Bonfire and sprained ankle

Some of my plans for Saturday and Sunday were shot by my having fun Friday.

On Friday two members of the book group announced a bonfire that night on Freeport Beach. A bunch of friends of theirs from church had planned it and they decided to invite the book group. I thought that was great. I also thought it would be the type of free entertainment Pat is always looking for. Wrong on that score - "On a beach at 40 degrees, are you nuts!"

Why, yes I am. Despite not having my jacket, at my sister's since Christmas, I took off to meet the people at the Bay Area UU Church parking lot to car caravan to the beach. I was running late, the e-mail said to meet at 7 so I called Jennifer and she said they would wait. I get to the parking lot before 7:15 and discover only a number of book club people. Not Jennifer and Conan who had emailed the book group about this.

I remembered this is actually a UU function and those things rarely start on time. Someone later says all church functions of all churches rarely start on time. Jennifer and Conan get there and someone else from the church at 7:30 and we discover the book group had been given a wrong earlier meeting time. We are asked to go get some drinks, chips, and lighter fluid as most of the other stuff is already covered. I go with Keith to Kroger's and ending up buying it all and deciding to take any left-overs to my house. I added things like celery, apples, and carrots for vegetarians and more marshmallows.

I want to take my car and Keith and Richard will leave their's. After some arrangement of cell phone distribution we take off, Richard in my car with his bongo type drum and cell phone. I am mistakenly the last to leave the parking lot at just after 8. I remember the last time I was last in a caravan and quickly move up to behind the leader, the truck with most of the firewood. You can't get lost if you follow the firewood to a bonfire. (I never found my Dad's wedding reception by being last in a car caravan.)

I keep the music mostly on light jazz and Richard drums along.

We do a final stop a convenience store right before the beach. I decide I have not had my wine for the day and try to buy some. Huge store - tons of beer - no wine. Lemon-lime malt beverage will have to do.

We are on the beach at 9:30. Windy breezes almost parallel to the beach, temp is about 50 F. Windchill is probably 30. I grab another sweater and tie it to my neck in case I need it over the two and t-shirt I am wearing. Amazingly clear night. The bonfire is great. One-third of a fence went in it. There was very little drinking, I think most people had none or one. I learned you can't tell the difference between veggie dogs and real hot dogs. There were 18 people there, 7 were members of CLSFF Book Group, and also two large all black German Shepherds. One of them was a sheep dog who prevented people from running away from the group which was a little odd.

People's ages, except for mine, were 20 to 35. Discovered this is the Young Adults group at Bay Area UU. Well, I'm young at heart and the age difference is the same in the book group too. Pat and I are 46 and 48.

In walking back to my car during the bonfire I tripped in a rut and one of my small feet - weak ankles twisted as I went down. It turns out it was so dark away from the bonfire no one could tell I fell. It wasn't bad but I limped for the rest of the bonfire which was put out at 1:30 AM. Ended with a trail of small red-gold embers leading to the sea in the almost pitch black.

Driving back I several times almost asked Richard to drive as my ankle was hurting. I put on Simon and Garfunkel which he seemed to like and Art Garfunkel which he probably didn't. He was mostly asleep so hard to tell. Some trouble getting back as I leave the group at the gas station by the beach and then can't decide if I am lost. Lucky I have a Texas map in my car. To parking lot by 2:30 AM and home by 3.

My ankle seemed to be puffed out over 1 1/2 inches from normal on one side. Not good. I learned about R.I.C.E. on the internet and started rest, ice, compression, elevation along with extra-strength acetaminophen. I updated my blog and called Pat at 7 and cancelled grocery shopping, the zoo, and lunch. Slept with leg propped up and called Jim when I woke up in the afternoon.

I was OK for Bennigan's book group meeting with Pat driving that night, ankle was very much better although Pat thought it still looked bad. I tried out using a cane, you naturally don't use it right. Afterwards we went to Shakespeare's Coffee Bar which it turned out I didn't know the directions to and then Richard's and Melinda's house. Four of us played Scrabble, while four played something else and then we watched Bound. Great sexy movie but way high on violence.

Sunday I recuperated. I debated going to Church but blogged some instead. By evening ankle swelling is maybe 1/2 inch all around. It is now just annoying.