It's Official

The universe clearly hates me:


I don't know exactly what caused this. At one point I whacked my ankle on the dishwasher, but that's not unusual. It's not like it hurt after that. The next day I got on the treadmill as usual, started running, and for a long time, felt perfectly great. Ran a bit longer than I normally do, as a matter of fact. Then it started hurting. So I stopped running and kept walking, thinking I'd walk it off. When things started to feel better, I ran again. Ouch. I probably should have stopped sooner than I did, but it's not like I twisted it or felt anything go "pop" or anything. I came upstairs, plopped a bag of ice on it, took two Advil, and rested. And rested. And iced. And wore the compression sock and the little ankle brace.

But it kept hurting. It was tender to the touch on a spot right above my ankle, on bone. So today, a week later, still feeling exactly as bad as last week, I took myself off to the orthopedist. Diagnosis was a definite maybe -- "deep bone contusion and/or hairline fracture." If it's just the contusion, I should be better in a couple of weeks. If it's a fracture, it'll take longer.

So now I have this lovely boot to lurch around in, and I'm just hoping that I feel better enough to fully participate in all the stuff we plan to do in Costa Rica.

Sigh.

On a happier note, we retrieved Sr. Jr. from his week away at Adventure Links camp. He looked like he had a great time. They did a high ropes challenge, some climbing, caving, whitewater rafting and "natural water slides." At the end of every session, the counselors give out awards to all the kids based on their personalities and things they did during the session. Last year, SJ won the "firestarter" award. This year he won the "big brother" award, for taking care to befriend and translate for a boy from Korea who didn't speak English too well. Makes a mommy proud, even if he doesn't display such nice big brotherly tendencies toward his actual brother ;-) This is what the car thermometer said on the way out there:



On a sadder note, Ron McDonald, the owner of Tennis USA and Sr. Jr.'s tennis coach for the last two years, passed away suddenly last week while Sr. Jr. was away. Ron was a great coach, who really connected with Sr. Jr. I love my son, but he can be a difficult kid to coach -- stubborn, prone to know-it-all-ism, and sometimes (ok, often) moody. But Ron really took the time to think of ways to engage him and connect with him. He will be missed by us and by a lot of other families in the area.

In knitting news, the Paper Crane is now 123 rows long. I realized that I was knitting a bit tighter, so my gauge might be too small for the bottom of the sweater. I think I can block it out, and if it's not perfect, that's ok -- the sweater is open at the bottom, so if it's a little smaller there, it won't be a big deal. I'm trying to loosen up the knitting now to get the upper part of the sweater sized properly. I don't have any new pics, so here it is 23 rows ago:

Passing Through

I know I haven't posted in a while -- way too much going on and way too much to do. But right now I'm stuck on the couch with my ankle up and iced, so it seems like a good time to pop in :)

Sr. Jr.'s bar mitzvah is in a couple of weeks! I can't believe it's getting so close. Right now he's away at his outdoor adventure camp. They do rock climbing, kayaking, a high ropes challenge, and "natural waterslides." Doesn't that sound incredible? If it weren't for the whole camping outdoors thing, I'd want to do it, too!

I'm trying to do a lot of work around the house to get ready for the onslaught of relatives, but at the moment I can barely walk. Grrr. There hasn't been much knitting, as a result, but there has been some progress.

I've knit exactly 100 rows on my Paper Crane so far. 100 rows is about 9 inches. I need at least another 45 or so before the armhole, hahahaha.


I love the yarn and the color. I think the sweater will look amazing when it's done, but it will probably be 2012 before it's done.

I've finished one of the socks for my friend Marie and am on my way to the heel on the second. Unfortunately I don't have any recent photos, so here's an old one:


It kills me that entire days go by right now without any knitting. This summer sucks. Have I mentioned the mice and the raccoons? At least the cats bring us the mice to take out of the house. The raccoon seems to have made a home in our chimney. Yes, I need to call the chimney people to come get him out and recap the chimney.

But the veggie garden is growing:


The grape tomatoes are out of control. Fresh lettuce, yum...


For the second year in a row, the snap peas just didn't take. But it looks like the cucumbers will. The green beans are amazing, the broccoli is growing. I planted one lone strawberry plant, and it's doing well, but I don't think we'll get berries until next year. Next year I think I'll try to buy more plants rather than try to start everything from seed. We'll see if that makes a difference, too.

Since I'm couch-bound today, I'm going to try to get some knitting done. Then back to the grind for me.

Edited a bit later to add a small reading report: Finished/reading a couple of very good books lately. First up is A Visit From the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan. I'd read several of the opening chapters when they were published in The New Yorker, but was impressed with how the book continued to get better as it continued. It consists of linked stories loosely involving a group of people who were friends in high school and others in their orbit. Very, very good.

I'm currently reading One Day, by David Nicholls and enjoying it a lot. It's about two college friends who almost get together on their last night at school. They stay friends over the years. The book follows their lives and their relationship over the years. The characters are roughly my age, so I can identify with a lot of the cultural details about their lives and characters. It's about love and missed connections and enduring friendship.