All good things must come to an end. In my case today, the streak of several days pain-free has come to a fall down in the mud end.

After I dropped Mike off at work today, I decided to try and check out a local card store to see if they had any ideas on how I could maybe get back into playing Magic again. Of course, there was crazy construction on the road right in front of them, so I had to change my plans. I went to Len's Mill to get some lining for Miss Sara's birthday outfit I still have yet to sew. Then I decided to dash over to Chapters to find a birthday present for Sara's best friend. Last night I was talking to her Mom and found out that she loves YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Ah hah! Tamora Pierce it is!

All this running around is being done while it's raining, so it's a little slick and slippery. Whatever, no biggy. Until I walk out of Chapters, step on a spot of clay, and find myself on my hands and knees in said clay.

I was even thinking as I stepped into that clay "Better go on the grass, you'll slip on that clay... oh shit, Linda, you stepped inthe clay and you're falling. Moron." To top it all off, I had an audience right there, a car filled with people. The driver is a decent human being who opened her window in the downpour that was soaking me while I was on my knees in the mud, and asked very concernedly if I was ok. I was and told her so. She still stuck around and watched as I dumped my purse in Mephostophilis and went to get rags from the trunk.

I ended up sopping up rain from the roof of Mephostophilis to soak the rags I was washing the worst of the mud off with. Surprisingly effective, by the way.

Anyways, I've been home now for the afternoon since I took my lovely fall and the pain has started. It was first a dull warning ache in my upper and lower back and has now spread to my sciatic nerve. I'm limping. I'm really worried that it's going to flare up to the point of immobility again. Just because I stepped wrong and took a fall. Doesn't that just suck?

See part of the reason I stopped journaling through May was I had a nerve and back flare up that had me in pain all the time, and barely walking for over a week. I dragged myself down the hallway by trying to take my weight through my arms, against the smooth walls. (Note: this doesn't work all that well.) I couldn't go near the floor because I had no idea if I would make it back up. So now I'm scared that it'll happen again. 'Cause I can walk, and carry and move again and I don't ever want to need that ugly ass cane I bought, but I might have to. Poo.

And that's a little more than 15 minutes.