Warning: so many pictures

MONDAY

Got up early early to shoot in The Enchanted Forest. Not as enchanted as I had been led to believe, but whatever. Had breakfast in the lodge then packed up and headed to the day’s main event, Watkins Glen. For years I have heard of Watkins Glen, the beautiful waterfalls and natural pools, I’ve seen pictures of people splashing in said pools, cavorting under the waterfalls, etc. I was excited to go. I have NEVER seen the 27,000 steps  (slight exaggeration for dramatic effect) going up 800 feet (legit stat) to the top. And apparently the splashing pools and cavorting under the waterfalls is at places “similar” to Watkins Glen, not at Watkins Glen. SO – while I was not disappointed in it, it was not at all what I had expected.

When I saw the first run of steps, how steep they were, I almost didn’t go. I was this close to saying to my friend, YOU go, take all the time you want, I’ll wait here. Because…those steps were daunting. And those were only the ones I could see. Who KNEW what lay beyond?? But…we decided to do the first steps and then re-assess. And I think we did that for the next couple flights. And at some point, we just decided to go to the halfway point where there was a separate return trail. I’m not sure how it normally is, but due to Covid, all the paths were one way only. So there was only spot at which you could return…prior to that point or after, you were committed to doing the entire thing.

Anyway, I won’t lie. It was rough. But we did it! Go Us! Later, driving, I said, you know…I think we could have it made the whole way. My friend agreed. But…in the moment, I was very grateful to arrive at the halfway point and be able to return to ground level. And going down was scarier than going up! I have some “going down stairs” balance fears, and once you hit the steps portion of the return trail, it was just a never-ending curving flight of inconsistently-spaced steps. Sometimes with no fence or railing to hang onto. So I was very slow going down. But I made it.

Last Big Feat of My 50s!

All that said, it was lovely. I understand the falls and creeks are fuller in the spring than in August, but there were still some nice views, the rock formations were stunning, and there was a “walk behind the waterfall” spot which was fun. I said we should make a goal of preparing ourselves to return next year, ready to do the whole thing.

And all that ^ was just the morning!

After WG we headed to Corning, NY for a night. We went to a Corelle outlet and saw the largest Pyrex measuring cup in the world. I got a new egg pan and glass baking dish for super cheap. We had lunch in an open-air marketplace. After checking into the hotel and showering and resting up, we went to the Corning Glass Museum that had a lot of, uhm, glass. My favorite part was the contemporary art gallery. My friend made the alarms go off, so that was exciting 🙂  Then back to the hotel bar for a light dinner, a wonderful bath (I so miss a bathtub and this was a good one!), and bed, exhausted.

TUESDAY

Got up, lower back and backs of calves a little sore, but that’s to be expected after going up (and down!) about 400 steps. Got mostly packed, got dressed, went downstairs for breakfast in the hotel, went back up, went into the bathroom to take my pills, reached over the slightest bit to turn on the water and BAM STARS PAIN CURSING OW. And that was it. I was crippled. I’ve had sciatica on and off for years…I’ve had slipped discs in the past, so I’m familiar with this sudden pain. Wow.  Now I had to get all my luggage downstairs (ow) and into the car (ow) then ride 5+ hours home (ow ow). Got home, made two trips up the steps to get my stuff inside, left it all right at the top of the bedroom steps, got into my nightgown and got into bed. Goodnight.

Somewhere along the way home, we stopped at a nice farm stand that had the most beautiful selection of pumpkins I’ve ever seen – white ones, yellow ones, grey ones, striped ones, speckled ones, bumpy ones, super big and super small ones…and the prices were so good. If it wasn’t only September 1 and there was more room in the car and I wasn’t mostly focused on avoiding OW, I would have gotten a couple. Also, big beautiful mums, like half the price they are on the Island. I did get some pretty corn and two yellow plums that were supposed to be extra sweet. They were not. But the corn was as delicious (and fresh) as it was pretty.

Almost home.

WEDNESDAY

Just taking it really slow and easy today. Pain is a little better. During the night when I had to get up to pee it took a really long time to get out of bed. Every tiny little inching over movement is painful. But by the morning it was a little better. Made the soonest chiropractor appointment I could, which is not til Friday.

THURSDAY

Just took it easy again today even though the pain is much better than yesterday. Moving isn’t scary today, I’m just continuing to be careful – walking gently, avoiding the steps, etc. Read for a bit on the sofa, sitting up, with big pillow behind my back so I was very upright.

FRIDAY

Got up at crackadawn to be at the chiropractor at 8am. The pain is significantly better after three days, but I wanted to try and get it knocked out completely…AND I’ve been wanting to talk to him about my unbearable-burning-pain-inside-behind-my-ribs-when-I’m-on -my-feet-for-2+-hours-at-a-time…aka Work Event Pain, because that’s the only time I ever AM on my feet for 2+ hours straight where I can’t just sit down to relieve the pain when it starts.

The general dr didn’t really give it much thought when I told him about it, just said it sounded like maybe a pinched nerve in the back, and me, knowing I have a history of slipped discs, thought that sounded reasonable. He did not, however, suggest a scan or MRI or visit to a chiro or anything. It was another one of those “oh, well, your weight” things that he was dismissive of.

Anyway, Dr. Cutie Patootie Chiropractor (I haven’t seen him in 4 years and had forgotten that I and every other man and woman in there has a big crush on him) wasn’t able to make any assessment of what it could be without a scan (obviously. he’s adorable but he does not have x-ray vision) so he suggested a thoracic MRI of the somethingsomething vertebrae and now I have to convince General Dr. to give me a scrip for that. Ugh. Way too much contact with General Dr. this year.

SATURDAY

IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!!! I was feeling a little off so canceled faraway plans and just had easy day at home instead. The child had some goodies and flowers delivered, and my niece sent some fun gifties. She was also responsible for the 60th Birthday tiara! I met a friend at the park in the evening, it was a lovely night to just sit outside.

SUNDAY

Went into Queens/city with a friend. We rode the NYC Ferry up and down the East River from Astoria to Wall Street, which allows for Queens, Brooklyn, and city views from a very different perspective than you normally have. It was sunny and just slightly warm but dry and every single person everywhere was wearing their mask.

I hadn’t realized how much I’ve missed the energy of the city. It just always hits me that way as this is where i should be.

Then back to Astoria for dinner. There’s a central location with All The Restaurants and a couple streets were closed off to allow more space for outdoor dining…and the weather was perfect and the people watching was good and it was just a really good day.

In all, other than my back, a very good week. A good vacation. And tomorrow is Back to Work – BUT, some good news…my office is going back to alternating days in the building, so it looks like one day in, one day work from home, which I appreciate. All the kids are coming back, no more alternating schedule for them. Hopefully, things will go smoothly as the school itself has had no cases of C19 so far.

Happy Labor Day – the unofficial marker of summer’s end, though I never give summer up lightly.

WHAT I’VE BEEN READING

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson. Recommended here by Pamela Gray. Quirky, for sure. And while I don’t usually like having to “suspend belief,” this felt so…within the realm of possibility (even though clearly not) that it just read like a regular story where regular people have regular challenges. Like we all have nanny jobs caring for children who can set themselves on fire. I liked the main character who was really nothing special, no one believed that more than she, and yet she was able to rise to this overwhelming challenge that everyone else felt was insurmountable. An underdog’s underdog. 4/5

WHAT I’VE BEEN WATCHING

I feel so strongly that I already wrote this review but…I don’t see it anywhere so I’m writing it again.

This is Where I Leave You…the movie from the book by Jonathan Tropper I reviewed last week. I loved it. As much as you can love a wonderful book made into a movie. Trying to smoosh almost 300 pages of story into under two hours of movie…there are going to be things hurried through, glossed over, or left out. BUT – this cast is fantastic, they truly did justice to the original story. I low-key cried through the entire thing even when I was laughing. It was a $2.99 rental on Amazon Prime but well worth it. Two thumbs up.

And that’s all she wrote, folks!