The Day After

I am thrilled that our book release party is behind us. And I am ecstatic that it went so well and felt like such an uplifting experience for everyone. People were smiling as they visited with one another and tasted the food that we brought. Then they listened attentively as we read from our new book. We sold books and signed them for our friends. I mean, it went great !!!

However, as we were packing up and loading out after the party I made a wrong move and pulled a muscle in my low back. Oh yeah, I could feel it every time I engaged the clutch as I headed east. Once at home I managed to unload my car, change into something comfortable, throw down a couple of Tylenols, and laid back on the couch with an ice pack strapped to my low back. Done. I was done for this wonderful day.

The next morning I got out of bed, still in a lot of pain. Back to the couch with the ice pack to watch Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. He put on a good show as usual. I had things planned for Sunday, but one by one I excused myself from each chore. I rarely lay on the couch and watch TV all day, but the Hallmark channel was on and corny holiday movies followed one right after the other.

I started feeling a little bit better later in the afternoon and went outside when the temperature hit 47* to see my horse. I tied her lead rope around her neck and rode bareback around one of my small pastures. My idea was to massage my low back with her four legged stride. I am learning to lift my left knee as she moves forward onto her left front leg. This makes my low back relax in a natural curve and sit deeper on her back. Left. Right. Left. Right. Close my eyes, feel the sun, listen to the birds, and lose myself in her rhythm. When she comes to a stop, I gently ask her to back up. I tap her on the neck and she swings her head that direction; I give her a tiny apple flavored treat. She loves them and I love her.

This is all that I need to do this glorious day after.

* annette