It would be hard to avoid it, honestly. And I do want to catch an Acela, I think that's the end of the line for that route

Timelies all!

Today has been a day. Barada and Nikto had appointments scheduled for the annual checkup and shots. We had a great deal of difficulty catching them to put them in their carriers. Eventually we got Barada into her carrier, but not Nikto. I now have several new punctures on my hands from Nikto. I took Barada to the vet, where she got a clean bill of health, and got her claws trimmed as well. She has since forgiven me. Last time I saw Nikto, she was still hissing at me and her sister. The vet gave me some gabapentin to mix into some of her wet food to see if that will calm her down enough to get her to the vet.

That was the morning. After lunch I went to the supermarket while Gary and Mr. S went to Gary's dad's place. Gary's aunt has been in town this week to help with decluttering. We met up for an early dinner.(The Bills were playing at 4:30-Gary's dad grew up there, so he's a fan)

I had a pleasant surprise this morning. I went out on my little balcony a few minutes ago to put out the daily ration of sunflower seeds. While I was doing that, five bluebirds and three bluejays flew in to the nearest tree and perched there, waiting for me to get clear so that they could have breakfast. They have learned my routine.

Ooh, very cool, dcp! Friend to birds

Somebody just said they missed me from a commitee I haven't been on in honest-to-god a year and a half. Kind of the compliment that's not, that one. (But I don't really deserve one there. It doesn't fit my schedule AND I'm not good at it. But in a pinch I write things or break ties...maybe that's leaving a little *too* graciously. She meant it nicely and she's pretty on top of things,generally, but there goes "Wow< I hope I'm like that when I'm her age."

The steroid shot in my hip joint is definitely helping, but I also learned today that I can do 15 minutes on the stationary bike with zero pain (yay!), but I cannot walk into the grocery store, walk all the way to the dairy section in the back, with a stop in the frozen aisle, and walk back out without pain. So that's interesting data to have. Biking = fine; walking longer than from the living room to the bedroom = still owie. What the hell, hip?

Bodies are such bullshit. But steroids are pretty cool.

Because on the bike you don’t have that impact of foot to ground? That’s why ellipticals are supposed to be easier on your joints than treadmills, right? Bummer that grocery shopping hurts, whatever the reason.

Because on the bike you don’t have that impact of foot to ground?

That makes perfect sense! So now I shake my tiny fist at gravity.

The awesome ortho PA told me (and later I checked, and studies back this up) that every 1 pound of body weight lost reduces about 4-6 pounds of pressure on the hips. That's wild, but again, it's gravity, man.

That makes perfect sense!

It does but it's still wild what hurts and what doesn't. For me, biking has been bad since I hit a two-digit age.

Yeah I would assume biking is more range of motion and walking involves more actual weight bearing? Sorry it still hurts though hopefully in another day or two the steroids will kick in even more??

I went to a Heated Rivalry dance party tonight. They played songs and showed videos. It was not QUITE as much straight up edits from TikTok that I’d hoped (there were big stretches of the original music videos to songs, then the like 30 second edit) but still lots of fun. Past my bedtime now and I’m cursing myself for forgetting earplugs.