peeps 5k

Today was the 5th annual Peeps 5K, held during Peeps Fest. I think I've done all five, and the  two or three 1st night races before that. I'd have to check Pat's drawer to be sure. (She takes the bulk of my shirts. The most athletically dressed La-Z-Boy potato in the world.)

This year it was Megan, Bonnie and I, the others were at work. Since there was no packet pickup, we headed down at about 12:15, picked up our tees and race bibs and then we went inside and walked around a bit. It was very cold out. When we arrived they were having the kids fun run. It was more like a 50-yard dash. We missed the mascot race.

 When we returned outside, it started to snow.

Did I mention is Megan is 7 months pregnant? (I guess that means there was 3-3/4's of us there!)

We were standing around waiting for the race to start. No announcements. No gun. No nothing.  People just started to move! It was weird. Usually, Megan flies out ahead of us, but being pregnant she picked a slower pace. Bonnie kept looking backwards for her. It was also slippery with the snow. Especially the expansion joints on the bridge.

The route was the same as previous years. Out first, up Webster, out Columbia and over the Fahy Bridge. Then up Center, out Church and Market, returning on the Minis Trail Bridge. Megan dropped out at about mile 2--the wee one was not happy--and took the van back. She met Bonnie at the finish.

Bonnie and I crossed the finish at about 53 minutes. Considering the hills, I guess that isn't bad. Bonnie and I finished in a sprint, trying to beat each other. I think it was a dead heat.

Afterward, we went over to the Hotel Bethlehem to change the Volkssport stamp to 2014. Then later, I took the walk box back to the Comfort Suites in Allentown.

Oh, and I walked Adonis three times. Today made up for a little of my laziness this week.

This week I also registered for the St. Patrick's Day 5k, the Idita-Walk, and the Beat Beethoven 5K.

sixth day of christmas

Tomorrow is the Peeps 5K. An annual event held as part of Peeps fest. I think I've done this race all five years. I thought it was odd that I didn't receive a packet pickup email. I looked on the website. Nothing. I called. Got voice message purgatory. So I decided to go down there. I also needed to go to the Comfort Suites and check the Volkksport walkbox. A win win.

When I arrived there was a giant polar bear greeting me. He was made of Peeps.  After snapping his pix, I go up to the counter and ask where packet pickup is. She replies "Tomorrow at noon." WTH? This is the first year there was no packet pickup. Clearly the Peep picked up her packet. Why can't we get ours?

Things went better at the Comfort Suites. I had dropped off the box the week before Christmas and forgot to add the instructions. Ooops. I asked the young man behind the counter for the walk box and he looked confused. He went back and asked the manager, who showed him where it was. But told him he couldn't give it out until January 1. Yeah. I want to be the first person to do my walk, officially.

After the manager checked out the map to see where we were going, we put them in the box and he replaced it.

Tomorrow I have to go to both the Comfort Suites in Allentown, and the Hotel Bethlehem and get the year-end totals, and add new instructions to the Hotel B box. Some of the old copies have printing issues. Today, I checked a reported construction issue on the Bethlehem walk and it is indeed still there.

On the first 5K of the north side walk, you begin at the hotel, go down to the historic area, then  move to Sand Island and do about a mile there and on the D&L. At the east end of Sand Island the trail now stop at what used to be the forest line. It has been replaced by deforestion and huge earth movers. It has been totally deforested from creek to river. It looks like they are adding lights, but I can't figure out what else they are doing. I'm sure it will be lovely when they are finished, but it won't be the same.

Meanwhile, I have to figure out a detour and get it attached to the instructions. Hopefully, it will be approved quickly so that I don't have to go over there twice.

fifth day of christmas

Lydia and I tried to walk this morning. With little success.

It was not raining when she left Northampton. It was pouring when she arrived.

We tried going out with umbrellas, but started getting soaked, so we came back. At least Adonis got a walk.

Last night I tried to up my step count by walking and reading. Back and forth from the office to the downstairs bathroom and making circles around the kitchen table.  I managed to squeak my total steps up over 7500. I did not succeed in making the 70K goal for the week. I think it's the first time.

On the other hand, I am reading, and drawing, and recharging my batteries. Maybe that's important too.

not my best week.

It's the 4th day of Christmas. I should call it the 6th day of laziness.

A changed worked schedule, holiday activities, you name it, all got in the way of walking. It's Saturday at nearly 3:00 and I haven't hit 70,000 steps this week. I usually reach that by Thursday.

Let's see, when did I walk.

Thursday I walked with Bonnie in South Bethlehem. I have no idea how far. We took the scenic route to the Portuguese tailor on Fourth by Buchanan. Hemming her old long coat short and adding a button hole was only $18. It looks like a new coat. I love repurposing. As we left the tailor shop, the snow began to fall. By the time we arrived at my place, there was almost a half inch on the ground. It stopped in about an hour, but I did have to sweep my sidewalks. (Wait, I burned 3 more calories....yeah!)

Friday I walked with Besty in her 'hood. The tin soldiers and happy reindeer were out keeping watch over the neighborhood again. Although this year, it looked like someone was lawn bowling with the tin soldiers. (The pixs are from last year.)

Today I went to Easton. But not much walking happened.

I parked at a lot on Third, near Ferry, and walked to the ATM, and then up to the old Weller Center for the Winter Mart. As I suspected not much in the way of veggies. Mostly root crops that store well for the winter. Bakers, soap makers, jars of honey and preserves filled the joint. Also a large local meat stand. Oh and coffee. Smelled really good.

From there I walked up to the Nurture Nature Center. I've heard about it, not sure what was there. On the third floor is a giant sphere that they do a "science on the sphere" Today it was planets.

These two little stops took much longer than anticipated, so the walk was short. Now I'm headed—on foot—to the grocery store. I have to make at least 10K today. There is no way I'm going to make up the 16K deficit for the week.

I wonder if I can pace back and forth in the living room tonight and read my novel. It works on a treadmill....

santa brought me a soda stream!

One reason I have had a problem with drinking too much soda is bubbles. I love a beverage with bubbles.

Soda is bad for me and keeps me fat. Seltzer tastes good but 67 cents a bottle and all that plastic is not good for my budget or the environment. The Soda Stream is a great solution. But I'm cheap. And would never spend the money on it. But I'd buy a new font in a heartbeat.

Therefore, for the last four years, maybe, I've looked at, but not bought, Soda Streams. I even had a sample of the icky soda. A couple of years ago a friend received one for Christmas. Her daughter loves bubbles in beverages too. She makes flavored water beverage with a little fruit juice and water.

After the tree fell down and we put it back up, a large box appeared. A large, heavy box, and it was for me. What in the world did I want in a large, heavy box? The Soda Stream never crossed my mind.

The "my water" packs don't have sugar or any evil chemicals in, so I'll keep those. If anybody has one of these machines and wants all the samples of soda, I will be happy to give them to you.  Or maybe I can freecycle them. Ultimately I might have to buy another storage bottle.

Apparently Sharon and Dawn have been looking for the best price for weeks. She works at Bon Ton and they don't carry them. Ultimately they bought it at Sam's Club. When I went online to the url for this post, I found her a $25 rebate. She's happy now too.

Between the Soda Stream and a new Kindle I felt 8 this morning. A Kindle Fire, none the less. I wasn't going to buy a new one. I've killed two already. (I've been told I cannot put the Kindle in my purse.)

Now I need to go out for a walk.

extreme weather, bethlehem edition

I have walked very little this week. The beginning of the week was fraught with ice and snow and arctic temperatures. Mid week was the end of the term. The end of the week was cluttered with Christmas activities and unseasonably warm temperatures.

I walked Thursday with Bonnie, and Friday with Bonnie and Betsy. On Thursday we walked in Bonnie's neighborhood. We encountered these two snow people. I'm sure they are gone today. It was nearly 70 degrees. Almost all the snow is gone.

Saturday instead of walking we baked cookies at Bonnie's. Even split 4-ways there was a lot of cookies. We make six different kinds—kiffles, choco chip, ginger, a cookie that reminded me of the Tunesian ones I've seen, peanut butter, and press cookies. But they were rolled out, and cut out. Two cookie presses and neither would work. All in all, I think my student from Tunisa had fun. At lunch time we planed a tubing adventure for winter break.

When we arrived back at my house, I walked Adonis. Does that count as exercise? Just as I returned home with the dog, all heck broke lose—a cop car, two fire engines, and a volunteer blue light car. Was there a fire? No. It was Santa and Mrs. Claus delivering Christmas gifts to the grandchildren across the street.

Today, in the fog we tried to get a tree. I picked up one student at Lafayette, and the other at NCC. All the other host students went home for winter break. (I think I have 6. Or is it 7?)

I have to tell you finding a tree is an easy task in November, but not the Sunday before Christmas. Why, I have no idea. It defies logic. (Sadly, fake ones are probably not easy to get either.) Both farms we tried were closed. Hopefully for the fog that laid over the valley like a scene from Brigadoon. Then we went to the little league lot on Easton Avenue, and all that was left was the port-o-potty. WTH? We finally got one five blocks from home—at the fire department sale at the Ft. Hill pool.

I think the girls looked at nearly every tree.

The firefighter tied it on top of the car, and home we headed. The girls carried it into the house, and Lydia was waiting for us. Getting it to stand up straight was tough. Clearly I cut the end crooked. Plus the floor is not straight. There are three magazines under the one leg of the stand.

The girls put on the lights and ornaments. They kept asking for instructions. I kept telling them to do it how they wanted it. I think they had fun.

This week, it's back to eating well and walking more.

four snowstorms in one week

From today's storm. Easton, overlooking the mighty Delaware.

I love snow. When everyone else is bah humbuging it, I'm asking for more. But really Mother Nature, four storms in one week is even too much for me. I'm getting no walking in. But I am getting a lot of shoveling in.

Sunday I had to go over to the old Sure-Fit building for yet another photoshoot. This one was much better than my initial one for Sugar Smart. But I couldn't find the studio. And I was already stressed from my earlier volunteer shift, so I was not a happy camper when I arrive.

Everyone knows how much I hate make-up. Sitting in that chair is torture. Then came clothes. I was all prepared to be a bitch. The photo in the book is horrific. Happily the stylist was different, and he knew how to dress full figured women. I picked out a little black dress from Anne Klein and he loved it. He picked a few others. Including the infamous black and white print skirt I bought and returned to Lane Bryant. ("It's looks fabulous. But not with that top.") He agreed that my original picture made me look fat. Hurray.

Then we all headed to the ladies room to try on dresses. I felt like I was a kid again, standing in the dining room trying on clothes from the hand-me-down bags. (False memory, the roomie assures me. That never happened. Then why is the memory so vivid? I must have a hell of an imagination.) But this time it's designer dresses and Jimmy Choo shoes. Eventually I got the hang of the high heels but never of the pie-shaped toes.

We found out that these were for a stand-alone publication the size of Prevention that would be on the newsstands for several months.

Then it was off again to my brother's to shovel a path in his snow. Had I not had to go somewhere else I would have been a better sister and shoveled more than a path.

When I got home Lydia was waiting for me. Then it was off to the Liberty Bell Wanderers Christmas party in Warminster. Can you see my makeup? My hair was done also, but that all faded quickly.

I've posted this additional picture of Bonnie at the table. Doesn't she look beautiful? This pix makes up for all the crappy ones I take where she looks stoned or drunk or very unhappy.

Monday it did not snow. But the world was icy. They didn't plow the lot at work, so I ended up walking across campus a couple times. I managed to get 9k steps in though.

Today, it's snowing again. Again, the roads and sidewalks are a mess. I'm working all day, and into the night. I don't anticipate getting home before 11. ANd then I need to shovel snow.

Oh well. Tomorrow's another day.

snowy day!

Today was the volkssport Bethlehem walk. It was snowing, and they are calling for six inches. Only four of us came.

We met at the start point. Pat passed over many supplies for my job as trail tender for this area. Including the new walk box and cookies for the southside Comfort Suites. I didn't deliver it today. Maybe this week. Then I can see the ethnic tree display.

We did the 2nd 5k of the Bethlehem walk because of the weather. I had never done it in it's entirety. It's one of those crazy Volkssport loopy walks to get the mileage in.

We were careful walking, but Pat still fell in Nisky Hill Cemetery. After that we were extra careful.

When we returned to Main Street, we went to Granny McCartney's for breakfast, then head to the Sun Inn for the Christmas Village. There we met Bonnie's favorite horses—George and Raven. George has on the antlers. Not as many vendors were there because of the weather. But it was nice.

We hiked back to the car and went to the Russian Orthodox churches bazaar. It' time to stock up on pierogies. I almost bought halupkies too, but I could hear my roomie saying we can make those. yeah, we can, but they are not the same.

Last stop, the post office. We arrived as they were closing, but they took Bonnies cards to hand-stamp anyway. That was nice. Mine are not hand-stamped this year, since mine are more of a New Year's greeting. Only the solstice and Christmas fall in December this year. With a card list that includes Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Atheists, and Pagans, I didn't feel that season's greetings or happy holidays worked. Maybe next year our calendars will be back in sync.

At 3, I'm off to my brother David's house. I need to take his package in.  Hopefully the roads are not too bad yet. The snow is starting to accumulate. I haven't decided if I'm going to take off a layer of snow or not while I'm there. They want the snow to change to sleet/ice and maybe rain. A snow pack makes it easier to clear that crap.

snowy walk

We didn't walk Tuesday because it was snowing like crazy. I missed it. I ended up doing a tape when I returned from school.

Last night it snowed a little. I was afraid Bonnie couldn't go out. But we did. It was bitter cold. We stuck to main streets and walked in the middle where the risk of falling was less. The risk of getting hit, however, was greater. We proably went about 2.5 miles total. Not much, but better than nothing.

The photo at the top is Bonnie's yard. The piggies below were in someone elses yard. They are so freaking cute. I bet they light up.

sugar smart book party

Last night was the sugar smart book party. It's been a long time since I was at a fancy party. There was real photogs there, twittering photos. I manage to avoid them, except for this one.  They also took a group pix, but I don't see that posted.

The food was delicious, the author Anne Alexander was fun, and one of the editors at Prevention was a hoot.

We all received copies of the book. My page is above. I think that one should look slimmer in the after pix than the before pix. I look eight months pregnant. But Bonnies shoes look great.

I still follow parts of the program. They made sense to me. But not everything.  I received an email about a week ago that they are retaking the pixs. I have no idea why. But it's Sunday. I'm taking the book along. I need evidence to show the stylist that tucking in shirts is evil.

Sunday is going to be busy. I have the shelter breakfast at 6, the photo shoot at 8, and the volkssport Christmas party at 2 outside of Philly. Oh yeah, my online class too.

volkksport award

Golly I love mail. In the stack of junk mail and Christmas cards was my Volkssport book. Safely returned from their trip to Texas.

Also included was a silver version of the patch and pin I received at 10, and another certificate.

Since we are doing the Pennsylvania 20 walks in one year, I should be at 50 by this time in 2014.

christkindlmarkt 2013

It's December, so that means only one thing. Walks often have a Christmas theme.

Today's walk was to Christkindlmarket. It was frigid out. We parked at Loopers and walked down 3rd to the casino. Then we looped around the casino and came back to ArtsQuest via First Avenue.

The highlight to this walk is always our visit to St. Nick. But he wasn't there. He was tied up at a previous commitment. We went back twice. Still no St. Nick.

We shopped until nobody dropped. Thank goodness we didn't have to carry the packages all the way home. We even spoiled Adonis. (He had two walks today. He was a happy dog.)

When we came out it started to snow. it was pretty. Then we walked back to ArtsQuest to see the little Coke house. All the decorations were made out of peeps. The wreaths were made from soda cups. Someone had a lot of time on their hands.

Then it was back outside into the snow. We walked back down second street, the up to Loopers for the car, and home.

Next week it will be the Volkssport walk in Bethlehem and the Christmas Village shops. More shopping. Sunday is the Liberty Bell Wanderers Christmas party.

Now I guess I should go outside and shovel the snow.

lehigh gap nature center

A few weeks ago, Lydia received an email from the Lehigh Nature Center in Slatington. They were having an open house and wreath making workshop. We decided to go.

We arrived about an hour early and walked on the D&L toward Slatington.

First order of business, crowd 4 people into a selfie. Good thing Sharon is short.

 Bonnie and I kept our normal pace. Lydia slowed down and walked with Sharon. Sharon doesn't move near as well as she used to. Lydia had ample time to stop and take pictures.

 On the return trip, we headed down the dock road to the river. It's the first time i've walked that trail that I didn't want to jump in the river. It was cold. And windy. Mostly I was warm. But I should have had long johns under my work out pants.

 Then we headed inside for the open house/workshop. A lot of people came. They had four types of evergreen, some cedar, some juniper, rose hips and two kinds of holly. The table wasn't large enough for everyone so I had to wait for space. In the meantime, I helped everyone but Bonnie. Her hand gave her trouble but she stubborn and wouldn't accept help. I ran for greens. Cur stems and string. Fetched pine cones. Held and bundled greens. A little bit of everything. After Bonnie, Lydia and Sharon finished it was my turn. I picked a small grape wreath form, and chose every kind of material they had. I was allergic to one of them. My right hand had poison-like bumps on it, but they don't itch...yet.

Once I hang the wreath on the porch it will need to be trimmed. Or maybe I'll leave it diamond shaped. Overall, I like it.

lights in the parkway 5k

It was the perfect night for a 5k. Not too cold. Not too warm. And we met a potential new friend.

I know Nora thru the Sugar Crusher program. We've never met. Until tonight. We've been talking on FB thru the groups page, and then we became "friends". We met her in person tonight at the park. Coming from Montgomery County, she beat us there. We left a little later and got stuck in the parking traffic jam.

She was surprised we could take a selfie with three people. Heck we can do it with five!

I'm glad we took the headlights. It was about a half mile walk to the parkway. Once we turned the corner, it was dark. We needed to turn them on. We needed them during the race in one section also. 

There was a lot of people there. We headed for the start line, and I tried to take pictures. I tripped over a guide wire. Swell.

We kept walking and walking to get to the end of the start line. It took three and a half minutes to cross the START line.

We headed up the hill, and around the police academy. There were no lights in this area. Then we came back and under the stone bridge to the lights. We followed the creek path, to the iron bridge. We crossed the iron bridge, made a loop, and then headed up to the 15th street entrance. Looped around again, and came back the road, and back up the hill.

Bonnie finished in about 47 minutes. Nora and I in about 49. We have to wait for official numbers to know the real times.I'm sure this time is much better than my times in 2010.

Saturday we'll be walking in Slatington, and then doing a Christmas greens workshop at the nature center.

Wednesday is the Sugar Crushers test panel get together. Can I lose 10 pounds by Wednesday? We will be getting the books. That was fast. The Walk Your Butt Off book took nearly two years. But then eliminating sugar is the hot diet trend right now.

finally, I've crossed 30%

For the Presidential Champions I reached Gold in early April. It was 250,000 points. The next goal was Platinum—1 million points. It has taken nearly 7 months to get to 30%. My original estimate of three years might be off. Some people reach Platinum each year. I guess those are the same people who walk 24/7 for the Idita Walk.