WRITING BONUS — Wednesday, October 6th 2021
I’m not sure how much this will happen but I just felt like doing it. This post doesn’t “count” for today’s effort. I just did it because I wanted to. This little bit of bonus writing was inspired by a friend in my tennis circle. He simply LOVES music. When he talks about it he inches a bit closer to you and you can feel his enthusiasm. We sometimes chat about music and I always get a good vibe.
Today, the first thought that crossed my mind when I awakened in the morning was balance. I love the expression: If you want to know what someone is like, see how they spend their time. As we age, it becomes more important to be balanced about how we spend our time. Just springing out of bed without, perhaps, being a little stiff is no longer a given. While it is always important, what we eat, how much we exercise, and how we make time for ourselves and others increases in importance. I knew, from the moment I got up, there were some things I must do today. I also knew that if I managed to get them down, I would relax comfortably and enjoy some baseball in the evening. Leaving them all till after 6 pm is never a good plan. Today I set out to:
Treat my tennis elbow
Vacuum the leaves
Get some exercise outside
Get the dog out for a long walk
At one point in my life, I used to make towering lists of things to do. I have given up on that as I’ve gotten older and perhaps wiser. By now, I have a good idea of what needs to get done. No sense, in belaboring the list with paper and pencil.
The point of my plan, especially 2-4 is that as the weather changes it is really beautiful outside. I may as well get out in it. The point of #1 is that, although I love the weather as it shifts, I realize our days are numbered for outdoor tennis. While the bubble in the wintertime remains an option, tennis is really not just exercise. I am blessed with a tremendous circle of guys who make every night out on the courts wonderful. The time before and after the play is just as important as the play itself.
The course of treatment for tennis elbow aka epicondylitis is to rest it, ice it and drug it. If it does not hurt, exercises to strengthen it can quicken the recovery. I am doing all of those things, except the rest of course. My brother is a professor of sports medicine and he gave me a video diagnosis, demonstrated some exercises, and then shared the details. I hope I never take him for granted. I am lucky to have a brother like him. All I have to do is be a good patient. I could not resist playing a bit last night, however. As always the night did not disappoint. My play was a bit below par. I know it when I find I am talking to myself, as if I need to hear it rather than just thinking through the shot I just missed. I much prefer talking to someone else anyhow. I was aware that my arm was hurting so I was extra careful not to over-exert. The result was poor play. That is okay, however, because we ended up going out as a group to a place in our cozy downtown Rosemount just a few doors down from the feed store. A nice way to finish the night.
As the day winds down, I’m enjoying some baseball in the background as I type away. — The front lawn at least is looking clean and neat. Denny and I got in a nice walk in the neighborhood although the original plan was a park. I did my elbow strengthening exercises today and have iced my elbow a couple of times. When I stop typing I have an ice bag for one more cycle before bed. I even got in a short 30 minutes on the treadmill and some dumbbells for my left arm at least. All in all a pretty good day despite having a real-life in between. Another great day in the books. However, one day closer to only indoor tennis. Here is a song by Don Henley for the way that makes me feel.
Well stated.