How fast it (my life) all went by. I'm now a senior citizen but just yesterday, I was a carefree young girl. On the outside, I look old but inside, I still just wanna have fun!
Two things I hate (inspired by all day in Albuquerque):
Perfunctory "how are you" greetings that require equally perfunctory "fine and you". Why do people have to pretend they care about people they don't even know. A simple, friendly hi or hello would be fine by me!
Toilet paper rolls that I can't find the end of even after reaching underneath the holder and rotating the roll around and around and around.
Eating my lunch at Whole Foods while watching the hordes buying their food:
We all think we're so unique but, collectively, we're not. Gimme that Whole Foods religion! Maybe they all were celebrating because they didn't get raptured!
Taking surreptitious glimpses of woman at next booth, hunched over her food, cheeks bulging, eyes downward, savoring her lunch. Food is the 2nd greatest pleasure known to man but not to woman. In reading Bonk, written by Mary Roach, it was titillating to learn that in lab experiments, the female, not the male, rat can be distracted during copulation by cheese crumbs!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
On the Third Day, She Hikes Alone
Hiked with all-female hiking groups last two days:
Monday was the Frey Trail from Juniper Campground in Bandelier National Monument. In the canyon, we went to Alcove House, by way of the Long House, and some of us climbed the ladders including me. I was surprised to feel the down-climb in my quads and still do today. It didn't seem terribly hard when I was doing it although I was so tense on the down-climb - shouldn't have carried my pack up!
We had started hiking down from Juniper Campground closer to 10:30 am but didn't get back to our cars until 2:54 pm. Took so long because: one hiker disappeared but didn't inform the leader so all of us waited on a bench and had lunch until she reappeared. Then, after Alcove House, two hikers who hadn't carried lunch because they planned to buy theirs at the snack bar were now starving. At the snack bar, we ran into German tourists who were on a bus tour of New Mexico. Then, instead of walking back to bottom of the Frey Trail along the Rito de los Frijoles, we walked back on the Ruins Trail which is already becoming congested with tourists. All day, we ran into crowds of school kids on field trips and it was neat to see them enjoying the outdoors.
Today, the Tuesday women's group hiked upper Water Canyon to Forest Road 181/American Springs Road. We followed that road down to the South Perimeter Trail, off NM 501, and then back to our vehicles. Wildflowers are starting to bloom and we had fun trying to remember their names! I forget a lot of them from year to year. The young aspens are finally leafing out and covering the hillsides with the innocent green of springtime. The morning started cloudy but by the end of our hike, around noon, sunshine predominated with lots of interesting clouds. We all appreciated the cooler weather and the almost-moist conditions in Water Canyon.
Grandson visited this afternoon. I should have been suspicious when he said "Grandma, I'm going to play outside." The kid is not an outdoor kid. Turned out he had heisted my magnifying glass to practice fire-starting. He says he stomped on the sticks as soon as he saw smoke. I admonished him not to do this in the severe drought we're having. It would be so easy to accidentally start a fire.
Monday was the Frey Trail from Juniper Campground in Bandelier National Monument. In the canyon, we went to Alcove House, by way of the Long House, and some of us climbed the ladders including me. I was surprised to feel the down-climb in my quads and still do today. It didn't seem terribly hard when I was doing it although I was so tense on the down-climb - shouldn't have carried my pack up!
We had started hiking down from Juniper Campground closer to 10:30 am but didn't get back to our cars until 2:54 pm. Took so long because: one hiker disappeared but didn't inform the leader so all of us waited on a bench and had lunch until she reappeared. Then, after Alcove House, two hikers who hadn't carried lunch because they planned to buy theirs at the snack bar were now starving. At the snack bar, we ran into German tourists who were on a bus tour of New Mexico. Then, instead of walking back to bottom of the Frey Trail along the Rito de los Frijoles, we walked back on the Ruins Trail which is already becoming congested with tourists. All day, we ran into crowds of school kids on field trips and it was neat to see them enjoying the outdoors.
Today, the Tuesday women's group hiked upper Water Canyon to Forest Road 181/American Springs Road. We followed that road down to the South Perimeter Trail, off NM 501, and then back to our vehicles. Wildflowers are starting to bloom and we had fun trying to remember their names! I forget a lot of them from year to year. The young aspens are finally leafing out and covering the hillsides with the innocent green of springtime. The morning started cloudy but by the end of our hike, around noon, sunshine predominated with lots of interesting clouds. We all appreciated the cooler weather and the almost-moist conditions in Water Canyon.
Grandson visited this afternoon. I should have been suspicious when he said "Grandma, I'm going to play outside." The kid is not an outdoor kid. Turned out he had heisted my magnifying glass to practice fire-starting. He says he stomped on the sticks as soon as he saw smoke. I admonished him not to do this in the severe drought we're having. It would be so easy to accidentally start a fire.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Apache Springs Trail to Edge of Frijoles Canyon
Spouse and I hiked this 5 mile roundtrip hike this morning. We enjoyed lunch at the edge of Frijoles Canyon. Spouse considered this a hard walk but it may be that he didn't eat enough for breakfast. I was happy for the company.
At the beginning of the hike, we spotted 4 deer in a meadow. Of course, like all the deer around here, they stood and watched us from the shadows of some young ponderosa pines. Elk, when we see them, have more common sense and quickly flee.
Later, I noticed the aspens cast shadows across the trail and true to their names, quaking aspens, the leaves' shadows shivered in the wind. We didn't shiver, though, because it was a lovely, warm day. Not much in the way of clouds although we saw some interesting ones with their bottoms shredded into veils.
At the beginning of the hike, we spotted 4 deer in a meadow. Of course, like all the deer around here, they stood and watched us from the shadows of some young ponderosa pines. Elk, when we see them, have more common sense and quickly flee.
Later, I noticed the aspens cast shadows across the trail and true to their names, quaking aspens, the leaves' shadows shivered in the wind. We didn't shiver, though, because it was a lovely, warm day. Not much in the way of clouds although we saw some interesting ones with their bottoms shredded into veils.
Letter Written to Representative Ben Lujan
Dear Representative Ben Lujan,
I urge you to endorse Senate Bill 564, introduced by Senator Bingaman and supported by Senator Udall, which would transfer management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve to the National Park Service. I would like you to please introduce a similar bill in the House.
The Valles Caldera Trust chairman, Raymond Loretto, recently testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that a majority of the Trust are in support of this bill. I am in support of of management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve by the National Park Service and I urge you to help make it happen. The Preserve is a national treasure that New Mexico is lucky to have in our state and it deserves to be better managed. I trust in the National Park Service to do this. I'm completely 100% against the status quo continuing at the Preserve. I think that the Caldera will be better protected by the National Park Service than if the forest service takes over management in 2015. Why haven't you spoke out in support of S. 564 yet and why haven't you introduced similar legislation in the House?
Thank you,
I urge you to endorse Senate Bill 564, introduced by Senator Bingaman and supported by Senator Udall, which would transfer management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve to the National Park Service. I would like you to please introduce a similar bill in the House.
The Valles Caldera Trust chairman, Raymond Loretto, recently testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that a majority of the Trust are in support of this bill. I am in support of of management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve by the National Park Service and I urge you to help make it happen. The Preserve is a national treasure that New Mexico is lucky to have in our state and it deserves to be better managed. I trust in the National Park Service to do this. I'm completely 100% against the status quo continuing at the Preserve. I think that the Caldera will be better protected by the National Park Service than if the forest service takes over management in 2015. Why haven't you spoke out in support of S. 564 yet and why haven't you introduced similar legislation in the House?
Thank you,
Friday, May 13, 2011
Does This Constitute a Life?
WRSC hiking group - good company but not good exercise. They are too slow to deem their walks good exercise so I just consider it a rest day. They wanted to hurry back to the potluck for May birthday so only hiked about two miles total - up Frijoles Canyon to Alcove House and back.
We saw a huge tree that was felled by our recent heavy winds. The fellow with us who volunteers at Bandelier said the park service will give the wood to San Ildefonso. Until one of those giant ponderosas are down for the count, you can't begin to conceive of the massive amount of wood it contains. The roots were massive too but unbalanced, thicker on one side than the other. The flaw of the ponderosas is a shallow root system.
We saw some hikers going off-trail to visit some of the cavates that are off limits except on tours with a ranger. We hollered over that they weren't supposed to be there.
I really wanted to attempt the ladders at Alcove House but spouse was eager to get back to the gift shop to buy a Zia symbol T-shirt and then to buy a burrito at the snack bar. He had an appointment at UNM-LA regarding the class he will teach and afterward we had to run to Santa Fe - he to pick up a prescription and I to get my biennial mammogram.
Our warm, sunny weather predominates, courtesy of our drought.
We saw a huge tree that was felled by our recent heavy winds. The fellow with us who volunteers at Bandelier said the park service will give the wood to San Ildefonso. Until one of those giant ponderosas are down for the count, you can't begin to conceive of the massive amount of wood it contains. The roots were massive too but unbalanced, thicker on one side than the other. The flaw of the ponderosas is a shallow root system.
We saw some hikers going off-trail to visit some of the cavates that are off limits except on tours with a ranger. We hollered over that they weren't supposed to be there.
I really wanted to attempt the ladders at Alcove House but spouse was eager to get back to the gift shop to buy a Zia symbol T-shirt and then to buy a burrito at the snack bar. He had an appointment at UNM-LA regarding the class he will teach and afterward we had to run to Santa Fe - he to pick up a prescription and I to get my biennial mammogram.
Our warm, sunny weather predominates, courtesy of our drought.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Hike Went OK
My co-leader was indispensable as she was the sweep and made sure we didn't lose the 12 hikers. It's really hard to get the group's attention to tell them something about the trail or what we're seeing. They are too busy chattering as they move through the surrounding lovliness. I have to work on communicating with them. Also, some tend to walk ahead but don't actually know the way. I need to be more proactive in asking them to wait at upcoming intersections.
It's surprising to me how many of the hikers don't know our local trails. They say "Where does that go?", pointing to a turn off. I always like/need to find out where "that" goes so I was able to tell them. I guess not every one can be a professional hiker like me! However, my hike leading skills are far from "professional"!
It's surprising to me how many of the hikers don't know our local trails. They say "Where does that go?", pointing to a turn off. I always like/need to find out where "that" goes so I was able to tell them. I guess not every one can be a professional hiker like me! However, my hike leading skills are far from "professional"!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Now a Pensioner
Tomorrow I co-lead the Tuesday group hike. This makes me nervous because of fear of what others expect. I hope they don't expect a professional educational tour. My only goal is to share this area with them but I don't profess to be an expert on what we'll see.
This is a momentous year - in February I got my national park service senior pass and today applied for social security. I'm getting old as dirt! Now spouse and I are sitting in the office, he messing around taking tags off his new bicycle helmet and me typing nonsense at the computer, listening to 30 Years of Great Folk Hits from Reader's Digest. I'm afraid there's little hope for us! Then again, on Saturday, we met our neighbor's 100 year old father and, man, he looks good! We can only hope for such longevity!
Yesterday I walked the Cañada Bonita Trail to the two mile turn around point. Today I walked up Pajarito Mountain to the wooden bench, now overturned, on the south side of the mountain. Winds were blowing and it was hazy. I'd do pretty well just hiking on a ski hill every day except in the winter. I love Pajarito Mountain!!
This is a momentous year - in February I got my national park service senior pass and today applied for social security. I'm getting old as dirt! Now spouse and I are sitting in the office, he messing around taking tags off his new bicycle helmet and me typing nonsense at the computer, listening to 30 Years of Great Folk Hits from Reader's Digest. I'm afraid there's little hope for us! Then again, on Saturday, we met our neighbor's 100 year old father and, man, he looks good! We can only hope for such longevity!
Yesterday I walked the Cañada Bonita Trail to the two mile turn around point. Today I walked up Pajarito Mountain to the wooden bench, now overturned, on the south side of the mountain. Winds were blowing and it was hazy. I'd do pretty well just hiking on a ski hill every day except in the winter. I love Pajarito Mountain!!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Red Dot-Blue Dot Hike with LL Gang
Great hike and a beautiful day. 12 of us braved going down the Red Dot Trail to Pajarito Springs and then along the River Trail and up the Blue Dot Trail. The rest of the group did a relatively flat hike along the White Rock Rim Trail. Male hiking leader kindly showed us petroglyphs including the Spanish Lady one but "she" looks more like a "she-man" because of obvious graphic details. Some speculated that the "appendage" may have been added later. I made careful notes on how to find the Spanish Lady so next year when the Monday women's hiking group does this hike, I can show them this petroglyph.
Only disappointing thing is that groups go into White Rock canyon but never go down the the edge of the river, at least along this trail. When groups hike the Falls Trail or Ancho Rapids, they do have lunch at the Rio Grande. Along the way today, I saw a wonderful beach where we could have dined riverside but since it was in the sun, no one showed any interest. Instead, for lunch we holed up in the shade of some junipers - kind of a blah lunch spot IMHO.
I saw scarlet mallow and I think chocolate flower but wildflowers are sparse even in warm White Rock canyon.
On the way down the Red Dot, I was pathetically slow. Once when the group all stopped to strip outerwear off, I caught up with them. They were talking about a hiker who barely lived through this hike. They were perhaps inspired to bring this up by watching my slow, cautious descent into the canyon which most likely made them sure that I was losing it physically. But, on the way up, I smoked them! Only one hiker was ahead of me. I decided that I would go for elevated heart rate and walk up the Blue Dot in one continuous flow. I like uphill much better than downhill because I feel more stable. Although, on the way up, when my foot got caught on a rock, I nearly "bought the ranch"!
Only disappointing thing is that groups go into White Rock canyon but never go down the the edge of the river, at least along this trail. When groups hike the Falls Trail or Ancho Rapids, they do have lunch at the Rio Grande. Along the way today, I saw a wonderful beach where we could have dined riverside but since it was in the sun, no one showed any interest. Instead, for lunch we holed up in the shade of some junipers - kind of a blah lunch spot IMHO.
I saw scarlet mallow and I think chocolate flower but wildflowers are sparse even in warm White Rock canyon.
On the way down the Red Dot, I was pathetically slow. Once when the group all stopped to strip outerwear off, I caught up with them. They were talking about a hiker who barely lived through this hike. They were perhaps inspired to bring this up by watching my slow, cautious descent into the canyon which most likely made them sure that I was losing it physically. But, on the way up, I smoked them! Only one hiker was ahead of me. I decided that I would go for elevated heart rate and walk up the Blue Dot in one continuous flow. I like uphill much better than downhill because I feel more stable. Although, on the way up, when my foot got caught on a rock, I nearly "bought the ranch"!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Ignominy of Horn Blasting
Picture me this morning, gliding down Diamond Drive, still in its perpetual state of construction. I have the luck to be behind someone who's obviously brain dead in the right lane. When we get to the part where the speed limit is 40 mph, he/she is barely able to come up to that speed. I debate if I should follow this car until the golf course parking lot turnoff where I will meet fellow hikers but then I grow impatient. I pass, exceeding the speed limit, pull in front of the car but then see the parking lot is sooner than I expect. When I suddenly brake and turn, I am embarrassed by the loud blaring of the brain dead's car horn that heralds my arrival. Ah, the ignominy of being caught in my own brain deadness! Fortunately, the other hikers are not there yet so no one I know witnesses my stupidity!
I hiked with the Tuesday group which had planned to hike Atalaya in Santa Fe but changed their plans due to snow we received on Sunday. So, instead a small group of six hiked Upper Guaje Road to the Cabra Loop Trail. We followed the Cabra segment that goes to Beanfield Mesa and then down to the Rendija Trail. I told them we didn't have to go uphill on the Upper Rendija Trail to get back to the vehicle parked at Guaje Pines Cemetery but instead we could go on the flat through the Rendija Narrows. I'm afraid, though, they didn't consider it impressively narrow enough because after we had walked out of it, someone asked if we were in the Narrows yet!
We saw valerian, blue bell, golden banner, golden smoke, clematis, claret cup cactus, and perky sue. We especially enjoyed seeing the seed heads of the pasque flower. The seed head is silky soft. Gambel oak is beginning to bloom in anticipation of forming leaves. Currant and mountain mahogany are leafing out. The flowers we saw were not plentiful. Everything is slowed because of lack of moisture. I wonder if the record-breaking frigid temperatures affected the native plants. I know that in Santa Fe, lavender and rose bushes were killed in the cold but those are domestic plants.
When we first started walking on Upper Guaje Road, Forest Road 442, we went through a section of the road that Paul Parker's employees were grading. We asked what they were doing and they said they were flattening the road and that a new subdivision would be built. This lower section of Upper Guaje Road is owned by the county not the forest service. The forest service boundary is just past this and the road there is still very steep. It looks like the grading will cause erosion because the steepness of the forest road above the graded section will allow water to cascade down faster. Below this short graded section is a segment of the Rendija Trail, a Los Alamos county open space trail, which could also be eroded.
I hiked with the Tuesday group which had planned to hike Atalaya in Santa Fe but changed their plans due to snow we received on Sunday. So, instead a small group of six hiked Upper Guaje Road to the Cabra Loop Trail. We followed the Cabra segment that goes to Beanfield Mesa and then down to the Rendija Trail. I told them we didn't have to go uphill on the Upper Rendija Trail to get back to the vehicle parked at Guaje Pines Cemetery but instead we could go on the flat through the Rendija Narrows. I'm afraid, though, they didn't consider it impressively narrow enough because after we had walked out of it, someone asked if we were in the Narrows yet!
We saw valerian, blue bell, golden banner, golden smoke, clematis, claret cup cactus, and perky sue. We especially enjoyed seeing the seed heads of the pasque flower. The seed head is silky soft. Gambel oak is beginning to bloom in anticipation of forming leaves. Currant and mountain mahogany are leafing out. The flowers we saw were not plentiful. Everything is slowed because of lack of moisture. I wonder if the record-breaking frigid temperatures affected the native plants. I know that in Santa Fe, lavender and rose bushes were killed in the cold but those are domestic plants.
When we first started walking on Upper Guaje Road, Forest Road 442, we went through a section of the road that Paul Parker's employees were grading. We asked what they were doing and they said they were flattening the road and that a new subdivision would be built. This lower section of Upper Guaje Road is owned by the county not the forest service. The forest service boundary is just past this and the road there is still very steep. It looks like the grading will cause erosion because the steepness of the forest road above the graded section will allow water to cascade down faster. Below this short graded section is a segment of the Rendija Trail, a Los Alamos county open space trail, which could also be eroded.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Slept Long
Went to bed last night around 10:30 pm and woke at 8 am but can't say I'm any better rested than when I get less sleep. We had to turn the heat up a degree last night - to 65 - because it was so cold. Before this winter's episodes of record-breaking sub-zero temperatures, I would close my heat vents in my room at night. I don't do that now because I'm so afraid of pipes freezing. Now, with the heat running while I'm sleeping, I wake up slightly headachy and sneezing. My bedroom has two heat vents which means more crap blowing out of the heat ducts while I'm sleeping. I don't like forced air heating. We had our vents cleaned once but that's probably a waste of money.
Here I am on the computer when I should be going out to the library and to exercise. First, I may as well eat lunch so I don't fall down starving on the trail.
Still have 4 more Y classes to use up. I want to try the Full Body Conditioning class. Yesterday, I didn't go out in the blowing snow and freezing cold but instead did a Jillian Michael's dvd - Ripped in 30. I did the two segments for the first two weeks and it was good exercise. Then I did my lower body exercises and called it a day.
Spouse remains convinced that if we move into the senior condos that we will never leave Los Alamos. I remain convinced that he's short-sighted. He will teach at UNM-LA this summer and fulfill his dream about teaching or at least determine if he wants to teach but I have no dreams to fulfill. I'm just waiting for life to begin. Waiting, waiting, waiting...
Sometimes I feel that life is not worth living even though I know that, overall, it is. I especially feel this way in the evenings. At least during the day there is hope and activity. The evenings are spent locked inside of this house, spouse is either laying on his back, glued to the TV, or sitting, eyes glazed, in front of the computer. OK, OK - I too spend some time on the computer and I watch some selected library dvd's or public TV (the only commercial show I watch is Dr. Oz which I tape earlier and speed through the commercials) while I'm doing resistance exercises and, truthfully, I don't feel like going out in the evening. My time to go out is during the day. It seems though, that anymore, I hate when darkness falls. It's so much cheerier when it's daylight out.
Sister will come again this summer to visit. The thought makes me even more tired. I just feel like I don't have energy for a visit. Now that she doesn't visit our Aunt, she's decided she enjoys vacationing with us.
Fortunately, daughter doesn't mind having her sleep over there where they have an extra bedroom. That helps a lot. Daughter has two cats and sister is allergic to cats but I think sleeping in a bed at daughter's would be better than sleeping at our house on the floor on an inflatable bed.
I'm looking forward to seeing my sister but just feel so tired and un-energetic about the actual mechanics of a visit. Also, her devoted religiosity is so unlike my own agnosticism. Like last year when we mentioned on a hike that the last volcanic explosion in the caldera was 1.1 million years ago and she couldn't help commenting that she didn't agree with that. My thought was "Yeah, but you're WRONG!!!" but I made no comment even though I find her close-mindedness irksome. Like really, the world was only created, according to Bishop Ussher, in 4004 B.C.E.!! Ussher died in 1656 and I'm supposed to believe what he believed???
Probably best not to obsess over the visit and just handle it as it happens. I've found in the past that she's able to argue far more effectively for her point of view than I am for mine so it's best not to bring up any religious discussions as it would only create acrimony and prove nothing. I believe what I believe and she believes what she believes and never the twain shall meet!!
Here I am on the computer when I should be going out to the library and to exercise. First, I may as well eat lunch so I don't fall down starving on the trail.
Still have 4 more Y classes to use up. I want to try the Full Body Conditioning class. Yesterday, I didn't go out in the blowing snow and freezing cold but instead did a Jillian Michael's dvd - Ripped in 30. I did the two segments for the first two weeks and it was good exercise. Then I did my lower body exercises and called it a day.
Spouse remains convinced that if we move into the senior condos that we will never leave Los Alamos. I remain convinced that he's short-sighted. He will teach at UNM-LA this summer and fulfill his dream about teaching or at least determine if he wants to teach but I have no dreams to fulfill. I'm just waiting for life to begin. Waiting, waiting, waiting...
Sometimes I feel that life is not worth living even though I know that, overall, it is. I especially feel this way in the evenings. At least during the day there is hope and activity. The evenings are spent locked inside of this house, spouse is either laying on his back, glued to the TV, or sitting, eyes glazed, in front of the computer. OK, OK - I too spend some time on the computer and I watch some selected library dvd's or public TV (the only commercial show I watch is Dr. Oz which I tape earlier and speed through the commercials) while I'm doing resistance exercises and, truthfully, I don't feel like going out in the evening. My time to go out is during the day. It seems though, that anymore, I hate when darkness falls. It's so much cheerier when it's daylight out.
Sister will come again this summer to visit. The thought makes me even more tired. I just feel like I don't have energy for a visit. Now that she doesn't visit our Aunt, she's decided she enjoys vacationing with us.
Fortunately, daughter doesn't mind having her sleep over there where they have an extra bedroom. That helps a lot. Daughter has two cats and sister is allergic to cats but I think sleeping in a bed at daughter's would be better than sleeping at our house on the floor on an inflatable bed.
I'm looking forward to seeing my sister but just feel so tired and un-energetic about the actual mechanics of a visit. Also, her devoted religiosity is so unlike my own agnosticism. Like last year when we mentioned on a hike that the last volcanic explosion in the caldera was 1.1 million years ago and she couldn't help commenting that she didn't agree with that. My thought was "Yeah, but you're WRONG!!!" but I made no comment even though I find her close-mindedness irksome. Like really, the world was only created, according to Bishop Ussher, in 4004 B.C.E.!! Ussher died in 1656 and I'm supposed to believe what he believed???
Probably best not to obsess over the visit and just handle it as it happens. I've found in the past that she's able to argue far more effectively for her point of view than I am for mine so it's best not to bring up any religious discussions as it would only create acrimony and prove nothing. I believe what I believe and she believes what she believes and never the twain shall meet!!
I Don't Care
All the news is about the killing of O____ today but I don't care about any of it. Why should I celebrate the killing of any one, even someone evil. Yes, if I had lost loved ones in the Towers, maybe I'd indulge in some blood lust but from my perspective, I'm not any safer after the long sought after demise of O____. Al Q____ is still alive and well and will probably even be strengthened by what they see as the martyrdom of O____. (I'm not putting in his full name because I don't want this to come up on a Google search. There's nothing of wide interest to anyone in this blog posting.)
Same applies to the recent news about the killing by NATO of G______'s son and grandsons. Why should I celebrate the killing of someone's progeny knowing how much I love my own? Have we become like the Romans who routinely killed off all rivals to ensure their ascension to power?
Same applies to the recent news about the killing by NATO of G______'s son and grandsons. Why should I celebrate the killing of someone's progeny knowing how much I love my own? Have we become like the Romans who routinely killed off all rivals to ensure their ascension to power?
Sunday, May 1, 2011
New Orthotics
So tired. It snowed lightly off and on today. So far, no accumulation in town. I did Weeks 1 & 2 of Jillian's Ripped in 30. It was very good exercise. The difference, though, with YMCA fitness classes are that they change day to day. Eventually, I get bored with an exercise DVD which is why I don't do them often. Only did one today because I was loathe to go out in the freezing cold and blowing snow.
I picked up 4 new orthotics yesterday in Albuquerque. He says each pair is different and I should let him know which works best for me and he'll make more of that kind and ship them to me. I tried one pair last night. It didn't ease the left foot's ball of foot pain. I'll keep evaluating the others. They all feel fine just wearing them around the house but when I go outdoors and hike fast, it's a different story and they cause pain.
Wish that the Richie-type brace was more comfortable. Now that I have the new orthotics, I may start only wearing the brace around the house all day and wear the orthotics on hikes. The brace can make my arch really ache after I hike a steep, rough, rocky trail.
Made yeast-free whole wheat bread (extremely dense!), napa cabbage coleslaw and apricot-almond bars. Worked in kitchen for 4 hours but that shouldn't tire me out this much. I feel like going to bed right now and it's only 8 pm.
I picked up 4 new orthotics yesterday in Albuquerque. He says each pair is different and I should let him know which works best for me and he'll make more of that kind and ship them to me. I tried one pair last night. It didn't ease the left foot's ball of foot pain. I'll keep evaluating the others. They all feel fine just wearing them around the house but when I go outdoors and hike fast, it's a different story and they cause pain.
Wish that the Richie-type brace was more comfortable. Now that I have the new orthotics, I may start only wearing the brace around the house all day and wear the orthotics on hikes. The brace can make my arch really ache after I hike a steep, rough, rocky trail.
Made yeast-free whole wheat bread (extremely dense!), napa cabbage coleslaw and apricot-almond bars. Worked in kitchen for 4 hours but that shouldn't tire me out this much. I feel like going to bed right now and it's only 8 pm.
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