You have no idea how good it is, 3 months after knee replacement, to be out-n-about again, like old times. Seriously. The timing, to coincide with spring, has been P E R F E C T.
My surgery was January 8th. Winter. On February 22, at 6+ weeks, and still winter, I took my first mini walk out on the citadel wall and did a post about it here.
Now that it's SPRING, I'm still going strong...stronger, that is, with every consecutive walk.
This was on March 22nd, with an almost-complete citadel walk.
To include both of our windmills was a goal that day.
Then, on Easter Sunday, April 5, on a gorgeous day, I did the entire walk: 4.5 km/2.8 mi.
Stopping for just a few pics, I did the walk in one hour.
The following Sunday, April 12 (last Sunday), I did it again! In one hour.
Old Sannie was sitting back on his wee island at the Paardenwater (removed during the winter).
(In fact, we were in the right place at the right time on March 26,
when we saw the men putting Old Sannie back where he belongs.)
Even if I see the same things over and over again while on my citadel walks,
it's like seeing them for the first time. I never get tired of them.
I hope you don't either!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I hope you don't either!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Then, of course, we went out-n-about with the car.
There's a canal right next to our parking garage where we saw Mama Duck and her 12 babies.
Cheaper by the dozen. HA!
Too bad there's trash, but it gives scale to these vivacious ducklings.
(that's the sound of Astrid snapping pics in the beginning)
Driving along the dijk near the Mervede river, where you can catch the ferry to Brakel,
is this grouping of 3 statues called "Where's the Water" by Hans van Eerd.
It was commissioned for a dijk renovation project of 32 km along the Merwede,
and sits totally out in the middle of nowhere. Who sees it???
and sits totally out in the middle of nowhere. Who sees it???
It was the 2nd Easter Day, April 6, driving out into the boonies in the direction of Hellouw,
15 km east of Gorinchem.
It's the time when the storks are delivering their own babies.
Don't you love the stork weathervane here!
It so happens this is at the Herwijnen stork village that we try to visit every year.
And look at all the weathervanes we found that day!
Five days later, this past Saturday, we drove out again, this time to see Fort Vuren (a next post),
directly across the Merwede river from the Loevestein castle.
As we prepared to stop, a cargo ship laden with coal passed by,
followed by two other freighters, heading east towards Germany.
This is commonplace any time we're at the Merwede!
Gotta keep our eyes open, you know!
With all this energy, I'm totally invigorated and feel I've reached a new level in my rehab.
I even moved the saddle of my exercise bike down a notch, increasing my knee flexion.
For me, that says it all. So YAY YAY YAY!
It is so good to know that you are out and about more or less as normal again after your surgery. What a wonderful collection of pictures (as usual :-)) those of the storks and "where's the water?" statues in particular. What is the zig zag white line for in the canal?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing my joy and excitement, Anne. It really does feel good!
DeleteThat zig-zag white line in the canal is an art sculpture called "Brainwave," by Jan van Munster: http://translate.google.nl/translate?hl=en&sl=nl&u=http://janvanmunster.nl/en/licht/day-and-night-brainwave-i&prev=search
It is all familiar ground here. However it is NEVER the same each time we visit it. Like you, I never get tired of seeing all these beautiful things over and over again. A wonderful post of things we see in and around Gorinchem....
ReplyDeleteYou know! And you also know how exciting it is for me to be walking the citadel again...and again. I so needed this. :)
DeleteYay, pretty soon you'll be better then new. I love the blue skies to go with your fantastic shots. And why is there no kitty on the wind vane still?
ReplyDeleteSometimes Astrid asks me if I've have any doubts about doing the knee replacement...to which I look at her each time as though she's crazy. HA! It's been one of the best things I've ever done.
DeleteBut you're right about no kitty weathervanes. I'm trying to remember if I've found even one in these 5+ years?? The minute I find one, you'll be the first to know! :)
Well you do see the most unique things...love the stork nesting.
ReplyDeleteI often say, "Leave it to the Dutch!" It's so true, Donna. :)
DeleteThose were hard days in the beginning, but it seems [to me] like it has gone so fast! I'm sure not for you, but maybe now looking back it might be starting to? I'm proud of your perseverance and now it pays off for perhaps exponential improvement. Nothing like this photography hobby to get you out and active, so wonderful! And we get to share it with you. I love it!
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear sister! Actually, the whole thing HAS seemed very fast to me. When I think that it's been "only" 3+ months (14 weeks now), I can't believe how much has happened in so little time. Just like winter turning into spring, it really is getting better and better! The photography part does, indeed, help. :)
DeleteLike Ruth...it seems to have been just yesterday you were getting your surgery! Gosh...it goes so fast. But that's a good thing for your specific situation! Thanks for sharing your beautiful world and keep on keeping on!!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear Robin. Time flies even when you're in rehab but with lots of positive thoughts and a great fan base! :)
DeleteBravo. That may be your best weathervane collection yet. I especially like the storks. Something was missing in the middle and another image near the bottom was black, but the rest came through well. Best of all was the news of all your hiking. As I wrote on your page, time for a marathon.
ReplyDeleteI think you have to view the post from the blog, Ted, and not from the Inbox. That's my sense of it. But at least you're seeing something. Thanks for following along! Those storks are really something else, aren't they!
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