It’s an Up and Down World

I was reminded today of what an up-and-down world it really is.

It started off on a real high note as I joined Mike for a walk along Ruston Way, the street bordering the Puget Sound. I was met by a Great Blue Heron standing a short ways away on an old piling. Soon I was noticing Goldeneye ducks, several varieties of grebes, cormorants, and most marvelously, a Tundra Swan, the first either Mike or I have ever seen in the area. And the whole walk was punctuated with invigorating talk, the kind that gets you thinking in new and exciting ways.

When I got home I spent about a half hour on the computer and then took Skye on his morning walk. Everything seemed to be going delightfully until I managed to slip while walking down a rather steep trail, either because I stepped on some wet leaves, a newly fallen stick, or because Skye was pulling too hard on the leash despite my five year of attempts to make him heel whenever we’re going down hill, particularly downhill on a wet, leaf-covered trail.

As soon as I fell, I knew I’d hurt something. I know because I swore rather loudly at the mutt, loudly enough that he actually heeled all the way home, despite the fact that my limp slowed me down to less than half my normal speed. When I got home I immediately wrapped my ankle in ice packs and elevated my foot for the next hour. As a result, there doesn’t seem to be any noticeable swelling. Of course, the ankle stiffened up, as well as my knee tightening in sympathy. I’m sure not going to make it to the YMCA tomorrow, though hopefully I’ll be back on track by Monday night T’ai Chi.

Though sitting at the computer wasn’t particularly comfortable, I decided to spend my time there rather than sitting around doing nothing. I’ve been working on Beginning Javascript, 3rd Edition that a friend recommended. Even that’s a mixed bag. It’s fun learning something new, it’s not so fun spending three hours coming to the realization that a “smart quote” is not the same as a “normal quote,” at least as far as BBEdit and Firefox are concerned.

I also became increasingly frustrated by my glasses when trying to type from a book while trying to also focus on the screen. It’s not a new problem of course, just an expensive one that I’ve been trying to ignore after spending two hundred dollars for a pair of “computer glasses” that don’t really work as well as my bifocals. I was in a bad enough mood that I decided to blow caution to the wind and spring for another pair of computer glasses, hopefully a pair that will work as well as the pair I had before this pair.

I thought they could just make them from my old prescription relatively inexpensively. My Bad. They wanted over $200 for a bottom-of-the-line pair. And since it’s been over two years since I had my last eye exam they thought it would be wise to get a new eye exam. I knew that, of course, but I haven’t had any problems seeing so I haven’t bothered spending money I’d rather spend other ways. After a $140 eye exam, I was told that my present prescription is fine. But, my eyes seem to be getting older, surprise, surprise, and there are enough small abnormalities that he’d recommend that I get an exam every year, which is exactly what’s recommended for people my age, anyway. At least he was specific enough that, if I can remember, I’ll probably do that next year.

Instead of going to T’ai Chi and pilates tomorrow morning, which I probably couldn’t do with my sore ankle, anyway, I have an 8:15 appointment for my annual physical and flu shot. Hopefully a day that starts out so badly will lead to a better conclusion than today did.

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