by Judy Handley | Apr 19, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 110: PT Re-Eval, Meet the Candidate, Mingle & Mix
Date: Friday, April 19, 2024
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, Some Rain; High Temp 50, Low 45 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA
This morning, I had my PT Re-Evaluation. On March 22 when I first met with Matt DiBono, my physical therapist, he did an initial back evaluation. I had terrible balance issues. As I went through the re-eval, it became obvious that I have made great progress. To me the progress has seemed slow and subtle, but on March 22, I could stand on one foot and then the other for only one second each. And now, even on my bad right knee, I was able to make it for 20 seconds. I met or exceeded all the goals Matt set for me, so after two more sessions next week, back surgery PT will be done. I will continue to do the exercises at home to prepare for my knee surgery, and two weeks after that surgery, I’ll be back in PT again.
This afternoon, Lynda Onthank hosted a Meet the Candidate event for Heather. I didn’t count, but I think there were 20-25 people there. Lynda had everything set up perfectly and it was a great opportunity for Heather to meet new people.
She gave an overview of why she is running for Select Board and then she fielded questions. Heather is an impressive candidate and was well received with this group.
Then I was off for an Encore Mingle & Mix at the home of Denise DeCoste and Sam Gutter.
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hey live in a beautifully decorated condo with a view of Buzzards Bay. I arrived late, but I was in time to watch the sunset. It was cloudy which made for a dramatic sky. The photographers in the group spent time on the deck trying to capture the beauty. Peter Baranowski got a great photo which he shared with me.
by Judy Handley | Apr 18, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 109: Lunch-In and Soccer Practice
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024
Weather: Cloudy with Periods of Rain; High Temp 48, Low 42 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA
Making soup, taking that soup to a 5-course lunch feast, walking and playing with Shadow, then taking Ollie to soccer practice. That was my day. Lunch-In is a new Encore activity for me. There were six of us and we were assigned to bring the various parts of the meal. The food was fabulous, but the best part of these small gatherings is that I am meeting new people and really getting to know them. It took us three hours to eat all of that food. We finished up around 3:30 pm and that gave me just enough time to come home to go out to walk and play ball with Shadow and then go get Ollie to take him to his 5:30 soccer practice. We had periods of sprinkles throughout the day, but on our way to the soccer practice, it decided to get serious about raining. The practice went on with some very wet boys. Once they were all soaked, the rain stopped. I would have been freezing in those wet clothes, but Ollie swore he wasn’t cold. Youth.
by Judy Handley | Apr 17, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 108: Meeting Day
Date: Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny, Cloudy Late; High Temp 50, Low 43 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA
This morning was the monthly Encore General Meeting. The speaker was the historian from the Cape Cod Baseball League. I am not a baseball fan, but he was an engaging speaker. The best college baseball players from around the US come here every summer to play on the Cape’s 10 teams. The League was formed in 1885 and it is still going strong.
I came home for a couple of hours and spent most of that time baking and walking with Shadow. Then it was back out for an afternoon Exploring Public Policy meeting. Today the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Michael Kasparian, came to give us an update on the housing crises in Falmouth. We have lots of houses, but they are financially out of reach for most middle income families. It was an information-packed meeting and most of us left realizing we know so very little about our town system of government. Lots to learn.
by Judy Handley | Apr 16, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 107: Taco Tuesday
Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Weather: Sunny and Warm; High Temp 61, Low 43 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA
By the time I got up, walked a mile with Shadow, took a shower and got dressed, it was time to drive to Falmouth Hospital for my physical therapy session. Last week I was told I was doing so well that I really didn’t need to continue. But today when I asked for clarification, Matt said that I will continue until one week prior to my knee surgery. He did say I really didn’t need to continue, but that didn’t mean he could release me early. I am happy about that as I feel my back is just now starting to feel a bit stronger. He gave me quite a workout today and gave me the go ahead to continue to work on my gardening projects, adapting the way I do things. He strongly recommended that I purchase a garden seat of some sort on wheels.
I went directly from PT to Añejo on Main Street for a Taco Tuesday lunch with friend Kate Eldred. I haven’t seen Kate since early November, and she had no idea I had back surgery since our last meeting. We had a great lunch and caught up on happenings in our lives. Then I was off to post campaign flyers on community bulletin boards for Heather. I drove to North Falmouth to start there and learned a lot as I went along. Some of the bulletin boards are outside, so I need to put those flyers in a plastic sleeve. This activity will continue Thursday afternoon. Tomorrow is a jam-packed day with a morning Encore meeting, an afternoon Exploring Public Policy meeting, and cooking to do for a luncheon on Thursday. I did get to spend some of the beautiful afternoon outside with Shadow, but there was no time to continue my gardening projects. Maybe Friday for that.
This week is spring break, and Heather and family left this morning for their mini-vacation. Today they visited a military museum in Worcester. Heather sent a photo of the boys standing beside a piece of the Berlin Wall.
Then they headed to Boston where they will spend the night. The plan was to have dinner at one of the boys’ favorite restaurants, Fire and Ice and then tomorrow have Boston Crème Pie at the Omni Parker. Heather and Sam will do a Tufts University tour and Jed will take Jonah and Ollie to the Museum of Science. They plan to be home by dinner time tomorrow night.
by Judy Handley | Apr 15, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 106: 100 Years Ago Today
Date: Monday, April 15, 2024
Weather: Mostly Sunny and Warm; High Temp 63, Low 45 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA
One hundred years ago on Tuesday, April 15, 1924, my parents, Ollie Lillian Biggs and Hayes Winfred Martin were married. I always think of them on this day. Today was another special day here in Massachusetts. On the third Monday in April, Massachusetts celebrates Patriots’ Day. This commemorates the start of the American Revolution with the battles of Lexington and Concord. Years after that battle, Ralph Waldo Emerson penned the phrase, the “shot heard round the world” because he felt that the American Revolution had world-wide importance.
Today was special to me because it was the warmest day we have had this spring. I love warm weather, so I truly enjoyed this day. Olga Mitchell and I walked a mile and a half on the Quashnet River Trail, a favorite for both of us. We started out wearing light jackets, but it was so warm we had to take them off and tie them around our waists.
Shadow was with us, and since there was no one else on the trail, I let him off leash for most of the walk. He enjoyed that freedom but stayed right beside me every step of the way.
At home this afternoon, I practiced “stand up” gardening. Trying to limit bending is a true challenge for a gardener. It is easy while I planted seeds in the elevated raised bed the Goldstones gave me for my birthday, but cleaning up the ground level raised beds is going to be more of a challenge. I saved that for tomorrow. The seedlings I started a few weeks ago indoors need to be transplanted into larger containers. I turned an old table that sits at the edge of woods beside my house into a planting table so I can stand up straight to do that job tomorrow.
Tonight, I spent time watching the commentary on the first day of the Trump “hush money” trial while I ate dinner and rode my exercise bike. I woke up with a hurting knee this morning, but it feels better after riding the bike. So, tomorrow I am going to start my day on the bike hoping it will take away the pain for the rest of the day.
by Judy Handley | Apr 14, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 105: Sam’s Soccer Game
Date: Sunday, April 14, 2024
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, Windy, Rain PM; High Temp 52, Low 47 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA
I’m really hoping that the weather forecast for tomorrow is correct. Partly sunny, very little wind, no rain, and a high temp of 63 degrees F. It would be better if we were to have full sun, but I’ll take any amount of sun without the wind that has been so prevalent of late.
I was not particularly productive today, but it was good to have a laid back day. Late afternoon, Heather and I went with Sam to his soccer game in Hyannis. There was a cold light rain for much of the second half, but we won 2-1, so Sam,number 21, was happy and said he didn’t even notice the rain.
He got a hard hit on his elbow in the last quarter, but he is hoping it is just a bone bruise. We got home a little before 9 pm. Sam loves the late Sunday games, but Heather and I are not in agreement with him on that. But there is no school this week, spring break, so doesn’t have to get up at 6 am to go to school.
She gave an overview of why she is running for Select Board and then she fielded questions. Heather is an impressive candidate and was well received with this group.
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