elementary, Tom Swift and last month’s solstice


I recently read somewhere that Sherlock Holmes never said, Elementary, my dear Watson. What?! I’ve listened to quite a few Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (my favorite duo, well maybe not Nigel Bruce) episodes on the SiriusXM Classic Radio channel and watched them on youtube. I could have sworn I heard that. So I looked into it. Apparently, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never wrote those exact words for his detective. But Doyle’s character did say ‘elementary’ and ‘my dear Watson’ quite often. It seems the whole phrase started with other authors. Could be wrong.

I never had a Taser and can’t see me ever purchasing one. But recently, I came across the story behind the idea. It brought to mind some books I read as a kid.
It’s actually a loose acronym of the book, Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle. Jack Cover, the inventor of the modern ECD, named his prototype after the YA sci-fi novel he loved, and the very idea for a less-lethal electric gun was largely inspired by the fictional one described in the book. Trivia pursuit?



January is the month to replace one’s pillow. Smart thing to do.

Well, the winter solstice last month was a bit different. I was lying in surgery. Not as active as I like to be. No big thing, just some toe work. Right foot first, 6-8 weeks in a cast, and then the same thing for the left foot.

For a week prior to the solstice I went out to practice walking with crutches. Not that enjoyable. Then there was practice going up and down the four steps to the Nash, and practicing with a walker.


When the surgeon cut into something on on the bottom of my middle toe, there was a problem, so he couldn’t put a rod down through the toe, as he did with the others. I’m hoping it will work out. Other toes look good. Never had straight little toes. Lookin’ good. And this procedure was not life threatening. Pretty much a treat.

For longer distances, such as grocery shopping, I purchase a KneeRover Knee Scooter. Pushing a cart with one hand and steering the scooter with the other. I learned during the first trip to not fill the cart too much.
Been at the bottom of learning curves way too many times over the decades. But they sure provide some chuckles. Not goin’ to say what kind of words they can produce.

I manage to go out for a walker-walk most days and do some exercises on the walker, assisted dips, knee crunches (from dip-bar position) and pull-ups (lying underneath). Reminds me of something my oldest friend said, ‘keeping me sane’ (regarding her yoga, which she has been doing since the early ‘70s).

Keeping up on my 60 for 60, being active for 60 minutes each day for a total of 1800 minutes each month.
As well as my Triple 18, doing 60 reps each for upper body, core and legs daily for a total of 1800 reps for each muscle area during a month. I miss days from time to time but it’s pretty easy to catch up with the hundreds of different exercises, along with their variations, to provide variety as well as different degrees of intensity. It all should be a habit.

Presently, my choice of exercises are a tad on the lame side. But the ball is in my court, I picked it picked up, and I’m movin’ with it.

Sometimes just going out for a brisk walk is all it takes to pull one’s self out of a day’s winter blues. Action is an antidote to despair. Rise off your duff.

The ball is in your court. Pick it up.

December sixty minutes sixty years—1800 minutes
December Triple 18—upper: 1800; core: 1800; legs: 1800

If you want one thing too much it's likely to be a disappointment.
The healthy way is to learn to like the everyday things.
Table of Contents

RVwest article ‘Following a Free Spirit’

RVwest article ‘The Space Between the Places’

Comments

Tom H. said…
No backstory to your foot surgery. What's up with that?
My toes have always been somewhat funky and the last two years, they have been curling in. Not good. Hence the surgery.
SOD said…
Finally able to see the photos. Yikes! I may need to assess my definition of lookin' good. haha You are, as always, my inspiration.

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