Sunday
Overcast but with spots where the sun peeks through. Rain for a few minutes, then it stops, the sun comes out, then it rains, then it stops, then rains again, then the clouds cover the sun, – all this on a rotating basis throughout the morning.
I took the rebar I purchased yesterday over to the Ahi lot. I cut it into lengths for the remaining columns. I did this in the morning, in the rain.
I picked up two old used tires from the pile of junk vehicles on Ahi road at the “dead end”. I rolled them around and tipped them left and right, and sideways trying to get the stagnant water out of them. When I picked them up to put them on the luggage rack on top of the Ford Escape, I was covered in slime and gunk. As my grand daughter would say, “So it goes!” I used a few other choice words.
I put these tires in the clearing for the septic leach field at the Holowai lot and filled them with mulch, leaves, dirt, red cinders (whatever I could gather up). Then I planted some cantaloupe seeds, carrots, squash into them. Time will tell. I also planted some papaya seeds and some bell pepper seeds into a couple of one gallon pots.
It quit raining in the afternoon (or so I thought) So I went to the Ahi lot and continued grouting the columns. I finished one ans it was barely misting, on and off, so I started on another one. I was almost finished when it started raining quite a bit. so, i finished withn the concrete I had in the wheel barrow and headed up to the car. I grabbed two more tires to use as garden planters and saw an old gutter laying in the branches next to the old cars. I loaded it on top of the car – it is about 16 feet long, and it is all bent up, but I think I can straighten it enough for a temporary fix above the entery door to the shed.
Back at the Holowai lot, I took the gutter off the car and using a concrete block stacked on the deck outside the shed door, I was able to tack the gutter in place with some small nails. It sags a bit in the middle but maybe it will spill out of either end before it overflows. I took the tires off the car and rolled them down next to the other two. It started to sprinkle. Then I went back to the shed and set up the ladder on the porch under the gutter to try to raise the center so it would drain out the ends. Using the cordless drill, I was able to secure both ends with screws. As I was trying to raise the center lf the gutter and screw in a screw to hold it in place, the leg of the ladder slipped off the edge of the porch. The ladder went flying off the porch sideways and I came down onto the porch with a thud! I landed on my hip, banging and scraping my knee in the process.
My hip is really, really sore! It is difficult to move, or raise my right leg, and it hurts. It hurts when I am still, it hurts when I move, it hurts even when I just think! I crawled into the shed and tried to pull myself up onto the bed. That hurt even more! Maybe if I could sit up in a chair instead of laying down in a bed! I rolled over to my side and found my bottle of advil.
Carefully I slithered off the bed and somehow get myself standing in the doorway. Taking little tiny shuffling steps, I was able to get to the top of the block steps going down from the porch. There is no handrail. There are no trees nearby to hang on to. I cannot bend my leg at the knee, or at the hip. There is no way I am going to be able to step down 8″, and if I could, then my leg will simply crumble when I put my weight on it to step to the next one. I have been having stinging pains in my left hip every once in a while, and now my right hip is throbbing! I was worried that either leg would simply collapse if I put all my weight on only one of them, but I had no other choice.
After standing for what seemed to be an eternity (probably only thirty seconds), I was able to shift my weight to my right leg and swing my left one down to the first step. Bending my right knee was a risk of total collapse, but that was my only option! Success! Bending my right knee shifted my weight to my left leg which was on the next step down. It held. Rinse and repeat! Somehow, I was able to slowly maneuver down these stairs to the ground. Once on the ground, I shuffled up the path to the concrete garden steps. These are only 5 1/2″ tall, so I was able to use my left leg to support me on each step going up as I brought my right one up to the same step the left leg was on. One step at a time. Ten times! I felt like I was going to pass out at any moment. Near the top of the steps, is a large branch about 5 1/2 feet off the ground. I almost need to duck to go under it when using the stairs. I have resisted cutting this branch because I think it gives “character” to the pathway and stairs. When I got to it, I grabbed on to it and hung on instead of feinting and collapsing on to the ground in a heap!
After resting while leaning against the branch, my head cleared and I no longer felt like fein ting. I made my way carefully and slowly in much the same way as I had gotten to where I was, up to the gazebo. My chairs have arms. I was able to stand in front of the chair, place my hands on the arms of the chair behind me and slowly lower myself to the seat while stretching my leg out to the front and side.
Sitting like this was a great relief.
Most of the pain was gone.
I sat there for almost an hour, not moving.
It was almost dusk when I got up from the chair using the arms of the chair to support myself and get up. All the while, I was in soaking wet clothes from the rain. Sitting there under the gazebo, my clothes had not gotten any wetter, but they had not gotten dry either. I heated a bowl of chicken soup
It took me almost an hour to make my way back to the shed, partially in the dark, but using the light from the solar lights on the pathway. Clinging to the door frame, I was able to get out of my wet clothes and find something dry. Then I took four acetaminophin and lay down on the bed. Sitting up in the chair, the advil, or simply time had made it tolerable to lay in bed. Maybe it was the chicken soup. We will see if I can even move in the morning!
TropicalCastaway 