But I’m not. My students are working together on a project, in groups, and they don’t really need me so I’m not bugging them. The powers that be (AKA the idiots in charge) changed the curriculum a few years ago and it’s impossible to fill 2 hours with the material that they expect us to teach. So I give my students an opportunity to work together, do their homework, study, each week, to fill the hours. I honestly find it ridiculous, but complaints fall on deaf ears so we soldier on.

Today was an exercise in “why did I schedule so many things the same day?” But it worked out better than expected. I had a class at 11, then off to therapy at 1. I woke up with a very sore right leg – reminiscent of the pain I had in the summer when I had, according to my chiropractor, “twisted my vertebrea.” I’ve been working on this book, the Pain Management Workbook, and one of the things I read last night was that once you’ve experienced pain somewhere, the next time you have pain in the same place, your body remembers that and makes you feel worse. I didn’t honestly feel as bad as I did back in June but the thought was there, I was really tense and that was making it worse. I was limping badly when I got to therapy. It’s normally my left leg that’s the problem, but that one was being lovely, the right one had all the stuff going on. My physical therapist said, after watching me and doing an exam, that it was most likely my piriformis muscle – I didn’t know I had one of those! She used her elbow on my butt, I kid you not, and pushed hard in several places, and holy cow, did it feel so much better in a very short time! We didn’t do many exercises but I wasn’t limping nearly as badly when we were done as I was when I started! I think I’m gong to adopt her!

I was meant to see my orthopedist after therapy but she had emergency surgery and had to reschedule. It will be interesting to hear what she has to say about the current developments. I am not ready for surgery, nor will I submit to more shots – the last one did more harm than good. So I’m hoping that working on muscle strength and maybe unlocking the muscle I didn’t know I had will get me back on track. I don’t expect I’ll ever be able to walk 5 miles a day again, but 3 would be nice! Maverick is less than impressed with my inability to go more than 1/2 mile – but I’m following doctor’s orders because I need to get well. I know my back will never heal

I did some shopping and got home by 3:00, my leg had kept me awake and restless all night – the best sleeping position for this mess is flat on your back and I can’t sleep that way, so I wake up a lot in discomfort. And then of course, I have to get up to pee. And then I’m cold. So anyway, I didn’t sleep well. The recliner called and I napped for an hour this afternoon. Naps are lovely things to get.

At 5:30, I picked up Maverick. At 6, I started my second class, after fighting with my computer to get online and stay online. As soon as class is over, I will be heading to a school board meeting to express my displeasure with some of the decisions they’ve been making. And yes, a decision has been made on my end, I am definitely running in the next election. I don’t really want to, but something has to be done, and someone had to step up. Wish me luck. The current president will be in office for another year, and then has two more years left on his term. I’m expecting some epic battles if elected, he already hates me and if he becomes a member of the minority, it won’t be pretty.

I started this post a week ago. Since then, I’ve seen my orthopedic doctor, who told me to continue therapy and come back when I need her. My piriformis muscles are seemingly unlocking and my legs are feeling better, although I still have hip pain at night, probably from sitting in front of a computer all day. Today I walked on the treadmill for 15 minutes, I’m quite excited about that! Progress is being made. I have accepted that I’ll never be completely “well” again, but I’ll be the best I can be.

Also, the school board meeting got a bit heated and I made the newspaper for one of my smart ass comments. ~~looks innocent~~ Well. When certain policies come up, it brings out the worst in both sides of the argument. It’s a true microcosm of the world we live in, no one will listen, they are hard line in their opinions and there is no convincing them there’s any value in any other argument.

In other news, I’ve lost my knitting mojo again, I have no time to sew, I manage to read for a couple of hours in the evening and all thoughts of training with Maverick have been put on hold. I get a break in two weeks, then 7 more weeks of crazy and then a break for the Summer. I’m planning my Summer trip to NY, it won’t be as long this year – since my sister died, I have less desire to go there.

There was a shooting at the local hospital over the weekend. It’s about 7 miles from me, too close to home. The shooter’s motive has not been revealed. 5 people were injured and one police officer was killed. He was only 29, an only child, and looks way younger in photos. I didn’t know him, but I cried all day. Part of the reason I cried was because of the terrible loss, and partly because one person outside of my circle of 4 close friends, checked on us. Sometimes you get clear indications of where you stand in the lives of others. This is yet another message about how little we matter to some. Families are so wonderful, aren’t they?

This is long and rambling but I promised myself I would write something today because it’s been too damned long. So, enjoy!