More surgery, recovered, and back once again!

Gosh, long absence again. Last post was about a long absence for surgeries, and then on to the delightful experience of having a sweet pair of finches build their nest right above where I sit at my computer, on the lanai. Well, they did indeed have not one egg but two, and both hatched, and both babes did fine. A wonderful time was had by all, watching the babies get ready to fly. So much uncertainty, first peeking over the edge, then practicing wing-beating for several days, and finally the larger babe--with more than one gentle parental nudge while the other parent called from a nearby tree---airborne! That was a thrill for me, and I didn't even raise the little thing. Well, the second one must have flown without the benefit of my delighted eye, because a couple days later the nest was empty.

And the next year--repeat performance by the tiny finches. I did a bit of a repeat too, in the way of more surgery. This time on my brain---yup. For real. I had developed hydrocephalus and spent quite awhile in Baltimore being seen, as we say in medicine, at Johns Hopkins, in what I think is probably the finest place anywhere to have brain surgery these days. All the elements worked beautifully together: world-class surgeons with marvelous nurses for postop care, all in the most amazing physical facility I can imagine. I'll skip the details, but I am sure grateful to all those people!

So I am feeling well, happy to be back swimming once again, and back to the computer.