Sunshine and Perseverance

Mid May in Alaska seldom starts the day with t-shirt weather. Friday, May 20th, was no exception, dawning clear, sunny and a chilly 43°. Temps were forecast to be in the 60s, but that was hours away.

My mood that morning was a mix of emotions as I sat patiently waiting for my turn to have brand new tires installed on my vehicle at our local tire shop.

I’d put off getting new tires earlier in the month because of the expense, but also because I was unsure if I was going to hit my goal of being physically ready to attend our first K9 Nose Work trial, scheduled to begin the following day.

Ready or not, it seems I was going. On the bright side, waiting for an early morning tire install in a motor home meant I could make coffee, scramble a couple eggs and even use the bathroom – all without exiting my warm vehicle.

Once I had new treads, I returned home to grab the dogs, fill my fresh water tank … and worry a little more about the wisdom of my decision.

Almost exactly four months post op from a total knee replacement (TKR), I was heading out, not just to Anchorage for a four-day K9 Nose Work trial with two dachshunds, but also on a three week road trip. The aforementioned K9 Nose Work trial was my version of dipping my toes in the water.

More aptly, I was throwing my partially-healed self right into the deep end. Would I sink or swim? Was it too soon? This date, this trial, had been my motivation to suck it up and work through the difficult process of knee replacement recovery. Was I being overly optimistic?