cold and windy walk

Big News! I was able to create a simple one-page website for the Liberty Bell Wanderers. It went live this morning. And it's still there. It hasn't crashed.  So relieved.

After that success I really wanted to walk and celebrate. I text Lydia to see if she was free. She was. So after walking the dog and making pizza for lunch, we did the south Bethlehem volkssport walk. In the process we discovered that Lydia only has one more walk to finish her thirty walk book. So we are doing it again tomorrow!

It was cold and it was windy. But otherwise bright and beautiful. We actually drove to the Comfort Suites start point.

When we arrived at the Greenway it was snow covered. Just the little snow from Monday. The larger snow from Saturday had been plowed. But it had melted and refroze and was really icy, so we left the Greenway and walked thru the adjacent parking lots all the way to Polk street. The we walked out Third to the casino. Then down and around and back First Avenue thru Arts Quest. It was 2.75 miles. Which considering my track record lately is pretty damn good.

Tomorrow begins the winter challenge and the Iditawalk.  So I have to step up my game.

Oh, the Penn State lion now has a hashtag—#ifoundthelion. I'm going to go look to see how many clones he has. Maybe, we'll go on a lion safari in spring.

coins to the bank

I've been seeing these signs all over town in the past week. Today when I was out walking I took the picture. Correct me if I am wrong. A patient obtains these items two ways—buy them outright at the drug store. Or get them at the drug store thru your insurance company. If you buy them with your money why would you sell them. If you get them thru the insurance company and sell them, isn't that insurance fraud? Not to mention really stupid and life threatening? (Unless, of course, you've changed monitoring systems and have a surplus.) Color me very puzzled.


My walk today was a simple square. First stop was to the bank at the 5-points. Both the coin containers on my desk were full, so I thought I'd walk them down and placed them in my canvas lunch bag. It wasn't too bad. I have carried heavier bags of coins. The grand total was just under $90. Not bad.

After leaving the bank, I headed up Wyandotte street to Sassafrass. I learned pretty quickly that is a bad idea during snow season. One sidewalk was shoveled above Sioux Street. And the block between Fiot and Sassafrass was downright horrible. I walked in the street. At 3 pm. Not smart.

So it wasn't a long walk, but I got out.

I managed to walk, even just a little each week.  Four days I even reached 10K steps.  Thank goodness.

The Idtawalk and the Winter Challenge begin Sunday. The winter challenge has two levels—30 miles in 30 days. Or 90 miles in 30 days. You know I'm going for the ninety.

On a different note, the new Liberty Bell Wanders website goes live tomorrow. T-E-R-R-I-F-I-E-D. Could someone remind me of why I volunteered to do this?

two bridges

Today I walked over the Hill to Hill and back the Fahy bridge, with a few errands in between.

I heart winter. I heart everything about it, except maybe snow days. We have to make those up, or I don't get paid. But it does add some challenges to walking.

As I was walking I thought (more times than I could count) that the city could raise all shortfalls by enforcing the laws. Mainly the one where you're supposed to shovel your sidewalk after it snows. For pedestrians it's beyond sketchy. There were more than a few times when I almost went down. I know that citation would be on my door the one time I didn't shovel.

Another problem for pedestrians is crossing the street. Even when the homeowner or business shovels to the corner the plow comes thru and closes it back up. If the property owner doesn't come back out and dig out, again, you get to scale humps of snow. Or worse, cold messy slush.

But if you are able to navigate those challenges. You get to see the frozen canal.

Or where cars have played spirograph in the empty parking lot.

Tomorrow we are to get another storm. I've heard everything from four inches to two feet.  time will tell. My snowshoes are ready.

fat girl, shoveling

First time I've typed those words in 2015. It took a generous hour to shovel the front sidewalk, the garage and the back sidewalk. I'm thinking we received about 6 inches. I was not missing the days where I had to do five sidewalks. The first round of shoveling netted me about 1500 steps. Cool.

Thank goodness we got the snow and not the freezing rain. Ice is pretty, but it's dangerous.

I'm really itching to go snowshoeing. I could have walked up and down my block. They didn't plow until 12:00. (The alley at 12:30.) But alas, that is not in the cards today. Shoveling, school, now driving to the airport will take up my daylight hours.  I did manage two trips around my personal block, looking to see what was shoveled and what wasn't.

Another storm is coming Monday. Looks like Mother Nature has finally synced her calendar.

Do you want to build a snowman?

today

Tail on the Trail announced today the winter challenge. 30 miles in 30 days. Not much of a challenge. But I'll do it anyway.

Today's walk was hilly. I got to thinking as I walked it that I used to think these hills were steep. They aren't. I think I need a new neighborhood.

Today's walk  was down the hill and back up to Seneca. Then down Seneca, and up Clewell to Jeter. Down the steep hill at the hospital (almost lost mama in her wheelchair on that one!) and up St Luke's Place. Then down Fiot, and back up Fiot and home.

Again, it wasn't a long walk, but I got it done.

I took my iPod and took a pix of these red berries. It is my first picture for 2015. I need to remember to take it with me for the camera function. (All the music on it stinks. Never buy workout tapes.) I'll have to borrow the SLR from school for the Niagara Falls Volkssport trip in May.

I've also been busy unsubscribing from race-fitness emails. My in-box used to be filled with  them. So many temptations. But if I stick to "buy only essentials" I can't be tempted. I'm weak.

I nearly failed at this goal about a week ago. I found a Nordic Walking workshop in King of Prussia. I was literally filling out the form to sign up and I stopped myself. The same day I found a Chi Walking workshop in NYC. Both were about $100. Plus travel. Clearly non-essential.

The only other pre-paid events on my calendar are the Idita-Walk, Tri-To-Help in Lancaster in February, and the Yuengling Loger Jogger with my niece and friend in April. I was doing the Tri-To-Help with a fitness friend, but she withdrew to do yet another half marathon. (Her plan is two a month for the whole year. No thank-you.) Other than that it's Volkssport walks/events and just plain old walking.

Now where is my log info for the Idita-walk?

walking update

The Idita-Walk starts on February first. Looks like I'm headed to Alaska alone this year.  Barb and Dave are staying home, Bonnie has radiation, Lydia is broke, and Megan is now full time, plus a baby. The Nome Nugget Inn will not be the same.

The Tail On The Trail is hinting at a winter challenge. I'll also be doing that.

Last time I miss-spoke. Or is it miss-wrote? It occurred to me today as I was walking. On Tuesday-Thursday school days I am not walking as much, but I am walking. It's the infamous walk around the block. Up Fiot or Sassafrass to Wyandotte, and then down the opposite hill to Broadway. Out Broadway to Bishopthorpe and home. Or vise versa. It's not far. Maybe a generous half mile. But it's difficult. I get about 12 flights of stairs with the hills. And the incline is only three blocks.

The sidewalks on Fiot are horrific. I try and walk in the street.

Then, I park the furthest away from school, and hike to my building on the opposite side of campus. Two ways. Again, not far, but also not sitting on my butt.

Am I making 10K steps? Not even close. But for January, I guess it isn't bad. I'm okay with it. The two challenges shall motivate me. I usually reach Nome in about 2 weeks. I need to beat last years total, even if it's by a minute.

Golly I miss my camera. Taking pictures was one thing that got me to walk.

I'm trying to eat better. I certainly am eating less. Angel is logging my food on myfitnesspal. I don't even have the log in. PROTEIN. Every day she says eat more protein.

I am trying to stay positive. Not easy for me. I am a real negative Nancy. But I am determined to stop making a mountain out of a molehill. A lot of other family and friends have it way worse than me. Be thankful for what I have. Not for what I don't have.

To that end, I've also stopped posting on FB, at least for a while. I've also started moving my more zealous friends to the acquaintance list. The negativity was bringing me down.

no, I haven't abandoned the blog

No, i haven't abandoned the blog. I have nothing to write about.

Today was going to be my big walk for the weekend. The sidewalks were icy. The rain was falling. It wasn't pretty. I stayed in.

Yesterday I walked in Fountain Hill. Pretty much the same route as I always take, lots of hills. Including the steep one into the woods at the Stanley Avenue Recreation area. (Aka Fountain Hill Playground.)

Friday I didn't walk. Pat had two doctors appointments and I had a trip to Lehighton.

Monday thru Thursday was the first week of school. I went out at lunchtime, but not far. Still trying to adjust my schedule.

My health insurance bill came. No cards. No instructions for a website. No book. It really is worthless. Maybe after the bill is paid?

Not much success on the healthy eating front either.  I am eating a lot less. I thought I was eating better. But the calorie app says otherwise. I'm eating all fat and carbs and not enough protein. All the protein I like is filled with fat. It's an endless cycle. I am doing much, much better not eating takeout.

I'm not even charting my food today. I ate potato chips and brownies. If I am eating this little and it 1500-2000 calories, I must have been eating 5000 before. Will start again tomorrow.

Tomorrow I am also back to three jobs. Let the merri-go-round begin.

it's a balmy 35 today.

I haven't walked much in the past few days. The bitter cold turned the sidewalks into skate rink. At least in my neighborhood.

Today it was a sunny and balmy 32 when I headed out around 12:30. The sun, however, was deceiving. It was still cold. Especially when the wind blew.

I did my typical hilly walk with minor changes. Instead of going up Fiot, I went up Ontario. I don't think that it is quite a steep. Maybe. (But I still achieved 35 floors today.) The sidewalks on Wyandotte stunk. Icy sidewalks and 8% grade do not mix. But I stayed upright. Then I went up 8th and thru Lehigh's campus.

I went down Taylor, and came back the Greenway. Out Broadway, Up Wyandotte and out Sioux to home. I guess it was about 2.5 miles.

I take a variation of this route often. There was just nothing new to take a picture of.

School starts again tomorrow. Vacation is over. Let the merry-go-round begin.

my brother made a funny on facebook

And I love it. It's been a while since I fell.

road trip—philadelphia

It was 9 degree when I entered the car yesterday. What the heck had I gotten myself into?

For a Christmas gift I bought Bonnie a road trip to Philly. We were combining three things into one spectacular day. It was supposed to be Tuesday, but with the snow we pushed it to Thursday. Not because we were afraid of driving or walking in a little snow. Rather we were afraid of spending the day on the turnpike or worse, the Schuykill, behind the 15-car accident that was sure to happen.

I picked Bonnie up at 8 and we ultimately left about 8:15. We arrived at the Schuykill at 9:24. It was nearly 10:30 when we arrived at 4th and Arch. Part of that was my fault. The turn fro the Ben Franklin and the turn for Arch street were next to each other. I picked Jersey. It cost $5 to come back!

Firs stop, the Wyndown Hotel at 4th and Arch to sign in for the Philadelphia West walk. (There are  four Philly walks.) By then it was a balmy 18 degrees. In hindsight it was probably dumb to do a Volkssport walk in 18 degree weather. We read nothing. We looked at little. We just kept moving. I picked this walk because it went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We were going down the street to the Museum of Natural Sciences to see the "Chocolate" exhibit.

It was nice. But much smaller than I anticipated. The dinos were cool — Bubba would love them, and the butterflies were beautiful. The best part was when we were on the 3rd floor. There was a school group being read the riot act by the teacher. (He must have been a former Marine. If I was in that group I would have wet myself.) Let's just say he was not a happy camper. "In 15 years of chaperoning students I haven't never had a group as bad as this one." Thank goodness we were not around to see what they did. They were so bad he was placing many of them on a "no field trips" list. Including an upcoming one ice skating. They were 6th, 7th grade.  Glad there are still teachers who discipline students.

Because chocolate was the theme, and it was freaking cold, we skipped the part of the walk that went to the art museum — it looped back — and headed down 19th to Walnut. There we went to 15th to look for the restaurant — Max Benner's Chocolate Bar. Yes. A chocolate restaurant. We only had the best hot chocolate. Ever. I bet the deserts are to die for. If you go, it's really on 15th, not Walnut, and it is not a cheap place to eat.

At some point we discovered we lost our Volkssport directions. But I remembered it having us go out Walnut, up 6th, around Independence Hall and back to the hotel.  Since the north-south streets were really windy and cold, we did a two east, one north, pattern to break it up. And ended up going to far north.

Can we talk parking in Philadelphia? It's crazy expensive. The hotel lot was $12 for the first hour and $10 thereafter to a $32 max. We saw some higher. One or two lower during our walk. But that seemed to be the average price. Add to that a twenty percent—20%—parking tax. I spent almost as much for parking as I did for a fancy lunch. My parking lot total was $42. American. To make matters worse, we paid for parking and when I inserted my paid card in the machine, it wanted to recharge me. That would have been crazy.

It was 21 degrees when we got in the car to go home.

All in all it was a great day. My camera is broken, so no pixs from me. Bonnie took a few with her iPhone. When I get them, I'll post them. It was just too cold to take gloves off to take pictures.

goal 6 achieved!

Today it snowed all day. Walking in the snow was wonderful. You can tell it's January. The Liberty Tax Lady Liberty mascots were out. There were two. One saw me snap the pixfrom across the five points. "Hey, xxxx, she's taking ur picture!" I am very happy that I don't need to do that to make a living.

Have you gotten your W2s yet? I think it's a little early to be doing taxes.

Yesterday I took two small walks. I barely reached 7K steps. But I did get 25 floors.

Today I did walk. In the snow. Ultimately I went to Ahart's and CVS. I mostly stayed off the hills because of the snow, so I only reached 17 floors.

Doing well with goal 6. Made a doctors appointment. He will yell at me because of my weight.  I did not expect to get an appointment Friday. I wanted the other female doctor. She's booked till mid-March. The guy I got is old. May have to work my way thru the practice to find one I like.

Also bought healthcare. I am now officially poor. I apparently make 3K too much to get any assistance.  My policy is $400/month, with a $4K deductible and $60 doctor co-pays. Pretty much I'm going to be paying twice what I paid before. Unless something horrible happens, I will never make the deductible. And now I won't qualify for the cash price. I'm screwed. However, it will make goal 2 easier to follow. At least the spend less part. Will need to see where I can cut more corners.

Goal 3 is a lot harder. Especially for a "people pleaser" and "enabler". (I learned these terms in Al Anon meetings when my sister was in rehab.) This morning someone called hysterical and hyper-ventilating. The car was repo'd. I caved. However, now that $400/month is a reality, I have no more money to cave with. Maybe it will be easier.

goals for january

I'm not really into making New Year's resolutions, I don't keep them. Instead I've decided to work toward a couple of long range personal goals. Some will be new. Some will reoccur. Most will be a work in progress. I'm hoping for no total drop-outs.

1. Walk more. Whine less. I bet y'all will appreciate that one. I've just learned about Nordic walking. I'd like to try that. If I can find a group somewhere. I'd also like to take a race walking clinic. Not that I want to race walk. I just want to try it.

2. Spend less. Save more. With my crazy schedule I eat out way too often. I also buy on impulse. Both must stop. For January I want to try no eating out at all. Not even a candy bar. Which I shouldn't eat anyway. This will be especially difficult when school starts next week.

I'm also going to stop spending. If it is a want, rather then a need, it's a no. That includes races. And fonts. And stock images. It's going to be a long month.

3. Close the Gayle Savings and Loan Bank permanently. Please do not approach me with a sad story about hard luck. The bank is closed. I'm tired of supporting up to five people. I really need a new kitchen. I won't get one if I keep giving my money away. Live within your means people. If people call you cheap, like they call me cheap, wear it as a badge of honor.

4. Buy new sneakers. I think my sudden onset of knee and hip pain is not solely because of genetic arthritis. Both pair are worn out. Perhaps it's effecting the way I walk. This fall I bought all new shoes. Some were flats. Perhaps this was a bad idea?

5. Eat better. I fell off the nutrition wagon in late spring. I don't know what the road block was, but it happened. My clothes are getting small. It must stop. Now. I do best when I keep a food diary. But without someone ... other than me ... looking at it. I can look and say this is a crappy day, but I won't do anything about it. I need to be kept accountable.

My friend Angel is a bit of a fanatic about nutrition. She is skinny as a rail and watches every thing she eats. Then goes crazy occasionally. She works out almost every day and has a bunch of phone aps to keep track. So I asked her if she'd be my nutrition conscious. She set up a myfitnesspal.com account for me that I have no access to. She'll give me reports once a week. I already found out that my breakfast smoothie isn't nutritionally sound. Actually it's a slightly better milkshake. Bummer. It's an easy morning meal.

It's day one and it already has had an impact. I knew it would. Since I have to write it down and show it to someone, I think before I shove something into my pie hole.

She has made an aggressive goal for me. 45 pounds. Yikes. In May that would have been 15. I've gained nearly 30 back. 4 years of work down the tubes.

6. Buy Health Insurance and make doctors appointment. Okay ACA coverage is a must-do, not a goal. But maybe if I write it down I'll do it.  (My bank book says no, no, no.) So pretty much is the doctors appointment.  I run out of meds in a month.

That is enough for one month.

 

From my Monday, Jan. 5 "Today Is Going To Be A Great Day" email calendar.

over the river

Today I did a maybe three mile walk. I left my house, headed out Broadway and up Wyandotte to the bridge. Then over the bridge to the Hotel Bethlehem I went. I had to change the "special programs" sheet in the walk box. (I just read on FB that my brother and his family were there for brunch. There was a lot of people there for brunch.)

Then I headed towards home with a stop at CVS and Aharts.  Then I headed up  Wyandotte hill to Sassafras, and home.

The pictures were taken at the Church of the Nativity.

soaked

Today we had the every popular "wintery mix". It snowed. It rained. It freezing rained. Sometimes it seemed like they did it all together. Since it rain now, I've decided not to clear my walks. It's supposed to be 60 tomorrow.

I kept stalling, but finally at 3 I had to go out. Because of the storm it would get dark early. I finally cracked 10K steps, and 25 stairs, using the Fountian Hill route. The downhills were more slippery than the uphills. Whatever possessed me to go down Hertzog is beyond me. I took baby steps and sort-of shuffle ran. I prayed the whole time I wouldn't roll down the hill head first.

When the trees go out to the curb, it's a clear sign that Christmas has come to an end.

short, but hilly

Today was another day where I was on my butt all day. A 2+ hour drive, a very long hairdresser appoint, and a fun trip to the car dealer. At about 1:15 I looked at my FitBit and I was still under 1.5K.

I was exhausted and had nothing to show for it. I finished what I was doing on the computer, and announced I was going out.

"Again?"

"Yes, I need to walk, My total is under 1.5K. That's horrible."

"You are just doing that to get away from me. I annoy you." [True, but not the reason I was going.]

Since I didn't have much time till it was back in the car for another 2-hour drive, I decided to do hills. I went up Fiot, down Wyandotte, up Eighth, down Brodhead, out Summit, up Wyandotte and home. Not very far but FitBit gave me 22 stairs, so it was pretty aerobic.

While I was out they were spraying saline for tomorrow's storm.

day 18—happy new year!

Personally, I don't get the "new year" holiday. Why should January first be any different than July first? To me, it is just another random Thursday, but I get off from work. Celebrating a new year goes all the way back to Mesopotamia in 2000 BC. And is apparently the most celebrated public holiday in the world. I think it's stupid.

To celebrate the new year I walked with Bonnie. We started at the Comfort Suites and grabbed the Bethlehem South volkssport walk paperwork. Then we headed over the Hill to Hill and did the same at the Hotel Bethlehem for Bethlehem North. We went up to Broad, down First and down Spring. then around the fairgrounds, and up Lehigh to the Fahy bridge. Across the bridge and back to the hotel.

I have no idea how far it was. Maybe 2 miles, perhaps a bit more.

The rest of the day was a whirlwind. We picked up Sharon at David's, came home and defrosted the freezer. Did two loads of towels (as a result of the defrosting). And did the Volkssport paperwork. Then it was time to make the pork and sauerkraut, which required a trip to the store. Finally run Sharon and Lydia home. Pshew.

Tomorrow will be worse. Take Lyd to and from Lehighton, hairdresser, and a trip to the garage. And I have to have my syllabus and the ADDY award entries done by the 5th.

So when does that vacation start? I have yet to open a book.

day 17 of 18 new year's eve

Day 14/18 was a Sunday. Why didn't I do significant walking? Don't remember but I didn't.

Day 15/18 work day. At lunch I ran errands and didn't walk. Another disappointment.

Day 16/18 work day. Brought lunch. Nothing happening at work—everyone was off. Phones didn't ring. Emails didn't ping. Went to the movies after work to see Into The Woods. Broadway musicals on film are not what they used to be. Another day of not walking.

Pathetic, isn't it. That's five of the 18 days I didn't walk, with three in a row. Clearly, I failed at this challenge.

New Year's Eve was Day 17. Bonnie and I went to the Allentown Comfort Suites and did the end of the year volkssport paperwork and change the stamp to 2015. Then we headed off to Trexler Park to walk. We did the General Trexler loop, the longer one, and then did the extension loop that goes out to Tilghman and Cedar Crest Blvd. So basically it was a figure 8. I'm not sure what the mileage was.

Then in the afternoon I took Eryn's kids to The DaVinci Center. All three of them. At once. They appeared to have a great time. Actually it went really, really well until the last 15 minutes when I told the 6-year-old Bubba that it was time to go. He didn't want to go and had a major meltdown. The kind where when you see it happening to other people you judge them as horrible parents. The big kids said he does it all the time. Often he's successful. I never thought when we were going over the rules in the car, that when Aunt Gayle says it's time to go, we go would be one of them. Next time it will be.

The girl-child had my camera and took about 150 pictures. We were on the second floor when a voices goes "Aunt Gayle, the camera stopped working." No, the battery was not "exhausted". It goes on, the screen is dark, but you cannot push any buttons. Guess I'll be using my iPod to take pixs.  It will finally get used after three years. One of my challenges for 2015 is not buying anything but necessities. (Real food, laundry soap, ect. Clothes, shoes, cameras, snacks or other non-nutritional food are not a necessity.)

With a major grocery shopping spree, the day only yielded about 12K steps.