month. You could not ask for more delicate and lovely colors! Pastels and pinks, yellows and blues, all wrapped in the subtle greens of spring.

Heaven...