It’s been more than a year since I fell hiking and broke my fibula. I remember post surgery, while I was struggling with my walker and wearing a boot, I would write my morning pages (from Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way”) out by the pool, with my coffee and water. It was a highlight of those tough days — quiet time outside, listening to birds in the fresh air and sunshine.
It occurred to me over the weekend that I can still enjoy those mornings outside writing my morning pages. Here’s to more time outside in nature!
This is my sad ankle. I had a one-year checkup and x-ray. No wonder my ankle feels a little stiff. I’m doing my PT exercises to keep it moving.
I pulled out my old canvas ballet slippers and thought I should go back to tendus and pliés. I used to take ballet four days a week as an adult in Palm Springs. I began at age five until fifth or sixth grade when I got my first pointe shoes. I loved it, but a shoe fell out of my bag and was lost. My mom said, “You obviously aren’t interested anymore.” And that was that. I was supposed to be taking a minimum of classes three days a week or more. Mom was driving me to Bellevue which was 40 minutes away from home. I think she was tired of the commitment — especially if she thought I wasn’t interested.
As soon as I was at the University of Washington, I enrolled in ballet. I continued until my unfortunate accident when I was a pedestrian hit by a pick up truck. Then I picked it up again as an adult before kids and continued into my 50s until my ballet class ended and I couldn’t find another one in the area for adults.
I realized I could do this on my own. I can follow Youtube videos or make my own barre routine. Then, if I’m feeling motivated, I can go to the gym for barre class also. It’s plan!
Red in the morning light visiting his flamingo friend.
What little things do you enjoy that improve your daily life?
Drink tea and do nothing else for ten minutes, wordle, walk the dog., text my friends.
Sounds good to me!
Good luck, dancing en pointe. En pointe looks more painful to me than breaking one’s fibula. So, you’ve been hit by a pickup truck, also? Ouch! You’ve been through a lot. I’m surprised you’re still standing.
I’m not going en pointe. Those days are way behind me. I am working at standing in ballet slippers and doing a few exercises!
The pickup up truck accident was awful. It was going 35 mph and I ended up smashing the windshield and being on the side of the road with tires going by my head. That was a long recovery.
Wow, that certainly sounds awful. You’re lucky to be alive.
I really am! It sure gave me an attitude adjustment. I was in college and I had all these worries that were about nothing. I realized walking would be amazing.
So, it seems you got something of an education from the college of hard knocks.
Yep! 100 percent.
I’m so sad that ballet has been taken away from you several times in your life, E.A. It’s inspiring that you keep finding your way back. It is to me the most beautiful of the performing arts. You are truly a trouper! 💞🩰
Thanks Lori. I’m surprised this time around how little I can do. I’m starting slow and enjoy the few barre exercises I’m starting with.
It’s wonderful that you’ve begun again, E.A! It’s progress to even begin. Glad you’re getting enjoyment out of it again. 🫶
Thanks! It’s so true that if you don’t use it, you lose it!
Make sure I walk at least 5 mornings per week, find time to read, pet the dogs, keep plucking dead things out of the garden, have morning coffee and/or lunch outside now that my CO allergies have lessened a bit, cloud watch during our afternoon thunderstorms, try to connect with the grands at least once every day…
Have fun with your ballet work. You have a beautiful setting if you can do it outside. Maybe Red will want to join in 🙂
I love your schedule. Besides the dogs, that’s what I try to do. Right now I’m hanging onto the kitchen counter as my barre. That’s a great idea to eventually get outside with Red for me tendus. He’s been so friendly lately. I haven’t seen the fledglings in a few days. I wonder if they left the nest for good?
Hopefully the new fledglings will stay close by and you can watch the families grow from year to year!
I hope so! The quail stay together, but I’m not sure about cardinals.
I took ballet growing up. For a small town, we had a lot going on! And then sometimes as an adult in places. Now, I garden and am pretty careful as my right hip is still being replaced in 6 months or so. I just find it is easily antagonized, so I do gently weeding and small walks with the pug.
I also find authors I like to read, and I find taking care of the little details helps me in the long run. I still like baking keto and making good food just on a lot less of a scale. We eat a lot less. Appetites are much smaller.
Our appetites are so much smaller too. We cooked a big Father’s Day dinner and it barely got touched. We have a lot of leftovers!
I know! Sometimes it is easier to order out a little.
True. We have a grocery store that prepares lunch and dinner for take out. They have three or four entrees with many sides every day. That is so easy.
You’re so smart to take it easy and to look out for your upcoming hip replacement. My sister-in-law had two hip replacements and it went really well. My husband is having much more trouble with his knee replacement.
Yes, I understand. My cousin who was always so athletic is on her second replacement. I hope it improves for your husband. Mike is always telling me now, ‘Take it easy’ as I got frustrated with not going to the nice gym!
I love read about your history with ballet, though it’s awful it’s been snatched away so many times. It sounds like a fun hobby to take up again! Like you, I find time outdoor to be the best way to start the day.
I had a beautiful morning today. We went for a walk and I did my three pages out by the pool. Now I’m motivated to do my ballet and then kick a few laps in the pool! I loved ballet and was never that good but it was a great way to stay in shape. I had some great instructors in Palm Springs and at the UW. My instructor in college was the one I had at the Bellevue Ballet School as a child! Elyssa Guardino who was married to actor Harry was my instructor in Palm Springs. She met Harry Guardino on Broadway in Woman of the Year and was cast as the dancer who he ran away with leaving Lauren Bacall. That’s exactly what happened in real life to them! We became good friends along with the other dancers.
Sorry your ballet classes got cut short, but how awesome that you started them up again as an adult. Inspiring and sorry they got cut short again, but you didn’t let that stop you. You go, girl! I know I would be tripping over myself, not graceful at all. LOL!
Take care of that ankle, and hopefully no more surgeries anytime soon!
Writing each day is something I enjoy and reading of course. Coffee out with a friend and video chatting with my son, though not every day, are big things that bring joy to my day! <3
I realize I’m very limited in what I can do ballet wise. I tried a Youtube beginning class this morning and basic things hurt! I’ll take it easy and improvise. Those sound like great things to bring joy to your day.
Yes, don’t hurt yourself! But hopefully you can find a way to improvise and still enjoy it. It is always good for us to keep moving as we age gracefully 🙂
Unfortunately, the two things I love to do, reading and writing, are very sedentary things. LOL! But I do make sure to walk each day and have strength and balance exercises I do a couple times a week.
It’s not my ankle this time, it’s my toes on my left foot. I had surgery at the end of January and ballet was very painful. I still think I can benefit from the little bit I can do, working on my core and my posture. I lost so much this past year with two surgeries — left ankle and right foot. I really need to work on it to not lose more! I love writing and reading too.
One step at a time, you will get there! 🙂
Thanks! I hope so…
😊
One of my best friends called me today. She rides her bike 50 to 80 miles every few days. She lives in Santa Barbara and crashed her bike Thursday morning. Paramedics and ambulance took her to the hospital. She had emergency surgery with a rod (like my ankle one) and four pins putting her hip back together. She’s home now. You never know what might happen! Although I don’t enter bicycle races like she does.
Wow! I can’t imagine riding that far every day.
So sorry about her accident! 🙏
You are so right, you never know! Cherish each day!
She’s so physically active and fit it was a shock to have her call me today with the news. But cycling can be dangerous and you never know what can happen.
Unfortunately accidents can happen no matter how fit or careful you are, sometimes.
So true! I know from experience.
No wonder your ankle feels stiff! Love your commitment to ballet throughout your life, Elizabeth! And the early mornings outside? They sound perfect!
Thanks! I just tried a beginning adult ballet class on Youtube. Unfortunately, my foot that I had surgery on at the end of January didn’t like it! I am doing what I can do without being in pain. The morning outside with a walk, morning pages and coffee and then kicking laps in the pool was amazing!
A year ago? Really Oh my goodness. I love how you bring the inspiration…”stuff” happens but we keep moving, one way or another! Monday hugs! 💝😊💝
Exactly. I was shocked at how I can barely move ballet wise. But I can start and build from my humble beginnings.
Yes, you can! I know you can! 💝💝💝
Thank you! I’ll work on it slow and steady! 💕
❤️❤️❤️
🥰
Has it really been a year? Hope you’re still not having residual pain.
Thanks! I don’t have pain, just stiffness. I’m making sure to do my PT exercises like bands. I had bunion surgery on my left foot at the end of January. That’s what hurts! I also smashed two toes when we spent a week in a hotel visiting our kids and taking care of my son post surgery. It’s a beautiful hotel, but very small room. I smashed my toes on the nightstand walking into the bathroom! They still hurt, too.
I have bunions on both feet. One is really painful but I’ve heard nothing but horror stories about the surgery so I’m avoiding it as long as I can.
🥴
I avoided it too. Mine was keeping me up at night and I could only wear flip flops and tennis shoes with a hole cut in the side. But I’m not sure if it’s better now. Definitely no with ballet.
I’m down to sneakers, boots and flip flops too. Don’t have to cut holes yet, but I did buy shoe stretchers with bunion clips. That helps.
I’m not sure I’d do that surgery again. There’s not a big improvement to it.
That’s what I’ve heard. Painful surgery, long painful recovery, very little benefit. To which I’m thinking… then why bother?
Maybe some people have big improvement? It didn’t hurt in recovery in February as much as it does now…The ankle was emergency surgery and had to be done. I’m doing better with it than the foot.
I’ve talked to scores of people about it and 99% tell me not to do it. Quite a few showed me some pretty horrible disfigurement. That’s enough for me to say no thanks.
😳
If I could go back in time, I’d do the same!
That X-ray is tough to look at, and it must have been a painful recovery. Ballet looks like a great way to exercise. Maybe you can use what you learned and try Jazzercise or Zumba classes to mix things up a bit.
I did Jazzercise with friends years ago in Palm Springs, also. It was fun. I’m doing a few ballet barre exercises at my kitchen counter with beginning Youtubes for adults. My left foot that I had surgery on in January isn’t feeling good about it. So, I have to make allowances and do what I can do.
The ankle was a surprise. I thought it was a sprain and I had a doctor’s appointment scheduled for another issue. I got an X-ray at the doctor’s demand and found out it was broken.
Wow, well, take it easy then. When I broke my elbow, it took me a long time before I could do push-ups again.
I’m sorry you broke your elbow. That sounds painful!
It was, especially since I didn’t know about it. I went to the ER because I fell and hit my head on the ground, leaving a bloody gash right over my right eye. When I tried to pull out my wallet to get my ID, I couldn’t do it. That’s when the nurse told me not to move my arm because something was probably broken. Yep, she was right, the X-ray showed the broken elbow.
Wow. That’s an awful story. It’s good you went in to get the gash over your eye treated. Just like I thought I sprained my ankle and was walking on it for a few days. I was avoiding two snarling dogs on a hiking trail, even though they were on leash. I walked up a bank to avoid them and the bank slid under me and I went down.
Terrible! That’s why when we walk our dog and there are people coming, we always get out of the way. Sometimes we even stop to let them pass before we keep going.
Thank you for doing that. This was man sitting a few feet off the trail fishing in a lake with his dogs on leash standing on the trail.
That’s not good, and in a way irresponsible.
I sure think so!
The crazy things we do to our bodies. Anything that gives us more flexibility, mobility, and calm …. is a good thing. Ha, ha. Thank goodness it’s in the past!!!!
I tried to follow a Youtube ballet class for beginning adults hanging onto the kitchen counter. Wow. How impossible it was after the first five minutes. It’s going to take me awhile with my bad ankle and foot to do much. I can’t believe how much flexibility I’ve lost in one year. But the little bit I did felt good.