Betwixt and between

The other day I went to pick up a prescription at our pharmacy in the Big Y supermarket. It didn't look crowded, so I didn't put my mask on. My white count has been steadily good – 6.9 at last week's visit – and I'm eight months out, so sometimes I make a judgment call on the mask.

I've had a zillion prescriptions filled at that pharmacy. Clare, the friendly pharmacy assistant who knows all about my history, said, "It's great to see you with your mask off." Then, she looked at me sternly and said, "Now put it back on. You have to be careful of Swine Flu and all the other things going around."

"Okaaaaay," I said. She watched me put it on and kept her eye on me as I went down an aisle to pick up a few things.

I am betwixt and between.

On Thursday, I went to look at a college with Katie. I try to keep up with the tour guides, but this one was exceptionally energetic. I had to push myself, but I did keep up. We went up stairs, down stairs, in buildings, out of buildings at a decent clip. I was wearing a knit hat, and it was hard to put the mask on with the hat on. So every time we entered a building, it was hat off, mask on. Then mask off, hat on. I held tightly onto railings, applying hand sanitizer after every exit. I thought the other visitors would look at me strangely, but they didn't. It's probably not that uncommon to see people wearing a mask these days.

I was happy to sit on a couch at the admissions center (very empty, no mask) while Katie had her interviewl. I'm supposed to do my physical therapy exercises twice a day, but I figured that the tour could take the place of one set of exercises.

I learned that there was no Starbucks nearby, which is too bad because I judge the colleges partially on their proximity to a Starbucks. Also high on my list: visibility of roadside signs directing you to the school. It's a relief to put down your directions and just follow the signs. (Only kidding, sort of.) Anyway, on the way home Thursday, I knew that Katie would sleep and that I would get tired. I had a feeling for where the Starbucks was in the next town, so I set out looking for it. Of course I got lost, and the detour cost us about 20 minutes. Still, I got my strong coffee.

The physical therapist came shortly after we got home. "Uh, the dog ate my homework," I said. "I was at the clinic in Boston all day Tuesday and away looking at a school today so I didn't do as much as I could have." He didn't seem to care. We went through my exercises and added some new ones. I had my yoga mat on the living room floor, and Maddie came and lay down next to me with her stuffed green teddy bear.

Walking the dog in the rain, which is on my list of things to do today, is much more appealing that doing the exercises. But if I want to walk without wobbling and get my strength back to where I can run, I better do them.