Watch Out for That Left Turn, It's a Dilly!

I woke up this morning with a really bad sore throat.  It is a warning sign from the immune systems that I have pushed in more life than my system is able to handle.  You better believe at the first sign of a sore throat, I stop and reign myself in.  So, this morning, I stayed home from church, reluctantly.  Don't think I pushed myself too much physically, I think stress levels were at a high point this week.  Several times this week I'm reminded of one of my favorite authors, Ellen Douglas.  She's written a book, Truth, Four Stories I'm Finally Old Enough to Tell.  She was in her 70's or 80's when she wrote the book.  One of these days, I think I just might write the same kind of book.  She had to wait till everyone in the stories had died.  With the drama and stress of the week, I've been outlining the chapter that happens to be going on at this time of life. 

Here is a truth that I can tell you right now.  I am going to go buy a girl's bicycle, maybe this week.  You see, one of my Doctors is encouraging me to test out my balance because it is so bad.  I've been doing my prescribed exercises and he told me when you feel confident in your balance, go ride a bike.  I will never use the phrase, "it's just like riding a bike" to mean piece of cake.  Years and years ago when mountain bikes first came out, I got one from Roy for my birthday.  In all these years, I have never wanted to get rid of it...toting it from townhouse to condo to house.  They make lighter bikes with better gear shifts but my red boy's bike has held me in such fond and fun memories of all my biking adventures.  Yesterday, Roy put air in the tires and today we decided to test it.  A million years ago, getting on a boy's bike was nothing...today, in the here and now, it is downright comical.  The bad right knee doesn't want to bend properly.  Lots of slanting the bike at an angle just to get my right leg over the seat and bar.   Roy wanted to hit the trails right off, but I felt more comfortable on the streets.  It wasn't pretty but we did get around the neighborhood once.  When my attention wasn't so focused on balance, I tried to grab a glance at other houses to see if the required ornamental tree and three shrubs were present.  No way I could count bedding plants.  There are a lot of homes without ornamental trees in front of them.  Feeling a little braver after our neighborhood jaunt, we headed to the trails and right into the sprinklers.  We were going to have to turn back and that's when my accident occurred.  A steep banked left turn and bike and girl were separated.  Thank goodness no one other than Roy was there to witness my fall and sprawl.  Again, I am thankful for all my volleyball training because at least I know how to fall properly.  No major cuts, but lots of bruises, grass stained shorts and I'm feeling a tad sore even now.  We turned back toward home, we weren't that far away and I successfully navigated all the rest of the turns.  Roy has forbidden me to ride by myself.  Believe me, not even thinking about it.  Now to report to the Doctor in the morning...still need lots of work to improve my balance.  Honestly in life, balance hasn't ever been my best thing.