I went to Bikram this morning. I had several people ask me where I was on Thursday and got plenty of hugs. Eliza was back. I knew she had an operation and was going to need another, and then she was gone for a while. Awhile winds up having been a solid month. She only a regular on Saturdays; otherwise, I would have been much more alarmed. Her husband came with her today; it was his first Bikram class. She told me that they had been in LA for that month while she had extensive surgery and recovery. While I was lying there during the opening breathing exercise and the first three postures, it occurred to me that her husband was there to keep an eye on her, make sure she didn't overdo it or get into trouble. I told her my insight during a small break. She nodded. I wouldn't have allowed Mike to do Bikram; he was such a klutz, and I'm sure he would have hurt himself in class. However, I would have allowed him to stand in the lobby and watch me through the glass door. I couldn't have stopped him.
During class, I made some crack in response to a comment Mark made about himself. He spent several minutes doing damage control after that. After class, I walked up to him and apologized to him and the other 18 people in the class. I thought from his reaction, it was clear that my comment had landed like a lead balloon and disrupted the spirit of the class. It could have been seen as a meanspirited comment. I can see how someone would interpret it that way. I had thought Mark would laugh at himself. But I was wrong! It was a funny that went bad. It makes me sad to think that I might have upset, if not embarrassed, Mark. He doesn't deserve that. He was open about a foible of his, but he wasn't up for someone else using that information for humor. Oh, well. I will pray for him, so whatever wounding I caused will be healed. I don't know what else I can do. At least it will make me feel better.
I stopped at Costco on my way home to pick up more salad. I walked out with 10 items. I will use everything. There was no impulse buying.
By the time I got home, it was 11 o'clock already. I heard B pull his truck up the driveway. I texted him quickly, saying that Sariah and I had to leave a 1pm to make the 2 pm show of the Nutcracker in Waimea. He said no worry.
I wrote an email and got one blog out. Then I noticed that Dorothy had called. She has started reading my book. I think between her and Shivani, I will have the two best editors on the planet. Dorothy said she saw good ideas, but my organization wasn't straight forward; I meander. Who me, meander? Okay. I do that. This is one reason I need editors. Mike never commented on it. He did me wrong. I needed his penchant for order when reviewing my writing.
Dorothy had to go. She was having dinner at Jean and John's and going to a concert with Jean. Love it! Jean, as you may know, is Mike's first wife and Damon's mother. I love that she is part of this family. I love that she and Dorothy are connecting. I know Jean, who is an only child, thinks of both of us as her sisters. I had to go too if I was going to be showered and dressed by 1 pm.
As I got dressed, I decided to wear my new red Crocs with my red dress. Wow! What a difference. I have been wearing the same blue Crocs for years. The right heel is so worn down, a hard push with a fingernail would have gone right through the sole. With the new shoes, I could feel an immediate difference in my back. It looks like this is going to solve my on-going pain. The PT recommended that I get new shoes. But no. I wanted to keep going with the old ones until the heel wore through, and I wanted to feel the ground on my heel because I thought it would remind me to change my stride. Looks like I overdid that challenge. I don't know for sure yet if this is going to be a permanent fix.
Sariah and I rode up to Waimea, listening to an NPR show. The show was American Experience. There were a group of experienced improv comics riffing about Christmas activities. We laughed together.
The weather in Waimea was a good ten degrees cooler. As we traveled there, we switched from air conditioning to heat. When we arrived, it was cold and rainy. We couldn't find an umbrella in the car, but I did find a sweatshirt for Sariah to wear, and I grabbed a pair of Mike's jeans from the collection I had organized for the Friendly Place and threw them over my shoulders. That helped.
The performance was excellent. The costumes are always spectacular. The professional dancers were good; the kids were decent and some better than that. Good enough. It is always a pleasure to watch. For the past year, it has become something that Sariah and I share. We go twice a year, Christmas performance, the Nutcracker, and a spring show.
After the performance, we went out for Chinese food. We ate in the restaurant that Mike and I used to go to. We hadn't been there for years because he decided that they cooked with too much salt. He had several problems which mitigated against salt intake. He cooked without it. This Chinese restaurant has a spectacular chicken noodle soup with tons of locally grown vegetables. That's what I ordered; Sariah ordered a noodle and pork dish. I had told her anything except shrimp or some other hard-shelled seafood. I'm allergic to iodine, of all things. The soup was everything I hoped it would be. Her noodle dish was okay until she discovered some shrimp floating around in it. I hadn't eaten a shrimp, and I don't think the few in the dish had made enough contact with the rest of the food to do damage.
I'm so allergic to iodine that when I ate some salt along with the pretzel scraps at the bottom of a large container, I got sick. I once got sick after I took two One-a-Day supplements. One tablespoon of spirulina made me ill. I'm quite allergic.
While in the restaurant, I got a text from the young woman staying with me saying that she had prepared some food for herself and made some extra for me. Dinner for tomorrow night. Yeah! This food situation works out. Now I have that food and the leftover Chinese soup. I'm set.
Sariah and I talked on the way home. I enjoyed her company except that she speaks so quietly I can barely hear her. I begged her to have mercy on my aging ears; I need a little volume. When I can hear her, I'm impressed with her intelligence and ability to express herself—all good things.
I asked her how her reading comprehension was doing. She said the two lessons we did had helped a lot. I wish others would be interested in learning what I have developed. It is so easy, so cheap, and so easy to integrate into existing lessons. What can I tell you?
The phone had rung while I was driving back to Kona. It was a number I didn't know, so I didn't' answer. I figure if they wanted to talk to me, they would leave a voicemail. However, when I pulled into the driveway, I did call back. It was someone interested in the salvaged Pergo I had posted on Craig's list. I was concerned that no one would want it, and I would have to haul it off to the town dump a little at a time. But this guy was actually the second response. I found the first one when I checked my email.
When we got home, Yvette met us in the driveway. Did I have a workman in the house today? No. Josh had set up a motion detector to set off a light to make passage down to their house safer. The wire had been cleanly cut. Scary. I can't imagine who would do that or why. Nor can we imagine a way it could have happened accidentally. Not good.
Sariah and her brother, Kingston, were going to walk Elsa, but she wouldn't go with them. It seems that Elsa is becoming more dependent on me. This is delightful when it means that she sleeps curled up with me when I nap, but it's not so good when she won't go for walks with other people. What will happen when I want to travel for a week or two to the mainland to visit family? We will both be in agony. I will be worrying about her the whole time. Not good at all.
Judy answered my phone call. She told me she will be going to St. Michael's tomorrow because she has to do the first reading there. I like to go with her when she goes, so I contact people who attend there regularly.
While I was talking to her, seven-year-old Kingston kept interrupting me to ask me questions and give me information. I had asked Sariah if she and Elijah would help me in the library. I would like them to alphabetize the books on the bottom shelves. They are difficult for me to reach. Elijah came up so I could explain what I wanted and arrange a time.
Sariah had told me that while she was doing well in math, she was still having some difficulty with division. I will work with her on that tomorrow and on reading with Kingston.
I have been watching some TV again. I am watching the 3rd season of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. This program keeps surprising.
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