Maiden Voyage

Yesterday I took my new Nitro walker out for a solo spin. Incredibly, there seems to be a learning curve and adjustment period to walker-izing. I know now that I need to wear my low-to-the-ground Vans, NOT my puffy soled Nikes in order to have the handlebars at the right height (yes, they’re already set at max height. I also trip over the wheels a whole lot less in Vans.

Doofus. Yes, I am a spectacular doofus. My superhero name is Divine Doofus. NO, NOT that Divine!

I successfully made it two blocks to the mailbox where I got the brill idea to go a bit further, to the packy. Why? The Nitro came with an adorable zippered “basket” and I’d be just horribly remiss if I didn’t test out its ability to safely hold a couple bottles of the grape.

Yes, it works. Will I now always be using the Nitro? Nope. When Jen and I go for our morning constitutionals, I fly free. I’m focusing on balance – staying upright and walking in as straight a line as I can. I’m retraining my wonk-ass, banjaxed system to function as well as possible. Jen’s there for support when I start my leaning tower of Pisa act. This, surprisingly, doesn’t happen as much as expected.

So, wut up with the fancy walker then? I’ll use it when I’m on my own.  Fer instance, after the vaccine for Plague45 is out, I can go to museums and galleries again without needing someone to babysit me. I’ve always been an independent broad and I aim to reclaim my solitary adventuring.

The neighborhood bunny

Of course, this is all based on surviving until January 20th. At this point, that feels like a crapshoot. Yesterday, according to the New York Times Coronavirus Map and Case Count page there were 234 new cases and 12 fresh Plague45 deaths here in Massachusetts. Not bad at all compared to Florida, Georgia, Texas and Arizona but not great.

Why are we doing OK relative to these other states? Masks have been mandatory since the beginning of May. We have a Republican guv but he seems to have a few more brain cells than the election stealing, incompetent, lickspittles Kemp and DeSantis.

Schools will be reopening here in early September. The teacher’s union is calling for a phased reopening which, if you’re hellbent on in-person ed, makes a LOT of sense to me.

Life, for now, goes on.