Sunday, August 21, 2011

My New Roles

Sometimes kids are fascinated by my brace. I can see the gears turning: is her leg real? Can she take her leg off? Does it hurt?

"This is a brace," I tell the kids, if I have enough energy to talk. "It helps me to walk. It doesn't hurt, but my leg doesn't work very well right now."

The other day I was walking without my brace, but very slowly and leaning on my cane. I saw a woman with a dog coming down the road on the other side. As I approached, the dog--who looked young--started to bark loudly at me.

"Hi Pooch!" I said, in a friendly voice. 

The dog immediately stopped barking, and started to wag his tail. The relieved owner crossed the street to my side, and apologized to me.

"You know about canes!" said the woman to the dog, gently scolding him. "It's nothing to be afraid about!" The dog licked my cane and me.

I guess that one of my new roles is being an ambassador from the disabled world to the young, including dogs. I don't mind.

Friday, August 12, 2011

August

The kids are at home most of August. We were traveling. Our fantastic babysitter/housekeeper has gone. I hate hot weather. I don't have much time to think, let alone write. 

Thank goodness for the cicadas and crickets. When I feel overwhelmed, I try to go out on the porch, and listen. They're oblivious to me, but their songs calm me down.