Different Strokes

In the Swim Again

I substituted on Friday, so after school, I went swimming again.  I added two full laps to the program, so I swam 14.  One was backstroke, so I don't know how that counts. *S*  I also walked a lap.  That's kind of interesting as the pool starts off at around 3 feet deep at one end and goes to about 5 feet deep at the other. Walking in 3 feet of water is pretty easy, but when I get to the 5 feet depth, I end up on my tiptoes, bouyed up a bit and I have to pull myself along with my hands to make and headway.  It's a little break from the swimming and allows me to work my knees in a low impact way.

My knees have been achy lately. I don't know if it's just the increase and variation of the exercise or "just how it is."  I will be going to my surgeon in April, so I'll see what he says.  Apparently, however, it can take up to a year for everything to settle down, so I'm not particularly concerned. Regardless, overall, they are so much better than they were before the replacements, that I can't complain.  And, since I was "walking funny" on my bad knees for so long....well over ten years with two bad knees...I would think my whole body and leg structures will take a while to remold and fully adapt to the new alignment.

I have a couple more subbing assignments lined up over the next two weeks, so I should get some swimming in again. And, I always hike up and down the stairs at school a few times during the day.  I don't have any real stairs in my house--unless I go down into the cellar or up into the attic--so stairs are not part of my normal routine. That, I'm sure adds to the "knee fatigue" as well.

The horses seem to think they are finding some fine grazing here. The grass is just starting to grow a little and they are out nibbling away. We are not likely to get thick, rich pasture, however. To do that, I'd have to harrow, lime, fertilize and reseed and then keep them off it for a month or so.  With all the problems people seem to have with horses getting laminitis--and Toby's episode last year--I am not likely to rennovate like that.  Aside from the expense, it's probably far better for the Boy's to have enough to nibble on and not enough to chow down on.  They get plenty of hay and a complete feed, so nutritionally, they are just fine.

I did not ride yesterday, and I just may lunge today as I need to get a chiropractic adjustment and I don't want to mess it up.  I may start raining by this afternoon anyhow and the forecast for tomorrow is more of the same.  If we do get rain, that should kick the grass into action.

It already looks as if I need to give the lawn a mow. Its not so much nice grass, but all kinds of weedy things and crabgrass growing. When it dries out, I can let a horse or two--or three out on the back lawn area to trim some of the longer blades. That way, the Boys get some greenery--but not too much-- and I can get some of the weed whacking done with minimal effort on my part.

Then again, I could get some goats.