So late last summer I was approached by a leader from the Girl Scouts to do a presentation on Scotland for the Scouts World Friendship Day. I happily agreed, then discovered that two of my own nieces will be in attendance. Extra incentive to make a good showing. My presentation will include cursory overviews of the history, language, people and places of Scotland, with of course some discussion of kilts and a few tunes on the bagpipe.

I almost put that in jeapardy last Saturday. I took my six y.o. son sledding and we had a nasty tumble on the last run down the hill. He landed on top of me (better that than me on him!) and I heard a rather sickly crunching sound when my chest hit the ground. Got the wind knocked out of me and couldn't move without severe pain. Figured I'd cracked a few ribs. Been there, done that. Nothing a doctor can do except charge me for an X-ray and approve my self-diagnosis, so I didn't go.

I haven't even attempted the pipes since Saturday morning, as i can hardly even breathe without pain, much less play. All week at work was pretty ugly. Everything frm waist to neck hurt. Today I broke down and under the wifes' urging, went to the doctor.

A bit of good news, I didn't break a single rib. The bad news is that I dislocated all but one rib on my right side. I wasn't aware it was possible to do so until today. While I whimpered and complained, the good doctor proceeded to bend me around like a rag doll and several audible and many inaudible bumps and creaks took place. Hurt like the dickens, but I'm beginning to feel a bit better.

Doc says I should be good to go on the pipes in a week to ten days and has given me some exercises to do to make sure everything stays in its appointed place. There is some fear of them dislocating again due to previous injury and spinal arthritis.

Good thing i got fixed up, I don't think I'd find many other pipers willing to do this gig. It will consume several hours and I agreed to do it gratis. We'll see how the chest is doing in a week, doc says to go back if it's not improving substantially by then.