Beautiful Day

Yesterday was indeed a beautiful day, despite its grumpy start. After my post-shower breakdown, things started looking up. My parents came over after they were done at the Lilac Festival - bearing gifts for all, of course! We enjoyed being a bit lazy for a while, then I said, "Who wants to come with me on my first walk around the block?" Eager responses from mom, Michael, and Klaus. So mom helped me put on some walkin' shoes (reaching all the way to my feet - a pleasure I have not enjoyed since Tuesday), we got Klaus's leash on, and we were off! It was simply beautiful out - not too hot, not too cold, sun shining, light breeze. I was glad it wasn't too hot, because I wanted to wear a sweatshirt to hide my ugly drains and the ickiness that fills them. After letting mom and Michael push up my sleeves for me (again, you don't realize how much work this is!), I was quite comfortable! We walked around the block, pointing out all the things we liked and all the things we would do differently about the houses we saw, dreaming about Michael and my own house someday soon. (By the way, our mortgage situation may be fine - details when we know for sure that it is actually fine.) Klaus was in heaven - he loves walking in a pack. Mom made sure to document my first outing.

(While I am partial to both boys pictured, I think Klaus looks especially handsome!)

(Okay, I think Michael looks especially handsome, too!)

I was feeling so good (although tired) when we returned that I didn't want to take off my shoes. I felt powerful and healthy wearing my running shoes! Add those to my yoga pants, lipstick, and jewelry, and who could tell that I was recovering from surgery? (Well, anyone who saw how carefully I was walking, and how much less my left arm was swinging than my right arm... but that question wasn't actually meant to be answered, so shh!) When my next church meal arrived, the deliverer was delighted to see me looking so well. I was delighted to feel it!

Judy, my landlady who lives downstairs, called to check in on me. She said if there was anything she could do, let her know, and offered that maybe we would like to sit outside in the sun - she was just setting up the table that she uses during nice weather in her yard. Umbrella, new chairs, and everything. So later in the afternoon, when there was a lull but not yet late enough for dinner, I suggested we do cocktail hour in the yard. My friend and colleague had brought by some delicious hors d'oeuvres and a bottle of wine for us to enjoy, so my parents went to work preparing it, and I went downstairs (still well-equipped and empowered in my running shoes!) to check with Judy. "Wonderful!" she said. "We'll set it up for you right now!" My neighbor was also out and said, "Oh, I have something for you. A blueberry coffee cake for breakfast. I realized I hadn't baked you anything yet." I asked if she had forgotten the tin of snickerdoodles she had delivered last week. "Oh, but that was last week," she said, and disappeared into her house, returning with a delicious looking coffee cake as well as a tupperware full of cucumber salad.

Soon enough, Michael, my parents, Klaus and I were sitting in the shady sunshine, enjoying some delicious treats, glorious weather, and quite an assortment of bird sounds for a yard in the city. Klaus was having a field day, sniffing at this and that, greeting every neighbor he saw, and generally exploring a part of the yard he rarely gets to see. No one wanted to come in!

But we finally did, and enjoyed the delicious meal brought by my parishioner, then settled in for some television. Then my parents packed up and left for the night, and Michael and I continued to watch TV... by which I mean I promptly fell asleep. When it came time to move me from the couch to my bed, I was one very sore girl. Let this be a lesson to you - running shoes, lipstick, and sunshine do not a recovery make. Turns out I am still recovering! But it was sure nice to feel for a few hours like a normal, healthy person again.

Needless to say, today has been much lower key. :)