On a Dime

How is it that things can turn in a different direction SO DARNED QUICKLY???

Picture this...Monday night. I've just returned from work, happily thinking about my ride on deck and thanking the powers that be the it's only 90 degrees and not the 190 degrees it was supposed to be the next day.

Enter, stage left, an unsorted looking group (and when I say group, I mean THREE CARLOADS FULL) of teenagers on our corner. Nothing to do. Bored and randy. Lots of hideous language they would never say in front of their moms and loud music from the car radios.

Oh. Fun.

Enter stage right, the local Po-po. Dutily called on by another neighbor. The teens were questioned and their waterbottles were checked. The cops stayed there a good half hour and then took off, because there wasn't any good reason to take anyone in. Like I said -- just bored and hot on a summer day.

But they didn't scatter. No. Teens these days don't worry about stuff like this. They got louder and started sitting on neighboring cars, setting off alarms and causing a ruckus. Mighty M and I had had it up to here and gave them a talking to (in our own, very different, ways). It was not fun, and more than a little stressful.

And afterwards, I had a weird feeling in my back. Upper left back and neck. Like I had pulled it or something. What, yelling at teenagers? No way.

So we went to the store for an errand. Still hurt. Came home and made some chicken for dinner. Hurting worse. Hmmm. No ride tonight, took some aspirin and went to bed.

And tossed.

And turned.

For the next 9 hours.

By morning, I had 5 minutes of sleep and was in enough pain to call out sick. Spent the whole day on my back trying to find a way to just *be* that didn't hurt.

Ugh.

Today is better and last night I actually slept. But I'm worried. A lot worried. Really, really worried. I keep telling my back that I'M SUPPOSED TO BE PEAKING THIS WEEK! Not laying prone staring at the ceiling.

PEAKING!! P-E-A-K-I-N-G!!

(deflated sigh)

Instead, I have exactly zero hours done so far. Hours of the plan just completely down the tube. Hours of training that I wanted and needed to be ready for Wisconsin.

The progress today is making me feel a slight bit better. But I'm still grumbly. (Can you tell?) What if this doesn't heal? What if I can't swim? What if... ??

I don't even dare say it out loud...