Yesterday's stress test went well. Thank you all for your strength and support. I was nervous because I felt challenged, and my rebellious side was saying, "Hell no, I won't go [into the hospital]." I've tried for years to tame it, but just tell me there's something I can't do and I'm bound and determined to tackle it. Wall? What wall? I don't see no freakin' wall!

Me: How did I do?
Dr: Pretty good. We can let it ride for now (meaning no surgery in immeditate future).
Me: Results?
Dr: We'll talk about specifics during your office visit scheduled for August.
Me: Thank you!

They stopped the treadmill test because they could see PVCs on the EKG, even though I wasn't feeling any pain, and I in spite of my wanting to continue on to the next, harder, level. All this walking and aerobic conditioning is paying off! I've earned my exclamation marks!!

Quirky Tee Shirt Department: For my walk this morning I tossed on my black tee shirt that proclaims in bright white letters:

Thesauruses are not
prehistoric lizards.

[with a lizard twined around the letters].
The man I pass every morning actually slowed a bit, read the shirt, and gave a little smile. I smiled and waved back.

My housemate has been reconstructing the wood and cast iron bench which sits at the front of the house. The wood had rotted through, and it was in a sorry state. She bought new slats, cut them to size, sanded and finished them with the stuff they used on my livingroom floor. She painted the cast iron black (I would have preferred matte, but not looking a gift horse in the mouth).

This morning when I returned from grocery shopping at T.J.'s, she had reassembled it and brought it back to its original spot. It looks lovely and I am so grateful for her skill and generosity of time and talent.

Now I have a shady nook outside on the front porch where I can sit and read or watch the hummingbirds up close. They'll get used to my being there, I'm sure.

Grateful for life's abundance and generosity of spirit.