Bah, humbug on all these holidays and all this snow! Just give me my life back where things in town are open, the mail is delivered and I'm able to walk outside without fear of landing on my keister! Bah, humbug!
Having great dissatisfaction with our living situation (so what else is new?) I told spouse what I would do if left to my own devices: Buy a small condo in Los Alamos, downsize and get rid of lots of junk, fix up this house for sale and then travel around the southwest to pick a wintering place. We're not ready to leave LA yet because our daughter and grandson are here. We know that we're blessed to be part of their life right now.
Yet and still, I'm struck with a wanderlust of wanting to see new places and maybe get to know people there and one day relocate entirely. I told spouse that if daughter wanted to move to Florida, I'd agree to live there (in an oceanside condo). But otherwise, Florida is off my list of places to live. Spouse is pushing Tuscon but I'm not sure if that's my dream place either although its winter weather would be ideal! There is always Rio Rancho in Albuquerque. Spouse suggested Las Cruces but that's a bit far flung from the northern New Mexico land and people that we have come to love.
I also wondered aloud if we wouldn't mind winters here so much IF we had a 2 car garage, the whole house was heated (family room and laundry room are unheated), if the drain pipe in the laundry room didn't freeze and if we didn't have to shovel a driveway and sidewalks (condo, condo, condo!)
Now that I can't snowshoe, I don't need to live in snow country in the winter. The MRI of my right foot showed my posterior tibial tendon has a partial tear and a ganglion cyst. I'm kind of assuming that the ganglion cyst is causing the partial tear. There is not much change from the MRI of 2 years ago - the impacted area around the tendon is slightly larger. I see the Albuquerque podiatrist in January. I'll be interested in hearing what he proposes for my situation.
Yes, yes, I know I'm such an ingrate to kvetch about my house when some don't have a home.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Snowy So-Called La Niña in New Mexico
Having another so-called La Niña snow event here in Los Alamos. It started snowing late morning and still is. The promised wind hasn't shown up yet. I'm already missing the dry, sunny weather we were having!
I hiked a short hike in the Water Canyon area with the LL group - probably less than 1-2 miles. Afterward, since it was only 10:35 am, I drove to Ponderosa Campground where the WI group planned to hike Escobas Mesa. I walked out about 1 1/2 miles but realized there were absolutely no fresh shoe prints so I turned around and headed home via the library.
Turns out the WI group did go out to the end of Escobas Mesa for a hefty 6.8 miles and had lunch with an overlook into Frijoles Canyon and across at Burnt Mesa. I guess the gently falling snow filled in any shoe prints. Maybe that's why I didn't see any animal prints either. Regardless, my hike, albeit solitary, in a white world of gently falling snow, was enjoyable and peaceful.
I hiked a short hike in the Water Canyon area with the LL group - probably less than 1-2 miles. Afterward, since it was only 10:35 am, I drove to Ponderosa Campground where the WI group planned to hike Escobas Mesa. I walked out about 1 1/2 miles but realized there were absolutely no fresh shoe prints so I turned around and headed home via the library.
Turns out the WI group did go out to the end of Escobas Mesa for a hefty 6.8 miles and had lunch with an overlook into Frijoles Canyon and across at Burnt Mesa. I guess the gently falling snow filled in any shoe prints. Maybe that's why I didn't see any animal prints either. Regardless, my hike, albeit solitary, in a white world of gently falling snow, was enjoyable and peaceful.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Great Way to Ring Out the Old Year: Take a Hike
Today the group hiked the Anniversary Trail out to the end of Queen Mary Mesa and then down the Breakneck Trail into Los Alamos Canyon. I parked at the easternmost parking lot for the Canyon Rim Trail and walked over to where they started across from the Eastgate Industrial Park. There were 11 of us. They had left cars at the White Rock Y but I opted to go back up the Breakneck Trail and walk back to my car.
The views along the mesa top were fantastic and got even better as we descended the Breakneck Trail, built by the Los Alamos Ranch School boys, into Los Alamos Canyon. I'm glad I went on the hike.
I'm not sure what's the cause of the instep pain on my right foot because there are so many possibilities - the orthotic adjustment the podiatrist made, the new Brooks Adrenaline ASR 7 shoes, the foot exercises I've been doing? I need to do some experiments to puzzle this out. The first one will be that I'll use my un-adjusted pair of orthotics in the new shoes.
Supposed to be snow tomorrow. Spouse and I may show up at the LL meeting place to see if they'll fit in a hike before the snowstorm.
Spouse needs to call roofer about the furnace chimney leak that occurs when there are high winds. The new chimney cap didn't solve the problem.
We need a new stove. Our 20 year old one gives off some carbon monoxide when we're simmering a stew for hours. The alarm went off yesterday so we turned off the stove top and opened the windows to air out the place. CO2 detectors really work! We're hoping to have the filthy carpet in the kitchen replaced with vinyl or laminate before we get the new stove. Nothing that we're looking forward to!
The views along the mesa top were fantastic and got even better as we descended the Breakneck Trail, built by the Los Alamos Ranch School boys, into Los Alamos Canyon. I'm glad I went on the hike.
I'm not sure what's the cause of the instep pain on my right foot because there are so many possibilities - the orthotic adjustment the podiatrist made, the new Brooks Adrenaline ASR 7 shoes, the foot exercises I've been doing? I need to do some experiments to puzzle this out. The first one will be that I'll use my un-adjusted pair of orthotics in the new shoes.
Supposed to be snow tomorrow. Spouse and I may show up at the LL meeting place to see if they'll fit in a hike before the snowstorm.
Spouse needs to call roofer about the furnace chimney leak that occurs when there are high winds. The new chimney cap didn't solve the problem.
We need a new stove. Our 20 year old one gives off some carbon monoxide when we're simmering a stew for hours. The alarm went off yesterday so we turned off the stove top and opened the windows to air out the place. CO2 detectors really work! We're hoping to have the filthy carpet in the kitchen replaced with vinyl or laminate before we get the new stove. Nothing that we're looking forward to!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Joy, Believe, Peace Christmas Tree
Walking up Camp May Road today, I noticed by the side of the road that someone had decorated a small ponderosa with tinsel and 3 Christmas balls which are each embossed with a word. From top to bottom, the first Christmas ball has Joy, the second, Believe and the third, Peace. The optimism of the words brought a smile to my face. How sweet of someone to decorate that tree for passersby to see! One end of the tinsel garland had fallen to the ground so I re-wrapped it around the tree.
The sky conditions were stunningly beautiful on my walk. I could see dark clouds to the north-northwest and some of the overcast blew overhead which created gusty winds but when I ended the walk around 3 pm, golden sunshine and blue skies prevailed.
The sky conditions were stunningly beautiful on my walk. I could see dark clouds to the north-northwest and some of the overcast blew overhead which created gusty winds but when I ended the walk around 3 pm, golden sunshine and blue skies prevailed.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Semi-Strange Encounters
In Smith's on Sunday, a man recognized me based on my hat. I didn't know him but he had seen me on FR181 and remembered the color and make of the car I used to own.
It was only today that I remembered having met him once, maybe one Christmas Day after I finished my walk on FR181. I had asked him then if he knew why the two police vehicles had driven in on the road. He said they were going to pick up a hypothermic hiker.
Then, on Monday, outside the library, I saw a man walking toward me who seemed to be looking at me so I said hello. He said he remembered running into me on Cerro Toledo 10-15 years ago. That couldn't be correct because I was never on Cerro Toledo in that time-frame. I asked if he meant Cerro Grande and he said yes, he meant that. The puzzle is, though, that Cerro Grande has only been open to the public since 2005. This seems to be a case of mistaken identity. I had no recognition of him.
It was only today that I remembered having met him once, maybe one Christmas Day after I finished my walk on FR181. I had asked him then if he knew why the two police vehicles had driven in on the road. He said they were going to pick up a hypothermic hiker.
Then, on Monday, outside the library, I saw a man walking toward me who seemed to be looking at me so I said hello. He said he remembered running into me on Cerro Toledo 10-15 years ago. That couldn't be correct because I was never on Cerro Toledo in that time-frame. I asked if he meant Cerro Grande and he said yes, he meant that. The puzzle is, though, that Cerro Grande has only been open to the public since 2005. This seems to be a case of mistaken identity. I had no recognition of him.
Foot Woes Update
I haven't made any more attempts at barefoot walking even though the barefoot experiment on FR181 didn't harm me.
I saw a podiatrist in Albuquerque. He ordered weight-bearing plain x-rays of my feet and an MRI. He made an adjustment on my right orthotic to better support my posterior tibial tendon. So far, the adjustment is comfortable enough. I'll see him again in January.
I'm going to return my Atlas snowshoes. My foot is not strong enough to break trail in snowshoes so I may as well just use my faithful, old MSR's and confine myself to already-broken snowshoe trails.
I'm trying to strengthen my feet with toe squinches (from running book by Jeff Galloway), calf raises from 3 different angles and circular rotations on the wobbleboard.
I saw a podiatrist in Albuquerque. He ordered weight-bearing plain x-rays of my feet and an MRI. He made an adjustment on my right orthotic to better support my posterior tibial tendon. So far, the adjustment is comfortable enough. I'll see him again in January.
I'm going to return my Atlas snowshoes. My foot is not strong enough to break trail in snowshoes so I may as well just use my faithful, old MSR's and confine myself to already-broken snowshoe trails.
I'm trying to strengthen my feet with toe squinches (from running book by Jeff Galloway), calf raises from 3 different angles and circular rotations on the wobbleboard.
Camp May Road Yesterday and FR181 Today
As I walked up the first two miles of Camp May Road yesterday, I was surprised at how little snow had fallen or remained (because maybe some of it melted - its already melted off our roof). I haven't been walking much uphill in an attempt to baby my right foot so it was good to do the uphill on Camp May Road.
Today, not daring to walk uphill two days in a row, I walked on FR181. There was more snow up there but vehicles have driven in so the walking was easy - not too muddy or too snowy. I saw no one and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Blue skies and sunshine were overhead when I started although I could see gray clouds hanging above Pajarito Mountain. By the end of my walk, the overcast had come my way.
Today, not daring to walk uphill two days in a row, I walked on FR181. There was more snow up there but vehicles have driven in so the walking was easy - not too muddy or too snowy. I saw no one and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Blue skies and sunshine were overhead when I started although I could see gray clouds hanging above Pajarito Mountain. By the end of my walk, the overcast had come my way.
Saw Part of Lunar Eclipse Last Night
I wasn't planning on seeing the lunar eclipse last night but when I went out to check its progress and saw it was already half devoured by the earth's shadow, I was hooked enough that I went out again at 12:30 am, past my bedtime. By that time, only a crescent moon remained, surrounded by stars brightly shining. The constellation Orion was visible near the moon. Husband had gone to bed around 11 pm but I was tempted to wake him up so he could see the eerie wonder of the lunar eclipse - I should have. Daughter woke her 9 year old son up to see it - good for her!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Human Footprints Seen on FR181
The human footprints were mine. My footprints looked surprisingly narrow compared to when I look down at my bare feet and they look so spread out. The inspiration for the footprints was because I bought a used book called Barefoot Running by Michael Sandler.
Altogether, I tried barefoot walking for short distances 3 different times on FR181/American Springs Road. I carried my shoes while doing that. FR181 has a lot of small pebbles that painfully drill into my feet unless I'm careful. On the smoother stretches, walking barefoot felt good. Admittedly, I was taking only careful, tiny mincing steps - hardly a normal gait.
In 2008, I tried the Nike Free shoes and they probably led to the stress reaction in my right heel. This is most likely because I pounded my heel hard on rocky trails on my walks and the Nike Free shoes gave it little protection in comparison to the shoes I was used to wearing. Now, in reading Sandler's book, I realize that it's better to land on the forefoot first to take pressure off the heel when barefoot walking or even when wearing minimalist shoes.
One obstacle I see in colder weather is that even though my feet didn't feel cold while I was barefoot on the dirt road, the cold must have seeped up into my body because it took a long while to warm up after walking.
All in all, I'd probably feel safer (and warmer) with some kind of minimal shoes (and socks in the winter!) I'm afraid of stepping on sharp things, man made or natural. From my brief experience today, though, I can see that barefoot walking is best done in a truly unshod state (as opposed to barefoot mimetics utilizing minimalist footwear) because anything on the bottom of the foot means you can't feel the ground as well and this interferes with the natural movement.
Anyway, unfortunately, I have too much feet pathology to seriously make a regular diet of barefoot walking - chronic posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, flat feet and a heel spur (that flared into a stress reaction and painful plantar fasciitis in 2008) - but perhaps I could try stints here and there to strengthen my feet.
Altogether, I tried barefoot walking for short distances 3 different times on FR181/American Springs Road. I carried my shoes while doing that. FR181 has a lot of small pebbles that painfully drill into my feet unless I'm careful. On the smoother stretches, walking barefoot felt good. Admittedly, I was taking only careful, tiny mincing steps - hardly a normal gait.
In 2008, I tried the Nike Free shoes and they probably led to the stress reaction in my right heel. This is most likely because I pounded my heel hard on rocky trails on my walks and the Nike Free shoes gave it little protection in comparison to the shoes I was used to wearing. Now, in reading Sandler's book, I realize that it's better to land on the forefoot first to take pressure off the heel when barefoot walking or even when wearing minimalist shoes.
One obstacle I see in colder weather is that even though my feet didn't feel cold while I was barefoot on the dirt road, the cold must have seeped up into my body because it took a long while to warm up after walking.
All in all, I'd probably feel safer (and warmer) with some kind of minimal shoes (and socks in the winter!) I'm afraid of stepping on sharp things, man made or natural. From my brief experience today, though, I can see that barefoot walking is best done in a truly unshod state (as opposed to barefoot mimetics utilizing minimalist footwear) because anything on the bottom of the foot means you can't feel the ground as well and this interferes with the natural movement.
Anyway, unfortunately, I have too much feet pathology to seriously make a regular diet of barefoot walking - chronic posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, flat feet and a heel spur (that flared into a stress reaction and painful plantar fasciitis in 2008) - but perhaps I could try stints here and there to strengthen my feet.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Quiet Sunday
I was looking through our Facebook friends and can't figure out how I became friends with one person. She seems to be a friend to my brother, sister, cousin and niece. Who is she?
It's really beautiful here. Cool but no snow. I can basically hike everywhere but I may as well give up any idea of snowshoeing for the meantime at least.
Today, spouse and I hiked to the Los Alamos Reservoir. Very nice except for the one stretch of ice that we got around by walking at the road edge. Reservoir doesn't have any water in it. I can't wait until the county rehabilitates that area. It's looked so sad since the 2000 fire.
Our across-the-street neighbor has her Christmas lights on. I leave the kitchen blinds open late to enjoy the beauty.
Grandson still believes in Santa but daughter says he's wise enough not to publicize that to his school mates!
Spouse and I spruced up our yard today. We piled leaves and brush in the garden area. Spouse re-nailed some fence slats.
Crescent moon overhead with Jupiter hovering in attendance nearby.
It's really beautiful here. Cool but no snow. I can basically hike everywhere but I may as well give up any idea of snowshoeing for the meantime at least.
Today, spouse and I hiked to the Los Alamos Reservoir. Very nice except for the one stretch of ice that we got around by walking at the road edge. Reservoir doesn't have any water in it. I can't wait until the county rehabilitates that area. It's looked so sad since the 2000 fire.
Our across-the-street neighbor has her Christmas lights on. I leave the kitchen blinds open late to enjoy the beauty.
Grandson still believes in Santa but daughter says he's wise enough not to publicize that to his school mates!
Spouse and I spruced up our yard today. We piled leaves and brush in the garden area. Spouse re-nailed some fence slats.
Crescent moon overhead with Jupiter hovering in attendance nearby.
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