inaugural quakertown volkssport walk

Thursday was the inaugural Quakertown volkssport walk. I decided I was caught up enough with work and I could go, even with the half-hour commute in both directions. They were doing the 6K or 7K, not the 10K, because that used a trail which was still buried in snow.

Thirteen people met at the Quakertown library and we headed off. For the most part this walk goes thru residential areas. The 6K includes a portion of Main Street where I saw that Stine's 5 & 10 looked closed. Maybe they just covered their windows. The website is still available.

It was a nice day and a nice walk. It was great to talk to other people. I'm a little more than tiredof my sister. Walking back to the car I took a slew of photos for my class. I need to make an exampleproject. They'll be perfect.

21 days since i last posted

 

dvusd.org

Twenty-one days. I think that has to be a new record in the history of this blog. There were some things to write about but how many posts can I do about shoveling snow? This month a lot.

We had snow multiple days a week with multiple inches each time. There was two occasion where it was at least six inches, on top of the 27 we already had. I didn't go many places because it was hard to get out of the south side. Frequently it was hard to walk in the neighborhood. The sidewalks were mostly passable, but the corners were akin to climbing Everest. The Bethlehem North volkssport walk was an event I looked forward to, but it too was cancelled.

Because of all the snow, many doctors appointments were cancelled. I now run both the twins to their appointments. My planner is filled with X-ed out things. One thing was my appointment with the gynecologist. That was not cancelled. It was a followup to my D&C. Now I mentioned previously they were going to test the goop they pulled out. And they did. There's good news and badish news.

Let's start with the Good News: No cancer. No malignancies. Happy Dance.

So the nurse asks me a bunch of Q's and I apparently answered them correctly because she tells me no exam, I can keep my clothes on. The doctor will be right in.

Doctor comes in and says "Congratulations. That was the hardest D&C I've ever done." A 15 minute procedure took 45 minutes. She was shocked I didn't bleed heavily and that I wasn't in pain the way she had to move stuff around. Apparently Mother Nature was having a bad day and messed up my plumbing. (Now I've always had a wonky period, painful exams and the vaginal ultrasound was hell. I hurt for days afterwards. Now we know why.) If I would have had a child in my 20s or 30s they would have discovered it then. My guess it would have been a c-section. But I was just tired. She was also shocked that I taught school an hour after the procedure.

Basically I have endometrial polyps and endometrial hyperplasia. She explained what that is but I really don't remember. The science gobbly-goop gene skipped me. But I could still get periods! No thank-u. Normally they'd have me come every 6 months to the office and they'd do a culture and make sure it hasn't turned to the dark side. However, with my plumbing that would be impossible. I'd have to go to the hospital every 6 months and have it done. Another no thank-u.

Solution is a belly-button hysterectomy. She said if I was planning on children it wouldn't be an option. They'd try every trick in the book to solve the problem. But since I'm over 65, what is the point of submitting my body to that?

Dr.'s sending me to a gynecological oncologist. That appointment was on the 18th. Because there was another storm, it was via video. I'll be having the out patient belly-button complete hysterectomy on April 23. They'll also check my lymph nodes for cancer while they are in there. Three weeks recovery time. She offered 3 week excuse from work. I passed. From my POV Zoom class is no different than watching TV.

Since we're talking about health,well at least I am, let's talk Covid. If that subject isn't enough to send readers away, nothing is.

My sister is 76 and has a multitude of health issues. She just got out of the hospital/rehab in January and tested positive. Her twin lives in a senior high rise, and they did the whole building on one day. Instead of that luxury, I've been playing the Covid appointment game: Log on to wherever there are spots available, at the appointed time, and in two minutes they are gone. It's crazy. I feel like I'm trying to score tickets to see the Queen, or a hot rock group, or Hamilton. Yesterday I was on the health department website, and appointments opened at 8. It was 8:04 and the spinning pinwheel of death was still spinning. I was about to quit when it the form came up. I signed her up. There were about a dozen appointments left, and I tried a couple that were then full. Finally I got one for her at 3:20. She doesn't leave the house after noon, but she's doing it.

At lunch time I check FB for no reason whatsoever, and there's an important message from the health bureau: 300 shots available. It was posted four minutes prior. I thought what the heck I'd try. I got thru. And shockingly there was one left at 3:20.

I just had planned on waiting till summer. Or not at all. It wasn't high on my to do list.

A medicare supplement is.

I've been doing indoor exercises with my sister. She has three sets. We do one each day. On Thursday it was nice and some snow melted we walked to the corner and back. The hill was tough on her. She stopped four or five times. But she did it. She did not do any inside exercises. I got the mommy glare when I suggested it.

I finally walked yesterday. Stay tuned for that post.

after a week of digging out, it time to snowshoe!

 

I have a walking friend that lives in south Central Pennsylvania near at least four state parks. She can get to a state park quicker than the supermarket. By Wednesday she was posting snowshoeing pictures on Facebook and I was more than a little jealous.

Yesterday they finally plowed my street.Last night the city plow did the alley. Things are looking up, just in time for the next snowstorm (tonight 3-6 inches).

Pam and I had planned to walk yesterday morning but it was snowing. It stopped by lunch time but she had to work so that walk was off. 

 

Today we went to the Wildlands Conservancy in Emmaus to snowshoe. The group was limited to 15, so I'm lucky I got in. I took my own snow shoes and I thought it would be a breeze getting them on. But clearly my footwear was different. I probably wore my Mucs. Today I had boots on because there was 27 inches of snow.

I had trouble adjusting the straps. I think that was because of lack of use. The trouble bending, twisting and reaching was because I'm out of shape.

We started with a hill so I left everyone pass me. I brought up the rear for the whole walk. Sometimes I was quite a bit behind. The walk before us trampled a trail but it was narrow. I guess I walk much narrower. Each time I tried staying in the packed down area, I'd step on my shoes. On the boardwalk I fell. I managed to find the one rotted out board and went toe first right in it.

Getting up was a challenged. My legs were crossed and I needed to straighten myself before I got up. Thankfully the rails were there. The last section of trail, around the fenced in area, was non eventful. When I took off the snowshoes the boots came off as well. That was fine since I had my Mucs with me.

Miles/Steps:  Maybe 2.5 miles
Weather:        Mid-30s,  sunny, blue skies
Bathrooms:    The inside ones were open but I didn't go in
Wildlife:         2 doe

superheros wear dickies...and flannel...and drive a john deere

It is day five of the Nor'easter. Day two of the cleanup. Or is it three? They are all blending together.

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday it snowed.  Monday I cleaned up three times. Tuesday I cleaned up twice. And the snow continued to fall. I had not done in front of the garage. I was hoping for an eager teen to knock on my door. They didn't. 

Wednesday the street wasn't plowed ... yet. Nor was the alley. I bit the bullet and shoveled in front of my garage. The drifts were high. It took an hour. Minimum. But I did not shovel out the alley itself like I normally do. There was feet of snow. I was still hoping for the plow. But it never came.

 I spent a good deal of yesterday changing appointments for Pat because we couldn't get out.

This morning I woke up, looked out the window and saw macadam. I was excited. I dressed quickly, donned my boots and jacket and headed out the door. I was shocked at what I saw.

 

When I looked up the hill it was clear sailing all the way. Best plow job in the forty plus years I've lived on this hill.  But when I looked straight out there was snow. When I looked down the hill there was even more snow. A big of a wall of snow.

THEY STOPPED PLOWING  RIGHT AS THEY GOT TO MY HOUSE!!!!!

I shoveled for about an hour, and didn't make much of a dent. I went in for breakfast. I called Sharon and had her change her eye appointment. There was no way I could take her tomorrow. I figure if I shoveled for an hour, every couple hours, I'd have it done by the end of the weekend. Since afternoons I work. Clearly shoveling snow for money is no longer a teen activity.

I came out a little after 9 and started plugging away. I was making progress. Slow progress, but progress none the less. I told Pat I'd be in in about an hour. That's when my neighbor returned from four days of plowing. He was standing on Bastian street with his hands on his head and that WTF look on his face. I said don't ask me. This is the way I found it. His plan was to snow blow in front of his garage so his wife could get out and then go to bed. He did in front of his garage, and out into the street a bit.

Then he came and helped me. The man has not really slept in four days. He slept in his truck. And ate in his truck. And probably everything else in the truck. And he came to help me. Restored my faith in humanity.

He worked on my snow until only a few inches of the hard stuff remained. It was hard work. He had a huge blower and was working his ass off.  I broke it up with the ice chopper, got underneath it with the chopper, and shoveled it away. He headed home to finish the alley by his garage.

Shortly after he left my phone rang. It was Pat. She wanted to know if I was okay and if I was coming it. I was out for over two hours.

Sadly Fillipe's area of the alley is still not done. Maybe I will work a little on it tomorrow. Going down the hill would be nice.

Right now the plan is to walk with Pam in the morning. And snow shoeing on Saturday.

Miles/Steps:  1.8 I worked my ass off for more than three hours. I should have wore it on my arm.
Weather:        high 20s, sunny with blue skies.

 

butt prints in the snow

It's Tuesday.  It began snowing on Sunday right before lunch. It still hasn't really stopped. Last I heard, at 8-ish this morning, we had 27 inches. We'll probably top out at about 30. The street hasn't been plowed yet and I bet they don't even plow the alley. That's what happened the last time. We'll see.

Yesterday I went  out three times to shovel. Barbara yelled at me. So did Bonnie. After my procedure on Wednesday I was not supposed to do anything strenuous for a week. Shoveling snow is strenuous.  Barb told me knot to leave my guts on the sidewalk.

I guess pre-shoveling helped a little. I still had at least a foot to do this morning out front. But look at the picture above, on the bottom right is my back door. There is 18 inches of snow against the door. Dang, we had drifting.

I shoveled out front then made breakfast. Then I tackled the back. It was exhausting.  I was finally near the finish line and I just went backwards into the snowbank. I sat and made a butt print in the snow. The worse part was getting up. I had nothing to hold on to! All I needed was a grab bar. I ended up crawling to the garage door and grabbing the handle.

I was hoping to hire a teenager to do the alley, but none knocked on my door. None walked down the street with a shovel. I was disappointed. I will tackle it tomorrow. Pat and Sharon both have doctor's appointments on Thursday and Friday.  Of course if they don't plow the alley it will be a moot point.

When I came in Pat was ready to do her rehab workout. Again, mostly upper body.

I have no idea my steps for today. My fitbit is dead. Though I don't think it was very high. All the work was upper body. My side walk out front is 12 steps. I bet to the garage it's not even fifty. But I feel like I went a couple rounds with Ali. 

I'm getting too old for snow shoveling. It might be time to invest in a blower.