Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood

Another snowfall overnight. Betcha don't really want to click & enlarge.

 Well sure, I wore my parka and snowboots and a tuque to go for a walk. But the birds are abundant — happy, noisy and busy out there — it’s quite the thing. Blue herons are back, and northern flickers, and robins in flocks, and the red-winged blackbirds are chattering up a (gulp, I hope not) storm. At this point, weatherwise … we just don’t know what's what anymore.

The Canada geese waddle off the road before the dogs can reach them. 

And fly just a little way - glorious creatures.

My back is 100% better, thanks to Destination Health in Wadena. Improvement began the day of the first appointment for a shiatsu treatment, continued to the second one a week later, and the third week’s alternative therapy (applied by some kind of machine-thingy that the retired physiotherapist swears by, but can’t say exactly how it works; only that it does, and I agree) put me over the healing top by the very next day.  I had been suffering for more than a month, and it was only getting worse. 

I was beginning to wonder whether I'd ever feel 55 again. I was getting disheartened, and worried. But mostly, I was moving slowly, painfully ... and why? It's a mystery to me. Or was. Elaine (physiotherapist) explained what had likely happened to some tissue between joints, all due to Too Much Sitting without perfect posture. This has long been causing me problems even though I'm attentive to my posture. Or thought I was. 

Just a thin skin of ice on the water in the ditch.

What a relief it is to feel normal again. Not only can I walk, but I can walk straight! I can sit comfortably for more than five minutes, and can have a night’s sleep without waking up every 10 minutes to change position.

Why, this renewed human body almost inspires me to bake bread. We have been missing the homemade stuff around here in recent months. But let’s not overdo it, girlysue; washing dishes and putting one of my Aunt Marj’s frozen apple pies into the oven oughtta be just the ticket. I may even make a spaghetti sauce in advance of tomorrow’s after-work supper. Between that and washing the dishes and listening to the cacophany of wild birds flitting all over the yard, this day off should be just right.

I am really pleased to have this treatment clinic right here HANDY in Wadena. What a switch from always having to drive at least a half hour, and usually one or two or even three, for anything you need help with, be it dentist or chiropractor or whatever -  you're driving. Not that I don't like driving, but I like any sane-minded gal prefer the Sunday afternoon meander over the medical trip often accompanied by a bunch of shopping (might as well pick up items we can't get out here) that leaves you exhausted by the time you're back in your vehicle heading for home. No friggin' thanks.