what each morning brings...

Seems like each day is new and I never know what to expect. Yesterday it was beautiful out, and I got to have lunch with Glen, which is always nice. Happens just enough to appreciate, not enough to be old routine... So yesterday walking to meet him I passed a Greek church. There were two older people, a man and a woman, outside cleaning it. They were scrubbing the columns, scrubbing the steps, and there was water pouring down the steps across the sidewalk. Somehow that just seemed refreshing to me. Maybe because of the symbolism of spring cleaning and freshening, maybe the idea of making the church look shiny and clean. I love that smell of wet sidewalks too. Makes me think of rain, or of the morning walks I've taken in cities I've visitied. Morning walks in a new city are always the best (New Orleans and Paris come to mind as the two I love most). Things are usually still quiet, sleepy, just waking up, except for the shopowners, so you see them out washing their store windows or the sidewalks. Often they are talking to each other - at a friendly yell level across streets and the rumble of delivery trucks. Somehow I always feel like I can get to know a city best on those morning walks, much better than later when the tourists are out and the crowds. People smile, everything smells fresh. I don't know, guess it's just my thing, and for some reason those two people cleaning the church made me feel that way too.

Today, on the other hand, I feel like an old old woman. Everything is creaking, everything aches. Pretty much every symptom the doctor has mentioned seems to be present and accounted for! Kept waking myself (and Glen) up all night trying to roll over (for which he was not truly grateful this morning)... Seems like lately that rolling thing is getting harder and harder, and I have to use my feet and legs to push off (which tends to bounce the bed, hence waking Glen). Just trying to roll without leverage results in a litany of screams from various body parts, mostly muscles around the belly that cramp and pull. This morning was convinced I really ripped something good, but after a few minutes that too passed (thankfully). On the other hand, lying in one position too long means limbs falling asleep, sore hips, stretchy cramps. Getting up is slow too - sortof have to roll to the edge of the bed and slide the feet over, stand up very slowly to make sure nothing pulls too quickly and the swollen feet are ready for walkin', do some very slow stretches. I can feel her moving around this morning - which despite every creak and groan is ALWAYS welcome - hi baby! It's funny though - sometimes when she moves it makes something else sore or pinched. But other times she actually helps, almost like getting a massage from the inside out. Very, very bizarre, but pleasant too. Wouldn't trade this feeling still for anything in the world, but will admit that hot chocolate and extra strength tylenol are appreciated more on certain days than on others...