Miscellany from the Slower Lane

And then, the next message from my body:  a tooth had to be removed.  No pain, only new space and the promise of a "cantilevered" replacement by my excellent dentist.  Now that was a word that brought back memories of places I'd seen in the 1960s.

Influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, architects favored this in homes I saw in New Mexico when I lived there.  Los Alamos had a number of cantilevered balconies over living rooms.

I try to imagine the interior of my mouth with a connection to Wright's famous Fallingwater in Pennsylvania.  There's a misty memory of a visit to it shortly after it was built.  Though I wonder if this is actual memory or the result of seeing many photos, reading descriptions.   

Anyway, those blue-green eggs seem cantilevered here.  There are 12 of them in a bowl in my dentist's kitchen.  Laid by his very own chickens.  How come? In response to my question about what was okay to eat that night, he said something soft.  "Eggs," Ron added, "We have one or two." 

Neil our dentist is also Ron's nephew, lives near his office in Princeton, New Jersey.  "Eggs...I'll give you some."  And that is how I carefully carried back to Manhattan, one dozen freshly laid eggs, scrambled three.  Neil felt more accomplished, I sensed, for moving along the produce than removing my tooth.

Two days later, the cast came off my hand.  I could knit again with two fingers on left hand; the black band is a Velcro tape.  There was great temptation to remove it to knit and type more easily.  A mistake, the hand therapist told me.  She also made a splint to use when I went outside to protect myself in public.  Subway and bus travel, take-out delivery bikes, pedestrian life is pretty dicey these days as reported in this this Sunday's New York Times.

I find myself not wanting to go much of anywhere.  But I had been looking forward to the Take Back the Night March tonight at Barnard College, know how important it is for the wider community of women to join in--my community.  The synchronicity of Ron--who walks more easily daily--also experiencing new limits has an impact too.  Being in our seventies is a change from our sixties.

I needed to develop better balance and lose a little weight, I've started working with a trainer who is a neighbor.  The gym is just one building away from mine but it's hard to get motivated to do the work in between our weekly sessions.  Before my accident, I'd begun visiting the treadmill, got over some of my reluctance to engage with it.  Even though my infirmity is very minor, I feel a shift in self-perception.  Who am I as my body ages?

Comments

[Virginia]

Have you ever tried Tai Chi? It is pretty slow itself, and wonderful for balance, flexibility and weight-bearing gentle movement. It makes a reluctant bunch of muscles and bones feel relaxed and invigorated.

[marianne]

I have a catilevered bridge that I have had for 12 years. It has been really sunstantial and natural looking and feeling. Although I'm looking at replacing it now. Anyway, I loved this post because it is raw and real and everyday feeling. Kind of like how I love laundry hanging on the clothesline. What exactly are you knitting? Feel better.xoxoxmarianne

[vuee]

You must have lived on Barranca Mesa. Townsite was often lucky to have a driveway. When were you in little LA?

Also, ever tried the knitting aids for one-handed folks or those multi-tasking? I have seen a picture of some contraption that fits under the arm.

[Judith Shapiro]

What a lovely post. In so many ways. Beautiful eggs and aging. Thanks.

[sweetea]

Here's hoping your hand keeps healing and that you continue to go with the flow as your body changes. Life is pretty interesting, isn't it?

I will be attending a Northern New England Planned Parenthood event tomorrow, Our Right to Shoes, and will be thinking of you and your wonderful work.