Don't take for granted the ability to walk and stand up straight

We have been blessed with health and strong bodies that enjoy walking wherever we want to go. It's so nice to take the parking place at the far end of the parking lot, knowing that we enjoy walking those extra steps. It's nice to take the stairs instead of the elevator just because we like the exercise. Ever once in a while we need to remember not to take for granted the ability to walk easily and to be able to stand up straight!

We are glad to report that with warm temperatures here in the Rio Grande Valley, we are beginning to see tiny green leaves on the citrus trees. They have turned from a sad brown color, to a happy fresh green. It looks like the two nights of 21 degrees will definitely shock the trees, but doesn't kill them.

The RV park should be filled with the heavenly scent of citrus blooms by now, but we aren't getting that this year. On close inspection, however, we found little white balls on the trees in the picture above. Those will be opening soon into those glorious-smelling blooms. We did find a few opened blossoms, and got a whiff of the sweet natural perfume. It will be interesting to see if we have any fruit next year, or if the blooms (and therefore the fruit) will just be delayed.

We are well into our second month stay here at Bentsen Grove Resort. It's nice to see that the trees canopying this resort street are back to the beautiful green we are accustomed to.

The Texas Governor has removed the state-wide mandatory mask rule, but the park is still very stern about wearing masks inside all their buildings. Most of the winter residents have now gotten their second vaccinations, and we are seeing more social gatherings outside. It's fun to recognize people from past years now that we can see their faces. We are also seeing the arrival of some residents that waited up north until they got their shots. So this second month at the resort has seemed friendlier.

The activity director at Bentsen Grove is working hard to plan activities that are outdoors and socially-distanced. We participated in the first-ever glow-stick scavenger hunt. It was an after-dark activity, and we were one of the few teams riding our bicycles in the dark, as most people have golf carts. But our speedy bikes were good for a third-place finish, as we collected 13 glow sticks that night.

We've also done another poker run. Here the local leprechauns were handing out our playing cards, as well as yummy snacks at each of the seven stops within the park. Denisa's poker hand of three aces fell just short of the money this time.

We also enjoyed the St. Patrick's Day parade with twenty decorated golf carts. Some of the carts threw candy and beads to the spectators, and some spectators served appropriately green snacks and drinks to the carts. It was the most reciprocal parade we had ever experienced.

The honorary parade marshal was our friend Patrick, who was born on St. Patrick's Day 80 years ago today. He certainly doesn't act his age!

After that resort-life update, we should get back to the title of the blog and our first paragraph. Mark is a month away from a significant birthday, and his body must have decided to start acting older in celebration of turning 60. He was having so much foot pain that he was no longer parking on the far end of the parking lot or taking the stairs. After nursing a limp on a sore foot for months, he finally made an appointment to see a podiatrist. The doctor thought his problem was a case of falling arches and a too-flexible foot. We're hoping that the prescribed shoe insoles will give him relief so we can be back on the hiking trails this summer! We know that we shouldn't take for granted the ability to walk without pain. Denisa snapped this picture at the podiatrist office of the lovely shoes available if these insoles aren't enough.

 But we really don't know if his feet are better yet, because he's been off them for a week. He doesn't know what started it, but he suddenly started having muscle spasms in his lower back. It's the kind of pain that will literally drive you to your knees, and it was impossible to stand up straight. We didn't take any pictures. But just imagine Mark hunched over, looking and moving like someone about twenty years older. Wait! Patrick is twenty years older and he is still moving great!

While Mark was in such back pain, we were glad that we were still hanging out at the resort, rather than some scenic new spot where we couldn't enjoy the new scenery. Mark has tried everything that anyone recommended. That would include wearing a back brace,

ice packs, pain-relieving patches, rubbing ointments, stretches, and every back pain pill we could find. It was a long week! Finally, after six days the spasms retreated and he is once again the tall guy that doesn't take for granted the ability to stand up straight. It reminds us that being able to walk and move painlessly is a great blessing, and a necessity for the way we wander God's wonders. We shouldn't take our blessings for granted!