A walk to remember

I have a confession to make: I really dislike Nicholas Sparks' stuff.  I could expand on this, but this is a scrapbooking blog and you didn't come here to have me blast your favorite author for his simplistic style and cheap antics meant to both minimize your current relationships and make you cry: blech.

So it pains me that the title that got stuck in my head for this layout happens to coincide with the name of one of his books.  But here's the thing: I went on a walk on a very beautiful day and broke my elbow. It seems that "a walk to remember" sums it up pretty tidily.

I had a couple of good reasons for taking this particular walk.
1.) It was a perfectly gorgeous day.  65º, sunny, breezy, blue skies. Beautiful
2.) I had just been to the doctor the day before about an arthritis related issue.  The doctor had given me an NSAID, and everything was feeling pretty good.  I know from experience that keeping everything moving really helps.
3.) The day before I had driven past Charlotte's ice cream shop (shown in the left picture in the layout), and there was a sign out front that said "New! Johnny Football Sundae!"  and I wanted a picture of it.  "Johnny Football" refers to Johnny Manziel - the Browns big draft pick this year.  I try to follow football, but mostly I fail.  But I'm always amused at things like this.  Ironically, the very next day the sign was changed to "New! King James Sundae!" after the announcement that LeBron was coming back.  Fickle, fickle Charlotte. :P

At any rate, I left for my walk at 8:45 in the morning and when I got to the ice cream shop it was closed (duh, I knew it would be) but the sign wasn't out. Drats! I hadn't thought about that.  So, I snapped a couple of pictures (because it was so darned colorful! And I had the place to myself. ;)) and headed home.  And, I swear that I wasn't looking at my phone when I tripped.

I based the layout on a pagemaps sketch:

Aside from not doing the banners across the top and modifying the title placement a little, I followed the sketch pretty faithfully.  It's been eons since I used a sketch - it was kind of nice.

And now...I'm going to whine.

Turn away. It's not too late.

You're still here??  I warned you.

My arm hurts.  This shouldn't be a surprise. And I suppose I'm not that surprised.  But even without the extra weight of a cast or splint, my arm feels heavy.  And I don't have a cast or splint on to limit my motion, and I'm pretty good about taking it easy, but I forget.  Today I washed my hands and went to flick the water off my hands.  I learned on day 1 that this was not something I couldn't do. But I had to relearn that today (day 11).  I'm surprised daily by the things I can't do.  Yesterday I learned that I can shuffle cards, but I can't deal them.  The doctor told me that I can drive.  Today I learned that maybe I can drive, but driving for an hour straight might not be the best idea.

I know I'm whining.  This could be SO MUCH WORSE. I know this.  I get to wash my hands (you have no idea how gross those fingers sticking out of cast get.  So, so very gross).  I GET TO TAKE A SHOWER! And without wrapping my arm in a garbage bag!  And having done that I know how incredibly grateful I am for this.

But when he sent me home with no cast, I think that was part of me that thought "it's not really broken." And I thought that if it wasn't really broken, then it would be fine really quickly.

Apparently it really is broken and it might heal quickly...but it's not healed yet.

And after all that, I wanted to say that I appreciate all the well wishing comments - I agree! I hope I feel better, soon, too! :)

Take care, keep an eye on those sidewalk cracks, and thanks for stopping by!