Making It Up As I Go Along #410

Home Again, Home Again
Family can make you do silly things. With the temperatures climbing in Ottawa, I ran out of town. Off to St. John's! And quickly, I'm flying over top of still frozen ponds and lakes... flying over hilltops, where the lee side continues to hold snow. All to get home to family.

Truth be told, the last minutes of my flight were enough to ensure my wanting to go back. Flying along the coastline... along the Cape Spear trail... directly over jagged outcrops of rock, sticking straight from the sea with foaming waters swirlling along the base. I'm sitting in a chair, looking out a window, several thousand feet over this... better than an HD programming.

And truth continue to be told, yesterday in St. John's was by no means bad weather. Sun and around 15... there's nothing wrong with that.

But still, it was 28 in Ottawa the day before. And supposed to be 29 the day I left. And there really still is ice and snow on the ponds and hills.

The main reason for the trip was indeed family. Mom's idea to surprise dad took form just this past week. And I left the heat and braved the airports in order for this to occur. And it was fun to do. Walking in on him as he and mom discussed lunch... making my suggestion of Bidgoods. It was worth the early wake up and trip to a place half as warm as where I left. There'll be plenty of time for sleeping in and lazing about in thirty degee weather.

Yet there's another sacrifice I have made in coming here. Now, with a battered knee leaving me unable to run or jump or twist and turn... where weight is something to be watched closer now than ever before... I've come to the place where it's most easy to put on said weight. Most St. John's trips include a weight gain of a pound a day. Too much food being laid out for the special occasion of my return. An eight day trip could mean eight extra pounds... and with my current knee situation, eight pounds could be as eighty.

So instead of being in Ottawa, eating a tin of beans or a medlay of yougurt, cheese, and crackers to go with a banana. I've come to St. John's... where mom has already purchased the Easter turkey... borrowing from A Christmas Carol... "The one as big as me!" And Sylvia has already promised home made apple pie that'll go nicely with our Boston Cream Pie.

I starve myself in preparation.

So it'll take effort. Smaller portions and thurough chewing. Perhaps I'll be able to return to Ottawa without a larger pant size.

Either way, the risk is worth it... thanks to the reward... of flying over top of monolithic sea stacks... and suggesting a lunch destination to my father.

MONDAY...
— Busy day. Work... lunch across with Melissa.
— After work, off to Future Shop and spending my birthday/Christmas presents from Edena and family. Gift cards with some of my own money get me an iPod Touch and a Playstation 3. Spend the rest of the evening getting the Touch set up.

TUESDAY...
— Work until 1:30... then off to physio. Get the feeling of the first tone of doubt by the physiotherapist today. He asks me, mistakenly, when I’ll get my MRI. And then when we talk about the fact that my healing plateaued a for about a week but then started improving again, he grimaced as if the idea of that plateau is a bad sign. So now it’s time to take the brace off for a bit (it’s off when I’m home anyway) and test the pain factor without it.

WEDNESDAY...
— Wearing down. Day shift tires me out. Funny cause I’m sleeping alright at night. But not so productive during the day. It takes more effort for sure.
— Drinks and food with Laura and Janice and Cara Lea after work. Nice seeing Laura again and nice of them to get me a birthday supper.
— Note... four way stops in excess are dangerous. I drove home where there are several four way stops in a row. But the last one, I only assumed to be a four way... lulled into a false sense... and made an oncoming driving less than happy with my venturing out in front of him. Whew.

THURSDAY...
— Slept in. 45 minutes after the alarm went off, I got up. A rush to work... still get in on time.
— Physio in the afternoon and then the Playstation 3 gets hooked up tonight. Watch some TV.

FRIDAY...
— Warm day. Up to about 28. But I stay in and do laundry and take it easy around the house.

SATURDAY...
— Up early and off to the airport for a 7:00 flight home. Porter Airlines is really good. Nice flights.
— Surprise dad at home, then to Bidgoods for lunch, a drive to and walk around Cape Spear (the knee makes it) and then home for Ches's fish and chips and hanging out in the evening.