I am celebrating my latest accomplishment of physical and occupational therapy: this morning I carried three mugs of coffee on a tray down from the church kitchen to distribute to office staff -- and I didn't spill a single drop!

I think back to my time in a hospital bed. I remember marveling at how quickly the nurses were moving -- even though they were walking around only at a normal pace. I remember how hard it was to open an envelope at one point and, later, what a feat it was to move to the chair next to the bed. My movements were in slow motion.

I remember, as well, being on the ventilator with the oxygen level cranked up to 40 and 50%, and being amazed at all the people who were breathing room air with no difficulty.

Perhaps a person doesn't truly appreciate health and mobility until s/he has struggled through a period of serious illness.

You know what I've been noticing in recent days, as the temperatures have risen? There are more and more bicylists out on the roads! I've been afraid to get out there in the cold, because I haven't wanted to expose my lungs to that temperature. But, according to the last forecast I read, the high will be in the 60s on Saturday! It might be a day to get out there to ride a few miles.

Unfortunately, I won't be in shape to ride in Reed Nester's annual birthday ride, which will be the next Saturday. (One kilometer for each year of his life. I won't reveal how many kilometers; let's just say it's over 50!) But that's ok. Reed's rides tend to have an adverse effect on the weather. One year we started out in chilly, overcast conditions. And then it started to rain. And then it started to rain hard. And then the temperature dropped and the rain turned to sleet. It was patriotic and educational: we experienced what Washington's soldiers felt like at Valley Forge.