ROCK 'N ROLL

It's been a rock and roll day. Mornings have been difficult the past week or so, awakening to grey skies, my son's situation, more facial surgery. Two weeks ago most of this was the same, but somehow after just having him home, I am not "on top of my game." This morning I needed to focus to get myself up the valley for a cholesterol test. No coffee, that in itself is a jolt to my system, even though I drink 1/2 decaf!

I felt all the shadows lift when the pharmacist showed me my results: 217 total cholesterol (thank you red yeast rice, exercise, metamucil, concious eating...), and I have a Framingham risk score of 3% chance of heart disease in the next 10 years. I left his office feeling affirmed, and happy. I went directly to the little cafe in Florence that has the BEST decaf, ordered a latte and avoided the freshly baked goodies.

On to visiting with a dear friend, our topics roaming around at will, like two mares in a big field! She has a wonderful hoop house, and I picked some fresh greens for dinner tonight. Glancing west to check the storm clouds rolling in I glanced through the hoophouse, and there was my son's smashed truck, and once again my heart broke to witness the tragedy that he and Tamra (the victim) are going through. My friends arms were instantly around me.

Only a half hour later I was gathering our recycling, a task I've been putting off for weeks. The little citizen-organized recycling center is only open once a week, run by volunteers. I loaded the car with tin, aluminum, and plastic. Old friends greeted me at the fairgrounds, the same old friends that protect the river, resisted the Bio-terror Level IV NIH Lab we have (unsuccessful), and who staff the Human Rights Alliance table. My heart opened again working beside them, taking off the caps on all the plastic bottles!

I don't bounce back into pollyanna quite as fast as I used to, but I will smooth out with rest and good food and all those dear friends expecting the best from me. And above all, this too will pass!