no more biking for 2016...

The Excellent Wife (TEW) and I went in to the Philadelphia Museum of Art today. She wanted a date, and she saw that the Pennsylvania GirlChoir was going to do a seasonal concert around the museum. It sounded like a cool idea; we could drop in to see a few paintings and hear the concert, then head to the Reading Terminal Market for a feed, and back home, without too much of a time commitment.

The good news is that the choir rocked. The pieces were engaging and musically interesting, and the sound was excellent. I have some experience with choral music; technically, these kids had some difficult stuff to do, and they did it well.

The bad news is that, shortly before the girls were to sing, I fell on the stair in the great hall and twisted my left ankle. Security staff and first responders came to my rescue; I was helped off the stairs and onto a bench; the injury was examined and iced; advice was given; details were taken. A wheelchair was provided so I could be wheeled around to hear the choir (I also had one of my canes, because I never go anywhere I'm expected to walk or stand for a long time without one - remind me to complain to you about my back someday). When we were to leave, TEW was given directions on where to bring the car to minimize my walking, and a guard wheeled me out to the car and helped me in. I have nothing but praise for the Museum staff.

We went to the Market, and it was clear that the ankle was pretty badly injured. Walking was painful. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have the cane with me (well, I would probably have hobbled with an arm over TEW's shoulder, but having the cane reduced the indignity, and saved TEW from the burden). I was able to walk to where TEW came out of the parking garage with the car, and, after the ride home, to my chair, where I now have the ankle under a cold compress again. I've ingested a bit of naproxen, and I'm worrying about how I'm going to navigate to work in the morning. I'll bring the cane; perhaps I'll bring them back in style... or perhaps I'll just confirm my coworkers' suspicions that I'm a superannuated nonsense.

I suspect this is the end on my biking for 2016. Even if the weather breaks fair, experience suggests I'll take longer to heal than the few weeks we have left in this year. Here's hoping for a speedy, and complete, recovery. Your well-wishes are appreciated.