Another Goal

Yesterday, after indulging in the need to cry a bit, I was exuberantly happy. I danced through town to the park where I did a happy twirl….only to hear a peculiar popping noise issuing from both knees. Ouch! My knees are better, but apparently that extends only to walking and climbing movements. Twisting and sideways motion brings on twinges of excruciating pain and the alarming sensation of crunching cartilage.

Sleep was difficult. My knees were bothering me and my hips had that bone-deep muscle ache one get from lying in bed too long. I contemplated my options. The beds in the second bedroom were no more comfortable then my own and the sofa was definitely out of the question. The sofa is really just an upholstered church pew designed to prevent relaxation and sleep. It’s also short…I cannot sit on one end and stretch my legs out without being jammed up against the opposite arm. Eventually, I broke down and inhaled a Tylenol with desperation. I brought only a few pain relievers so I take them only when absolutely necessary. I must have slept then as I awoke to thin, watery light slanting through the shutters and the dulcet tones of something metal being pounded against another metal object. Perhaps the mortar mixer across the street was stuck and needed a bit of “encouragement.” The sound was only slightly less annoying that the noise a nice young man made as he broke an honest-to-goodness boulder into bite-sized chunks with a huge metal hammer outside the Etruscan museum a couple days ago.

I encountered Lana of Casantonio at the café this morning and we cackled about the “hip wiggler”. She said that after I left the shop she told him that not all ladies appreciate that sort of behavior, but apparently he is always like that and is incredibly fun to work with. I certainly appreciate a sense of humor like his, perhaps because I have one much like it! I believe my ability to laugh is one of my best qualities. Life is funny and funny things happen to me. I think that’s one of the things I’ve been missing since I have been here…..the opportunity to laugh aloud and feel completely uninhibited.

I went on short walk today, once to the tennis club and back. I’ve been trying to do it twice a day, but my body said, “No” today. The skies opened up this afternoon so I hopped in bed with a book. Through my dormer window I can see the roof of the Etruscan museum. There are some short wooden beams, cubby holes, and uneven stones which make handy perches for the legion of pigeons in town. As I gazed out the window there was a tremendous thunderclap, much like a shotgun blast, which apparently startled a snoozing pigeon that promptly tumbled from his perch on the museum wall. Fortunately, he caught himself and winged away before he fell too terribly far. It felt so good to laugh out loud at that poor bird!

For those of you interested, the waiter mouthed, “Buon giorno” to me today…..still no voice though. Perhaps one day.

After coffee and the internet this morning, I stopped by the bakery for bread, the fruit and vegetable man for veggies, and the cramped little grocery for tissues and tuna. I craved some comfort food for dinner, my mother’s tuna pasta salad. Sometimes I miss my mom!

After dinner I tackled my latest fitness goal, THE HILL, and guess what? I made it! I took nice long, paced steps and made it all the way to the top without stopping. I am so very excited! There is no way I could have accomplished that when I first arrived 7 weeks ago. I know where there is another long hill, so that’s my next goal. The last time I tried that one I made it about 2/3 of the way up with 2 rest stops. That one should be a good measure of the progress I’ve made. Wish me luck!

I guess this is the time where I begin to set some goals for myself. It’s something I’ve always avoided doing. I guess I always felt the risk of failure was so great it was better to “have dreams” than to “set goals”. I think I am ready now to set goals. One goal is to organize my blog into a manuscript to submit to publishers. I want to write a book. With that goal in mind, any comments or constructive criticism you have to offer would be appreciated.