The Thin Line

The last couple of weeks have been rather hectic – again. I’ve done a lot of lawn mowing, of which there is always a lot to do. And I’ve finally gone over 1000 miles in my car without the “check engine” light coming on. There was another little problem arose – whenever I went to pump gas, the pump would kick off ‘way too soon. Hopefully, that is fixed now; Wally found where one of the new hoses he installed was kinking a bit and causing the back pressure. I took the car in for inspection today, and he has to order parts – struts and ball joints. This is going to be an expensive proposition!

Last week was the exciting time, though. A very short time, but could have had very long term – possibly permanent – implications. We have a rather steep bank next to our driveway. At one point in that bank, there is a set of make-shift stone steps. I use those steps to go into the upper part of my yard, where my clothesline is. I was up there hanging clothes Monday morning, and my dog was wondering around. Then the people who were staying in the cabin next door took their dogs outside. They were restrained, but I was afraid my dog might run over there. Time to take her down to the porch and put her on the chain. I was hurrying a bit, although the dog was behaving herself so far.

I started down the steps. On the second step, the sole of my shoe “stuck,” causing me to lose my balance. There were stones from the partially tumbled-down stone wall near the bottom of the steps. One of them had a pointed corner aimed upright. Had I fallen immediately, I would probably have struck my head on that point, and it would likely have been the end. As it was, I caught my balance just enough to take one more step before I fell, and missed the rock – well, not completely, I wound up with a cut near my temple. I also scraped my left shin, and stoved my left ankle, wrist and shoulder.

I started calling for Mike. I wondered why I had to call so loud; he’d just been at his computer and in a place where he should be able to easily hear me. Then I remembered that he had gone into the bathroom just before I came out, and that’s upstairs, and about as far away in the house as you could get from where I was. I was close enough to the fallen rocks that I was able to shift around a bit and pull myself up getting hold of them. I went into the house, and started up the stairs just as Mike started down. He hadn’t heard a thing. He wound up having to put a bandaid on my temple. The way it was torn, he thought maybe I should have stitches, but it wasn’t deep, so I didn’t think so.

The line is very thin between life and death.

In spite all this, the next day I was still up to going to Clarion for groceries. Then on Wednesday I mowed. On Thursday I mowed. On Friday I mowed. Saturday it rained. On Monday, I did laundry – and mowed. Today I took the car into the shop, ran a few errands – and mowed.

I’m going back out in a few minutes and do a little more mowing.