Come In threes?

7/14/12

Okay, threes, eh?  One, my brother-in-law’s death; two, my severe back spasm yesterday (more later); three, the new water softener isn’t working.  Are we safe for a bit now?  Cars okay?  Animals fine??

I was gardening yesterday, bent to pull a weed, and blam!  Severe pain in lower right lumbar region.  24 hours later, after multiple cold packs, gentle stretching, and lots of drugs, I’m incrementally better.  This is very reminiscent of the back episode I had prior to the England trip, and that was a doozy!  I seldom suffer these during the school year, probably because I’m moving almost all day, seldom sitting for more than an hour at a time.  Plus, I’m not doing any heavy lifting during the school year.  The summertime is much less structured, with random acts of stretch and strength required.  I should take Fred’s advice and start doing a regular yoga stretching routine.  He used to have back problems but since he’s been doing yoga every day (7 years now), he hasn’t had a single episode.  Okay, okay, even if I never feel like I have time during the school year,  can at least do it during the summertime! 

I skipped the family gathering yesterday and today, in hopes of making it to the funeral on Monday.  It’s an hour drive to and from, plus time for the service and reception, so a lot of sitting.  I may have to sit at the back of the church just so I can stand once in a while!  Fred went today, armed with brownies.  We almost hosted today’s gathering out here at the farm – good thing it didn’t work out that way.  Fred and I make a good team for events, but doing it all by himself would be asking a lot!  And, it would drive me nuts to have to sit and watch him organize, rather than do it myself! 

Good news on my last group of tree swallow babies.  I’d thought they were in dire straits after all the extreme heat and humidity.  The nestlings were very quiet, no begging behaviors, hardly moving, and I wasn’t seeing parental activity.  I thought they were doomed.  This morning though, I saw heads sticking out the hole, and parents entering!  YAY!   I just really hope they use the new bigger boxes next year.  I just may replace all the boxes next year.  Building them would be a good fall activity – maybe MEA weekend. 

Time for a stretch and maybe a walk.