garden sitting

bonnie snapped this with her telephone on wahneta street

My brother Dave went to Houston for the weekend so he left me in charge of watering the garden.

So today we walked in East Allentown where he lives. A two-fer.

We parked and dropped Sharon at Planet Fitness, and head out Hanover Avenue, then walked the long hill to the state hospital, and back down again. We were six blocks from my brothers house and had already put in a mile.

Then we worked thru the neighborhoods toward Market Street and on into Bethlehem.  When we got to 6th Avenue, we went up and came back Union Blvd to Highland, down to Eaton, and back out to Union. After crossing some bizarre intersections near the shopping centers we headed down to Cedar and then past the old Wesleyan College, down Maxwell and back to my brothers. Seven miles on the dot.

We watered the garden, ate some trail mix with dried raspberries, white chocolate, two kinds of raisins, peanuts, pecans, sunflower seeds and who knows what else and came home.

We finished the 7 miles in 2.5 hours. Bonnie was upset that we weren't on pace, but when doing urban walking you need to deal with broken sidewalks, curbs, and crossing streets. It just takes longer. A miles in 21.42 minutes isn't horrible.

Tomorrow we're doing the Ironton Rail Trail loop. The pace will go out the window. There are 19th century cement kilns calling my name. I shall stop and "shoot" them.

obsessed with food

I had blood work done last Sunday in anticipation of my doctors appointment Thursday. Yes, I did flunk my BP test....again. I took it at home before I left and it was 138/66 with a HR of 59. At the doctors office it was 150/80. It was 40 minutes between the tests. Crazy. My weight was 236. I think I lost 2 pounds.

Now I've been trying to watch my sodium, keeping everything under 10%. I've been doing fairly well, but I can't say it hasn't been difficult.

The week before the blood work I tried eating the best I could. Drank lots of water, went meatless three days, tried to stay away from sugar, didn't eat at night...the whole nine yards.

Monday late afternoon the doctors office called with my test results. They weren't happy with any of them.  An neither am I.

• Sugar 107 should be under 99
• Liver 1.8 SB 1.3 and 47 SB 60
• Blood, 11.8 SB 12, 34.9 SB 36
• White count 4.1 SB 4.5
• Red count 3.92 SB 4.20
• Chol Total 194 SB under 200 Bad 141 SB under 150; Good 44

Sorry for the language but what the hell is going on? I'm eating better, drinking substantially less Coke, exercising my butt off, WTF? I was in better shape before I started this adventure two years ago. I do not understand.

They'll repeat the tests in about a week. Like I have an extra $200 siting around. Such is life without insurance.

The liver one freaks me out. Anyone who knows me knows I have maybe 6 drinks a year. It must be the drugs. I rarely take O-T-C pain relievers. They are know to cause liver damage with overuse. So when I had my RX filled I checked the side effects. Liver damage not on the list. Cold feet is. A mystery solved. The only other thing it might be is the toenail fungus medicine. I'll have to look it up online, don't have the insert. In the mean time I stopped using it.

selected food in my cupboard.

The doctor was concerned about the sugar, chol., and blood he said nothing about the liver. He even mentioned impending diabetes. That will not be allowed to happen. I forbid it.

So I've launched an attack against sugar, saturated fat, and salt. Leaves pretty much veggies. I've started reading everything. A serving of Cherrios is only a cup and counts as 2 carbs. (15 grams is 1 carb.). Betcha I eat 2 cups. I use up all my carbs (six) before I even start the day. (1 breakfast, 2 lunch, 3 dinner)

Friday I tried to eat breakfast. I was defeated. A cup, or 3/4 cup of cereal won't do. If I put a banana on it it's another carb. Three for breakfast. One slice of bread has one, peanut butter has a bit, and jam, honey, maple syrup or Karo, all have carbs. I can't cook breakfast every morning.

I can't cook worth a damn...ask anybody I've invited for dinner...but I'm a bit of a foodie. I'll try anything once. If it's from another country, I'm so there.  Food has changed from a pleasure or joy into yet another responsibility. One that's a big of a pain as my roommate. I don't need another stresser. Cooking meals are now a burden.

I need to stop thinking about food 24-hours a day. What I can eat, and more importantly what I can't eat. After walking this morning, I made an omelet for brunch and gave two people what I'd call a "portion", and I took about half of that for myself. It had eggs, cheese, leftover roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli. Tomatoes on the side. Carbs, protein, and saturated fat. I wanted more when I was done, and have been watching the clock for dinnertime since noon.  This is going real well.

My friend Angel is a nutrition guru and has been trying to help. But it's hard for me to talk to her about this stuff. I get defensive. When I was looking at community centers websites the other day, I saw this on Bethlehem Townships:

"Nutrition Counseling—Come meet with our Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant to develop a program specifically to meet your lifestyle. This program is on an individual basis or can be a parent/child session. Example of the topics to be covered include: the relationship between nutrition and exercise, components of a healthy diet and much more. 5 Sessions: $145"

Maybe I should spend the money and do it. But before I do, I need to keep a food journal. I need to make a list of things I know, and things I know I should do. Also make a list of things I won't do. (Don't give me "fake sugar, or fake/GMO food. And you'll have to pry the cheese from my cold dead hands.)

Hopefully the next set will be better. But I think it will be the same.

zumba=aerobics on steroids

When was the last time you went to an exercise class where there was more than 100 people in the gym?

Tonight I went to the Zumba class with Beth and her friend. There was more than 100 people in the class, ranging in age from six on up. Mostly young skinny minnies, but there was a few of us "real sized" women. Less than half brought reusable water bottles. (It's 2010. Haven't they gotten the memo?)

The instructor was energetic and fit. You could do an anatomy lesson on the muscles in her arms. I'm guessing her body fat was 15%, maybe.

So you literally dance your ass off.

Your feet are doing one thing, your hips another, and your arms a third thing. All together. You are also bending and twisting. It's aerobics on steroids. I was wiped at the end of the warm up and then she kicked it up a few notches.

The instructor uses hand signals to tell you whats coming next, and it took me a while, but I finally figured out that there is a lot of repetition in the movements during a song. Her finger twisting in a circle means turn around. She points toward her core and it means hold it your gut. Pointing up down, left, right, that type of thing.  When we did the butt dance hers went maybe 100 times in a minute. Oh and the happy face. She wants you to smile while you're torturing yourself.

I did maybe a quarter of what everyone else did, mostly incorrectly, and way slower. I was lost and confused most of the time. And sweating like crazy. If you can do it, it's quite the workout. Now I know why it's popular. Heck, even if you can't do it, it is.

But I won't be going back. It's really high impact, and my knees won't take it. I'm also not coordinated enough to do all the movements together. This fat girl is sticking to walking.

me, zumba?

Okay, things are getting out of control.

My friend, Beth, does Zumba. So does Maria, and Deana, and a bunch of other people I know. I never planned on trying it. I did aerobics in the 80s and it wasn't pretty. I have two left feet and no coordination whatsoever.

Beth sent me a text at lunchtime. "Zumba tonight? Palmer Comm Center 7 pm?"

My reply: "NO. Thats really fast at aerobics. I sux at aerobics." I was about to hit send when Pat says, I think you must go. Say what? Beth always goes walking with you at the crack of dawn.  Shit. So I type "PAT says I -must - go and try it. So c u there." SEND.

Her reply: "i think you should try it!!! Hey for $5 it's pretty good!" Yeah, right. Hoping I don't have a heart attack or break something.

"C U then"

Now she knows I'll back out so she sends me this final one: " Want me to wait in parking lot for ya I should be there abt 650."

So what is Zumba? I have no idea. I hear it has something to do with Latin dance.  I'm the one in the family with no rhythm. The web says it's a "fusion of Latin and International music that creates a dynamic, exciting, and effective fitness system."

I looked it up on the web and there are dozens of classes at all kinds of places within 10 miles of my house. I'm kind of shocked. I guess this is the new, hot fitness workout.

We'll I always say I'll try anything once. So here goes nothing.

weekend update

Well, so far, I've been true to my word and have exercised everyday since Thursday. Heat and all.

The triple digits I heard about earier in the week didn't materialize. Hurray. But it was plenty hot.

This sign is on the local high school. It's obviously broken. It might have reached the mid-90s yesterday, and he humidity was about 75%. Stifling.

So we'll start on Thursday. It was very warm, but with little humidity. Pleasant. Sharon and I walked thru the neighborhood, up to Lehigh, around Zoellner, and down to the grocery store. We got our groceries and headed home. I'd say it was a generous 2 miles. Sharon wasn't feeling well.

Mary Liz canceled on Friday morning, but I still went out with Betsy in the afternoon. About 3 miles, in humidity.

Saturday, Bonnie came down about 6:30 am and we hit the streets. Sharon tagged along until the Wawa. Then we head up Dodson, and down Jeter, Ostrum, and Brighton before heading over the Hill to Hill to the north side. After a stop on Sand Island, we came back the Fahy and headed down 2nd t Webster and up to Lehigh. We wandered around Lehigh for a bit and came home up Wyandotte street. About 6 miles.

I made it to T'ai Chi by a hair. The room was very hot, and we just did the warm-ups, stretching and meditation. Not being very spiritual the meditation is not my thing.  We were done in a half hour. No class next week because of Musikfest.

Today we met Beth in Hugh Moore Park at 7 am, and we hike the canal path. We thought it would be shady. Silly us. It's about 2.5 miles to the Forks of the Delaware, so we did a generous 5 miles.

Overall a hot, sweaty and fun walking weekend.

mecury is still climbing

They want it to be in triple digits again this weekend.

I have to tell you I am so over heat waves. I'm glad I'm not training for my first mega walk, otherwise I would have packed it in. But Friday to Monday are my big training days and heat or not, I have to boogie.

Here's the plan, all under 5 miles. Training is one thing, committing suicide with heat stroke is totally another.

Tonight: 3-4 miles
Friday: 2 miles with ML, 3 with Betsy
Saturday: 3 mile scenic route to, then again home, from T'ai Chi. I love T'ai CHi. When will I learn to actually do the moves?
Sunday: Hottest day of the weekend according to the weather people. 6 am, 5-6 miles
Monday: 2 miles w ML and then we'll see how it plays out.

Okay I've typed it. Now I have to do it.

build it and they will come. or not.

"Build it and they will come." Isn't that the line from Field of Dreams about a silly baseball field. And they did come.

A group of fellow walkers last year talked me into starting a walking group. I was good at organizing training walks. It would be fun. So I did. I built "every two feet". Other than a tight group of family and friends, they haven't come. Frankly, I'm disappointed.

I posted a walk on the "every two feet" FB page for this morning at 7:30. Trying to beat the heat, and with lots of shade in Historic Bethlehem. (photo of city hall garden.) I had no takers. My regular walking pals Beth and Bonnie even passed. Sharon did come but she's only good for two miles, and I was planning eight. Ultimately I only went four. It wasn't fun walking alone. I had forgotten that.

I really enjoy walking, and oddly climbing massive amounts of stars (yeah, surprises me too.). However, I need to have a motivation to get my fat butt up and out and do it. The threat of a heart attack and stroke aren't enough. Maybe, instead of "every two feet", I should just join the Volkssports people. There's a chapter in Q'town. Although with all the patches and things it feels a little like Girl Scouts.

People are busy. They like to exercise, or not, on their own schedules. It's been hot for 2 months. There's too many other fun things to do in the summer without walking. Maybe in fall, when it's cooler, people will come. Or not.

All too soon, it will be decision time. "every two feet" isn't growing. Should it continue?

bonnie jumped in the pool!

When I got up this morning, the bulky pink bandage with the happy face was gone. I had to dig around and find a band-aid.

I started the day with a 2.25 mile slow walk in Birks with ML and Sharon. I lost the band-aid. I returned home, ate some breakfast, refixed my toe, and went with Bonnie to the George Yasso 5K. When that was over I went to T'ai Chi. So why am I fat? Oh yeah I remember, I eat too much.

Anyway, I had just finished breakfast when Bonnie called that she was on her way. I hastily filled my water bottle and ran out the door when she beeped. Forgot my hat and sunscreen. At the 5K they had sample sunscreen. It was thick. I had enough on one arm for Bonnie and I.

There was maybe a dozen walkers. That was disappointing. Maybe it was the hills. There were three generous ones, but they only lasted a block. They don't call it Fountain HILL because it's level, right? Bonnie teamed up with a woman from Pawnee Street Jen. Tattoos were there conversation stater. Who'd think they also both had ponds. They lost me on all three hills. But I did catch up each time.

It was hot. Not so much humid but hot. As we approached the FH fire station they had a sprinkler out. Debsy's daughter Tiff is part of the EMS squad, and took out picture going thru. We walked very slow. We were certainly off our 51 minute pace. I don't really care. I might have been slower with the Birks, but did it feel good not to wear sneakers. How long can I milk this toe thing?

I didn't lose the band-aid this time, but it did cause a blister on the tow next to it. Yuck. It's been so long since I had one.


When we finally arrived back at the pool —53:19 for Bonnie and Jen, 53:50 for me—Bonnie said she was going to use the rest room. She was gone a long time. When she returned she was soaked. She jumped into the pool.

She walked back to the car (pix) carrying her sneakers and drinking diluted Gatoraide. Heck, I even drank some of that stuff today. Did I mention it was hot?

We encourage Jen to join "every two feet".

6-8 miles tomorrow.

will i get sneakers on?

Good thing I can do a 5K....or 60 miles for that matter....in Birks. I'm gonna have to tomorrow. (Yeah!) Don't think my big pink toe ill fit in my sneakers.

For years I've had problems with ingrown toenails. My sister Elin, aka Dr. Siegfried, used to fix them. Then she died in spring. It cost $250 to have it done. Yikes. Having two or three a year it adds up. So the cash price for the surgery (I'm uninsured) was $450. It has a 90% success rate. With my luck I'll fall into that 10%. Because I'm always drawing while there, he drew the happy face on the bandage. I like that it's pink.

He said everything should be back to normal in about 2- weeks and it should not effect my walking at all. Of course it will take months for the nail to grow back up.

Where it lists all the risks on the consent form it said something about not being able to wear regular shoe. Wow that's a side effect I can wrap my head around.

The heat wave is back, so it's going to be a long, hot weekend of walking. I did about 2 miles of hills this morning, including Fredrick Street. Tomorrow is the 5K and t'ai chi. Then Sunday is a potential 8-mile walk. We're starting at 7:30 to try and beat most of the heat. I would have started at 6 but I don't think anyone would have joined me!

a different sort of stair climb

My niece posted on FB about a stair climb at Lehigh tomorrow. She just had gastric bypass surgery and is looking for interesting ways to exercise. "I got an invite for a stairs climb at Lehigh University. Am thinking Tuesday is a bit early for me plus work BUT I am thinking next year we should DO IT together!!! It could be alot of fun." Okay girl. You're on.


Then she sent me the invite: "The Lehigh M4M Steps event is going to be Tuesday, July 13 with a rain date of Wednesday the 14th. We will be meeting at the southside boys club on 4th St. in Bethlehem at 11am. We will promptly head to the Lehigh University campus (walking) to begin the climbing of the stairs. This will probably last until 1:30pm.We expect about 100 kids from the Bethlehem Boys and Girls club to be attending and joining Chris Eline as he continues his training for the climb of Mt Rainier in just 5 weeks. The steps are about 600 steps round trip. If you have ever been to the Lehigh U campus you are aware of how many and how high these stairs are. It is a beautiful campus, with brutal hills and stairs. See pics from the last time we were there and the three boys that finished the climb along side of Chris."

But all this got me thinking. I knew there were stairs at Lehigh. It's built into the side of a mountain. So you either have stairs or hills. Modern students, I think, prefer stairs.

So this morning I got up and decided to walk to Lehigh and check out the stairs. They are everywhere. How did I not notice them before? I guess since I wasn't looking. Small groups of three, larger groups of six, and huge series of 80 to 175!

So I went down to Morton street and decided to walk up the hill. I went thru Campus Square and up a series of 80 stairs to Packer Avenue. (#1) I crossed Packer and headed up 60 steps to the University Center (#2). Then I headed toward Grace Hall. Two flights of about 80 there (#5, 6). One one side, by the old Newman house, and by Grace Hall itself.

When I reached the top I noticed a really steep set. They were very old and each one of the 50 or so steps was a different height. They were tough. (#4) I headed back toward Webster Street and somehow ended up in a neighbor hood. I doubled back, discovered even more steps at Zollner (#7), and started looking for 8th Street. I was pooped and ready to go home.

Then, next to a frat I see four stairs. But there's more...it twists and turns and there's still more, They wind up the hill side. I start walking and counting. When I reach the road there was a 100 steps and more to come. So I continue up. It finished at 175. At another frat. That's a whole lot of steps to do for a beer and a frat party!

I returned home about an hour and a half later. Sweating and feeling great.

Thanks Lyd.

i {heart} biking

I fell in love yesterday...with biking.

Bonnie mentioned while training one day, that she wanted to go on a biking trip as cross training exercise. She loves biking at their beach rental. Me, well I'll try anything once.

Actually I knew how to bike....as a kid. Haven't really done it since I was 12 or so. Occasionally at the shore. Certainly not in the last 10, 15 maybe even 20 years.

My friend Angel, and her daughter "Bug" came with us. We met at Angels house. They actually owns bikes and have a rack for the car.

It took about an hour to get to Jim Thorpe, aka Mauch Chunk. Town was dead when we arrived at 9:15 am. Bonnie and I went to the rental place and picked up our bikes, and a map. Then we returned to the car for the rest of the gang and we were off.

At first I rode like a drunk. All over the parking lot, side-to-side. I went to switch gears and fell off. My only fall.

We did the canal path, and then entered Lehigh Gorge State Park. It was beautiful. I have pixs posted in my webshots album. (If the link doesn't take you to page 6, go there. The train is the first pix.) We went three or four miles and then turned around and came back. Our first stop was at the Glen Ono falls. Angel stayed with the bikes, and we headed down the path with the child.

We never found the falls, the child was happy just throwing rocks in the river, and watching people jump off the pilings. She also was intrigued by the hobbit hole on the other side of the river. As we hiked around we noticed it was more of a cave, not a hole. Turns out it was an old railroad tunnel. The pilings were the old railroad bridge.

Bug decided it was a bear cave. Of course, we saw a large sign that said watch out for black bears. The power of suggestion and a good imagination comes up with bear cave.

So we hiked up to Angel and told her all about the bear cave, and where we thought it was. When we arrived at the location Angel again stayed with the bikes, and Bonnie and Bug went one way, I the other. I found nothing and returned to Angel. The others weren't back yet. Soon a little person came running out of the woods that they found it, and did we want to go. Of course we did. So Bonnie stayed with the bikes and off we went with our very excellent 6-year-old trail guide. That's Angel and bug in silhouette on the left.

It was beautiful, and exciting and cool and dark. I had a flashlight in my backpack, but I left it with my bike. Silly girl.

Finally we rode back to the car, returned the bikes and had a lovely picnic in the town park. They even had a band and singer entertaining us. Jim Thorpe was packed with people at this point, and we headed out of town.

I'm ready to do it again.

it's finally raining!

Didn't mind giving up my walk for the downpour and storm this morning. It's finally raining. It's been three weeks since we had rain. My garden looks awful, and you can tell all the people that water their grass. It's green.

The rain looks like it's letting up, so I might go walking tonight, or walk down to Ahart's for some groceries for the post biking picnic tomorrow.

Since it's Saturday it's free T'ai Chi day. I drove. I think that's a first. I was all mixed up today, couldn't do anything right. Felt like my first time, rather than my 4th or 5th time. Need to get a video. Should go to amazon right now.

Tuesday my brother took a pix of the sign at Walgreen's a block from his house. It said 107 on it. He also provided audio 107 degrees in the shade by Alex Bugnon. It sure felt that way. I think the official temp was 101. Wednesday it climbed higher. Today it's a balmy 93. Thank heaven.


Needless to say this fat girl hasn't done much exercise at all. Like they sing in Kiss Me Kate, it's just too darn hot.


But this morning it was a bit cooler, so I went for a two mile walk. Tonight I'll be doing yoga, tomorrow T'ai Chi, and Sunday is bike riding in Jim Thorpe.

Tomorrow is blood test day. Not looking forward to that.

it'ssssssss baccccccccck.

The heat. The humidity. It's back. Till Friday maybe. Must I add that it's the first week in July? My garden looks like the last week in August.

We went to the Lehigh Parkway at 8 am. The first half of the walk went fine. When we hit the covered bridge on the way back, we hit a wall. I think the hill by the fish hatchery did it. Or maybe stopping to use the comfort station and splashing each other with cold water did it. By the time we hit the iron bridge we were moving in slow mo. The watermelon and ice cold water in the cooler, waiting in the car tasted great. And we devoured the trail mix.

We decided we should park at the covered bridge. The halfway point no matter which way you go on the trail. We can refill water bottles and refill bellies. Plus there's a comfort station. Everything one needs while walking.

The 6.25 mile trail took three hours to complete in the heat. Yesterday we did 4-miles in just over an hour. And I'm exhausted and my joints hurt. I took Aleve for the first time in nearly two years. I want a nap.

Some you win. Others you loose, But we did it.

----

Yesterday my niece posted the "every two feet" FB page link for her Bari Buddies support group. Maybe when the weather returns to normal, we'll get a few members. Disappointed that no one outside of "family" comes.

one hour and three and a half minutes....personal best!

Today was the firecracker 4 mile race. It was mostly on a bike path in Palmer so there were none of the usual concerns like curbs and broken sidewalks. No twist or turns. Just straight uninterrupted walking.

Our goal was 70 minutes. We finished in 63:21. We could have shaved about 15 seconds off on that time because we thought they already took the clock down, and we slowed down. Look, I even took my hat off.

I got to tell you I was surprised to see this picture. (Sharon took them) I always thought I was thinner than Bonnie. That is clearly not the situation. I also need to work on my posture. And I shouldn't wear shorts. Look at my knees.

I liked this race. There were water stops every mile, you didn't need to bring your own. And there were prizes for the walkers too. Even at a 16 minute mile, we didn't win. We actually came in dead last. But there were only 11 walkers.

The second pix was at the starting line. That's the bulk of the walkers. The lady with long blond hair and flag said they were down about 100 people. She thinks it's because the holiday was on a Sunday, and people took long weekends. I think that the man in the blue tank top, or the woman in the tan tank top won. They pretty much told us that.

It's hard with competitive walking because you can't run and lots of people do little sprints.

The team from AccuCare Chiropractic was doing neck massages and mini adjustments. Bonnie knew the masseuse. Needless to say he told me I was tight. I knew that. Especially on the right. Bonnie has gone to chiropractors before and said they were very good. If anyone is shopping for one, check them out.

wawa

I realize that this fall under the category, "those that live in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones", but what the heck.

I was at the Wawa (for those who don't know, a convenience store) at 6, 6:45 in the morning getting Sharon coffee and Pat coke. A family was gathered at the slushie (Slurpie) machine. The parents and 3 or 4 year old child were overweight, but by no means big or huge.

Dad had a coffee. Mom was filling two large cups with cherry slushies. In her hand she had a bag of star donuts with icing and sprinkles, and three breakfast sandwiches.

Maybe this is a special holiday tradition. Or maybe it's everyday. But I found myself worried about the child. What are they teaching him?

snacks!

Today I posted a walk for 3 or 6 miles of hills. Nobody came. Shocking, huh? So I went alone.

I headed up Benner to Moravia, where there is a large stand of wine berry bushes. Nice and ripe. Maybe I should have advertised free, wild, organic snacks. (I'm fairly sure that they don't spray them. It's at the edge of the forest.) Yesterday there were many more berries. Let's just say the animals ate well last night.

I worked my way up and down until I got to Fountain Hills playground, and decided to go up their trail. I've only ever gone down. It's steep. So steep they feel a need for a warning sign at both the top and the bottom. The picture is a very from the top, a little east of the trail. I bet it's a great place for sledding in the winter.

I went back down and attempted Dotson Street. Two years of walking and I can't do that hill without stopping. I bet if "Jillian" was along today, I would have done it. When you're alone, it's easy to cheat.

I went down Graham, and past the cemeteries. The deer had a field day breaking the fence. I have many ancestors there, so it reminded me to send them my annual check. It isn't much, it's like putting a band aid on an artery, but it's why I can do.

I wound my way around the hospital, and ultimately landed on Fiot and came home. I'm guessing 4.5 to 5 miles. Not the six I planned. But that is one of the benefits of walking alone.

south bethlehem sidewalks

In an earlier post I mentioned some of the sidewalks on the south side being a challenge. Today I had my camera with me so I took a couple pixs. Photography doesn't do them justice. Later today I'll go back with a trash bag and clean up all the litter.

trexler park

The heat wave is over....for a few days. It comes back on Sunday. The day of the 4-mile "Firecracker" race. If the heat doesn't get to us, I'm hoping for 1:10 as a time, a 17.5 minute mile. I'll be happy with 1:20.

Today Betsy and I walked in Trexler Park and visited the good general. I needed to pick her up by the fairgrounds, so I thought what the heck, let's give Trexler Park a shot. In my 54 years of living in the Lehigh Valley, somehow I never went in that park. It really amazed me. I take pride in using all the public parks I can.

So I had to get a map. I have to tell you, the parks and recreation area of the Allentown website is incredible. The city loves it's parks. It has a chart that lists all the parks and what services/activities are at each, and many maps. But the map I downloaded was useless; we could only find two large loops! I guess we did about 2.5 miles.

General Trexler, mounted on his horse "Jack O' Diamonds" watches over the park. The upper trail takes you up a hill so you can visit him. And we did. We also found a little log cabin with two springs.

Last night Allison and I walked down to the Yoga Loft for the intro to T'ai Chi class. We met Bonnie. It wasn't a class! The instructor gave an hour lecture/demo on what T'ai Chi was. I was disappointed. It was interesting, but it certainly didn't make me want to sign up for the class. I guess I'll stick with the one at the church on Saturdays.

Wednesday night Bonnie ultimately came for dinner, and we walked hills for about 3 miles. Monday, I walked in the morning with Mary Liz.

Overall, so far, a pretty productive week.