If you’re one of my Facebook friends, you already know my big news for this week: I missed a step on the stairs at work and took a short tumble. I didn’t break any bones or sprain any muscles, but I landed with enough force to render most of my body sore for several days. Though I’ve never been particularly graceful, I used to be able to recover from injuries more quickly. (Perhaps I’ll take a second look at that AARP invitation, if they ever issue one in my correct name.)
I’m grateful to my “work family” for helping me up, wheeling me back to my office, bringing me ice packs, wrapping my ankle, checking on me, driving me to the emergency room for X rays, and making sure that I (and my car) got back to my house.
As the temperatures rose, it proved to be a good week to be “grounded.” I took my crutches to work with me, but I didn’t really use them. As long as I walked straight ahead on a smooth, flat, level surface everything was fine. Driving wasn’t too difficult, either. By Friday I was feeling confident enough to test the stairs, but I soon realized that both ankles were far too stiff to make that a safe proposition. Back to the elevator for me, even to go only one floor up or down. Outside, I was clinging to the railings whether I was ascending or descending.
My usual plan is to use the stairs whenever possible. Well, plans change. As the school year comes closer and closer, I may be more inclined to stay in one place and let people find their way to my [new] office — where I’ll have my feet slightly elevated. I’m fortunate that my job doesn’t actually require me to move around very much.
I’ve used some of this “down time” to keep reading, mostly about owls and about the history of mathematics and mathematicians. (Don’t worry; someday all of this will [or won’t] make sense.) I also updated my reading journal with regard to a pair of completed books.
Coincidentally, I had a couple of page-layout jobs waiting for me that were the perfect projects to tackle while sitting down. The September newsletter is nearly half done, and I was finally able to get the right Word documents open to start working on the book design for a friend’s third volume of poetry.
In agricultural/environmental news, the wheat that had surrounded our property was harvested over the weekend, and the remaining stalks were subsequently chopped up and turned into the soil. My knowledge of farm equipment is not comprehensive, so I don’t know if any new seeds were sown — though I suspect that may be the case. If winter wheat was planted, we’ll probably see it sprouting in a few weeks.
We also seem to be the hosts for the pre-flight convention of Canada Goose Local 487. Eldest has counted upwards of 70 geese that peaceably gather in the fields when they’re not making practice flights and getting to know all the members of the new flock. The local Sandhill Cranes aren’t as peaceful; two sets of three cranes have been acting out “West Side Story” for the last week and when they depart for warmer places it will not be too soon for me.
Right now there’s no need for anyone to fly south for warmer weather. We’re in the middle of a heat wave that will see our temperatures peak in the upper 90s midweek before cooling to more seasonable numbers.
Knitwise, there’s been no action with regard to the requested scarf. (Don’t tell SecondSon.) I plan to do a 1×1 rib stitch in the round and then press it flat and bind off the ends. It should be extra warm, and fringe is always an option. All I have to do is choose the right circular needle, knit up a swatch to make sure the width will be right, and then keep going until it’s done. What could possibly go wrong?
Chocolate Sheep 