Walked on West Road-Camp May Road bypass. Was pleased to discover that there is now a pedestrian opening in the tall, razor wire fence that blocks off entrance to West Jemez Road from West Road. Was even more pleased to discover that two roundtrips, starting from intersection of Camp May Road-West Jemez Road, equals my statutory daily 4 miles. Wore five pound Ironwear CoolVest to add oomph to the uphills.
Tomorrow is Santa Fe trip. I'll exercise in the evening. Hope the moon will still be bright and brilliant tomorrow!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Walking Around White Rock
Got a late start, 1:30pm. Stopped at MPL and then headed to White Rock about 2pm. Stopped at WR branch of MPL. Have to go in east entrance now because construction work being done on main entrance. Was trolling non-return boxes at both libraries. Not much of note found. Then on to Jemez House Thrift Shop. Looked at books but they were so messy - it would take a lot of effort to find anything unless you happened to spot it on top. Had no old ski poles or pretty cloth placemats so bought nada. Then, onto Smith's - bought frozen Welch's grape juice concentrate that I use to sweeten tea, Minneola tangelos (make spectacular juice and only 99 cents a pound right now) and frozen mild red chile. Had small cooler and two blue ice to keep things cold while I walked but juice concentrate thawed anyway - surprise, surprise! : )
Started walking down NM-4 toward Grand Canyon but then turned off on La Vista and simply wandered through some neighborhoods. Decided White Rock proper is too congested for walking compared to Pajarito Acres. Stopped in at WR MPL and orange outhouses along Overlook Road for bathroom stops. Next time will walk NM-4 to Pajarito Acres and back. I could start at WR MPL to add some distance. In the old days, I estimated that it was a three mile round trip from Smith's to Pajarito Acres and back.
Wonder if GPS is malfunctioning. At Overlook Road it read 3.33 and then read 5.16 when I got back to Smith's. Doesn't seem like it was that long.
Started walking down NM-4 toward Grand Canyon but then turned off on La Vista and simply wandered through some neighborhoods. Decided White Rock proper is too congested for walking compared to Pajarito Acres. Stopped in at WR MPL and orange outhouses along Overlook Road for bathroom stops. Next time will walk NM-4 to Pajarito Acres and back. I could start at WR MPL to add some distance. In the old days, I estimated that it was a three mile round trip from Smith's to Pajarito Acres and back.
Wonder if GPS is malfunctioning. At Overlook Road it read 3.33 and then read 5.16 when I got back to Smith's. Doesn't seem like it was that long.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Windy But Good
Snowshoed with WI on Cañada Bonita Trail. There were six XC skiers. Four of them, including Faye and David, made it out to the old VCNP fence in the meadow and then turned around because of the fierce winds and wind-whipped ground snow (not fierce enough to call a ground blizzard but daunting and strong enough to partially fill in our tracks). One of the skiers, Barbara, was very strong and was still headed out toward the Pipeline Road Overlook. Another, Leon, was skiing by himself.
There were nine snowshoers. Two, Ginny and Mahlon (and their dog, Jake), started late and I don't know how far they went. Four made it to the edge of the meadow. One more only went as far as the old VCNP fence and then said she'd wait for us in the trees while Kathy and I continued on. We went through the meadow, just to the top of the ridge and then turned around for four miles RT.
On the way back, we accidentally turned off on Nordic trail L so if Annette was waiting for us in the trees, we missed her. We didn't realize our mistake (we were yakking away!) until we saw Leon. At first, it still didn't dawn on us what we'd done and we asked if he had seen Annette. Then, with embarrassment and concern for Annette, we cut through the woods a short distance to get back to the snowshoer-legal meadow trail. We then back-tracked to where we had made the wrong turn to see if we could find Annette but couldn't. I don't know her phone number but sent her an email apologizing. I said in the email that perhaps our brains were addled by our exertion! I certainly hope she made it back all right.
If I heard right and did the math correctly, Kathy is 72 years old. She did wonderful! I enjoyed talking with her on the way back.
When we were almost back, I heard a skier behind us say she'd pass on my left and I absolutely froze! Fortunately, she was an excellent skier and managed to go by me in the narrow space.
Going to daughter's for dinner tonight. She has promised me vegetables including potatoes and cabbage - yum, yum! She and grandson will come over to our house tomorrow for pizza.
There were nine snowshoers. Two, Ginny and Mahlon (and their dog, Jake), started late and I don't know how far they went. Four made it to the edge of the meadow. One more only went as far as the old VCNP fence and then said she'd wait for us in the trees while Kathy and I continued on. We went through the meadow, just to the top of the ridge and then turned around for four miles RT.
On the way back, we accidentally turned off on Nordic trail L so if Annette was waiting for us in the trees, we missed her. We didn't realize our mistake (we were yakking away!) until we saw Leon. At first, it still didn't dawn on us what we'd done and we asked if he had seen Annette. Then, with embarrassment and concern for Annette, we cut through the woods a short distance to get back to the snowshoer-legal meadow trail. We then back-tracked to where we had made the wrong turn to see if we could find Annette but couldn't. I don't know her phone number but sent her an email apologizing. I said in the email that perhaps our brains were addled by our exertion! I certainly hope she made it back all right.
If I heard right and did the math correctly, Kathy is 72 years old. She did wonderful! I enjoyed talking with her on the way back.
When we were almost back, I heard a skier behind us say she'd pass on my left and I absolutely froze! Fortunately, she was an excellent skier and managed to go by me in the narrow space.
Going to daughter's for dinner tonight. She has promised me vegetables including potatoes and cabbage - yum, yum! She and grandson will come over to our house tomorrow for pizza.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Fun Day
Woke at 8:30am yet barely made it to Los Alamos Fitness Center's two over-fifty fitness classes on time. Attended weight-lifting class from 12:15-1pm and then cardio stretch until 1:45pm. Was a lecture on back safety afterwards but had to run to BESC for Strong Women info meeting that ended at 2:30pm.
I liked the LA Fitness Center classes but they would entail buying either a fitness center membership or a fitness-class-only punch card. Last time I looked at the cost for their fitness classes, it was 10 classes for $75 which is a bit pricier than the YMCA.
Strong Women is a possibility if they have space. Strong Women graduates like me only get second preference so we'll see. Haven't paid for anything yet until they tell me there is space.
I had fun in the cardio stretch class because it was moving to oldies and was almost like dancing! The stretch afterwards was to Enya music and very peaceful. Enjoyed weight-lifting but that's pretty standard stuff and would be similar in Strong Women.
After stop at library, went to Radio Shack to borrow specialized screwdriver to dismantle harddrive from outmoded Firewire device. Took a while but I was successful. This evening I have to twist the 4 disk plattters so they are unusable.
When got back home, threw everything in house and went to work on snow removal. Made good progress except for ice glacier next to my car.
I would really like to snowshoe tomorrow while the snow is fresh.
I liked the LA Fitness Center classes but they would entail buying either a fitness center membership or a fitness-class-only punch card. Last time I looked at the cost for their fitness classes, it was 10 classes for $75 which is a bit pricier than the YMCA.
Strong Women is a possibility if they have space. Strong Women graduates like me only get second preference so we'll see. Haven't paid for anything yet until they tell me there is space.
I had fun in the cardio stretch class because it was moving to oldies and was almost like dancing! The stretch afterwards was to Enya music and very peaceful. Enjoyed weight-lifting but that's pretty standard stuff and would be similar in Strong Women.
After stop at library, went to Radio Shack to borrow specialized screwdriver to dismantle harddrive from outmoded Firewire device. Took a while but I was successful. This evening I have to twist the 4 disk plattters so they are unusable.
When got back home, threw everything in house and went to work on snow removal. Made good progress except for ice glacier next to my car.
I would really like to snowshoe tomorrow while the snow is fresh.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Snow Witch
Reluctantly donned Sorels this evening and went out bitching, moaning and complaining, riding my O-Cedar broom, to work on snow removal.
Ever since I tore down the gutters over the back porch a few years back, snow accumulates on the porch slab if it's a big, drifty storm. I cleared it so it doesn't melt in place on the porch because then it won't drain properly and forms ice. I also cleared a path for spouse to the satellite dish and even swept off the dish.
Out front, had to remove piles of snow that spouse earlier had "helpfully" pitched in front of the side gate. Had to do that so I could wrestle the recycle and trash bins out of the side yard and they will stay out for the duration of the winter. Next year, I plan to fasten the side gate open because it's too hard to open and close it when the snow pile behind it (that's where I throw a lot of the driveway snow) gets bigger.
Cleared full width of sidewalk. It helped that spouse had cleared most of it earlier. Scraped and shaved snow off front porch so mailman doesn't kill himself. Cleared path around front and driver's side of spouse's car and swept both cars one last time for good measure. It was snowing when I was clearing but not too heavy. Has stopped for now.
Plan to get up at 8am tomorrow to make sure I don't weasel out of going to the info meeting on the over 50 fitness classes at the LA Fitness Center.
I'm a little hepped up now from cocoa nibs that I had with dried fruit after supper.
Ever since I tore down the gutters over the back porch a few years back, snow accumulates on the porch slab if it's a big, drifty storm. I cleared it so it doesn't melt in place on the porch because then it won't drain properly and forms ice. I also cleared a path for spouse to the satellite dish and even swept off the dish.
Out front, had to remove piles of snow that spouse earlier had "helpfully" pitched in front of the side gate. Had to do that so I could wrestle the recycle and trash bins out of the side yard and they will stay out for the duration of the winter. Next year, I plan to fasten the side gate open because it's too hard to open and close it when the snow pile behind it (that's where I throw a lot of the driveway snow) gets bigger.
Cleared full width of sidewalk. It helped that spouse had cleared most of it earlier. Scraped and shaved snow off front porch so mailman doesn't kill himself. Cleared path around front and driver's side of spouse's car and swept both cars one last time for good measure. It was snowing when I was clearing but not too heavy. Has stopped for now.
Plan to get up at 8am tomorrow to make sure I don't weasel out of going to the info meeting on the over 50 fitness classes at the LA Fitness Center.
I'm a little hepped up now from cocoa nibs that I had with dried fruit after supper.
Popcorn
I'm starving for popcorn and will make it soon. Sister suggests making it in ordinary paper bag but I have none so I'm forced to make it in killer-death number-7-triangle, old plastic microwave popcorn popper but make it I will!
I did a Jari Love exercise dvd - Slim and Lean. Laughed to see smiling exercisers while yours truly was grimacing and cursing under breath during pulses and isometric holds! Afterwards, did half of Yoga for Longevity and then took nap on floor during relaxation pose.
I feel less depressed today but no less tired. Technically speaking, I'm in bed long enough but just don't sleep well. Not sure what I can do about that because I can't control how I sleep once I'm asleep.
Will miss spouse's company when he returns to work tomorrow - go figure! : ) I guess I've gotten use to the constant company! Who knows - with the snow lightly falling and blowing all day, he may not.
Facebook can get somewhat addictive. It's fun to check it to see what your friends wrote and respond with short comments.
I did a Jari Love exercise dvd - Slim and Lean. Laughed to see smiling exercisers while yours truly was grimacing and cursing under breath during pulses and isometric holds! Afterwards, did half of Yoga for Longevity and then took nap on floor during relaxation pose.
I feel less depressed today but no less tired. Technically speaking, I'm in bed long enough but just don't sleep well. Not sure what I can do about that because I can't control how I sleep once I'm asleep.
Will miss spouse's company when he returns to work tomorrow - go figure! : ) I guess I've gotten use to the constant company! Who knows - with the snow lightly falling and blowing all day, he may not.
Facebook can get somewhat addictive. It's fun to check it to see what your friends wrote and respond with short comments.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Old, Cold and Depressed
I'll keep trying to get more sleep to help the depressed part but not sure what I can do about the old and cold!
SF trip today. Stomach had the twisties while waiting in Border's for spouse who was checking out TVs at Best Buy. They never developed into anything full-blown but it was worrisome.
Don't go to Best Buy if you want to buy an LCD TV. Best Buy suggested that spouse could pay an extra $300 over the cost of the TV to have a technician come to our house to "adjust" it, plus they tried to convince him that he'd need to buy a sound system for it as well. Best Buy's 3 year extended service contract is $250 while Baillio's is $149. The salesman at Baillio's, per spouse, was much more honest. He showed spouse how easy it is to adjust the picture with the remote control! We haven't bought a new TV yet and frankly, I don't care if we ever do but spouse is busily researching all the options. I shopped at Vitamin Cottage while spouse trolled the TV section in Baillio's.
Had a late supper and didn't finish with everything until 9pm. This is because I had a late lunch on the ride home and then went out early to walk. Today I bought some raspberry apple sauce to put on warmed fennel muffins and also added some cinnamon. It tasted like cake!
Israel is acting like Hitler in its invasion of Gaza! When will the world care about the plight of the Palestinians?
I am looking forward to spouse returning to work on Monday while he is hoping for a snow day to extend the vacation!
SF trip today. Stomach had the twisties while waiting in Border's for spouse who was checking out TVs at Best Buy. They never developed into anything full-blown but it was worrisome.
Don't go to Best Buy if you want to buy an LCD TV. Best Buy suggested that spouse could pay an extra $300 over the cost of the TV to have a technician come to our house to "adjust" it, plus they tried to convince him that he'd need to buy a sound system for it as well. Best Buy's 3 year extended service contract is $250 while Baillio's is $149. The salesman at Baillio's, per spouse, was much more honest. He showed spouse how easy it is to adjust the picture with the remote control! We haven't bought a new TV yet and frankly, I don't care if we ever do but spouse is busily researching all the options. I shopped at Vitamin Cottage while spouse trolled the TV section in Baillio's.
Had a late supper and didn't finish with everything until 9pm. This is because I had a late lunch on the ride home and then went out early to walk. Today I bought some raspberry apple sauce to put on warmed fennel muffins and also added some cinnamon. It tasted like cake!
Israel is acting like Hitler in its invasion of Gaza! When will the world care about the plight of the Palestinians?
I am looking forward to spouse returning to work on Monday while he is hoping for a snow day to extend the vacation!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Quiet Afternoon
Spouse and I walked five miles in the streets of White Rock and La Senda with the WRSC hiking group. I was surprised to see the mileage was that great. Eve had wanted to walk the trails near the Pojoaque Fitness Center, actually next week's hike on the schedule, but we voted to stay in White Rock as we had to pick up grandson before noon so son-in-law could go to work.
Gordon has a nice, new GPS that he was experimenting with. Our numbers were small - only seven of us. The walk was slow-paced but enjoyable. It was good to see spouse able to walk reasonably pain-free. His back hurt him a little but he did well to walk five miles.
Birds in White Rock were singing and flocking on trees like Spring had already come.
In downtown Los Alamos, the great melt is occurring and snowplows are clearing the roads of ice before the next big storm.
Spouse took grandson to McD's for lunch - always a winner and then to the Trans-Lux Theatre in Española to see Tales of Despereaux. I told spouse that he was grandson's friend and that spouse had better take care of his health. So far, grandson doesn't have a close friend but we're all hoping he finds one.
I took a sack of 1998 receipts to the bank's huge, heavy duty shredder and quickly made mince-paper out of them. Right when I finished, the machine jammed but they helped me un-jam it by putting it in reverse.
Then, kamikaze-like, I placed four bags of old magazines on the non-return shelves at the downtown library. I had already placed two at the White Rock branch. I'll have two more if son-in-law doesn't want the ones I separated out for him. Then, when spouse finishes reading the rest of the 2008 mags, I probably will have two more. Next time the airlines offer us magazines for our expiring miles, I don't want them because neither of us reads them! There were one and two foot piles in the office and now it's all clean!
On Monday, I check out the courses the Los Alamos Fitness Center will be having for people older than 50. That same day, an informational meeting for the Strong Women program is held. The Strong Women give you 24 classes for $60. I'll see how that compares with the fitness center. A Strong Men program will be starting too. They get a book but the women only get an email newsletter - not fair! ; )
Now to check Facebook. So far I have 5 friends - daughter, daughter's mother-in-law, sister, brother and a woman in town who writes a neat blog. I found out yesterday that you can chat in Facebook and I suggested to my brother that we do that one day. I may enjoy that better than phone calls!
Oh, one more thing that I thought of last night: Inauguration day will be like Christmas and New Year's all rolled up in one!
I have to admit to not being too excited, though, about Christmas this year. I don't know what it was but, now that it's safely over, I put on some Christmas cds last night while stretching!
Gordon has a nice, new GPS that he was experimenting with. Our numbers were small - only seven of us. The walk was slow-paced but enjoyable. It was good to see spouse able to walk reasonably pain-free. His back hurt him a little but he did well to walk five miles.
Birds in White Rock were singing and flocking on trees like Spring had already come.
In downtown Los Alamos, the great melt is occurring and snowplows are clearing the roads of ice before the next big storm.
Spouse took grandson to McD's for lunch - always a winner and then to the Trans-Lux Theatre in Española to see Tales of Despereaux. I told spouse that he was grandson's friend and that spouse had better take care of his health. So far, grandson doesn't have a close friend but we're all hoping he finds one.
I took a sack of 1998 receipts to the bank's huge, heavy duty shredder and quickly made mince-paper out of them. Right when I finished, the machine jammed but they helped me un-jam it by putting it in reverse.
Then, kamikaze-like, I placed four bags of old magazines on the non-return shelves at the downtown library. I had already placed two at the White Rock branch. I'll have two more if son-in-law doesn't want the ones I separated out for him. Then, when spouse finishes reading the rest of the 2008 mags, I probably will have two more. Next time the airlines offer us magazines for our expiring miles, I don't want them because neither of us reads them! There were one and two foot piles in the office and now it's all clean!
On Monday, I check out the courses the Los Alamos Fitness Center will be having for people older than 50. That same day, an informational meeting for the Strong Women program is held. The Strong Women give you 24 classes for $60. I'll see how that compares with the fitness center. A Strong Men program will be starting too. They get a book but the women only get an email newsletter - not fair! ; )
Now to check Facebook. So far I have 5 friends - daughter, daughter's mother-in-law, sister, brother and a woman in town who writes a neat blog. I found out yesterday that you can chat in Facebook and I suggested to my brother that we do that one day. I may enjoy that better than phone calls!
Oh, one more thing that I thought of last night: Inauguration day will be like Christmas and New Year's all rolled up in one!
I have to admit to not being too excited, though, about Christmas this year. I don't know what it was but, now that it's safely over, I put on some Christmas cds last night while stretching!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Souped Up
Now I now the trick to walking fast. Walk six miles one day with a heavy load; the next day, walk, sans heavy load, a shorter distance and you'll feel like you're absolutely flying!
Flurry of Busy-ness First Day of 2009
Did three loads of laundry, made four dozen fennel muffins (after this, I'm through with muffins for a good, long while!) and did New Year's Day chores. New Year's Day chores consist of bagging up receipts from 1998 to take to the bank for shredding, creating a 2008 shoebox with last year's receipts, starting a new date book calendar and, most importantly, motivating spouse to get rid of the 2007 magazines that he never read to make way for the 2008 ones that he also won't read!
It's late afternoon. I'll go out this evening and walk under the starry skies. My energy came back today but my stomach is upset about something and threatens to twist. Let's hope it goes away.
Weather service says it's 43 degrees at the Los Alamos Airport - pretty darned warm!
Tomorrow we hike in White Rock with the White Rock senior center group. This will be spouse's first hike since the inflamed appendix business started. We'll see how he does.
After the hike, we'll pick up grandson at noon and spouse will take him to Trans-Lux in Española to see Tales of Despereaux.
Please, dear God, let Barack's administration contribute to world peace and to the health and prosperity of those who are less fortunate!
It's late afternoon. I'll go out this evening and walk under the starry skies. My energy came back today but my stomach is upset about something and threatens to twist. Let's hope it goes away.
Weather service says it's 43 degrees at the Los Alamos Airport - pretty darned warm!
Tomorrow we hike in White Rock with the White Rock senior center group. This will be spouse's first hike since the inflamed appendix business started. We'll see how he does.
After the hike, we'll pick up grandson at noon and spouse will take him to Trans-Lux in Española to see Tales of Despereaux.
Please, dear God, let Barack's administration contribute to world peace and to the health and prosperity of those who are less fortunate!
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