[at-l] Explanations and an apology

[spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Some time ago, Sloetoe and I exchanged some thoughts ? and there was an 
error in my last post.  So ?

Explanation #1 ? at some point during the Ruck I was grabbed by someone who 
shall remain nameless and asked ?Have you heard that Flyin? Brian had to 
have reconstructive knee surgery??

I hadn?t.  My first thought was ?That?s not surprising.?  My second thought 
was: ?I should check that out.?  And my third thought was: ?But this guy 
knows Brian ? so it?s probably true.?  And after that, I forgot about it.  
Until I wrote it as part of a reply to Sloetoe.

So ? since Toey got hysterically upset about it, I called Brian last week.  
Brian and I were both thankful that the ?rumor? wasn?t true.  He is, in 
fact, planning to try a PCT yoyo hike this summer.

So ? I owe the list an apology for writing something that I failed to check 
out first.  However - and this is Brian?s view, not mine - I owe only a 
?tiny? apology.  In fact, his exact words were ? ?a very tiny apology.?   
<G>

Regardless of the size, the apology is hereby tendered.

Finally ? explanation #2 ? as to why it took so long for me to get back 
here.  The morning after the PA Ruck, I had what might be called a ?negative 
medical event.?  I?ve spent the last two weeks being poked, prodded, stuck, 
x-rayed, magnetized, bled, and generally pawed over by an array of medical 
sadists ? er ? doctors.  I had my last appointment this morning and at this 
point the conclusion is that I?ll ?probably? recover full function of the 
left eye.  But that?s not guaranteed.

In any case, I haven?t been here for the last week cause I?ve had little 
interest in talking ?hiking? until I found out if I?d ever actually be 
capable of hiking again.  Two weekends ago, we went out to do about 10 miles 
? and ended up doing 1.5.  Last Saturday, we went out to do 12 ? and did 
3.5.  Sunday we finally managed a 5.5 mile walk.  The secret is that I can?t 
wear either my glasses or the eye patch ? and, at least right now, I can?t 
handle snow glare.  So, provided the Concept Review I?m doing in 8 days goes 
well, we?re still headed for our next thruhike in 2 years.  Until yesterday 
I thought that if it doesn?t go well, we could be hiking in 2 months cause I 
wouldn?t have a job.  But my boss popped that bubble yesterday by telling me 
they wouldn?t fire me/lay me off no matter how this thing goes.  Dang.

Walk softly,
Jim

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