Roll roll roll

I rolled my ankle about...I don't know...six or seven years ago. I was out for an easy two-mile run while staying with Groom's parents, no hills, beautiful early morning. I was cruising along the side of the road and I was feeling gooooooood. It was the final stretch of my run, I wasn't feeling tired, I had just run along the ocean, the breeze was kicking up, and I was cocky.

I was jumping from pavement to grass, grass to pavement, pavement to grass, grass to POP! Down on the ground, in the road. I hopped back up and leaned on a telephone pole...

Side note: How long before telephone poles and electrical wiring between houses become obsolete? Will photos from the late 20th century and early 21st century be easily dated because of the visible wires? Have you ever really looked up and noticed how many wires we have over our heads all the time?

...leaned on a telephone pole and did what anyone does in that situation. I breathed in. I breathed out. And I made that noise...ssssshhhhhhhhhhssssssshhhhhhh......aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh......

A really nice young couple in a minivan pulled over and offered me a ride back to Groom's parents' house. I have to mention, Groom's parents live in the most beautiful old house in the middle of a golf course. To get to their house, you drive down a short road, cross the golf course on a dirt road, and enter their compound, if you will, through a canopy of trees. When the man driving the minivan slowed down as we approached the dirt road I said, through tears of pain, "Keep going. It's just at the end of this dirt road. Look out for golfers. They tee off to your right."

The couple glanced at each other and, honestly, I actually felt their enthusiasm. They slowly pulled into the driveway and slooooooooowly turned around to leave, the whole time taking in my mother-in-law's garden, the construction over the garage (my in-laws treat their house like the Winchester House, constant construction), the yard around the house, the pool house, the pool, the landscaping.... I was no longer any concern for this couple. I don't mind. I'd want to know what the house behind the trees looked like too.

Anyway, my ankle swelled and my foot turned black and purple. I couldn't walk on it for a long time. And, I didn't have health insurance, so I never had anyone with any training look at it. I just wrapped it in an ace bandage and borrowed a pair of crutches.

Every now and then, because I'm old and out of shape, that ankle gets a little irritated with me, but it's usually fine. Last night, however, after my adventures at Spirit Pond, I discovered I couldn't put any weight on my toes on my right foot and the little bit of foot in front of my ankle was a bit swollen.

shingles are the new brick

This morning, I walked to the store for my coffee, and I thought everything was fine, but I realize now, I need to ice it. My plans to hike Morse Mountain will have to take a back seat. The lawn will not be mowed. And the shingles currently getting thrown on a tarp to be carried via wheelbarrow to the dumpster will have to wait.

Here's the thing: I feel no pain if I walk on my toes, as though I were in heels, but flat footed? Holy aunt jemima! My sneakers mitigate the pain somewhat but I'm still limping. So today I'm in sneakers (pretty!) and my evening will include the comfy chair by the window, ice from my martini, an Ace bandage, and a hassock for my foot.

I am the worst person when it comes to pain while Saint Groom is completely stoic about everything. He still limps after shattering the lower half of his leg last year and I have the balls to go up to him and ask if he can see any swelling on my foot cuz it hurts....waaahh.....

I'm a sun shower in New England to his Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

Not that it will stop me.