Sleeping In

I consider myself a "morning person". I tend to get up and moving early, and I seem to think best in the mornings. I am no good in the evenings, and I retire early.

During my work years I learned to get up every day at the same time. I read somewhere that if you do that, then it is not a struggle to wake up on weekday mornings because you've slept in on the weekend. Every day the same. Lately I've broken with the tradition.

Yes, being retired has its advantages. I can choose when to get up unless I have an appointment or class. I do, however, like to get things out of the way. Thus I wake up early enough to get physical therapy out of the way so I can have the rest of the day to myself. And I wake early on Aqua days, even though the class starts at 10:30 am, because I like to have time to myself to get going first.

OF late, though, I have been sleeping in. I wake up and just want to lie there longer, fall asleep again. The pattern that has emerged is that I get up early to feed the cats, bring the wet food for one cat back to my room with me, shut the door on the others (they all want his food), and go back to bed. I then get in another hour's sleep, sometimes even more. Yesterday I didn't get out of bed until after nine. This, for me, is very late. Will it be ten next?

I think one reason I have gotten this way is that for many months after surgery my knee, my calf, some part of my leg would hurt in the morning. Nothing I did would ease it, so there was nothing for it but to get up and get moving. Now, however, I don't feel that pain. Lying in bed is so wonderful! I love it and I want to enjoy it.  So in a way this sleeping in is a good sign. On the other hand, another reason I like lying in is that getting to sleep at night is often very difficult. Sometimes it is my mind, racing around, not willing to stop. Other times it is my body, unable to get comfortable. I think if I can solve this problem I will also solve the other, and will again be greeting the day early and well.

These Knees aren't made for running, and other stories

A few weeks ago Chuck, my therapist, mentioned that my new knees are not designed for running. Running wears them out. Doubles tennis is okay. Walking is okay (as long as it feels okay). No running. Also no deep knee bends. These are activities I was not engaging in anyway so I'm not missing them.

I am missing walking without pain, consistently. My right hip is bothering me more and more. Sometimes I can do a bit of a hike or walk and feel good but then the next several days I get nothing but hip pain. I am not sure how to work this.

I have joined a photography club. At our monthly meetings we get "assignments" for the next meeting. These assignments are starting to get me out there, on my feet, for brief forays. I am remembering a time, years ago, right after my younger daughter was born. There was a big storm. The day after the storm I went to a park that was flooded to take pictures (with a film camera, of course).  Standing in the tall grasses, feet soaking wet, body starting to shiver, I realized that I was capable of ignoring discomfort when engaged in something I love. This was actually a revelation to me. I am finding it to be true again.