Wrapped up another therapeutic session on Saturday. Steve asked if my therapy is "active release". Yes, with a few other techniques worked in. Scott(physical therapist) broke his back years ago and had a technique used on him to make loosen him up. He was interested in learning more about it. He went to school to study it. Then worked with several people around the country to learn different techniques. After 20 years, he came up with a system that is a mix of the things he has found that work.

I had Vivian take a couple pictures. Notice the big knots all over my back.

So it looks like I have quite a ways to go. But...two weeks into it, I certainly can feel a change. Crashing clown bike this last spring really set me back. I was in much worse condition. Just about all flexibility was impeded. It was time to get help.                                                                                                   

Vivian's youngest son, Jon, had his 18th birthday. I was the cake developer for the event. It took a good part of the day, but I successfully made a soccer cake.

Adding up the cake mixes, powdered sugar, etc. The cake would have weighed between 5 and 6 pounds. 

I thought I would throw in a few pictures of my home town's scenery this time.

The top picture. Looking at the bottom of it, you can see my Aunt Dorothy's pasture, home and outbuildings(also some of her neighbors homes). This is looking from north to south across town. Mullan is just out of sight under the mountain I was standing on to take this. (I learned to milk cows in her barn)

The second picture(showing the tamarack/ western larch turned yellow in the fall) is from near the top of lookout pass, on interstate 90, looking west towards Mullan. That is a settling pond from the silver mine you see. You can just barely see a small bit of Mullan beyond it. This view is no more.

In recent years the mine put in a much bigger pond and there has been enough strip logging to destroy it in the eyes of those who loved the area. Idaho has an old law on the books that allows mines to tie up large tracts of land. The idea was to give them the rights to timber to use in the mines. They have shipped in mahogany guides for many, many years. So, even though they never use the timber, they own it. In Idaho, you can completely strip your privately owned land. The mines sell off the land and the logging companies strip it of anything big enough to have any use. 

But they are smart. They leave enough timber standing in the right places that people driving through do not see the stripped areas easily.

Because of this, even if I lived to be a hundred. I will never see the area look as beautiful as it did while I was growing up.

This picture is from out front of the house I grew up in looking east towards lookout pass. The mountain to the immediate left, is the bottom part of the mountain I took the picture of Aunt Dorothy's property from.

The 1967 Ford 4x4 pickup I am getting ready for paint, is setting on the concrete that used to be the floor in the small shop I learned bodywork, painting and engine building in as a kid. Amongst other things. There was always a project. If you look at the top of the picture. You see a couple outbuildings. They were not there until recent years. I grew up right on the edge of the woods. The big difference I see between this and the woods everywhere I go? Here we have vast tracts of land owned by the bureau of land management and the forest service. Also, the land "owned" by the mines is open for use. I grew up with total freedom, on hundreds of miles of forest to run and do as I pleased. Utter freedom. Before strip logging. Lots of roads to ride dirt bikes and four wheel drives. So many good places to hike. Speaking of four wheel drives. I did finish the Ford,

The 1977 Mustang in the background was another project.

Few last pictures of Mullan in winter.

In the pictures above. The Datsun 280z (red) was one of my projects. In the last three, That is one of my Ford Bronco's. It was also a project. Before I hurt my back, I did love fixing up vehicles. I love the challenge of figuring out how to fix just about anything. I cannot remember ever looking at something and thinking it was beyond my abilities. I do remember a learning curve that made me have to do some things twice :-)

                                                                                               

Without thinking, I edited the last post. I figured out the picture part and added a couple things.

Not much to blog about, but I suppose an update won't hurt.

I started a type physical therapy. I had just had a belly-full of the second rate therapists I had seen for so long and was determined to do it all myself. Progress was slow, but still it was progress.
After crashing clown bike early this spring I had quite a set back. Due to my inability to be able to make any more progress beyond where I am and having two people tell me I needed to go see this guy they knew, I am now seeing him. The two people who recommended him were Vivian and Julie(from my meet up group). They have not even met each other and the guy has a great reputation. I can tell you. He is moving things. His name is Scott, he is the proprietor of.  AA Health in myrtle Beach, SC. If curious you can google it.

Got a hewlett Packard android tablet. Should have got one long ago. I just never realized how much better they were for my purposes than the laptop. Now I need to figure out where I can download charts from. Lance? I remember you did this,any thoughts?

Going sailing again tomorrow in Charleston. All about that in the last post. Possibly going to work soon. Has been a trial attempting to get myself healthy enough to return to work. Will share more later but this really is a self esteem issue. I need to know I can do anything I want. Being unable to work is also a pretty good indicator of my ability to function, with any task, because it all hinges on my physical abilities.

Scott thinks he can get me back to 90% of where I was before the injury. I am not sure if I can explain all of this correctly. His methods are a conglomeration of the techniques he has studied. I forget if it was a medical board that has studied his techniques and deemed it a new way of doing things. He is writing a book on it.

So there you have it. The only thing I did not share is a sickness in my immediate family. I am quite concerned for my younger brother. It is quite serious. 'Nuf said.

So my last year in myrtle Beach goes on. I have 600 Christmas lights up in the courtyard already. I know, kind of early, Vivian will not let me put up the 7ft. tall blow up Santa until after thanksgiving.......see!!! I need a job!

I will end up with over 2000 lights when done.

Figured out how to get pictures. Last picture. You know Vivian is a vegetarian? She eats cheese and seafood but otherwise, no meat. When I say we are working on our diet, I don't mean we are ON a diet. We are experimenting with healthier eating. We are looking over the Ayurvedic(India) diet.

You know me! Get a book and look it over. Looks like a lot of rice and vegetables. Also looks like different foods for different body types. My theory is this. Try all kinds of different ways of doing things. When you find what works, adopt it as a lifestyle.

I had to come back and edit this. Saturday morning the therapist really moved some things that had not been moved in a while. The rest of the weekend I was pretty tender. This morning(Monday) I could tell that a small improvement was made. Not much.....but noticeable. I am quite optimistic. It also looks like I will finish up the winter working. I will share more later. No sense counting chickens before they hatch.

Halloween has come and gone. I think I have watched all the "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" that I need for one year.

I really do not mind the charlie Brown classics since I grew up with them. I didn't get a picture of it but Vivian and I went to the first half of the "Young Frankenstein" musical. Her oldest son had talked her into buying tickets as they do a once a year "fun" thing. He skipped(I think his first girlfriend has something to do with it) So I went. Half a show was plenty. I like the movie but the musical was not especially endearing for me.

We also went sailing in Charleston Harbor with a Gal(Babs) who was doing a site on meetup. It was a nice way to get a look at Charleston Harbor and get Vivian out on a different boat.

She did great keeping the 33 foot sailboat into the wind properly. Looks kind of natural there(A line off Cap'n Ron, a kurt Russel movie)

I think this was an advertisement photo she had on the site. Boat was a 1977 and did not look as new as in picture. It was a nice boat. Got to learn a bit about sloop rigging. The sailing was not very productive in Winyah Bay this summer with Mary Lee. Water is too shallow and channel is too narrow. When done with interior work Mary Lee will be going to Charleston. Will get a lot of sailing in next summer. Turns out there is a reason why you do not see many sailboats in Winyah Bay :-)

I mentioned the meetup site. I am also going to a metaphysical meetup. I have gone twice and find it liberating to be able to discuss things I think and experience with like-minded people. It was a nice group of people each time. There was one other guy the first time. I was the only guy the last time in a group of about 15 to 16.(I never counted) More on that later.

A lot of things have happened in my life. The last decade was a real life changer with the last few years being the positive side of that. I would have liked to have been in Florida this winter but I have one last year of getting ready for the trip. Next fall I will be sailing down on the outside as apposed to motoring down the intra-coastal waterway. (It is why I bought a sailboat)

Turkey day is not even here and already the Christmas stuff is out. What am I saying? It was out before Halloween. I talked Vivian into trying on this hat with the facial hair attached. I would not have thought of it if she hadn't already tried the sock monkey hat

Of course I got this picture off Steve and Linda's Blog. They are the boaters I met in Baltimore my first summer. They currently spend summers on Guppy in Canada and winters on Yesterday's Dream in the keys. They have a daughter working on the set of "Big Bang Theory".

I had hoped to join them in Marathon this winter but my time in Myrtle beach is not over yet. If you have followed the blog then you know the reason.

I bought an android tablet finally. A hewlett Packard 10 inch off HSN. It was a good deal. It took a week to get here. Finally arrived. The back was off  in the package and a small part, I assume was one of the cameras, was laying loose in the bag. I never even got a picture. In about a half hour it was back at UPS for the return trip. Maybe next week I will get an android tablet?

Last, but certainly not least. I ordered everything I need to do the P90X home exercise program. Funny how many times I have been told how difficult it is and I should not undertake something like this with my back. If I listened to every ones advice, I would still be laying in a hospital bed in Idaho waiting to die. I will do this 90 day program the best I can.
   I do best when I am in better shape. I will keep trying until I am successful. I want to start out early this spring in good shape. I am sort of following the south beach diet with Vivian. I still like foods that I should not be eating. I am trying, but time will tell. :-)   I guess the fact that she has me eating a lot healthier is a pretty good sign. I like healthy foods, I understand why we need them. I just have this love of eating about anything that I think I can digest.

It has started to cool down finally. Fall is here. Halloween is around the corner. Vivian has one of those ghosts with a blower that fills it up. It is now going in the courtyard

And of course....It's the Great pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Vivian's favorite scene.

Spent the last weekend on Mary Lee. Watched about a 4 foot alligator doing the "mess around" by the dock.

Not even big enough to eat :-)

But the big news is that I have started the changes inside Mary Lee.

The starboard settee (left side of above picture for those unfamiliar with boat terminology) is going to be a booth. I must have a table to sit at when eating.

I got most of the settee and ruined water tank pulled out. I know exactly what I will be doing. I saw a sister ship to Mary Lee with the settee converted to a booth and it looked great. I also have several books on boat building and refitting. I am quite confident it will be done correctly.

The port side settee is already converted to a queen size bed....well...on one end, possibly just under a full size on the other end. I have finally figured out how to make it what we want. It will still be able to be a couch but a deep couch with pillows on the back. Also, if you notice the above picture shows the port side settee out where it will be when done. It is pulled out about 18 inches from where it was as a settee. I will be closing in that space underneath. It is 16 inches tall. 18 inches deep and 77 inches long. More places to store things.
 I will not be adding much more weight as it is kind of a trade. I take out and I build back in.

The longest seat in the booth will have a water tank added. There is a 40 gallon tank under the port settee but the 40 gallon tank under the starboard settee was cut out by a previous owner for storage. I am hoping to have room for at least a 30 gallon. I may end up putting a tank under the other seat later. We will see how it goes as the work is completed.

It has taken a while to figure out the best way to set Mary Lee up as a live-aboard. Usually things go together quickly once I am happy with what I want to do. As I mentioned last post. Vivian and I will be spending much time on Mary Lee. It needs to be an accommodating vessel, not a set up more conducive to weekend camping expeditions. There is almost nothing for storage, the seating is horrible and I am not going to be crawling in and out of the v-berth to sleep. I have a hard time believing I never thought of these things more before shopping for a boat. I am now!! :-)

So this winter is going to be refit winter. Finishing the upgrades in the house and starting my new hobby. I have just found lasts for shoe making. I have a very hard time finding shoes that fit correctly. I have spent a lot of money over the years on shoes that seem okay until I have worn them a couple weeks. They bother my feet and get thrown out while still mostly new. Enough. I can make my own. Besides, I already own most of the tools for working leather.
 Besides. Once I have what I need, I will not be spending near the money on shoes. I will be surprised if there is $30 worth of material in a pair of shoes. Until I figure it out, the shoes will be much more affordable to throw away. Once I figure it out. I get to actually wear out a pair.
Will begin sewing new canvas next summer. Still figuring out exactly what I want to do with it.

Last on the list. I have a box of oil paints and brushes that I want to get working with. I have a lot of years of art classes behind me. I intend to do something with them.

Alright....I guess it just looks like I am trading one set of projects for another.

I cannot help it.

 I try to have less going but my brain requires action on my bodies part. My body may hurt, but it is my brain that will drive me crazy if I am not keeping my body busy with new challenges.

THAT is why working was so important to me. Not routine. Routine is mundane and not acceptable. I chose a challenging lifestyle a long time ago when my peers were choosing a SAFE way of life.

I realize that slowing down because of  injury and age is expected. I am just stubborn.

50 years old!!! I saw it coming, knew it was not much different than 49, yet here I am contemplating where I have been and what comes next. Had a huge steak dinner and watched "The Hobbit" in 3D with Vivian. Vivian is teaching an online class along with her job so is quite busy. I offered to bake my cake and she wouldn't let me. I truly do not mind helping. She opted for buying an ice cream cake. I do like ice cream.

Vivian got me a good bottle of rum for my birthday to go along with the aforementioned movie. It was a very nice evening. We do fit well together.

I think the last drink I had was with Steve and Linda last year as they headed south on Yesterday's Dream.     Turns out I still finish off about half a bottle in 4 drinks without catching a noticeable buzz. I wonder if the strong pain pills I was on for so long have something to do with that.
  Whatever....I still enjoy a nice rum. The magazine was the last of a subscription I got for my 49th birthday from Vivian.

Vivian took me to the "TOURIST" part of town before my birthday to have a look. We went to the Gay Dolphin(gift shop) and rode the skywheel. It was interesting seeing touristville but it was after the season so was not crowded.

Got this picture online.

 Vivian bought me a piece of cystine for my collection

 Looking north and south from skywheel

The rest were taken by Vivian. Finished up with an ice cream cone and by then my back hurt enough I needed to be somewhere else. I made the mistake of wearing jeans. Jeans are too binding for me. It hurts my back to move around in them. Bending, whatever. Just part of my life.

  So as I type this 5 days after the big birthday. The foremost thought is about the decade that was pretty much lost to a back injury. It should have been my most productive years and set me up well for my 50's and 60's. No sense crying over spilled milk. Vivian has asked me why I am not angry about it all. Should I be? I had a stretch in there where being mad was the only emotion I could muster. Intense pain does not make you feel giddy. I never had much to smile about.
  I remember a short time after getting hurt where I almost panicked about the level of pain and knowing it may not ever go away. I could feel myself losing it and pulled myself back from the edge.

 I never allowed myself to go there again.

I was single for so many years before I got hurt that I was truly my own  center. Self centered? Good chance of that. I cared what happened to others but I moved around a lot so I had mostly strangers in my daily life for the lions share of 20 years. Being hurt like I was forced me to live with myself and be truly alone for the first time in my life. I came out of it with a deeper sense of caring for others than I had ever known. I also realize that I do not have time for pretentious behavior. I am who I am. I like and dislike for my own reasons. I truly do not care what path others may walk, I walk my own.

I have always leaned this way. I am still true to myself, but lots of time in pain and solitude with the only activity I could really enjoy being deep thought, really brought who I am into sharp focus.

  So what does this contemplation have to do with Mary Lee and my future??? Why ask me? Just kidding!  My future is wide open. The boating is coming. Working? I am confident I will find the right path. I am happier now than I have been in a long time.

All the projects? I realize I need to streamline and quit spreading myself so thin. That is going to be my main focus for the coming year. Yet, even as I think it. I have upgrades to do for Vivian and Mary Lee. Vivian does not require them but her home is in an area that is really building fast. People would rather buy brand new instead of pay the same price for used. Upgrades will make the difference when she gets ready to sell. There is a year or so until that point and anything can happen. I will do what I can. Mary Lee's upgrades are fairly straight-forward. I know what I am going to do and how. Figuring that out was the hard part.

Last but not least.

I finally get to use my cuckoo clock again. In over a week it has not lost any time. It did take a few days to adjust it. I understand most people are not as anal about adjusting the pendulum as I am and just accept the fact that their clock does not keep time well. This is the large size cuckoo clock. When I took it in to get it cleaned, I was told it was easily a hundred years old. We are enjoying it.

Not a lot of pictures to go along with the post this time. Have been sorting through the storage stuff. I am amazed sometimes at all the things I sold for next to nothing, if not just outright giving it away. I really had a lot of nice things at one time. However, I am not missing all the home furnishings. It was and always will be just stuff.
  What I am doing is enjoying the fact that I did what I did to force a change. I know people back home think getting rid of everything and buying a sailboat on the other side of the country was crazy. Maybe?? What I know for a fact, is that doing it was the best thing I could have ever done for my recovery. If I had not done it, there is every possibility that I would still be laying in a recliner with nothing to look forward to. All I really had was a bucket full of willpower.

 Why do I have this on my mind? This past week has been another landmark in my recovery. I mentioned, several times, the exhaustion I felt every waking moment. The sheer fatigue in my legs. It has been a very miserable stretch that was with me for quite some time before I even bought Mary Lee. Every thing I did, even just getting up to get a glass of water, was so very difficult. I literally had to force myself to move. Throw in the excessive amounts of pain and miserable is the kindest descriptor I can think of.

  That first summer working on Mary Lee was just insane. I would drink an energy shot and take a pain pill, then as they kicked in I would force myself to move. When the pain got bad enough, I would do it again. The winter in Montana was exactly the same. I tried everything I could think of. I used supplements, even got into sprouting while trying to figure out where all the fatigue was coming from. I gave much thought to nutrition and its role. I know a lot of what was going on with my legs was caused by my back muscles spasming and likely pinching nerves. That, however did not explain all of it.

 So here I am with a good start on my fourth year of owning Mary Lee. Just this last week I am noticing a much lower amount of fatigue. I know it sounds like a small thing, but I assure you, it most definitely is a big thing for me. I actually get up in the morning and feel like moving.  "WOW" what a change.

  What do I owe the change to? Well certainly never giving up. But I think it is a combination of Vivian making sure I am eating better, good vitamin and mineral supplements,  and the muscles in my back getting stronger(exercise). Let's not forget a year and a half since I forced myself off pain meds. All this has led to finally figuring out how to get more sleep. Still not enough, but better.
   I just keep moving no matter what.

  So it is a very big deal. I know I am not there yet, but, I now know that I will get there. That, my friends, is what all the sacrifice was about. I turn 50 on September 25th. I do so knowing that all is not lost and my best is yet to come. Beat that!

  Vivian has been so wonderful through the part she has shared with me. Fate smiled on me when we met.

  So.....Where does this lead? OOOOHHHH.....the adventures with Mary Lee have not even really started yet. I am back in the gym for the winter. I will start off next spring on a roll instead of recovering enough to get going. I have a partner in this. Yes, if you guessed that Vivian is going boating you are correct. Her youngest son is in his senior year of high school then off to college. A move to Florida is in the near future. Much better sailing grounds for Mary Lee. All the particulars have not been ironed out but we will be spending time in the Islands getting used to the idea. All very exciting stuff. Now you know why a bunch of the "quality of living" upgrades to Mary Lee are needed.
  Vivian and I have been together well over a year now. Disagreements are very rare and inconsequential, we "fit". Our beliefs are so similar it defies logic. Who would ever believe a mountain man from a small town and a city gal, who have lived such different lifestyles, would be so alike?

 For now...I have just one picture of what I have been up to.

First brake job since getting hurt. It hurts my back to do it, but I won't let Vivian pay for a brake job when I have the tools and know how. It takes longer to get the tools and jack out than it does to put in new brake pads.
  This next week I will finish sorting through stuff and putting what I am keeping into a much smaller storage unit. We need the garage back.
  Not parting with any more tools. I am lamenting the loss of welder and torches along with some of the grinders, buffers, compressor....well, the list is long. I will part with no other tools.

 I have a saying. A man with no tools is at the mercy of the man with tools when he needs something done. With tools there is nothing I won't attempt to build or fix. Throw in a couple books and I think I can do an acceptable job on anything within reason. If I cannot, I will tear it apart and do it better the next time ;-)