Back

... in every sense of the word.

I've made it back to Spokane - am back at boot camp - and am having to baby my actual back, which apparently was worse for the lack of wear this past week, while I was in El Paso. Too much sitting? Likely. It's like there is a kink in it, or something. Jogging makes it worse. Stretching makes it feel a little better. Probably doing nothing is the real answer.... at least for a few days. It doesn't feel permanent - just a spasm or kink. But it's enough to slow me down.

This is the last of this session of boot camp. Will have to decide whether I'm joining the next session - after my trip to Chicago, starting a week from tomorrow, when I get to meet my new nephew - still to be born - very exciting. My job is to keep my 2 1/2-year-old nephew company while his new baby brother is born, then brand new.

And then, in the midst of the sorrow of the weekend, and the tedious trip back home (think "back" and "back" - all connected), I had some joy yesterday - we all did - watching the soccer game between U.S.A. and Algeria - where a goal in the 91st minute put us from out of the World Cup to the head of our division. I've decided to use that last-minute effort as a symbol. That one moment of success, of glory, made all the 90 preceding minutes of agony worth it.