The End of an Era

After 22 months and over a hundred visits, I am done with physical therapy. This doesn't mean that I have no more issues with my ankle, it just means that I am as good as I am going to get. I was discussing being done with my friendly PT at my last visit, when he got teary. As I finished my obstacle course and prepared to ice my foot, he gave me a hug good-bye. I got teary. Then one of aides joined in, and another patient looked at me and said "How long have you been in PT." 22 months I answered immediately. 22 tumultuous months, and my PT has been there every step of my journey. I am so grateful for his help and support and that it has let me get to where I am now. When I talked to my doctor about stopping PT, she declared that my ankle might be stronger than hers. Probably an exaggeration, but there is no denying that my ankle is pretty strong now. So, Joanthan, from the bottom of my heart- Thanks

Syntax

Last night I saw them at the Hollywood Bowl and they were awesome.


Tonight I am going to see them at a Hollywood Screening



Soon I will update you all on my trip to NYC and follow up with my docs, but for now I am too busy trying to be Single and Fabulous!, not ?

How I spent my Friday..

I took Friday off of work and long ago decided to spend it with my godson to celebrate his birthday. I decided a couple of months ago that the kid really doesn't need anything, but I want him to know that we have a special relationship. So, I floated the idea of doing something special with him to his mom who suggested the Noah's Ark exhibit at the Skirball museum. This is a giant interactive exhibit made for the toddler to preschool age set. The kids can touch and play with everything. Genius

Kyle delighted in ringing the bell that was supposed to be the dear's heart.

He looked on in awe as he made it rain by pumping an old style water pump.

He filled the arc two by two with little animals and was so proud of the progress.

He climbed on the camels guarding the way into the pantry.


Then we go to the piece de resistance- the climbing area. Up and down and around he went.



On the way out he counted all of the snails in the garden, and I had to fight the fact that I am my mother's daughter and my first impulse is to squash the snails. When we finally left, he was so tired that he could hardly focus but very happy. A successful adventure I would say.

Book Binge

As my book club friends, who are getting tired of finding books that I haven't read, well know. I am a fairly prolific reader. So wen I saw Kim's post about the May book binge I knew I had to participate. I am currently readng 3 books simulatneously so we'll see how far I get. I'll keep you posted.

Fire Season Starts Early

The southern California fire season has started unseasonably early this year with the first major brush fire in April- Yikes. Anyway, last nights fire in Sierra Madre burned the hillside of my last hike. So sad to think of that lovely oasis burning. It also forced the evacuation of my hiking friends. Although the news this morning is that their house is fine. It could be a long hot summer folks.

I almost forgot

It has been so long since I have gone hiking up some unknown trail to a supposedly pretty destination that I almost forgot how great it is to discover a beautiful new spot. A week or so ago, I went hiking up in the mountains behind some friends house. We headed off for an adventure, and began our hike up (literally up- almost 2000ft elevation change in about 1.5 miles) and then headed down a trail to the sound of water. This is what we found.




Me resting Lefty by the river.
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On the way back down

We didn't go this way


What a great way to spend the day. It made me so happy to be able to enjoy the random beauty of nature again. Thanks

Nice People

There still are nice people in this world, people who understand costumer service and at least one of them lives in the midwest.

I just got back from an exhausting business trip to Columbus, OH of all places. It was a quick trip that was all work, but that is OK. The trip was for a part of my job that I currently really like, but the travel stinks. The time change, the long plane flight, being packed like sardines in the airplanes, that is so not fun. Anyway, none of that is the point of my story. I arrived at the airport Friday afternoon about 50 minutes before my scheduled departure. I tried to check in at the kiosk, but it said I was "too early"- what? I marched up to the customer service guy and said your machine is broken, it won't let me check in. (enter 2 year old reasoning skills). Customer service guy responded, "the machine isn't broken your flight is tomorrow". Excuse me! I stared at him in disbelief as I channeled my inner two year old and said, "but I am going home today." Our conversation continued in this circular fashion for another 5 minutes, while he tried to explain that it was Ohio State's spring break and all the flights out of Columbus were booked. I stared at him in a shocked, deer in the headlights kind of way. When I finally had to accept the situation, I walked away from the desk in a defeated sort of way and started to make phone calls to find a way home. About 5 minutes later, the nice customer service guy came and found me on my bench and informed me that he had convinced his supervisor to release a seat for me that I could change my flight and go home on Friday. I could have hugged him. I couldn't believe that he had gone out of his way to help me. I was so thankful. When I tried to express this, he responded- "Well, you were so nice, but you looked so sad. I couldn't leave you stranded."

Thank you kind customer service guy in Columbus, I'm sorry that I forgot your name, but I am inclined to write a letter to the airline praising you for letting me go home.