My MSN name from Wednesday: 'What a truly excellent day.'
Christa came to Guelph on Wednesday, hitching a ride with James.
They picked me up - pausing here just long enough for Christa to meet the cats - then we headed to her place to pick up the last of her stuff. It amounted to two text books, some pictures and some alcohol.
Shortly later we were leaving James at the University library to do some research and trying to figure out what to do with our afternoon. Christa had to be back in Mississauga in time to pick her sister up from work.
We ruled out the Arboretum because of the overcast day. Eventually we decided to walk to the Boathouse for ice cream cones. From there we walked along the Speed River until we got to Victoria Road, holding hands and talking the whole way. It was kind of cold, but I was enjoying myself too much to be bothered.
Just after we turned around to head back I swore I felt a drop of rain on my face. The clouds were ominous, but nothing more fell.
We stopped at the MacDonald Stewart Art Centre on the way back and strolled through the gallery. Steph was working, so I said hi and introduced Christa.
About a half hour later we met James and Ian in the Bullring, a coffeehouse on campus. It was about then that I realized that I'd blown out a knee on the walk.
There's a band of muscle that runs vertically along the outer thighs. It's called the ITB - illiotibial band, or something - and connects at the hip, knee cap and top of the shin bone. Mine are prone to tightening. When it tightens it pulls the kneecap off track, causing a fair amount of pain.
It's brought on, in my case, by long periods of walking without proper warmup. Which is especially galling for someone who loves to hike.
It can be prevented by strengthening the muscles on the inside of the knee and by improving the flexibility of the ITB. Neither of which I've been doing lately. Both of which I started doing again last night.
After the initial incident back in first year - which felt like someone was stabbing my knee with each step - I had got it under control. There have been brief flare ups since, each with warning signs.
There were probably warning signs on Wednesday. I was just enjoying myself too much to feel them.
After the Bullring, James and Christa drove me 'home'.
If I had to sum up the afternoon, I'd do it by saying that three hours on Wednesday made my entire week.
They picked me up - pausing here just long enough for Christa to meet the cats - then we headed to her place to pick up the last of her stuff. It amounted to two text books, some pictures and some alcohol.
Shortly later we were leaving James at the University library to do some research and trying to figure out what to do with our afternoon. Christa had to be back in Mississauga in time to pick her sister up from work.
We ruled out the Arboretum because of the overcast day. Eventually we decided to walk to the Boathouse for ice cream cones. From there we walked along the Speed River until we got to Victoria Road, holding hands and talking the whole way. It was kind of cold, but I was enjoying myself too much to be bothered.
Just after we turned around to head back I swore I felt a drop of rain on my face. The clouds were ominous, but nothing more fell.
We stopped at the MacDonald Stewart Art Centre on the way back and strolled through the gallery. Steph was working, so I said hi and introduced Christa.
About a half hour later we met James and Ian in the Bullring, a coffeehouse on campus. It was about then that I realized that I'd blown out a knee on the walk.
There's a band of muscle that runs vertically along the outer thighs. It's called the ITB - illiotibial band, or something - and connects at the hip, knee cap and top of the shin bone. Mine are prone to tightening. When it tightens it pulls the kneecap off track, causing a fair amount of pain.
It's brought on, in my case, by long periods of walking without proper warmup. Which is especially galling for someone who loves to hike.
It can be prevented by strengthening the muscles on the inside of the knee and by improving the flexibility of the ITB. Neither of which I've been doing lately. Both of which I started doing again last night.
After the initial incident back in first year - which felt like someone was stabbing my knee with each step - I had got it under control. There have been brief flare ups since, each with warning signs.
There were probably warning signs on Wednesday. I was just enjoying myself too much to feel them.
After the Bullring, James and Christa drove me 'home'.
If I had to sum up the afternoon, I'd do it by saying that three hours on Wednesday made my entire week.
