Gratitude Monday: Getting around

Big one today: driving achieved!

This was a huge milestone for someone from LA; being unable to get around via automobile (with emphasis on the “auto”) is an Angeleño’s worst nightmare. In fact, whenever I’m under stress for a period of time, I start having dreams about being unable to find my car, crashing my car, having my car be stolen.

(In the run-up to surgery, I dreamt every night for more than a week about car-catastrophes. In one of them I drove into a swamp. These are genuine nightmares.)

But I had a notice from the local library that a book I’d put on hold (I was about number 235 on the list when I placed the hold) was available. So I marched carefully to my car, got in, fired up the engine in 18-degree weather (God bless Swedish engineering), engaged the clutch and took off.

Everything worked as designed. No pain, able to move from accelerator to brake, pressure through knee fine. The worst part was getting out of the driver’s seat. Guy in the Honda who wanted to pull up next to me in the library lot had to wait while I carefully lifted the leg out and got everything aligned for real automotion.

That trip to the library was Liberty Leading the People—I can get myself to appointments without bothering friends or fighting with Anthem about paying for Uber. I can grocery shop (the new Wegmans is across the street from my PT!). I can go into the office to use the high-speed color printer and pick up some fresh fruit.

I can live my best fourth-generation Californian life.

Mega thanks for that.