It's the little things

News flash: Yesterday I tripped and almost fell but didn't.

This might seem like a post about nothing, along the lines of "Seinfeld" being a show about nothing. But when you have a weakness, i.e. "I almost (fill in the blank) but then it passed," you can be thankful for that small accomplishment.

I walked Maddie twice around the lake to get some extra exercise yesterday, taking a different route back to stop at the ATM. When I stepped off the curb, my foot caught in a crack in the pavement, my ankle twisted a little, and I felt like I might lose my balance just as a car approached. I jumped back onto the sidewalk, and feeling a little wobbly, regained my balance back and walked back home.

Whew. Of course Joe would say I shouldn't be almost falling and that I should look where I'm going, which is true, but I was glad that at least I could stop the fall.

I tried jogging a little the other day, but since I had the dog with me, it wasn't a good gauge because I was concentrating more on her than on myself. I will have to try it again without her, but I am having trouble with the idea of "getting back on the horse," applying in my case both to running and biking. My bike remains in quarantine at Rook's house, and I think that when he brings it back I shouldn't try again until the spring. But it wouldn't hurt to give running a try, except that have fear of falling.

Tennis is working out better. I went to George's outside clinic Wednesday, and since I was the only one who showed up, I got a private for the price of a group lesson. We hit a lot of balls, and George said  my strokes were the best he's seen in a long time. I brought up my father's comment that you shouldn't kid yourself about how good you are when you're hitting with the pro. George said that still, it takes some doing to hit the ball back so many times.

I said it must have been all that lying on the couch. Either that or the hand grips I used, one upstairs and one downstairs. George said that could have kept my arm strong.

"When you're sidelined, there's usually some little thing you can do even if you're not moving around," he said.

Words of wisdom from a tennis pro and something to think of if you're laid up. Just do a little something, whatever you can do, and it's better than nothing.