The day was OK. The day was better. The dawn was beautiful. There was a flaw in the day. At 2 p.m., the guy who did the floor refinishing was supposed to come back to the house and fix some mistakes. They hadn’t realized that our upstairs loft has no subfloors, so when they coated … read more One perfect thing
Tag: walk
A summer’s day
Had the air conditioning on in the car today. It’s January 17. 76 degrees here in Atlanta, according to our car’s gauge. A week ago, ice on the roads kept the workers away from finishing our house. I read last week that another big chunk of Antarctica has an 11-mile crack and may be about … read more A summer’s day
Lost in the snow
Nothing around me is familiar. Only one house is visible, far in the distance. The street I crossed a few minutes before was unmarked. I followed an old road bed up into the woods until it stopped dead. Nothing now but snow, trees, shadows, and silence. A perfect afternoon to be lost. Though the temperature was … read more Lost in the snow
Walk in the water
I woke up to gray and I watched the rain and I was glad. Remembering all those months of drought, when I wanted so much just to feel the rain. Today I soaked in it. I walked the city with a casual hand on the umbrella and felt my clothes slowly get saturated. I watched the rain make … read more Walk in the water
A cat named Daisy
I’m home in the mountains, and I took a walk. It was 32 degrees at 5 o’clock. I came up a hill and saw a black animal dashing across the road far ahead. I thought it was a dog. When I got to the corner, I saw that it was a cat. A fat black … read more A cat named Daisy
Sunday therapy
Finally, a day off. Slept in. After I made coffee and brunch I was free for a few hours to write while Tom was reading. Like a normal Sunday. We came up with an ambitious agenda for the afternoon and evening. We wanted to go to the playfield so that Tom could walk on the track, … read more Sunday therapy
First steps
Tom took his first steps today. I mean that he walked. He hoisted himself up off the bed, using a walker. The two assistants hovered, advised and guided, but the balance, coordination and movement were all Tom’s. The attending neurologist and team of six residents happened to be making the rounds, so they watched. Tom barely … read more First steps
Losing traction
When I climbed the mountain trail last Thursday, my time was even faster than the previous week – 45 minutes up! And 31 minutes down. I was pushing, almost running in places, and the temperature was almost 90 degrees, so I was soaked with sweat. I remember having a funny feeling on my foot on … read more Losing traction
Quieting down
Some days, like today, seems there’s nothing but noise in my head. Just stray bits of fuzz, flies buzzing, engines idling. A very big crowd of people in a stadium all talking at once, not really paying attention to the game that they’re there to watch. At work, I was trying to troubleshoot technical problems long distance, … read more Quieting down
A walk on the wild side
Toland Way is a very steep, winding road. It’s a tough walk up. This time of year, though, it’s worth the strain on my legs and back. The flowering plants are bountiful all along the steep banks of this road. Perhaps the soil is richer, gathering all the minerals that get washed down the mountainside. … read more A walk on the wild side