Category: Fundamentals

Typing at random…

I wasn’t sure I would post this week. Our weather in East Tennessee has been dreadful.  We have had cold rain and foul weather conditions for days on end. Situations like that don’t lend themselves well to an active lifestyle, and I found myself dealing with a case of the blahs. I don’t write blog posts when I have the blahs.  Thankfully it doesn’t happen often but, since it did, I wanted to shake it off. My exercise classes at the YMCA provided some motivation to get moving. Next, I picked up my camera and decided to focus it and my attitude on the bright spots around me.

The grounds crew that takes care of our neighborhood showed up to begin mulching the flower beds and trimming the shrubs. These tasks usually are a signal that spring is not far away. The sound of the lawnmowers reinforced that signal. I’m ready. The smell of freshly mown grass is a powerful antidote for the foul weather blahs.

 

Laughter is strong medicine as well.  Helen is away on a gal-pal trip with friends from our old neighborhood.  I’ve introduced them to readers in previous posts about our annual meatloaf dinner and Helen’s surprise birthday party.  They have taken this trip every year for forty years. At some point during their adventure, the husbands try to get together for dinner and some fun.  We have a good time in a very relaxed setting, usually at someone’s home, and share a lot of laughs.  Laughter goes a long way in easing symptoms of the blahs.

Lucy came home from the shop.  After our trip to Florida, I had to take Lucy to the dealership for a few minor repairs. Unfortunately, the shop manager suddenly retired, and Lucy got caught in a backload of work orders. She has been in the shop for over a month, but finally broke out this week and followed me home.  I get a big smile thinking about the trips we have planned for later this year.

Feeling better by later in the week, I decided to check out the daffodils that always bloom in high numbers in the run-up to spring in East Tennessee.  I heard that there was a massive field of them a little to the north of our home and close to the storage facility where we keep Lucy.  After I dropped Lucy off and tucked her in, I went daffodil searching.  It was impossible to miss them. In one spot near the highway, hundreds, if not thousands, of white and yellow daffodils filled a hillside with color. This sight would cure most anything, including the blahs.

The Camelias are blooming as well. I found this lovely specimen in my back yard.  I love Camelias and especially so because they usually arrive as winter is breathing its last gasp. The hot pink variety is the only one we have now, but others will follow. Hot pink doesn’t erase cold weather, but it helps.

 

 

On the one sunny (though cold) day we had this week, I brought home Smoky, the trailer that we won last October.  We have not used Smoky for camping yet, but we’re about to take him on a trip across the country and give him to our grandchildren living in California. Helen worked hard to clean the inside and I spent the whole day removing the promotional decals and glue from Smoky’s exterior. Smoky is ready to go.  We leave in two weeks. Helen’s ready, I’m ready, and really excited.  I can think of nothing better than a road trip to cure the blahs! I hope you’ll join us.

Feeling better already…

In late October, I had a successful joint replacement surgery performed on my right knee.  Although the surgery was successful, the healing was not easy.  It takes work and I was committed to making the eventual outcome as successful as the input. To do that, I had to follow a path that would not only strengthen the joint, but also lead to better health. Let me take you down that path a few steps.

Readers may recall that I also had successful hip replacement surgery in July of 2018.  The recovery process for a hip replacement was not all that difficult in my case and, within about five weeks, Helen and I resumed hiking, biking and other forms of exercise with no problem.  I expected the same result for my knee.  I was way off the mark on that assumption.

The aftermath of knee replacement is pain, swelling, and discomfort whether sitting, standing, or sleeping. I was never far from an ice pack for about ten weeks. Fortunately, my insurance covered extended physical therapy and therapeutic massage and I took full advantage.  The therapists were wonderful and worked their magic well enough that I felt good about leaving on our Florida trip shortly after Christmas and two months after the surgery. Our trip was delightful but, I still had some pain and soreness. Extended walking was not easy. The ice pack remained my friend.

After we returned to Knoxville, I decided that enough was enough. Although my surgery was in October, the pain and soreness began toward the end of our southwestern trip in late April and I had not taken part in any form of exercise once the symptoms developed. I was not careful about my diet either, and I was setting daily records on the scales. In addition, the lab tests came back from my annual physical and my cholesterol was up (never a problem in the past), blood pressure was up (also never an issue), and my blood sugar elevated. My clothes no longer fit. On top of all of that, we have two extended RV trips planned for this year. I knew it was time to head in another direction whether it hurt or not.

The first thing I did was return to my exercise class at the YMCA. I enjoyed seeing all of the friends I had made there since I joined the “Kick-Starter” class over three years ago. That first class—45 minutes of continuous movement—was a challenge, but I survived and, when we finally completed the last set of stretching exercises, I felt very energized. I am now attending the Y three times a week and feel better after every session.

Despite the return to an exercise routine, I still could not get my weight down so, I went to the extreme.  I placed an order for two months of Nutrisystem For Men in early February.  I participated in the program in 2017 and lost 26 pounds in two months. Hopefully, this would work again. To give my program a little more oomph, I took another drastic measure and gave up my beloved mugs of cold beer.  That, my friends, is a serious commitment!

Now, two weeks into the program, I have lost 16 pounds.  I can now go most of a day without thinking about my knee, and it is feeling much better overall.  I can tell that I am regaining some of the strength in it, but still have a long way to go. I also notice less stress on my feet after a weight reduction.  Carrying that extra 16 pounds had taken a toll that I did not realize.

Within two miles of our home we have a beautiful park with long walking trails alongside the Tennessee River. On Sunday of this week, I decided to push the envelope a bit further and go for a walk of over two miles—something I had not done since we returned from our trip to the southwest. I laced up my hiking boots, grabbed my hiking pole, and drove to Lakeshore Park. Most of the primary trail is flat, but portions of it leading down to the river are very steep.  I knew I could handle flat but the steep parts concerned me.  I decided not to think about the hills, and focus instead on the fun around me. The many dog-walkers out for a Sunday stroll provided a pleasant distraction. Taking my time, I completed the two miles in about 45 minutes and had a good time in the process. Two miles might not be a big deal to some, but it was a big deal to me.

At 71, and blessed with very good health until this knee episode, I realize that good health and maintaining an active lifestyle requires effort and discipline.  In June, I go back to my physician for a follow-up visit and another lab test. We’ll see if my program is working and I’ll share the results. Until then, I’ll continue Easin’ Along the path toward better health and better bones. Wish me luck. Cheers…(V8 Juice)! 

 

Last week I said I might not upload a blog post this week, but old habits die hard.  Helen and I had a fantastic week in California making memories with our precious grandchildren and I couldn’t sit on those memories, and had to share a few pictures.

I absolutely love Hermosa Beach and whenever we visit the family, I insist on some time around the Hermosa Beach pier soaking up the sun and particularly the sunset. Although the wind was up a bit during our latest visit, we still enjoyed a sunset worth a standing ovation and we were able to coax the grandchildren to stand with us.

The town of Hermosa Beach is small, but is a great place to visit.  The Strand is always a beehive of activity with joggers, cyclers, and dog-walkers.  On this evening, things had calmed somewhat and the sunset cast some soft light on the hillside above the shore.

We also visited nearby Redondo Beach.  Helen loves to cruise through the Farmer’s Market that is held weekly in the park above the pier. The produce and the vegetables are some of the best found in the world.

Our granddaughter shows a few of her dance moves on the pier at Santa Monica.

I’m going to end this short post now but, before I do, I wanted to share the spectacular sunset we witnessed on our walk to our walk to the end of the pier.  Merry Christmas to everyone and best wishes for a blessed New Year.  We’ll be back in a few weeks–Easin’ Along on our way to spend some time in a warmer clime.  Join us in Florida.