walking thru christmas lights

My walking streak broke on Monday. It did not surprise me. Work days are tough. Add to that all the rain we had this week and little has gotten done. But I am not complaining. I don't have to shovel it.

I will not make my goals this week. Oh well. Such is life.

Tuesday I didn't walk much at all except at school. I was up to my elbows in grading. Three classes will close soon.

Wednesday was a work day but I planned to go to the Holiday Lights at the zoo after work with Angel's family. It was an adventure. I went right after work, she's less than two miles from campus. Somehow I invited myself for dinner. It was delicious. then off we went.

We left in two cars, and dropped mine at the Hellertown Park and Ride. No need to go all the way back to Easton. Then I hopped into their car and we headed to Schnecksville. And drove right past Game Preserve Road. Ultimately Angel had to launch the GPS on her phone. When we turned onto Game Preserve Road, she turned it off. I guess she shouldn't have. We drove past the entrance. Clearly the zoo is used during the day and nobody thought to put lights on the signs.

Turning into the driveway we were greeted by trees covered in lights. But it wasn't like lights in the Parkway. Just a little bit now and then. And the view from the top of the hill was great. We finally arrived at the zoo, but not until we made one last wrong turn.

I was glad I brought my winter coat. It was cold. The zoo is a circle so you can't get lost. The child kept looking for the animals. As we walked we rained on  with glitter lights. It was cool.

 We made gingerbread cookies, built an igloo from foam cubes and met the Grinch. Max wasn't there.

As a Hendricks, my knees don't work right. At some point in time I'll probably have to get new ones. When the Grinch invited us in his cave, the child wasn't me to come. Sure! Why not? I bent over and squatted and my knees didn't work. I couldn't move my legs. An hour in the cold played havoc on them. I could have gotten on the ground and crawled in, but I had new-to-me trousers on. Finally I got in. Of course, then I had to get out. I ended up dropping to the ground.

Then there are these giant snow globes. I managed to go in. I even managed to stand up. But when I left, I stuck one leg out and somehow lost my balance and fell. Thankfully the snow globe held me up. But too much air came out as I struggled to get up so they needed to help the child out. Note to self: stay out of real or imagined caves and blow ups.

When it was over I visited Santa and the Mrs. (Sorry Bud. Next week, promise.) The child didn't. She talks to people in costume. She wanted to do the loop again, but mom said no. It was 8:15 on a school night.

Yesterday, minimal walking. I was a bit sore from the walk. But mostly, I was grading. Today Betsy and I did our Friday walk.

sixth day in a row

Okay, now I'm sounding like a braggart. Sorry. I gotta restart my mojo and get my butt moving so countdowns work. I'll get over it. Maybe.

Yesterday was my birthday and I laid on the couch and watched Law and Order Criminal Intent reruns for 3 hours—a total vegetable. I am going to pay for it today. 364 more days till I turn 60. 2015 is going to be a horrible year.

I needed to walk today.

Today was our annual wreath making workshop. Megan, Sharon, Lil Bug and I all went. It was Megan and Lil Bugs first time doing wreaths. As a bonus there was a dog. As soon as Megs post pictures I'll post one.

I dropped off Megan and then brought Sharon and Lil Bug home with me. Lil Bug helped make dinner, schlep stuff too and from the attic, decorate minimally for Christmas, and helped me change the hall light bulb. I even got to take her to Cantelmi's so she could see an old-fashion hardware store.

Before I took Lil Bug home we went for a walk in Fountain Hill. The typical route up Bishopthorpe, up Findlay, and out Moravia.

 On Moravia, we ran into this fellow. He has apples for eyes, and apple slices for a mouth.

Then we went past the firefighters Christmas tree lot at the pool.  I loved this skinny tree. I'm a fat tree kind of girl, but skinny would be nice. No furniture to move. But alas, there is probably no tree this year. No international student with a desire to decorate a tree. Ebinezer roommate will probably make my life miserable if I got one. So it's better to forgo it. Silly tradition anyway. Who cuts a tree and brings it into the house?

 

The swings were dry so we also took a swing break. Snow doesn't stop us from swinging. We took the usual route home from the playground. Maybe 2.5 miles total.

turkey's trotting

Yesterday was the Turkey Trot in downtown Bethlehem. This race is huge. There is probably 10K people entered. There are three categories—run, competitive walk, and fun walk. All were 5Ks.

Only Megan and I went. Bonnie was afraid of falling. Since she already had surgery on her hand, it would have been devastating if she fell.

The line began near the stone bridge at the Luckenbach Mill and wove it's way down to the log cabin. That's where the competitive walkers started.  The fun walkers started up the hill further. You can see the vast amount of people in the photo.

The route was also altered slightly to accommodate the snow and ice. No canal path. Instead we walked around the "fairgrounds" twice. It was a tad weird.

Megan looked at the clock when we started —it was chip timed—and it was about 2:45 when we crossed the start. It was 55:47 when we crossed the finish so we figured we finished in about 53:05. The official record says 54:18. I do not understand why.

It was cold, and Sand Island was icy. Our first and last legs were indeed quicker than the middle one. We watched for black ice.

four days in a row

Never did I think those words would excite me. But I've walked four days in a row. Maybe my mojo has come out of hiding.

Today I walked to the Luckenbach Mill to pick up our race gear for tomorrow. Town didn't seem busy. Guess everyone was getting mauled at the mall. Then I walked home. turns out it was bout three miles. Quite surprising.

Tomorrow is the Turkey Trot. It will be me, Megan and Bonnie. What's really cool is that it is billed as a "competitive" walk as well as a run.

pumpkin pie 5k

This morning was the Pumpkin Pie 5K.

When I awoke, and it was finally light enough to see, I determined that it was safe to go to the event. It's was 36 and the porch train was dripping on my head. Good sign that there would be no ice.

I picked up Sharon at 7:30 and Lydia at 8, then we headed down 248 to Nazareth. I dropped them at the Y and looked for a place to park. I got really lucky. Meters were free and the spot I selected was plowed! As a bonus it was only about 2 blocks from the Y. That never happens in Nazareth.

I didn't do this race last year, I don't remember why, but in 2012 I finished it about 50 minutes. This year I finished in 51:48. So I increased my time by a minute and a half. Maybe I'm slower. It snowed the whole race., so maybe it was the slush and wet leaves. Who knows.

There is a lot of people on the route cheering you on, which is both helpful and annoying.  I finished second last. For a while I was last, and the copy was creeping along behind me. I pasted a mom and her daughter and ditched the cop. So much more pleasant. As I walked past the car I clicked the trunk button on my keys and threw my coat in. I might have missed a beat, but it was pretty seamless.

Sharon and Lydia did the 1.5 mile fun walk. Though Lydia tracked it at 2 miles. Sharon was pooped at the end. I found her on a park bench waiting for me.

Saturday is the Turkey Trot. Bonnie and Megan, I think are doing that one.

and it isn't even thanksgiving

It's snowing. Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Clearly global warming is messing with mama nature's calendar again. So begins the winter—in fall—shoveling.

The snow is wet and heavy. It's been a few degrees above freezing all day. So it's like falling slush. We have maybe three inches of it. The ground is warm so the main streets aren't too bad. But I wanted to get the slush up before it froze after dark. That would be a nightmare in the morning. And I have a 5K in the morning.

Shortly I'll be walking to the grocery store for some last minute items. I'm taking the direct route so it's going to be barely two miles. Though it's silly to be shopping since I am not cooking the big meal this year. (That's a good thing. I'm a horrible cook.) But the roomie is really looking forward to these calorie laden holiday treats. So I'll make them.

Between shoveling and the walk—I'm taking the most direct route today—I might, get my 10K steps in today. In an effort to get my mojo back I reduced my fitbit goals. Maybe actually meeting goals will propel me forward. They also designed all new silly icons. I like the old ones better.

Three hundred and sixty eight days till my sixtieth birthday. How the hell is that possible?

it was a beautiful day yesterday

Yesterday was gorgeous. The perfect fall, or maybe spring, day. Warm but not hot. Clear blue sky and not a cloud in sight. Mama Nature doesn't make them much better.

Yesterday was an Easton work day. My friend Angel emailed me to ask if I was on campus and did I want to go for a walk. She works retail and is headed into a 5-day period of no sleep and dealing with rude people. I said sure.

She met me at her husbands office at 11:30. He had his lunch break at 12. We headed across campus, and then down the stairs by the monument. Then it was out third till we we off campus, crossed and came back up College Hill. When we arrived he was waiting by the car.

It felt really good. We might do it again Wednesday.

After I returned to work there was an email from the office manager that the President was coming over at 1. Be there. Any distraction is a good one. She's been there a year and a half and I've never even seen her. The reason for the visit? Last weekend was the 150th football game between rival schools and the capital Campaign kickoff in NYC. Our office has been working on these events for about a year. Two-thirds of the staff was in NYC over the weekend.

She arrived at one on the dot with two other people carrying champagne and plastic cups. On the table of the conference room was an edible arrangement. The cork was popped, the speech made, the champagne drunk and she said "where did the fruit come from"? Further investigation revealed it came from a Trustee. So we had champagne and fruit and chocolate at 1 pm.

I was in a terrific mood all afternoon. We should do that more often.