We've just been for a walk round the block. It's a stunner of a day. The temperature for walking is perfect, and, even allowing for a light smoke haze, the sky as blue as you could hope for. The spring leaves on the deciduous trees are all coming back now.
We walk on the road. One of the advantages of a country town!
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| The path we tread |
My theory is that it makes me too dependent, and my sense of balance is waning rapidly. The more I have to rely on my own balance, the more I will be able to walk without too much danger of falling.
Still, it is a gamble. Though it looks pretty level to anyone else, the road is uneven, and a small change of height of the road surface can upset things. If I fall, Tracey probably won't be able to catch me, so I have to be very careful about the mini-terrain ahead.
Walking on the footpath would be even harder, with grass having hidden pockets of depth - nothing that would present any problems for a walker or runner, but which loom large for me. I must keep my body as vertical, as erect as possible.
And there's the right arm, which swings uncomfortably as I walk. I solve that problem by walking Duke of Edinburgh style, hands clasped behind my back. I can feel balanced then. But I still have to remind the right foot to lift, to raise the toes with every step. If I don't, then the foot drags, like that of the Hunchback of Notre Dame. The danger of tripping increases.
So many things I have to think of consciously, trying to reprogram the brain to walk more normally. Concentrate. Concentrate! Foot, lift. Toes, up slightly. Body, straighten. Every step of the way....
With the uphill over, I can look around and enjoy the scenery a little more, and we can chat. Going down a gentle slope reminds me how much easier this would all be if I could lose the steroid kilos. With this weather and concerted effort, that might be possible.
I thought at first it was a bauhinia, but there's no doubt it's a magnolia. As we walk in by our own gateway, the Cootamundra Wattles are all flowering madly. Gold and reds and all shades of green surround us.
This is my Spring. My Spring!
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this day with us Denis. Your descriptions - and your headlining - are much appreciated. Your blogs carry meaning to different readers in many ways. I hope you are going to make arrangements to have them published. They have real value.
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