Back in the Saddle

As of today, I have a record of three classes in a row. It's been a rough fall. First, school started on September 1st. Those first two weeks were exhausting and I missed several classes. Afterward, I picked up a sinus infection that also involved my chest, and I'm still coughing a lot. I went to half a dozen classes in September. October just began, and I've already attended half as many classes. I only missed last Saturday because I was still feeling sick, and I'd only started taking the antibiotics the doctor prescribed for me.

This has been a nice week, I practiced a wide variety of techniques, including some really obscure variations of some pretty basic techniques, and I've stayed injury free. Not too bad.
One thing I've noticed is a decrease in my range of motion in my right shoulder. I'm not sure if it's my osteoarthritis, or if it's just because I tend to sleep on my right side, and after so many years of this, my shoulder is just screwed up from the weight of me sleeping on that side all night long. I've noticed that the pain in my shoulder comes very early when I'm doing ukemi during the nikkyo and sankyo pins. Far earlier than on my left side.

I've also had a "light bulb" moment on my shikko, or knee walking. I've been able to figure out how to take a step forward so that I make an obtuse angle between my legs instead of something a lot closer to a right angle. That means I'm able to travel farther on each step. My steps aren't very fast, but since I'm able to cover more ground, I don't fall so far behind. I always thought that the arthritis in my hips would keep me from stepping forward that far, but somehow I've been able to make it happen. Maybe I'm thinking more consciously about bringing up my trailing leg, I don't know, but I'm making it work better than I ever have before. At least I'm improving somewhere.