It’s been almost four months now since Deb broke her foot. She hasn’t used crutches or even a walking boot in quite some time. She’s come a long way, for sure, but it’d be a mistake to think that she’s all the way back.
She still has to be careful.
It rained steadily on The Mountain most of the night, and the hour-by-hour forecast didn’t show it letting up ’til after sundown today. While I was out with the dogs early this morning, I gauged not only the cold and damp but the footing in the nearby woods.
Deb is one tough girl, and I know she would’ve been willing to tackle the woodswalking we’d planned along the equestrian trail today. I determined, however, that would’ve put her at unnecessary risk — distracted by being chilled and wet, there was a good chance that she’d put a foot wrong on the slippery terrain.
There would be no hiking today.
Tomorrow we have laundry to do and errands to run. I may grab my walking stick and explore the eastern boundary myself come Monday.
I did take time this rainy morning to wade into the woods north and east of the cabin. The temperature was 37°F, and despite wearing a wide-brimmed hat, rain jacket, gloves and wool base layers, I wasn’t totally comfortable.
That’s not a bad thing, by the way. As I heard someone say recently, too many of us are afflicted by “the disease of comfort.”
Leaving warm and dry for cold and damp, even briefly, was the best thing I could’ve done. I visited the clearing where we’d originally planned to build our first fire pit and gathered rocks to create our second one. I paused to admire droplets clinging to cedars.
Standing on the rocky slope above the cabin and looking into the distance, I could see three distinct ridges. Clouds and mists revealed new layers.
All because I left comfort behind for a little while.
But all play and no work… I mean, if I can press past conditions to enjoy my surroundings, I just as easily can do the same and be productive.
The repair I foreshadowed yesterday involved replacing a section of the camper’s sewer hose (aka “Stinky Slinky”) that had sprung a leak. I’m not sure how that happened, but I noticed it the last time I dumped both tanks. There was no sense trying to patch it — it wouldn’t’ve lasted long, and the hoses aren’t that expensive.
Because of the way the new section of hose is configured (with an elbow permanently attached to one end), I ended up having to disconnect the whole run and then reassemble it, just like I did when we first hooked up last June. That was a pain in the ass, of course, but it’s done.
The time I spent outdoors on this raw day made the dinner Deb prepared — a pot of black beans and rice with smoked sausage (not pictured) — especially welcome. Life is good.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB