Brave New World? in Everyday Ramblings

Occasionally, I nail a shot that I am happy with. One that matches what I am seeing. This is one of those. The Willamette River this morning from the new Sellwood bridge. Walking over it today was Mrs. Sherlock’s idea. She went snowshoeing yesterday and was tired from the day out, so we did a mostly flat walk through the neighborhood on the other side.

I started to flag at about 4 miles. This is unusual for me. But it was like I had hit a wall. A slow motion slam. I wasn’t hungry or thirsty. I was tired. I was already tired. I taught all my classes this week (we cheated and sat and talked for half of Thursday’s weight class), got my cardio in and did two intense body weight workouts with unusual movements. Cossack squat to split lunge 24 times… yeah like that. At 7:30 this morning.

The thing that put me over the edge was the jury duty selection process yesterday. You know how when you level up and get super attentive health care? It does happen, if rarely, especially these days. Well, this was leveling up, super attentive jurisprudence. It was intense.

And…I am under oath not to talk about it. For a month at least, and maybe even three months.

My plan, tired as I was, to come home, feed the cats, change my shoes, and take the bus to the store. But Mrs. Sherlock knows me well. She offered to take me to the store. Remember, my word of the year is HELP. I said yes, shoving my fierce commitment to independence down.

It was so nice, such a luxury. We have been talking about rotating more fruits and veggies into our food choices. She had a stress test last week, and her fitness level is good for a 74-year-old woman. But they did tell her she would feel better if she could take some weight off.

Of course, they did. I asked her if they gave her support in how to do that. She said one of the nurses said…low carb. We talked about how that is not sustainable. And like she knows me I know her and it ain’t going to happen for any extended period.

We went back to what we know works. She was hesitant for a moment, but we agreed to text each other our weight every Saturday morning again. And not to buy aspirational food but to eat what we buy and buy fruits and veggies.

She goes to a different health care system than I do. She did her stress test on a treadmill, and I don’t think she was hooked up to an ultrasound machine. My shop uses a recombinant bike, and I will have an IV as well as a world of leads. Oh joy. They told her if she needed to, she could take off her mask.

I am having my test next Thursday and they are requiring a negative PCR test within 72 hours.

That was a surprise. I will walk through a drive through testing site up the hill and they have a funky QR code system for appointments, but oh well, brave new world and all that.

Friday I am going back to hang out with Kes and Most Honorable. Mrs. Sherlock has insisted that instead of taking a Lyft home I call her as the train pulls in. She lives close by car to the train station and will come down and get me. Remember…receiving HELP is my motto.

I was so tired earlier I was worried I might have Covid, but I think it was just flat out reaching my limit. People who are 67 have different limits than people who are not. I seem to be exploring the edges of mine.

The thought that I might not have any control of my time for two months in the near future is weighing on me heavily. I believe serving on juries is my civic duty. But no one else can teach my classes and it is a worry to let them go that long. I have sat on juries before. I will find some accommodation for my students if it unfolds that way, so I hope they don’t worry. That is then, this is now and who knows…

Knowing my students, they might get together and have class without me. :)

I continue to get deep into the City Charter weeds through the League of Women Voters. It is interesting, this idea of participating in changing the form of government under which one lives.

We are having a discussion group on it on Tuesday.

Next week I am teaching ankles and feet (all 29 [or 19, reports vary] muscles and 26 bones each). This is stuff I know so I don’t need to do too much prep. That means I am taking it e-a-s-y tomorrow.

In the meantime I need to eat some blueberries and play beer pong ball billiards with Carlo.

Last updated February 20, 2022