Have Crutch Will Travel

Admittedly, things were looking pretty grim back in June when I fractured my tibia.  Sensible people assumed my August trip to Maine, Canada and Cape Cod would have to be scrapped.  I, not being known for my sensible nature, thought, “Of course I am still going!  Wild horses couldn’t keep me away!” 

And so, here I am, one month into the journey, crutching and wheeling around in a makeshift wheelchair and I couldn’t be happier.  So many days have been the blue-blue, no humidity, in the 70’s, what I think heaven will be like, kind of days that they are worth any level of discomfort I have felt. Admittedly, I have overdone it a bit; a grandchild that needed to be carried, a beach that must be walked, a trail that must be taken and each time I pay with leg cramps that go on for days.  But like the people who “died doing what they loved”, I feel the same, the ensuing pain has always been worth it.  Still, I pray I haven’t dislodged the bone and that it is just unused muscles that complain long and loud when used. 

I am presently on the coast of Rhode Island about ¼ mile from an Audubon center and only two miles from Colt Park, a most glorious preserve that incorporates ocean and marsh, forest and field and bless it, a wonderful series of paved trails that Tuck and I sail along on.  Literally, it is like sailing. I have the leash attached to his harness and as he pulls me, it works like a rudder on a boat. We, “tack” back and forth on the pavement.  The slope of the pavement for rain run-off has the same effect on wheelchairs.  We are pretty amusing to watch. 

The park is a magnet for dog lovers and I have met the nicest people.  New Englanders can be far friendlier than they are given credit for.  All you need is a dog and a willingness to engage one and all in conversation. And that is exactly what I have been doing these last few days: “La Dolce Vita”, Rhode Island Style. 

Our trip to Prince Edward Island with the entire family is behind me, as is the extra week I spent with grandchildren in ME.  I wound my way down to RI seeing friends in ME and NH and tomorrow will head for the Cape.  Not that you are on the edge of your seat wondering what my itinerary is but I wasn’t sure how to jump back into blogging without some personal updates.

My computer did die an untimely death the weekend before I left. Being with family and grandchildren meant, even if I had a computer, there wouldn’t have been time to write.  Here at my friend’s house, I have a computer but the weather was just too gorgeous to stay in and use it.  Better to live life than write about it, right?

The journey isn’t over yet.  I have worn through one set of rubber bottoms on my crutches if that tells you anything.  And the wheelchair that we picked up along the way was missing a chair, but my clever engineering family fashioned me one out of webbing and rope and so far it is carrying me along to places I wouldn’t have the stamina to crutch too.

It was also the best child entertainer ever. I could join in hot wheel games with the youngest one on my lap: endless hours of throwing squeaky toys to the dog. Tuck by the way, deserves some meritorious service badge for how kind and patient he was with the children.  They in turn deserve their own reward for being so gentle with him.  A lot of ear piercing squeals of delight when Bryce saw him but he never once pulled his fur or pinched or grabbed his eyes or nose as so many one year olds do. It has been perfect.     

And I pray it will continue to be that way.  Only one more week and I must turn my chassis south, but stopping at my daughter in Baltimore than swinging by daughter in Urbana at the University of Illinois will lead to more happy anticipation.  Perhaps at their homes, I will find a chance to write. Perhaps.  Hope you are living life too, for the truth is, for each of us, we will never be this young again, so lets have fun while there is fun to be had. At least that’s’ my motto!