the difficult is getting impossible

Walking in south Bethlehem has always been difficult. The sidewalks themselves are often challenging (I should take pixs of the best ones!) and navigating around stuff...car parts, garbage cans, couches, adds a whole level of difficulty.

If that wasn't enough, they "upgraded" the curb cuts, closed the sidewalk on the Minsi Trail Bridge, and are doing road construction everywhere.

Now, they are working on the new access to the Hill to Hill Bridge. (For a history of the bridge go here.) I could swear that this is the ramp they tore down 40 years ago. My sister says my memory is faulty. But I did found this old picture on the web, that seems to hold support my viewpoint.  Look at the ramps on this bridge. Looks nothing like today. (I added the labels.) Tear it down. Then build it back up. (My tax dollars at work.) Anyway, now there PEDESTRIAN DETOURS are everywhere. Traffic is doubled because of detours, and so far none of the detours have walk signals. Soon I'll have to drive to go walking. Fountain Hill is just too small for long walks.

Today I'll be going out with Betsy for 3-miles or so in South Whitehall. We do that nearly every Friday. Tomorrow is the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community, and Sunday we'll be doing the 2-bridge walk in Easton-P'burg. As an added bonus I'll be doing the Bullman Street stairs. Thanks Angel for letting me know the name. The weather report calls for hazy, hot and humid. Goodie.

Last night during our walk I checked out the Kung Fu place on Broadway, 2 blocks from my house. They offer T'ai Chi. But it's $169 for 6-weeks. They offer classes 3x a week, so that breaks down to about $9.50 a class. If I'd go 2x a week, that would be about $14. A tad expensive. Plus you need to wear a uniform.

Finally, I have a lead on a real family doctor. To this point I've been going to the doc-in-a-box, and calling ahead so maybe I get one I like. There's some I dislike a lot. She was recommended from a friend. I went to her web page on the Lehigh Valley Hospital site, and here's some things I read which makes me think we'll get along.

"Medicine is not an exact science. I am open to learning from my patients. I want to know everything about them, and I let them know where I'm coming from. All of our decisions are a negotiation. I want them to feel like they are in charge."

"I like to work with people who want to take responsibility for their own health and who want a little guidance from someone they can trust."

And she did her undergrad work at one of the "seven sisters" (which horribly are down to five), Mount Holyoke. Having gone to a women's collge that appeals too me.

So I've done the research. I have a referral. Now do I have the courage to make the call? We'll see.