Saw something very unusual this morning. Had slept in. Around 8:40 heard someone singing "Ave Maria". Looked out window, saw about 200 people, mostly teens/young adults, walking down our street, heading for the beach. Someone was carrying the Stars and Stripes, one carrying the Catholic Church flag, and others with banners I didn't recognize. A priest was singing. Someone was carrying a cross, large but not big enough to be crucified on.
To get to the beach from our street you have to climb a hill, then work your way down to the beach. Two separate places to reach the beach, but each involves climbing a hill. One hill is pretty steep, the other not so steep. There are some areas where wooden "steps" have been put down.
Didn't see the people returning, but by that time I was up and doing things.
Have found it's taking longer to recover fully from the spinal surgeries than it did open-heart nine years ago. Age is undoubtedly part of it. This time the body took far more trauma and pain than with open-heart, three surgeries vice one, and quantum leaps more pain/agony throughout the period, until the spinal fusion. In comparison, there was only very occasional pain, not severe, leading up to the heart surgery and what pain there was afterward went away fast. Within 30 days was walking four miles/day, as I did before the open-heart. Been walking again since July, best I can do at one time is maybe three miles. Just taking longer, not pushing it. Limiting factor is tightness and discomfort in back muscles. Mercifully, the nerve agony was left on the operating table. But I'll get there.