Feet Don’t Fail Me Now

I had to walk to the pain cave this morning … in the rain.

It all started yesterday, with a late-night knock on the door.

A friendly neighbor, a quad over, asked if I knew management had posted a Notice to Remove Vehicles, along both sides of the covered parking structure, which area includes my assigned spot, because a crew would be arriving 9 AM this morning to replace light fixtures.

No. I did not know and would not have known — had she not told me.

Too late to think about the chaos that was to ensue, with two rows of vehicles having no prior notice, scrambling to find a spot to relocate their cars without incurring the wrath of other residents by taking up their assigned spot, I thanked her for letting me know and went to bed.

Waking up this morning to the sound of rain, seeing it was still a little dark outside, dark enough that no one could clearly see my makeup free face (I’m vain that way), I threw on boots, a rain jacket, took an umbrella and went out to the parking lot to see if there was an available spot in visitor parking.

My lucky day, both spots — usually occupied, were open.

I moved the car to where I can safely park until work is scheduled to end at 4:30.

The offside of not having to scramble like the others will, is that I dare not move the car to get to the pain cave, as there will surely be no place to park when I return.

So, this morning, I walked to the pain cave in the rain … a mere two blocks, 0.25 miles, in 7 minutes.

No biggie one might think, inasmuch as I have no problem competing in 5K walks except, after a workout, I can’t count on my legs getting me back from point A to point B.

It was shortly after I began working out with trainer when I had the bright idea of walking the mere two blocks, just for the purpose of extra steps. That was the day trainer, saying “I’m going to push you a little”, upped the pounds on the slam balls and threw in a new weight bearing leg exercise.

It was a little tough, but I handled it and walked out feeling good.

However, just a few steps outside the studio, reality began to set in. My lower limbs began to revolt ─ the sides of my legs, from hips to ankles, began to ache and my knees nearly buckled.

Through sheer force of will, I made it back to the complex, but it was touch and go all the way.

I’m happy to report my feet did not fail me this morning. There’s been much improvement since the last time I tried to walk to/from the pain cave. This time, walking back was a piece of cake, no effort at all. I even shaved a minute from the walk up, getting back in 6:59 minutes.

I may make walking a regular thing.

When I headed out for the pain cave, there were 12 cars still in their parking spots.

They either did not know or, like Next Door Neighbor (NDN), said to heck with management.

NDN was told about the notices same time friendly neighbor told me — she'd knocked on both our doors. But NDN said management didn’t do proper or timely notification, so she wasn’t moving her car until management called or knocked on her door.

When I returned from the workout, 11 cars were still in place, including NDN's car.

I'm guessing most were along the lines of not knowing, rather than, like NDN, giving management the hard time they richly deserve.

The crew putting in the new lighting are either going to have to work around those cars, hope they don’t damage any, or management is going to have to do what NDN is wanting them to do — check their records, see which cars need to be moved, who owns them, give that resident a call.

A lot of trouble for management to have to go through, but no one’s fault but their own incompetent selves.

Speaking of incompetence. It really chapped my hide yesterday, when I saw the two maintenance guys chillin and relaxing on the bench outside my window.

There they are, chilling and relaxing when, after three requests, there’s been no response to my reporting the light in the refrigerator is out, nor has there been a response to the request for replacement blinds in the bedroom, because the horizontal blinds not only do not match the verticals in other areas of my unit, but are so old that slats are crumbling and falling out.

I’m seriously beginning to think that, though I won’t like the hassle of moving, or paying rent that would render me house poor, it might be nice not to be so pissed off at management all the time.

No guarantee it will be much different elsewhere, but change might be good.