It’s been pretty cold this week. I’m back to wearing pants now, but my toes have really been cold. The cast is too big to fit a sock over.

I asked Peggy to try to find something that will fit over my toes without being too tight. My piggies need room to flex.

She went to a sporting goods store and came up with a very creative solution.

If you watch football, it is an UnderArmour cap that many players wear under their helmets, but it is a “youth” size. It fits over the end of the cast perfectly, and then the non-walking walking shoe holds it neatly in place.

I shouldn’t be surprised that Peggy is creative. She is an actress, singer, dance instructor and personal trainer, all of which require enormous amounts of creativity to do well. But this creative solution tickles me for some reason.

Necessity is the mother of invention. I think Peggy was afraid I was going to ask her to start driving me again…

My surgeon explains things in a way I can understand. Unexpected, especially for an Ivy League punk. I like that about her.

Today I got the first cast removed. Today is the end of four weeks without being able to put my foot on the ground. She said “IF”, so I have not put my foot on the ground since about 7:00 am on December 20, 2016.

They put another cast on today, and they gave me a “walking shoe.” This is where the explanation comes in. It’s not really a walking shoe, it’s a peeing shoe.

That is the only time I am allowed to put my foot on the ground. That’s all the weight she wants it to bear for the next two weeks.

I asked if I can put it on the ground to get out of the car. Nope. But I can drive. I’m not sure how I am going to get the scooter out of the car without putting a foot on the ground, but I will figure it out. Peggy has got to be tired of taking me everywhere.

To be honest, it doesn’t look a whole lot different than it did two weeks ago, so I just have to take her word for it. I’ve waited four weeks, so two more ain’t gonna kill me.

As long as I can drive.

We had a wonderful holiday season with family in the house. It was really great of them to come and visit since I couldn’t go anywhere. Once LSU whipped Lamar Jackson and Louisville in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve people started heading back to their own homes.

Today is a big day.

We went back to the doctor today for the first time since the surgery. Got the news that everything looks good so far. The surgical bandages have all been removed — kinda gross — and replaced with a cast.

I still can’t put my foot on the ground, but I don’t have to keep it above my heart any longer, which means I can return to work. I’ve worked half-days from the recliner for the past week, but now I can actually return to the office. Of course, I can’t drive so poor Peggy has to take me and pick me up each day. She’s amazing. And probably ready to get me out of the house.

I’m excited to go back and see everyone. It’s a lot easier to harass people in person. Plus, all of the meetings will have to be in my office, and that is a tremendous home court advantage.

The real deliverance will occur when I can bear weight again, but in the immortal words of Bill Murray in “What About Bob?” — baby steps. Until I can take real steps, I’ll take it.