Blue Sky

As I lay here in bed, leg elevated just as doctor said, I can't believe just how blue the New Hampshire sky is, the door to the deck is open a couple of inches so even getting some of the cool (cold) crisp New England air.  When I started coming out here 20 years ago in the summer one of the first things I noticed was just how clear and blue the sky was-at night I think I can touch the stars.  But still it is a very positive and up lifting thought as I go through rehab.  Hip is good, leg is o.k.-had a fire alarm go off last night and realized just how difficult it would be if there was a real fire-I was worried about how I was going to get mom down the stair when I realized that I needed to be worried about how I would navigate the steps.  Anyway, false alarm, someone had left a pan on the stove, created smoke and set off alarm.

I did all my "exercises" today with increased range of movement, walked the length of the hall, and generally feel pretty good.  The PT person comes today to help me with more new exercises; will continue to use the walker for another couple of weeks, then move back to "the stick", the eventually nothing except for the wading staff in the streams or using the stick for hiking to the top of Mt. Washington!

I have posted some pictures of a bowl I bought at a sale in Kirksville in the early 70's- paid $5.00 for it.  As soon as I bought it a woman approached me with an offer of $6, I really liked the bowl and thought that Pat would too, so I turned her down.  Her next offer was $10 and I explained that I was not interested in selling it-she upped the offer to $15 and when I turned her down, she got angry and told me that bowl was worth nothing because of the split in the bottom.  I was nice and explained that I didn't care about the split, I just like the bowl which brought an offer of $20.  I thought O.K. I am wasting my time with this conversation so I took my bowl and went home.  Pat was happy and it has decorated our tables for many years.

The cedar chest was made by Barney Johnson, Pat's dad, when he was in high school in Fredericktown, Missouri; it spent much time in their bedroom until Pat talked him out of it several years ago.  It makes a great coffee table plus the storage.  The chest is made out of red cedar, boards were cut in Ironton, Missouri, and has two coats of varnish; he made three of the chests while in school in the 1930's.  He turned the decorative pieces on the front of the chest.  Barney worked as a machinist for Carter Carburetor in St. Louis, for years, survived the Great Depression, loves to hunt and fish and tell stories.  When we used to fish together, we would start at sun up, cast the banks until mid morning, troll for the rest of the day until early evening, then cast the banks again.  He is a good guy.

The PT person is here; I appreciate all you folks who have written cards, posted Facebook and made phone calls-your support has been valuable.  Enjoy the pictures and remember to measure twice and cut once.