THIS AND THAT

POST # 36


Another week of housesitting has breezed right on by and the time goes so fast these days, I do wonder where it goes?

I guess that I have gotten into a very comfortable routine with Jackson and Peach which is to be expected as I have done this gig a few times now and they know me and I think I know them, but every once and a while they surprise me with something new. At the moment they are both watching me sitting here at the computer while I enter this blog. No doubt they are wondering about when the next walk will be forthcoming, but in the meantime they wait while I write. Peach is curled up on top of the cushions on the chair and Jackson is in his little dog bed on the floor. The other day Jackson was in the same bed and I made some noise which woke him up. He must have been in a pretty deep sleep though, because he looked over my way with only one eye open and his little tongue sticking half way out of his mouth. He looked like a drunken sailor that has just been aroused after a big night out. We both stared at each other and I couldn't help but laugh out loud at his appearance. Jackson and Peach provide me with laughs on a daily basis, but this particular moment was over the top funny, well at least it was for me.

I have been out riding my bike every day this week as well. Now that wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary before my accident as it is my preferred mode of transport, but now it has also become part of my recuperation process. Each day I try to go a little further, and this week I did a trip around the seawall at Stanley Park which in hindsight might not have been the best choice, what with all the tourists who rent bikes and then get let loose on the seawall. At times it's a bit like dodg'em cars at an amusement park, and one has to be very aware about what everyone else is doing. And just to make things even more interesting, we now have cyclists "text messaging" while they ride. YIKES!!!!!
I think until I am fully recovered, I might give the seawall a miss.
My biggest journey so far was a ride out to the airport and back to visit a friend who was in transit on her way to Dawson, from Toronto. We almost didn't get to visit, because an Air Canada employee bus swerved to miss hitting me as I rode the final stretch to the terminal. Maybe the driver was "text messaging" and not watching the road. Anyhow, no harm done, and I enjoyed my visit with my friend Nancy.

Cycling is easier than walking at the moment, but Jackson and Peach help me with the walking part every day. In addition to the dog walks I do try to get as much walking in as I can without them. I have been working on getting from A to B without the use of any cane and I can do it now, but not for long and not very fast. Here is where patience comes in. I have been only putting weight back on my leg now for just over 6 weeks but considering it was over 14 weeks of not putting any weight on it, I guess I have to be happy with my progress so far. The real trick is to work at trying to walk normally, because otherwise other things like hips start to go out of wack. So I tell myself to "walk normal Paul" every now and again in order to try and keep things on an even keel. But overall, I think I am making progress, and that's good news. As long as I don't have to make any quick getaways for the next little while I should be ok.

If I had still been working at Aquabus and if my legs were normal, that is where I would be tonight, as it's one of the summer fireworks nights down at the beach. Piloting an Aquabus on False Creek after the fireworks are over could only be described as control amongst chaos especially going back and forth in a north south direction from the Hornby street dock to the Granville Island dock and back, across an armada of boats coming into False Creek heading east, all at the same time. Weaving in and out through a sea of red and green navigation lights made for some interesting and exciting times and thinking about it now brings back some fun memories. But tonight, I think I will stay far away from there. And besides, Jackson and Peach might need some moral support when all the banging takes place. So I will be here to comfort them if they need it.

It's looking like another great biking day, so I'll have a late breakfast and then go out for another roll. Where to today? Not sure, but it's not the destination that matters, it's ALWAYS the JOURNEY that makes it worthwhile. Just like life, really.

See you in August.

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer