California Texting

Note:  Read "Legends of My Falls, "One Flew Over the Basement Stairs," "Snow White Falling on Cedar," "Down, Down and Away," "The Accidental Tourist," "The Latte Show," "Up the Downed Suitcase," "Hawaii K-O," "Things That Go Bump in the Night," "Pop Goes the Damsel," "Not-So-Secret Garden," "Slip Slidin Away" and "Brokeknee Mountain" before reading this post.

Note:  Read "Legends of My Falls," "One Flew Over the Basement Stairs," "Snow White Falling on Cedar," "Down, Down and Away," "The Accidental Tourist," "The Latte Show," "Up the Downed Suitcase<" "Hawaii K-O," "Things That Go Bump in the Night," "Pop Goes the Damsel," "Not-S-Secret Garden," "Slip Slidin Away" and "Brokeknee Mountain" before reading this post.

Three years ago we made our fifth move in 13 years, and once again it was from one two-story house to another two-story house. I wonder how many times I walked up and down stairs carrying belongings, whether in a box or not. I shudder to think now, but it was just something we had to do, sciatica notwithstanding. Just a few weeks after we moved we were off to New Orleans for our son's wedding. We were gone for two weeks, and while we were there we rented a large townhouse. Lots of stairs inside, but even more outside. This townhouse was rebuilt after Katrina happened, and it was way high up on stilts. Up and down, down and up, and so on and so on. I had learned my lesson, so I was very, very careful to not fall.

We had a fabulous time but came home exhausted. I got right back to emptying boxes and getting things settled. The following summer we flew to North Carolina for a week for our son's recital before receiving his master's degree. A few weeks later we flew to Greece for our daughter's wedding. We were there two weeks, came home, turned around and flew to Hawaii for the birth of our first grandson. Three months later we drove to California for the birth of our second grandson, and two months after that we once again drove to California for Christmas. Nine months after that we made yet another trip to California. It was during this trip that I suffered my next fall. It was October, so it was a fall fall!!!

Let me point out that my daughter's house has lots of steps in front and back, and it is a two-story house. We sleep upstairs, which means going up and down some incredibly steep wooden steps. And we sleep on a futon, which isn't the best for my back. One night we had climbed those stairs to go to bed. I was exchanging texts with Elletu while standing, and my husband said, "Why don't you sit down to do that?" I thought that was a good idea, so while I continued to text I walked over to my son-in-law's desk chair. I backed up to it and attempted to sit down. I had neglected to note that this chair was on casters. Just as I went to sit, it went, well, 'slip slidin away' from me. I was already starting to sit, and there was no stopping my downward motion. With a loud thud I went down on the hardwood floor. Can I be somewhat indelicate here? Thank God for cushioning buttocks! In spite of my ample cushioning buttocks, my tailbone didn't like my fall, and neither did my sciatica.

My husband had to help me up. I don't think it registered at the time that I couldn't get myself up. He was there, and he helped me. I'm glad he did. Then he held the chair in place so I could sit down properly.

And then, back to texting. I told Elletu about my fall, and I told her, "We must never fall again," but did she listen? Did I listen?