It happened just a few minutes ago: I found myself sitting on the floor and didn’t remember getting there. And found myself smiling. No, it wasn’t one of those “I’ve fallen and can’t get up moments”, but rather a milestone in the rehabilitation of my new knee.

Knee replacement surgery involves, among other things, a real assault on the muscles that surround the joint. They’re pulled aside, I’m told, so the surgeon can get at the knee bones, which he then cut out to put in the shiny new titanium and plastic one that will hopefully carry me around for the rest of my days.

By the time the incision heals those knee muscles have been out of commission so long they’re basically useless. Or so it seemed to me.

Since graduating from twice-weekly PT, I’ve been on my own. “You know what to do now, so just keep doing it,” said Carly and Matt, the team that had gotten me that far. So, with my sheaf of exercises, high-tech equipment (a leather belt, beach ball, stretchy bands, and five-pound strap-on weight) I’ve been pretty faithful getting those knee muscles back to doing what they used to do.

Watch any child or teen-ager, or 20-something tie themselves into knots, sit cross-legged as if they’re actually comfortable, heedlessly jump down from high places. They run with abandon over rough, rocky and root-infested trails, every step sure. The gaggle of grandchildren in my life means youthful nimbleness is always on display. They jump on the trampoline, curl up on chairs, lounge around on the floor, run cross country for goodness sake.

Sitting on the floor, or rather, getting to the floor in an intentional way is pretty complicated, joint-wise. Especially if you’ve been doing it for roughly 77 years. Those joints get stiff and unwieldy, it hurts to do the simple things those youngsters do and as a result, the muscles become a bit lazy even without the aforementioned surgical attack.

I’ve never looked back longingly at my younger years, wishing to be 20 or 30 or even 50. But I wouldn’t mind being able to sit cross-legged again or walk a woods trail without watching out for my feet.

“But will I be able to kneel again?” I asked my doctor. And asked his assistant, and Carly and Matt. “Can I garden again?” I asked everyone I knew who’d had a new knee.

The best answer I got, the one that I chose to believe, came from my doctor. “The people who want to kneel do. The others can’t.”

So, in addition to the regimen of exercises, a month ago I started adding another: get down on the floor every day. The first few weeks it was more like falling, the muscles offered so little control. It was hard enough that I had to talk myself into it every morning. Until today, that is, when I did it without thinking. Apparently just did it while preoccupied with something else.

And that reminded me of the morning I woke up, and my first thought wasn’t of Wally and that he was gone. A tiny thing, known only to me, but monumental in its way. Like getting onto the floor without thinking of it.

We do heal. Of course, healing from a physical injury isn’t really under our control; the cells replicate and repair without our agency. A scar forms, then fades. Isn’t our response to other changes in our lives similar?

Empty nest, loss of job – retirement or lay off, downsizing from a loved home to a distant one.  Or the more traumatic changes: death, divorce, disease, eviction, fire-flood-earthquake. None of us escape life intact.

But how we deal with change? That’s up to us. Or perhaps it isn’t. We can dwell on our losses or push ahead for the next new thing around the corner. Or more likely, a little of both.

With Sleepy Hollow Rag Rugs, the studio/shop in our barn, we get to meet lots of people and in a relaxed way. This isn’t a busy Camden-style tourist destination shop with dozens and dozens of customers wandering in and out. We might have a couple of people in a day or two. We’re in no hurry, and they aren’t either; after all, there isn’t another shop to see right next door. People tend to linger.

We – Tracee and I, and Wally before her – enjoy chatting with people, hearing something about their lives, sharing ours with them. It’s surprising how often people open up and talk about the changes they’re experiencing. Often, it’s a move.

Something about Maine inspires people. They’re looking for property here, or have just closed on a house, or moved here a few months ago. They come in for rugs for the new place, but they stay to talk.

One woman moving from a big house out of state to her retirement place in Maine brought ten (!) floor looms and 350 boxes of stuff with her – is that even possible? We had a lot to talk about, what with looms and her daily trips to the dump as she sorted through those boxes. Reminded me of my own move from nine rooms to four a few years ago. She’s managing and so did I. The change. From many rooms to a few. From an old loved house to a new.

As for kneeling, the garden took care of that. Sure, I’ll probably never give up the foam pad I kneel on now, but the other day I planted garlic, 180 cloves of it, all on hands and knees. If I’d been 11 or even 17, I’d have whooped and hollered and jumped all around to let everyone know what I’d done. Instead, I just told you, quietly tap-tap-tapping on my computer keys.

Addendum:

For those who might wonder, Don, the guy with Covid in last week’s column, has recovered and is back to doing his 2-3 mile daily walk up Atlantic Highway. The vaccination he got last February did its job; his case was thankfully mild.

School

Once again the school’s newsletter the Lynx Is full of interesting information on soccer and cross country, school trips, and this month a letter from Union 69 Superintendent, Kate Clark.

She writes about Covid, in part, “To date, we have had 28 days of in person instruction without any cases of infectious persons in either Hope or Lincolnville.” There’s quite a bit more about the ways the school is coping. My favorite part is this “Please keep in mind as we continue to manage this virus and keep schools open, our nurses and other staff members who are calling about close contacts, testing or quarantine are only the messengers! The common enemy we share is the Coronavirus! Even though the information shared can be frustrating and can impact your jobs and families, keep in mind that we are all in this together.”

Her other news is that the Central Office for the Union (Appleton, Hope and Lincolnville) is moving from Hope to Lincolnville Beach, 2561 Atlantic Highway. That’s the former Lincolnville Dentistry office located just north of the Beach.

Lincolnville Improvement Association

The LIA holds its last meeting of the year this Thursday, October 21 at their usual place, the Beach Schoolhouse, 33 Beach Road. The potluck starts at 5:30 p.m., please wear your mask, a dish to share, and feel free to bring an adult beverage if you want. In lieu of a program there will be a discussion of what the focus of the group should be for 2022. New members always welcome!

Beach Schoolhouse/Lincolnville Historical Society

We’re looking at a busy couple of months at the home of the LHS, the 1851 Beach Schoolhouse building at 33 Beach Road. Andy Young and his crew will be busy doing the necessary structural repairs – necessary, but not necessarily visible. Steel beams to add additional support to the second floor, a repaired west wall and a new roof on the back addition to the building. We don’t know what will be found under the clapboards of that west wall, and that’s just one of the challenges the project presents.

With a list of repairs ranging from those steel beams to, eventually, a new bathroom, exterior work – doors, ramps, possibly new siding, painting, landscaping, a climate-controlled storeroom there’s plenty to do. 

The Beach Schoolhouse Restoration Project (I know, it’s a lot of words) is overseen by a steering committee (Lee and Brian Cronin, Rosey Gerry, Jane Hardy, Chris Leary, Diane O’Brien, Pat Shannon, Cyrene Slegona, Niel Wienges, and Andy Young). After a winter of take-out meals, and enthusiastic supporters donating some $30,000 to the project, a Capital Campaign with a community-wide mailing was begun this July to raise a total of $325,000. Included in the mailing along with townspeople were summer folks, museum visitors, and LHS members far and wide. A second, smaller mailing went out last month.

The donations brought in by the mailing along with two grants, from the Water Wheel Foundation ($50,000) and from the Davis Foundation ($28,200), brings us close to halfway to our goal, enough, we believe, to bring the building into the 21st century. By the way, the town’s assessment of the building’s needs came up with a figure twice what we believe we can do it for: $650,000.

What do we expect to do with this newly renovated space? With a proper storage room downstairs fragile documents and our extensive photo collection can be stored securely. If you’ve ever had occasion to use the current bathroom, the proposed AD-compliant bathroom speaks for itself. And the building will be connected to the Sewer District; thanks to a generous donation this is paid for.

The dining/meeting room will see some needed improvements, including new lighting, and a modest kitchen rehab with a new island to encourage group cooking and serving meals. We envision a space for private social affairs as well as a place to learn new skills, share meals, and hold educational events. Both the LIA and the Lincolnville Women’s Club will continue to use the room as their home.

For now though, most of our energy has to be put towards fund-raising. If you’d like to help us reach our goal so we can accomplish all of this, you can send a check to: Beach Schoolhouse, P.O. Box 204, Lincolnville, ME 04849 or to use a credit card, you can go to our website and click on the Donate button. Thank you so much to everyone who’s donated and helped us with this project!

Condolences

Danny Pendleton passed away a few days ago, one of the large Pendleton family who grew up in Lincolnville. Danny and Marilyn built the house on Slab City Road where they lived together all their long marriage. Sympathy to his family and friends.

Millerite Hike

Rosey Gerry sent this along: “Well can you believe it another year has slipped by and this coming Friday Oct. 22nd weather permitting, we will meet at the end of Maiden Cliff Road off Youngtown road for another hike to the top of Millerite Cliffs.  I think this is the thirty year mark for me leading this annual hike, I know we may have missed a couple years because of rain. On Oct. 22nd 1844 a lot of Lincolnville and Camden residents hiked or rode their wagons up to this famous picnic spot to be caught up in the second coming.  If you google "The Great Disappointment" and or William Miller you can read more about it. 

“A lot of people have made this trek with me year after year and I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new! All are welcome, Please if you bring your dog keep them on a leash. Right now long range forecast says showers, we go unless it's a downpour! Things can change! So bring a rain coat and dry boots just in case. Also may want to bring a water bottle, cause the beer stand at top closed last weekend!!!!!

“Here are details: Meet at end of Maiden Cliff road  at top of hill just up from Youngtown Inn. Drive up to end. We will meet there at 6:45 a.m. and we will start to hike as soon as it's light! Walk up takes about an hour, walk down about 40 mins.

Any Questions contact Rosey  975-5432. See you this Friday!”