Countdown

Last Monday before school starts, last Monday in the pool with my release from the laws of gravity. The pool certainly always makes me feel like a kid and I was hoping my breast stroke would have magically improved by watching some Olympic swimming, at least I don't kick myself on my shoulders any more and I can move forward. I am sure the butterfly is my true calling, but....well, there's learning it.

I have a Lizz Wright cd playing in the kitchen and she has a beautiful voice, not as deep as Joan Armatrading, but it can go low. My students would hate it, I need the top twenty on XM for them, but there are bad words in those. About cd's, as I was poised with my paring knife trying to open the damned thing, I noticed I had the knife pointed right at my heart--oops, cd's are becoming passe and I still can't open them easily. My vinyl is upstairs, too. You know, big round black things you play with a needle on a stereo. I would love to blast my old Donna Summers through the house on a perfect day like today--all the windows open, the doors open,we never have days like this in August. I expect it will get up to a hundred once school starts

Saw a photo of my sister-in-law with her new incision where they replaced her skull in her head. It is at least as big as a saucer if not a bread plate. I never imagined such a large incision. There is a reason I am not in the medical field and bless those who are. I don't know how long it will be before she reaches a state of stasis-- my understanding is that the great plastic brain can do amazing things, so I will hold out hope that she will be able to cuddle her grandson once again and take care of herself. There is a great string of sadness here mixed in with the joy of each new step forward, and I don't mean steps on foot, let's be clear here, I mean progress back to some kind of independence.