Feels like Christmas in November. This old body is coming around more everyday. I have started my winter exercise program now, and am amazed how much better things are. I am now trying to remember just how I "used" to do things so I can do them that way again. Still have a tiny bit of spacisity in the scapula area, but a quick call to my active release therapist resulted in some great advice and now it is less everyday. I am zooming in on the areas that still need improvement, and the results are gratifying. Too bad there is nothing for the hair I used to have! Sorta stuck with what I see in the mirror also, but at least the image is standing up straight and smiling more now.

I could still gripe about a cold hand & foot, hand dexterity, arm strength, endurance, occasional speech slip-up, etc, but why? I can now do most of what I want to, so life is good!

Mum is gone now sadly.

Bread. Have I mentioned bread? We have it everywhere. The outdoor brick oven is working fine. Lesley and I made about 15 loaves yesterday and a few dozen dinner rolls for Thanksgiving. Yum!! I am the "fire-maker". It takes about 5 to 6 hours of constant attention to get the oven to the proper temperature. While I was doing that, Lesley was making the actual bread, all from scratch. I helped her put it into and get it out of the oven, and have certainly given it a taste test. We made a basic white, a 7 grain, a whole wheat, and a "rustic" which is a white with buckwheat in it. My personal favorite. We also experimented with baking it in clay flower pots, tin cans, and other shapes. Neat stuff. We are practicing for the farmers market next year, and on friends. By the way, kneading bread is great therapy for the fingers! We have always wanted something we could do together at home and I believe we have found it.

Big thanks for the comments on the last blog. I have gotten a bit discouraged and gun shy about trying to help others. A few such efforts around here were not well received. Seems to me like some don't really want to get better, nor do they want any advice or help. Probably my fault, I can get evangelistic in my fervor about something I find that works (like active release and Saeboflex). I would be happy to speak in front of any group should the opportunity arise, public speaking does not bother me. I was asked by a stroke PA specialist several months ago if I would speak at an annual stroke survivors conference in October. Never heard from her again, although I said yes. Still have a real hard time with people that won't be all they can be. Life can be hard, but it does not have a rewind button, only a play it forward button. What is, is. Get on with it.

Just a word on exercise. I am finding now that I am focusing purely on those areas that need improvement to do the exact things I want to do. I call it "laser beaming exercise". I don't waste time or energy on things I don't really need to improve. You have to decide what is really important to you, forget the rest. I can't run yet, so what. I don't spend time working on that. I never was a runner anyway. I can carry my canoe and fish. All that matters. Keeps it simple!

Snow is supposed to be coming next week. Yippee!