Sunday, April 30, 2017

An Odd Mixture of a Day


Church, physical therapy, and a salmon dinner. That strikes me as an odd mixture, but it was a happy day. I’ve been going to church more and more interested in going lately, which seems to me yet another sign of recovery. Today it was an encouraging experience, because several people stopped me to comment on my progress, ask how I was, just generally check in. I got a couple of hugs and a lot of fellowship. Christian, trying to make our way to the exit, finally said, “You’re the most popular woman in church this morning.” Jacob was with us and was detailed to walk with me to the corner, while Christian went ahead for the car. I am here to tell you that the west wind was really cold. I have had the heat on in the cottage today.

My physical therapist came this afternoon. I was surprised when she scheduled a Sunday visit, but I think we both thought PT was over, the insurance wouldn’t approve the doctor’s latest request. After a two-week hiatus, they did, and here she was. She’d been making me walk on the cane, and I expected disappointment, even argument, when I said no more cane. The doctor said so! Instead, she readily agreed. She said if I’m uncomfortable with it, then we won’t do it. We’re concentrating on upper body strength. Nine visits left on this prescription.

Ellen, the PT, made my day when I asked her if I seemed different than when she first knew me, back in February. The question was prompted by all the people who say they see a remarkable difference in me. She put it in terms of my aura. When she came, she said, my aura said, “I’m sick. I’m old.” Today, she said it proclaims that I am healthy and younger—not young, but still I’ll take what I can get.

Twenty-five years ago, I had a good friend who called me his adopted sister. A gay man who would never have children of his own, he adored my children and taught them to drive and ride horseback. He was family. He was also, he was sure, a psychic, and he talked a lot about people’s auras, though it was always in terms of the color of their auras. Ellen didn’t mention that today. What do you think your aura says about you? What color is it?

Tonight, Christian fixed a wonderful salmon dinner. There’s a story there. He has always said he didn’t like salmon, but one night when I fixed it for Jordan and me (and steak for him), he tasted it and liked it. I had done it with anchovy butter. I tried to talk him into miso salmon but he was set on grilling and said miso doesn’t adhere to the surface well enough to grill. He did a marinade of soy, sugar, garlic and I guess oil, and he undercooked mine just the way I like it. With potatoes, corn, and salad, it was a scrumptious meal. I’m finding that Christian and I have fun talking about food, though I’m trying hard to educate both of them about such small things as why you buy corn in the full husk and not semi-husked in a cello packet, why you don’t buy generic honey or olive oil, etc. It’s sort of an uphill battle, makes Jordan defensive, though Christian is a bit more willing to listen.

I’m at a crucial point in the book I’m reading, so good night.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

You sure are right about the corn, Judy. The best way to fix the cord is to roast it is still in its husk. (Might want to pull the silk out first.

Unknown said...

It's hard for me to go to church. That neuropathy makes it difficult to drive and I am not very comfortable driving in inclement weather. It doesn't help that I own a HUGE pickup, either. I am thinking very strongly about keeping the pickup and buying a small car for driving around. I think that would be a lot easier to control.

Randy Eichoff said...

And, of course, generic honey and olive oil should never be used. Unfortunately, in the case of the olive oil, MOST of the brands on sale in the supermarkets are generic and "cut" with other oils. What a lot of people consider "good" olive oil is not really good for you. Safflower oil is most commonly added to olive oil as it is cheaper. AND others as well. Bertolini is one oil that should be avoided and it is probably the most popular. Pompey is another one to be avoided. Selzeleone and Badia are the two best. You can get them at Trader Joe's although I have seen Badia on the shelf at Kroger's. I think Sprouts, too. And, of course, the absolute best is First Run Cold Pressed.

This comment is from Randy Eickhoff. I hit delete instead of publish by mistake, so copied it from the email and here it is.

judyalter said...

There is a list only, Mueller's List, of the good olive oils. He recommends Extra Virgin 100% Greek Kalamata available at Trader Joe's. In Fort Worth, the Virgin Olive Oiler on Hulen is a good place to shop--lots of oils and lots of knowledge, plus balsamic vinegar.
Age of olive oil is also critical--old oil has lost its nutrients. Look for the harvest date on the label, if it's there, and always buy oil in dark glass that protects it.
Olive oil is a growing Texas industry, and buying Texas-grown oil means you're more likely to get fresh oil. I learned a lot of this reading Susan Albet Wittig's mystery, The Last Choice Olive Ranch.

judyalter said...

I would sort of like to have a Smart Car but my kids don't think they're safe. My car currently resides in Tomball, so I am without wheels, dependent on family for church, grocery store, etc. You don't know how I long to get in my VW convertible and take off!