baby it's cold outside

Today I had an appointment at the car dealer for inspection, oil change, and to get my seat checked. I decided about 3 am that walking home from the garage would be a lovely idea. I'd get exercise, take a totally different route, and get the car done.

Bethlehem Ford is at the Allentown/Bethlehem border line in west Bethlehem. Across from the Lehigh Shopping Center. Near the old A-treat factory.Much closer to my brother's than my house.

It was 4 degrees this morning. What the heck was I thinking?

At seven I got dressed. All my long underwear was in the laundry, so I put my flannel pj bottoms back on, then covered them with my jeans. I have no long socks, so I put on regular socks, and then my pedi socks. They have no toes, so I inched them over my heal and scrunched them around my ankles. Then tucked the pj pants into them.

On top I had a long sleeve tee and a fleece. At 8, I added my blue coat and headed out the door. After dropping off the car, I added my hoodie over my coat, two pairs of gloves, my fuzzy hat, and both hoods. And a scarf. I was cold.

I always wanted to take a photo of the tile work on the Ukrainian Church.
Today I got the opportunity and the sun was not cooperating.
Can't complain. It's been a while since we have even seen the sun.

I headed out Union Blvd toward home. The sidewalks on the north side are just as bad as the one's in the hood. Lot's of those homes don't shovel either. What melted yesterday also turned to ice.

At 8th Avenue, I turned down and headed toward Broad. Out Broad to 3rd, then out Spring to 2nd. Over the 2nd Street ram, across the bridge, out Broadway and home.

I walked in the door about 1:40 later. It was about 3.5 slow miles. I was barely in the house when my roomie said: "The car dealer called. Your car is done."

I guess I should have just waited.

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?

monday afternoon walk

The heat broke. The rain stopped. The sun came out. And the humidity soared. It was the perfect time for a walk.

I called Bonnie and we decided to go at 2. By two, the clouds were back and dark. I thought we were going to get wet. But we didn't.

Before we left I met Kermit the frog. He was hiding under a bench. As you know, it ain't easy being green. We did 2.5 miles in a drizzle, weaving up and down the streets by her house. We stayed as close as possible just in case it to rain.

Walk The Walk is the same night as the Electric Run so we can't do it. It's kind of ironic they are both at night. I don't remember how I found the UK event this afternoon. I was on a page and clicked something. Oh, now I remember. It was actually the virtual run page on FB. Some lady's profile pix was dark and she was wearing an elaborate bra. I went to her page and could make out what it said. It took me to the UK event. From there I found the American event.
 
If you cannot tell, it's a breast cancer walk. They start at 10 PM at night and walk all over NYC. They start and end on Randall's Island and go all the way down to SoHo. You choose a half or full marathon. And yes, you wear a decorated bra for the whole thing. It looks like a hoot. This is the first year in NYC. If it weren't for the electric run, I'd be there. Next year. Anybody want to come along?

virtual walk for myasthenia gravis

My friend Tiffani has a disease that sucks—myasthenia gravis—a rare chronic autoimmune disease marked by muscular weakness without atrophy, and caused by a defect in the action of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions. (Thank goodness for the dictionary. I'm not even certain what any of those words mean.)

MG is having their month. Not that anyone would notice because it doesn't get much press. Tiffani said so this morning in a long post on FB titled "Being Invisible". One line really got my attention "... Their walks, fundraisers, t-shirts are nonexistent ..." and then ..."People get bored of the sufferers of chronic disease, and they are not impressed by their collosal efforts to walk, breathe, eat, because their diseases are years long, and then deadly, and not suddenly dramatic and unexpected..."

 
As my readers know I'm part of a virtual walking group on FB. I do few walks, because they are all about medals and "bling", and I could care less about "stuff". And if I want to donate to a charity, I do it without the middle man. So I posted there if there was an MG walk. Then I decided what the heck, I'll google it. And there was. A real organized walk, in about a dozen cities.  But not here. (And really. Comic Sans for the logo?)


But they had a virtual option. I signed up. Then sent a email to the others on my every two feet list.

"We need to do this virtual walk for Tiffani. Okay, only Angel and I know her, but her disease sucks and it gets no press. (They have organized walks, but none close by.) And we walk all the time, so why not do one for a friend. Right? 

Team: every two feet 
The team page is www.mgwalk.org/e2f  

my personal page is www.mgwalk.org/gayle

Tifffani lives in Zionsville, so if we walk in that area, maybe she can come along, at least for a bit. (reply to email, "I can walk 10 feet unassisted". I'm taking that as a yes.)

It's a fundraiser, of course. So I put my goal as $20 which is a normal price for one of these walks and the team total as $100. But don't worry about that. If you have no $$, I'm actually putting the whole $100 in, maybe $145, which is the money Bonnie and I found on the sidewalk this winter.

They also have a FB page if you like to hit the like button for walks."

The walk will have to be in June. Maybe the 15-16? Depending on fitness levels it doesn't even need to be 5K. I have to google her area.

It's not much, but it's something. It's not going garner massive press and raise awareness, and get corporations to donate, but it's what I can do. I can walk.

When we walk, we'll take a picture and post it on FB. However, the chances of it going viral, I think are slim.

all alone

Today was the oft postponed Race Against Racism. There was only about 40 people participating. More than half were walkers. This event is always lightly attended, but this is the smallest turn out ever.

It's been awhile since I had no scoobies to race with. Bonnie is still on the DL, and Lydia had plans. I asked Sharon to go and she wasn't interested. Gotta tell you it was boring. Boring to walk and even more boring to wait. There was also no 3-ring circus where sponsors set up tables and give massages and propaganda and water ice.

The route was in an industrial park, and had rolling hills. We pretty much went around the block. I finished in a disappointing 50 minutes. I guess it wasn't because Jillian was not along saying "let's do a power surge!" I came in third in the walkers. But alas, walkers don't get prizes.

When I got home, I talked on the phone with my one sister, then hit the pavement with another sister, Sharon. This time wearing my Birks. (Yeah! I may have gotten used to sneakers but I don't like them.) We walked to the shoe repair and home, with a stop at the Indian restaurant for the lunch buffet—now Sharon understands why I do errands on foot! We also stopped at Aharts for some ingredients for a special birthday surprise. About 3 mile round trip.

Lyd and Adonis were here when we got back and Lyd took Sharon home. I gave Lyd money to have Adonis groomed. Poor thing still has part of his winter coat.  He was very uncomfortable in the heat. Now that she's working again, maybe he can get back on a regular schedule.

I'm exhausted from all that walking. I want to take a nap, but class awaits.

national walk at lunch day

Today is National Walk at Lunch Day, and the Wellness Fare at Lafayette. Being the celebratory people we are, we combined the two events into one.

My office is off-campus so we headed to the Wellness Fair first. High point? Free food. We had a wild rice and apple salad, and a grain that looked like barley. I think it started with an F. There was also spinach wraps with white and black beans. All the food was very good.

Food services was promoting Meatless Mondays. I'd like to do this, but I'd like meatless two or three times a week. Think the roomie will be resistant.

There were heel checks, blood pressure and sugar checks, and skin scan. We didn't participate in anything. My blood pressure was high this morning. I wasn't going there. And I sure wasn't going to the face skin scan. Ignorance is bliss and I'm lousy about sunscreen. But mostly all health decisions are made by money and I have none to spend on fancy skin treatments or any type of cancer.

We left the event, and walked all over campus, did a couple set of stairs cut into the hillside and came back to work.

Saturday is the 50K. It's supposed to rain. It didn't rain/snow for most of the winter and spring so far. The one weekend I have outdoor plans it rains. Crap.

I think I'll need to eat like a bear storing up for the winter. I hear my walking buddy eats very little. He does the model diet—cigs and coffee. terrific for him. I need food. I also hear he gets quiet for long periods of time. Ut oh. It might be a very long hike.

a beautiful weekend

I had the weather on my computer set for Nome, Alaska. It is -22 today as we "await" Bonnie's arrival.  Back at home it's 58. Home is better.

This weekend we concentrated on training for our upcoming 10K, 5K and the stair climb. We also wanted to get Bonnie closer to Nome. She's only 75 miles away after this weekend!

Today we left my house, headed out Cherokee to Brighton, over the Hill-to-Hill Bridge and I gave her these choices: Fahy or Mini Trail Bridges. She Took the Fahy. So we went up Second Ave. to Prospect, past West Side Moravian, up Third to Union Blvd, and back Conestoga.  Up spring, thru the "pee-pee" tunnel and the blacksmith's grounds. Then up the stairs thru Zinzendorf Plaza.  As we headed up Main, Bonnie noticed the Season's was open and we went in and tasted oils, vinegars and salts. Bonnie bought two and I carried them home. Weight training.  We then headed up Broad, down High and Church and finally over the bridge. When we started we were three or four blocks away!

Back on the south side we went down the ramp, out Adams and caught the Greenway. Went out Graham Place and picked up Broadway, headed way up Ontario, down Sioux and home. Total mileage 5.5+ and 120 minutes.

After passing so many markers today, we decided to do all of the history trails this summer. I hope I can get the audio files unzipped. Then I'll need to find an iPod to put them on.

Next weekend is the St. Patty's Day 5K, so I hopped into the car and went to the dollar store. I wanted the Dr. Suess type hats, but Pat told me I'd carry it. Ended up buying dilly boppers. Bonnie's say "Kiss Me I'm Irish." Also stopped at Piggie Park for my Diamond Diva gear. More pink!

Speaking of Divas, I need to get tank tops and start putting the edging on for the stair climb. I have to do five. I'm going to use fun fur yarn and crochet strings. Maybe two or three rows long. I need to also go to Party City and get tiaras to wear. Our team is Dicks Darling Diva's. We're named for Lydia's dad. I also need to dig out pictures of Dick, Henry and Dad to send in for the tribute walk.

Back to walking. Yesterday we did a disappointing 3.75 miles in 90 minutes. But it was almost all hills. Since I don't have time to do 30 miles practice walks, I add lots of hills. Think it might be good for my endurance. I have no science to back it up, but that 100K is in 6 weeks. Gotta try something.

It was a great weekend for walking and Bonnie's totals zoomed up this weekend 210 minutes!

this week

I've been trying to walk my butt off this week. Literally. Weigh in will be Thursday. I'm not hopeful. I just pray I haven't gained weight. On the Biggest Loser they have a last chance workout. I think I need one. Tomorrow at Bonnie's I'll weigh myself. Not looking forward to it.

I've walked hard and fast all week.  Yesterday it was bitter cold. Today it was a little better.

Lyd came along today. We hiked around the south side and thru Lehigh's campus. Then stopped for a salad at Wendy's because it was lunchtime.

I've been asking people if I looked like I lost weight on this program. Everyone says no. That doesn't surprise me. All my pants fit just about the same. Lydia said today yes, but in my boobs. Sadly that's the one place I lose weight. And my face. It'm tuning into a ugly wrinkled prune.

Oh well.

Tomorrow I'm walking with Bonnie at Trexler Park. Then I'll weigh myself, and put in the last feedback form for my program. Between the Tempo Challenge and the Idita-Walk I should keep walking thru the winter.

walk my butt off?

Opportunity has knocked, and I've opened the door.

I received an email from Lyd yesterday. Prevention Magazine is looking for test subjects for a new program "Walk Your Butt Off".  It's apparently a sequel to "Run Your Butt Off". The magazine is published 15 minutes west of me.

She sent me the requirements: Fifteen to fifty pounds to lose, sedentary or stuck in a rut, healthy enough for exercise. (Though I think a 5k every weekend is more activity then they are looking for.) Are willing/able to stick to a moderate to vigorously intense exercise program and diet plan for 12-weeks. Are willing/able to track your workouts and diet for 12-weeks and consult with the program’s registered dietitian fill all the requirements.

The questions were pretty basic. Highest weight, lowest weight, fitness success, fitness failures, that type of standard question. My guess is they'll look at the pictures first. And then the words.

I need to have Lyd or Bonnie take a full-body picture. Cringe.

It's 12-weeks of dieting and walking. Right thru the holidays. If chosen my B2B Challenge numbers will skyrocket. And I can save $20 month on Weight Watchers.

Lyd doesn't think she'll qualify because of the WLS.

I don't think I'll be picked either. I don't think I'm fat enough. And I walk too much.

Wow. I can't believe I'm actually typed that.

walking and yoga

I received some junk mail today from the yoga studio on the south side.

Walking & Yoga Series with Laurel Attanasio

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the rain is over!

Join Laurel starting THIS Friday for her new Walking & Yoga Series.

Class begins with an energizing 45 minute walk on Bethlehem's NEW Greenway, located behind the Yoga Loft, after that come back to the studio for a 30 minute yoga class that will allow you to relax and lengthen your muscles as well as calm your mind.

We hope to see you on the mat Friday!

It's in the early morning.  It's expensive because of the yoga part. But I seriously considered doing it. It would force me to walk. (Get those numbers up for the challenge!) The program fits my schedule. It might help me relax, and it's only four weeks.

As a bonus, the yoga studio is on the third floor of Cantelmi's building. So I'm guaranteed to climb up those stairs twice each Friday. Another win-win.

If all else fails, it would get me away from the roomie for a couple hours.

But I've decided against it. Walking on the Greenway is free. I'd make a fool of myself doing the expensive yoga part. I need budget-yoga.

walking in irene

We had a hurricane this weekend. (And an earthquake Tuesday. The locusts will arrive any time now.) Well, it was the western side of one. We were hammered with rain, high winds and had bunches of flooding. But all in all it was okay.

I was in the house all day Saturday and Sunday with the roomie. By 2-3pm Sunday I was climbing the walls. My roommate had been knitting and ripping and swearing for three days. I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to get out.

I decided against Fountain Hill. Too many mature trees to tumble down. I though about photographing the Lehigh River which was over flowing so I headed toward the Fahy Bridge. Clearly the dead steel mill needed to be in the shot. When I arrived I was greeted by caution tape and barrels. Apparently pedestrians weren't allowed on the bridge. I guess they thought we'd blow off. They haven't seen my size!

I was thinking of walking down the Greenway to the Minsi but it started to rain again. I had no umbrella or raincoat. An umbrella would have been useless anyway with the wind. I decided to go into the Rite Aid about a block away for a throw-away raincoat. I went to cross the street and the traffic lights were out because of the storm.

There was two people stopped. They took turns going. So then I thought it was my turn. Non-functioning traffic lights are treated like 4-ways stop signs, correct? I went to step off the curb and four cars went thru the light without stopping. Good thing I was paying attention or it would have been Fat Girl splat on Third Street!

It was raining harder when I finally arrived at the Rite Aid. They were closed due to power failure. Duh Gayle. The traffic light was out. Of course the power for the whole 'hood was out.

So I headed home. Checking out the flowers that survived the wind.

getting my groove back?

Maybe, but I walked again today. Third time this week? Fingers crossed.

Friday is walk in S. Whitehall day, so Betsy and I set out about 1 pm. It was warm and humid so we did about three miles on the shadier streets. I think I did a fair job of keeping up with her, but maybe she slowed down for me.

Sharon's medal came. Under great peer pressure she let me photograph it. It's even made in the USA

Next week we won't walk. I'm going to Cape May for the weekend. Not the vacation of my dreams, but it will do. We'll be biking, climbing lighthouses and walking on the beach. Oh, and we'll be over eating too. Should all even itself out!

Sunday is the Merry-Go-Round walk. Then maybe a farmers market. We'll see.

heat wave

Who wants to read a post about another heatwave? Not me. So here's a Heatwave of the Motown kind:



But the fact remains that the mercury is rising. It's 7:30 in the evening and it's 92. By Friday it's supposed to be over a 100. Goodie. With high humidity. Super dooper.

Lydia and I are doing the Quakertown Dash and Dip on Saturday. I know I haven't walked since Saturday. At least Lyd has to walk the dog. I won't break any speed records, that's for sure. I might even consume Gatorade. Now that would be a picture.

Betsy and I usually walk Friday afternoons. I think I'll contact her and see if she wants to go in the morning. I can't go real early because I need to take Sharon back to the foot doctor at 8. Maybe we could do 9:30. It will be better than 1. If not, I guess will skip that this week also.

3 week summer break

Story time at the library outside at the Serenity Garden.

That doesn't mean I'm not working. I'm still at the college three days a week. But it does mean that I have four days and evenings off. So I can catch up on television, books, and walk to do my errands.

Today I needed to walk uptown for gift cards for the twins birthday. They live very close to the Moravian Book Store and the library. They also don't have a car so it makes MBS the perfect location for shopping with kids.

I also wanted to go to the library and see what television shows they had on DVD.

So the plan was to walk over the Hill to Hill, go to the bookstore,  go to the library,  and come home the Fahy bridge.

The problem with plans is they never work out.

I reached the corner of Third and Wyandotte, the middle of the construction zone, and there was no pedestrian crossing signs on every corner. WHF?  I was not walking up to Cherokee and going down to Brighton to cross the bridge. There was no cop, so I crossed the street.


I went to the bookstore and only spent a little more than planned. I  cut thru Central Moravian's Green and came out above the Bell House. I could see the children sitting on the grass by the Serenity Garden having story time. I wanted to stop and listen, but alas, I may have looked like a stalker. So I kept moving on.

The library was busy. Especially the DVD section. They had nothing I was looking for, so I headed out toward the Sculpture Garden. I went down thru the shady garden and came out on Center then crossed the Fahy. It took awhile to cross Third with the construction traffic, but I was finally able to cross and headed home.

Errands and exercise done.

well, we burned a few walking back

The new sidewalks are open, so we walked downtown at lunchtime for ice cream. I know, I know, the 10-pound challenge. But I walked off a few of those calories coming back up the hill....right?

Since I didn't weigh myself this weekend, I'm probably up another pound. Clearly I will not lose 30 by the end of summer. No clothes shopping for me. But that's kind-of okay. Nothing fits and the fabric is gros, and fat people clothes is just ugly. Even at nice stores.

The Bushkill creek photo shows a curtain over the water. It's part of Lafayette's urban art festival. The curtain is made from blue buoys and they should rise and fall and dance around with the current and water level.

The sand castle is outside of the Crayola Factory. They celebrated their 15th anniversary over the weekend. The colored areas that look like children's drawing in marker are colored sand. We haven't had rain yet, and it's not supposed to rain, so this should still be here for a couple more days. There's several sections to it.

It was created by the artist from the Snad Masters television show on the Travel Channel. Sadly, if I received that station, I'd watch something like that.

10,000 steps

Today, I did 10,000 steps on my pedometer. Sounds like a post form 2 years ago. That's okay. If it keeps me on track, I'll start over.

We went out on College Hill at lunch time. Then tonight, I walked down to Ahart's for soda for sister. (She used to guzzle beer. Now she guzzles soda. She doesn't worry about her weight because she eats like a bird. I think the rotten teeth have something to do with that.) So I bought 4-2 liter bottles and put two in each reusable grocery bags.  Flung them over my shoulders and used them as weights. They were really heavy by the time I got home but I made it.

Now, if I could just tame the food-eating-beast.

a little walk

Yesterday I went to the ballpark and to pick up my Diamond Diva gear. (Learning baseball is one of my challenge  activities for summer. The Diamond Diva group is having a martini event. Can you guess why I picked it?) While there I bought new walking caps for Bonnie and I. It's pink and grey argyle. With a pink Iron Pig logo. Most of the pink caps had gray pigs. We'll test them today.

Today will be Lydia's first walk in awhile. She's been sick and not walking with us. She even missed the 5K yesterday. We'll see how it goes. Maybe it will make her feel better.

Everyone is scheduled to arrive at 11 am. They we'll head out. I think we'll go out Sioux and cross Wyandotte. Then head out Sumner and thru Lehigh and back.