"It's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse." On first reading, I thought it said, "It's hard to lead a canary charge..."

Should I care how a tennis player wears his hair? Apparently the news people think I should care, but I don't.

Is there something wrong with me?

or thereabouts. Some days I would be happy to write something, but do you really WANT to know that the health department doesn't need to come out since I finally cleaned the refrigerator??? I didn't think so.

Fridays have taken on a new and welcome significance since Jimmy and I began working out at the hospital fitness center, Monday through Friday. I love Fridays! Friday means that Saturday I don't have to wake up at 5:30! Friday means that Saturday I don't have to do the exercises that make my thighs burn! Friday means that Saturday I can start the day off cool, rather than sweaty! Yes indeedy. I do love Fridays.

Of course, you may feel free to lecture me about how important being physically active is to my longevity.

And you may also scold me for not recognizing that seeing the sun come up is a pleasure blind people cannot partake.

You may also make me feel guilty by reminding me that there are footless people who would dearly love to be able to spend 30 minutes on a treadmill as it gradually increases in slope.

So go ahead.

But tomorrow is still Friday!

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Saturday: Just for the record, Happy Friday I did get up at 5:30 to report for duty at the fitness center. But somewhere between the truck and the building (a distance of approximately 25 feet), my back went out. In my hip (if you have back trouble, you know what I mean). I hobbled on into the building and began my work-out, thinking a few slow minutes on the treadmill might loosen things up and the muscle spasms would recede. No such luck. So I got off the machine and started looking for someplace to get on the floor and do some stretching exercises. Do you know how hard it is to find an appropriate place to get on the floor at a fitness center without 1)tripping someone, 2)losing all semblance of dignity, or 3)getting stepped on? Believe me. It's hard.

So I went to the ladies dressing room, which contains showers, bathroom stalls, lockers, benches, and carpet. The carpet part was the most important.

Easing my way down (if you have back trouble, you know what I mean) onto the carpeted area of the floor, I began stretching my legs and lower back. That was when I noticed an occupant in one of the stalls. To say something or not to say something? What would she think if she stepped out of the stall and saw me on the floor? Would she think I had collapsed? Suffered a heart attack? Committed something harmful to my person? Would she begin to administer CPR when I was not in need?? So I decided to speak.

Me to the Unknown Person: "Ummm, I just thought I had better let you know I'm on the floor out here. My back went out so I'm doing some stretching exercises on the floor."
Unknown Person: "Oh! Thank you for telling me!!!"

The rest of the day was spent in the company of an ice pack. Twenty minutes on, every hour, works wonders (if you have back trouble, you know what I mean).

a child.

Yesterday one of my piano students (under age 10), presented me with a homemade necklace and a love note.

One day she handed me several coins.

This is a huge improvement over a teenage student I suffered through several years ago (who shall remain nameless but yes, John, he is yours.) He arrived in a horrible mood, played pitifully, and grumbled about everything.

When I asked what was wrong, he said, "I don't want to be here." I asked if his mother knew.

Sighing loudly, he said, "Yes, she knows. She says I have to finish the book."

ATTENTION:
If your child is involved in an extracurricular activity which they despise, keep in mind that insisting he or she stay with it until they reach a certain page is not only torturing them, but the TEACHER, as well.

I have a ways to go.

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For the curious among us, it's a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. That means it's a tablet with a 7 inch screen. Josh and Lisa gave it to me for my birthday! I feel both excited and exceedingly ignorant.

But I'm learning!