Tender

In The Song of the Lark, Cather began a description of a winter day with, "The air was a tender blue-grey, the color on the doves that flew in and out of the white dove house . . ." Today's sky is more gray than tender but that might be my mood. Earlier, fog enveloped backyards in the neighborhood and then it was gone.

Rest in Peace

I planned a different post for Honore's first link-up on words but sometimes life marches right up and demands I pay attention to something else. Last week I replaced these winter shoe-boots purchased in the 1974. I was fresh from college and a first year teacher. I didn't have extra cash either. My only winter footwear consisted of a pair of navy dress boots. After my fashionable impractical boot was sucked off in playground snow for the third time, I bought these for around $40. I had little extra cash but was tired of cold wet feet. I have narrow feet that are hard to fit so I wear anything that fits for a long time. The foot bed in these boots had become very uncomfortable so I replaced them for considerably more than $40. They walked a lot of miles and fall into the category of "they don't make them like they used to."

I wish my back was as tough as these boots but it is not. Last week, I was tired of being cooped up and the sidewalks were still icy/slushy. So I put on my new footwear and scooped off the front sidewalk. I know better. Repeating a lifting/twisting motion, as in scooping and tossing slush is not good for my back. After a work-related injury years ago, my back has limits. If I exercise and stretch, I am mostly pain free. I know this but I chose to ignore it and so pulled a muscle in my upper back. 

I've spent several days icing a sore upper back while gingerly moving and stretching. Yesterday I read and rested. This afternoon, my back permitting, I hope to go for a short walk. Hey, I've got new winter walking shoes and just by accident, wool socks that match. 

Last night, I knit for an hour on an easy garter stitch shawl  and listened to the end of The Secrets of Wishtide, a light mystery. I needed entertaining so this mystery fit the bill. I thought the author repeated some phrases too many times but this is the first in a series. I enjoyed it enough I'll give the second one a try. 

Usually within a week or so, my back muscles return to what is normal for me. If not, I'll have to seek physical therapy. In the meantime, I am treating myself with tenderness. And so tender, as in easily hurt. I have a tender back and I would do well to tend it.

Take good care of yourself today.