Edgartown: Safety on the trails

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—MV Times

Oh, how I miss the days when I was young, coordinated, and agile, with unceasing athleticism. Oh wait. I was never those things. And apparently, I’m still none of those things, although I do give it a go. I recently started running again, having taken much of the summer off because of the heat. Heat, fibromyalgia, and exercise don’t really work well together. So I finally summoned my strength and started back last Tuesday. Unfortunately, on Friday I showed my true grace and tripped over a root, or rather got my foot stuck under a root, so the bottom half of Gail stopped short and stayed put while the top half of Gail flung forward at alarming speed, crashing to the ground with great velocity. It took a moment to gather my composure to sit up and take a bit of bodily inventory before continuing on with my run. By the time I got home, my arm was throbbing and swollen into a hideous configuration not easily recognizable as an arm, but the rest of me was not too bad. My pride probably took the biggest hit. If Pop was here, he’d just be shaking his head at me.

Why do I write about this? First, so you can have a giggle. I’m sure that it was funny to watch. Thankfully, I don’t think anyone saw it. Second, it made me realize that I really need to be more careful. My husband knew, roughly, where I was going, as I had taken the dogs with me, and that generally means the State Forest. But which path is always up for debate. I’m lucky. I wasn’t hurt, and I was in a wide-open fire lane. But I could have been in any one of the paths through the woods, and I could have banged my head and not been able to keep going or call for help. So it’s always best to let someone know what you’re up to, where you’re going, and when you will be back. I’m beginning to realize I’m not immortal. It never hurts to be careful.

So excited to share that the Edgartown School once again is planning an open house, health fair, and garden tour on Sept. 20, from 6 until 8 pm. This will be the first in-person open house since before COVID. This is always a fun night, as families take part in the potluck meal and then wander, meeting the teachers and staff, and learning more about our school. Mark your calendar, and keep those fingers crossed.

The Edgartown library is at it again, ramping up fun things for the kids after school. Starting Sept. 9, it will be offering a movie and popcorn on Friday afternoons at 3 pm for kids 8 and up.

Additionally, the library children’s room is also offering Make It Mondays between 10 am and 4 pm. Drop by the Children’s Room crafting area, and create a different project every week. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult caregiver.

Today, Sunday, was such a gorgeous beach day. Tomorrow isn’t supposed to be quite so nice, but this afternoon was lovely. I had a lovely swim, and then curled up in my blanket with a towel under my head and drifted off into a lovely beach nap. Nothing better. I am grateful for every beach day from here on out. Happy first week of school to the Edgartown School families. Have a great week. Happy off-season. We made it through another summer.

If you have any Edgartown Town Column suggestions, email Gail Gardner, ggardnermv@gmail.com.