Well, whaddaya know? Here I am writing my Tuesday Walk on Wednesday. But at least I took a walk this week.

To update you, I'm not in Santa Fe. My wife, Linda, decided we should go to a warmer location for some R&R after my rotator cuff operation on March 9. I quickly agreed that the heat would do me good. Another reason to leave Santa Fe from time to time is that if you're lucky enough to live in heaven, an occasional trip away helps you realize your good fortune.

Linda and I ended up in Palm Springs, California. Three couples who are friends from Santa Fe came with us. We arrived last Friday afternoon, just in time for a tennis match being held in Indian Wells, only 15 minutes away. We spent the rest of Friday, all of Saturday and most of Sunday watching tennis-and I mean world-class tennis. The men's finals featured Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. We enjoyed watching these rivals with very different styles of tennis go at each other.

Each morning the gang got up and played a little tennis themselves-except for me, of course. And then those who play golf did so after the tennis. Once again, I had to decline. A rotator-cuff operation is no small thing. Several weeks are needed for a full recovery. But I went through similar surgery a few years ago, on my other shoulder, and compared to that ordeal, this time around is a cakewalk. The difference is that my recent surgery was done arthroscopically, with small incisions and a tiny camera guiding the doctor, while the first operation was done the old-fashioned way, with a big open cut.

On Tuesday I decided to try my first walk after the operation. I took my time and strolled for about an hour, ending up at the tennis courts where my wife and friends were playing. After watching them a while, I made a mistake. I was feeling so good that I decided to walk some more. The result was a two-hour hike-which was too much for the first day. That evening my arm was very sore. (That's my excuse for not tapping out this report until Wednesday.) From now on, I'll pace myself.
This area of California is a winter haven for people such as Canadians, who live in cold climates. There are golf courses everywhere. It's a very nice place, and I know I'll enjoy the rest of my week here. But when we return Friday, I'll be ready. There is a magic about Santa Fe, and as the poet Don Blanding said, "and that's the way one feels about home."

Have a wonderful week.

Stan