Tag: walking

a lovely(ish) day

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I awoke to find out it is January 14. I feel like my accustomed sense of time has all but evaporated. Instead of progressing in a sort of one foot in front of the other orderly fashion, I seem to be living in a kind of severely abbreviated Rip Van Wrinkle reality.

Case in point. I took the above the photo two (or was it three? no, definitely two) days ago. My area had a break in frigid temperatures and our warming mid 30s day inspired me to get out for a walk. Just a nice airing out. The sun trying just as hard as it could but it never quite developed into a ‘sunny’ day. Be that as it may, my walk was exhilarating. Brisk air, and long enough to feel cold and then, as muscles (such as they are) stretched and flexed, feeling warmed and fluid. Even had time to chat to a dog or two.

So why the time reference? As I sat to coffee this morning, I picked up my phone, and ‘found’ the above photo. I honestly could not place the when of the thing. In that moment, two days could have been two decades. I shook myself free of that moment and reflected on its implications. I’m sure there are numerous psychological, philosophical, metaphysical, and physical reasonings behind such happenings. Maybe maybe…. As I sat in silent contemplation of the complexities of life and the very nature of time, my mother’s voice piped up (that internal one), ‘why all the fuss? this too shall pass. maybe like kidney stones but it will pass. enjoy your coffee.’. hmmmm She does have a point. and it is really good coffee.

Enjoy your mid January.

Has the new year started?

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I kinda feel it in the air, or perhaps my bones. As I sit typing while watching BBC America’s Whoathon, I realize I have started on the ever growing, endlessly nagging, internal list of things ‘I need to do for my own good’, or ’have always wanted to do’, and the ever popular ’damn it all, I will accomplish this before I die’. What have I begun? Well. I’ve started walking as frequently as the weather permits. And yoga. Minding what I eat. That sort of thing. And apparently, resuming my blog – which falls in the category of ’have always wanted to do’. So yay!

It occurs to me I haven’t been here for many a month. All I can say is oh my has a lot happened and yet absolutely nothing has. If that makes any sense at all. So while I sort that out, here’s my very best, very favorite happening:

My new friend, Bella, joined the household this past September. She is quite beautiful and smart, and standard dachshund stubborn. She has my heart.

To recap….. and to return to my actual topic, (before Miss Bella distracted me), I seem to have started on improving my diet and health without – well – telling myself first. Upon reflection, I think this is really quite good. No need for resolutions, oaths, and subsequent disappointments which is invariably accompanied with self recrimination. Hmmm. Works for me. I think this next year is already off to a better start than last year. I think. One step at a time etc.

Until next time!

The prep’s the thing

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There had been rumors of a statewide weather warming trend coming this week. Up into the sixties even. I didn’t quite believe the news.

Like virtually.. well, everywhere, these past couple/few months have been frigid. and snowy. and icy. Although we have been fortunate to escape the despair of Texas, it has still been pretty darn nasty. I’ve spent the vast majority of this winter wrapped in a sweater, a shawl, and on occasion, an afghan whilst sitting on the sofa. While this position makes for a lovely reading space, especially when accompanied with a glass of wine, it does not make for a lovely step onto the bathroom scale. That moment when you hop off then on again thinking, ‘I could not possibly….I mean….OhComeOn’. The time to act is clearly now. Actually, the acting time was anywhere from six weeks to three months ago, but now is not the time to split hairs.

The morning brought sunshine and coffee. I frowned at the sparkle beyond my window. The leafless shrubs rattled. ‘Aha’, thought I. I’ve been tricked before by bright welcoming sun, only to be blasted by a frigid wind. I seized my iPad. Local temperature – 51f. huh. I decided: Today I would resume my walk/run program. Actually, I had barely gotten into the ‘run’ part of the program before the weather had made it impossible to continue. I had hit the point where I would stride – with purpose- for a bit then jog, sort of, for a bit. Past at least two or three houses.

I started my preparations for A New Exercise Program. I pulled out my thickest sweatpants. Exercise bra, long sleeve breathable cotton t-shirt, hooded sweatshirt (in case of sudden frigid wind gusts), super terrific walking sneakers, find and recharge Fitbit, and then a light yet sustaining breakfast (technically brunch at this point). Breakfast was a large bowl of oatmeal with walnuts, raisins, and a teaspoon and a half of peanut butter for extra protein. Bathroom, coat and out the door.

Done and done! I had Restarted an Exercise Program! So what if I had only walked for twenty minutes? And I think maybe I pulled something…. I was breathing hard – -which could be because of the slight pain in my thigh, the layers of clothing or the result of Exercise. I guess time will tell. In the meantime, a pat on the back for me!

Thank you for reading and stay safe!