Super rainy day

Captured by Rita Eberle-Wessner

I wish I had taken this picture, but I didn't. It's from one of my favorite photographers and snagged from her Flickr account. I never fail to be captivated by the pictures she puts on her site, and I might one day try to emulate her gift. But first I need to buy a really expensive camera like she's got (a Canon EOS 5D). I did look it up but I would need to take out a loan to afford it. So, instead, I snag ones like her work, one that she just put up this morning.

I didn't hike today but instead walked to the automotive shop where my little Honda was getting a checkup and oil change. I also went to the Senior Center to attend the Zumba class, since the yoga class was full and I couldn't get in. But, just by chance, as I was explaining my situation to the staff, someone called and canceled her slot in yoga, so I grabbed it right up! I was very happy to switch, and I sure feel better after having attended. Plus, I was able to use the gym machines that I've been trained on so far: the abdominal crunch, the simulated rowing thingy, and the low back extender. I really like all three of these and look forward to being able to use more weights, as soon as I work up to it. I feel really happy that I have such a good Senior Center!

We have been experiencing a true atmospheric river, with many inches of rain having fallen here in the last couple of days, with more to come. Some rivers around here have overflowed their banks, but for us in Bellingham, it's just the massive puddles in the streets that one must navigate. And the rain has raised our temperature so much that I saw we are 17 degrees above normal. It makes the rain a little easier to deal with, although all this rain and warmth has melted our High Country snow. But it will return, probably in time for us to get into the Christmas spirit.

Christmas stars

With that, I'm heading off to rummage in my cupboards to find a little Christmas cheer to finish my day. Hope you're having a good (and not too busy) holiday season.

:-)

Sloppy mess

Snow on the pussy willows

I woke this morning to a rather intense snowstorm, lots of flakes coming down, and the temperature just above freezing. It's many hours later, but the temperature has only come up a few degrees. I walked to the bus on pristine snow, and it was quite lovely. But coming  home was another matter altogether. Although the streets weren't clear, only a few places seemed slippery, but the melting snow made the necessity to wade through icy water not a fun activity. It will be another sloppy mess tomorrow, too, probably.

I went to the coffee shop and enjoyed a good Americano, as usual, and then I decided to ask John to drive me to the Senior Center to attend the Zumba class. Because of the weather, the usual 25 attendees had shrunk to 6. It was actually more fun, because I could see the instructor so much better. Anyway, I had a good time, until I had to walk home in the slush. I entertained myself by thinking of expletives to keep my mind occupied.

I got a call from the hearing office that my hearing aids have arrived. They will be fitted for me on Friday, and then I'll have two months to decide if I like them or not. You'll be finding out about my purchase and how I feel about it in the future, I'm sure.

:-)

Valentine from the Universe

Can spring be far behind?

I saw this new display outside of the local community food coop, where we do a lot of our shopping. They had just finished putting out these gorgeous flowers, just enough for me to spend some time smiling and enjoying the bright colors. It's the beginning of the changeover from winter's drab monochrome.

The garden of love is green without limit and yields many fruits other than sorrow or joy. Love is beyond either condition: without spring, without autumn, it is always fresh. —Rumi

That quote seemed appropriate for today, when we celebrate love in its many forms. I am home after having walked to the bus early, enjoying the cold as I had dressed just right for the weather. After watching the sun come up in a cloudless sky, it made me realize it will stay cold like this for awhile, and that is just fine. However, the wind made me happy to be warmly dressed.

Yesterday I attended my first yoga class at the Senior Center. It was not a hard class, so I didn't expect to be as sore as I am today. It made me aware once again that you cannot store fitness. I also went today to my second Zumba class, and I once again realized that jumping around like that takes energy, and I might not feel it's necessary to worry about completing every move; I found myself tiring and brought down my activity level until I felt a little more in control. Whew! I can now feel just fine sitting in my easy chair and enjoying more quiet pursuits. 

Pussy willows just starting

I was so pleased to see, on my walk home, that there are the beginnings of pussy willows appearing on a favorite bush. It's early, but they are definitely there, no longer dormant. And the warm sun will continue to help them spring forth. 

Snowdrops

These are the first blossoms I've seen actually coming up out of the ground this spring, and they sure do look beautiful to my eyes. Once I finish this Tuesday post, I think I'll spend the rest of the day enjoying myself and hanging out with my Valentine. I hope you have a wonderful day, too.

:-)

Tuesday's musings

Whatcom Falls last Saturday

After a pretty miserable wet morning, with lots of time spent going from place to place on the bus, I was happy to get home, with a chance to dry off and settle in for the rest of the day. One of the things I did today, for the first time, was to attend a Zumba class at the Senior Center. This was billed as "Zumba Gold," which is especially tailored for seniors. It's a very popular class, and one of my good friends attends regularly.

There were at least twenty women in the class, and the instructor was quite good. She also teaches a regular Zumba class, and this was hard enough that I wondered what is different about the traditional class. It was fun, and I got a good workout, so you know I'll be going back to attend again. They also offer a yoga class twice a week so I signed up for one next Monday and will see how that goes. Little by little, I'm getting my exercise routine back on track. But I still want to join a regular yoga studio and will make my way there eventually.

After such an awful start to the day, I was completely taken by surprise when it not only stopped raining, but the sun is shining gloriously. It seems like it's been quite awhile since I've seen so much sunshine. The days are beginning to lengthen, and we have passed the halfway point between winter and spring on the calendar. I see fat buds on the trees, too.

I am staying away from the news, since that terrible earthquake in Turkey and Syria is taking up all the oxygen, and I can barely stand to see it happening. Often when I think my world is dire, all I have to do is think about the people suffering in such conditions. My heart goes out to them. 

:-(

Fire and ice

Snow on the roses

Yes, yesterday we got some snow in the morning, not much, but enough to grace these pretty roses in the Cornwall Rose Garden. These are just about the last of them until we see fresh buds show up in the springtime. That's another half a year away, I fear. But I can always visit my friends who live in Australia, where they are just beginning their late spring season, with lots of flowers, including roses. Or I can visit some of my own posts from earlier in the year.

After the rain went away, the wind came up, this time a strong flow through the Fraser Gap in Canada, which always brings COLD with it. This time is no exception; I awoke in the middle of the night to the unmistakable sound of our heat turning on for the first time this season. But with the sun shining, I thought it wouldn't feel quite so cold, but I was mistaken. When I walked home from the rose garden this morning, the fierce wind seemed to be in my face, no matter which direction I was traveling. I finished my fifty-minute walk five minutes sooner than I normally would, because I was walking fast to get home and out of the wind. My cheeks were almost as red as these roses.

Then I headed to Fairhaven  for my monthly acupuncture treatment. (This is what I am referring to when I'm talking about the Needle Man.) Today Warren worked on my stiff neck and shoulder, which tends to bother me occasionally, and I decided I'd give the area a bit of extra attention. Once he had the needles in place, he hooked them up to a machine that sends a stimulating vibration, more like a tapping, into the needles. He's done that before for knee or ankle pain, but this was a first for my shoulder.

He also treated my usual aches and pains, and right now I'm feeling quite pain-free. And filled with optimism, as usual after I see him for a treatment. Now if I just stay away from the news, I should be fine for the next little tranche of time.

:-)

Getting toasty around here

Flowers along the harbor

Melanie and I walked around the harbor one day not long ago, and I loved seeing these late summer flowers. You can see in the reflection that the sky was overcast, making it quite lovely to be walking outside that day. We had a nice respite from the heat, but then it came back, with a vengeance. I see that Seattle will probably break its high temperature record today and tomorrow, with a slight respite on Thursday. It's just after noon on Tuesday, and we are already well above the maximum comfort level for my body. Fortunately, I returned from my walk well before it started to get hot. 

All the fans are going and windows open, and inside our un-air-conditioned apartment, it's quite comfortable, and I don't think that I'll be going out again any time soon. Hopefully it will remain bearable around here. If not, I'll be forced to go shopping in someplace that's got A/C.

I woke this morning feeling pretty stiff with lots of sore muscles. I had to think on why that might be, since I did a Zoom yoga class yesterday with my usual practitioner. Then I remembered some of the stuff she had us doing, and the soreness made sense. We did something called the "pigeon pose" or Eka Pada Rajakapotasana in Sanskrit. We also did a few of the variations. Here's what the basic pose looks like:

We used a blanket to sit on first

Now, it doesn't look like this should make me all that sore, does it? But we also bent forward from this position until our foreheads were on the mat. Then she got creative and had us doing some very unusual twists:

Hahaha! It's not me and never will be

No, we didn't do this entire pose, but I did manage to reach back and grab the toes behind me. That is when I got a severe cramp in my back leg, but once I worked it out, I was able to manage something similar. I needed both hands to help me, though. Now you know why I felt so sore this morning, eh?

I do enjoy attempting to tie myself in knots, bending in unusual and quirky ways in these poses, but mostly I just enjoy the stretching and bending. Since it's a Zoom class, I don't have to be too exact but I always give it my best. 

:-)

Foxgloves and more

Foxgloves from the viewpoint

Melanie and I discussed where we wanted to go this Thursday. We are both curious as to how the Senior Trailblazer hike went, up in the High Country, but we decided to stay around town once again and enjoy the partly cloudy but dry weather. (There's still plenty of snow up there but not in town.) Always a favorite, we chose the Chanterelle trail, just a short half-hour drive from home. We knew we could make this a short (five mile) or long (ten mile) hike, depending on how we felt when we got there. We went just under six miles, with 1,400 feet of elevation gain and loss, making it a pretty nice but not too taxing day.

Sun-dappled trail

As you can see here, it's a lovely and well-maintained trail. There are several places on this trail where a service road gives workers truck access, and we saw a young man chopping back plenty of foliage along the trail to keep things from getting out of hand. Foxgloves are everywhere, and they certainly made it look like a party.

White foxglove

They come in white, like this one, and pink that varies from pale to vibrant magenta. They are in their early stages and everywhere we looked we saw them gracing the side of the trail.

Hairy berry

We also saw that the salmonberries are ripening. Why this one has a black crown of fuzzy hair isn't clear, but it sure makes for an amusing picture, don't you think?

Today's view from the overlook

I always need to show you the lovely view we have from the viewpoint, which we reached after 2.5 miles. There were plenty of clouds and a light breeze to make the climb very pleasant. I suggested that we start up the second part of the trip and figured we'd turn around after a half-mile or so.

Intriguing trail

Here's the beginning of the second half of the trail, made quite enticing with all that foxglove along the side. We did make it almost a half-mile before I asked if we could turn around and head back down. My knees felt pretty good, but we would have had to climb another 500 feet or so if we wanted to make it to the terminus. I didn't feel the need, and Mel was, as always, very accommodating.

Nature's garden

There were so many pretty flowers everywhere, but this lovely little natural garden caught my eye as we headed back down the way we had come. It was a wonderful day, with just enough challenge to make me feel like I'd actually done something good for myself, but not enough to make anything hurt. And considering the fine company, I couldn't be happier to have had such a lovely day. I think I might have earned a small glass of wine. A day well spent.

:-)

Missing steps, front porch flowers

Renovation in progress

We were given a warning a week or so ago that there would be a disruption of our access to some of the apartments in our complex. The second-story apartments, of which we have one, cannot be accessed from the front where we park our cars. Instead, we need to come and go via the back door, which works just fine in most respects. We are missing the sixteen steps going from the dirt section in the middle of the picture, along with access to the two corridors on both levels going from front to back.

I'm just glad we are down at the end, with three apartments between us and the work going on. At first there was a lot of noise, but now it's intermittent as the renovation seems to be going slowly. At first I felt inconvenienced, but I've gotten used to coming and going through the back door. It gives me a few extra steps every day, anyway. And I got to admire my downstairs neighbor's lovely iris as I walked by. They are gone already, but everywhere around here is lush with June blooms.

Flowers are doing well

I am pleased that my front porch flowers are doing so well, although I notice that the pansies are past their peak; I think I'll replace them with some more petunias, since they just keep growing and expanding their coverage. The left-hand basket is filled with them. And I've got a fern that seems to have weathered the heat we had this weekend. At the present time, we are back to normal Pacific Northwest temperatures, back into the mid-sixties (18°C) instead of 20 degrees warmer, which is what we had during our brief heat wave. I walked outside today and truly enjoyed the cool breeze that greeted me.

Once I reached my quota of steps and exercise for the day, I'm feeling a little lazy and will settle into reading a good book. I've downloaded a few onto my Kindle and think I'll kick my feet up and relax for the rest of the day. Zzzzz.....

Hertz Trail in the rain

So lush

Another wet day. In fact, we will have to navigate through about two more inches of rain before this latest deluge is over. The next three days are forecast to be wet, wet, and, well, wet. Melanie and I decided to take in the Hertz Trail today, which has lots of trees to lessen the amount of rain that would make its way to our rain gear. We were ready!

Green, green, green

I didn't get many good pictures today, because it wasn't much fun to stand around and take shots in the rain. We did have a brief respite in the middle of our six-mile hike, where the rain lessened to some stray droplets. Then it started again.

Serene lake shot

You can see from this picture of the lake that we didn't have much wind, just a bit of a breeze that stirred up the water, but no whitecaps. We saw only a few people on the trail with us; I guess most sensible people stayed inside, waiting for better weather. We've learned that we need to get out, no matter what the forecast says, because they have been known to be wrong. And just being outdoors in the beauty raised my spirits, even if they were a bit on the damp side.

Foxglove against a rock face

Melanie also spotted the first foxglove of the season! The color is only visible on the lower petals, but it will be pink and white when it is in full bloom. We saw such incredible lushness on the trail today, and I look forward to visiting once again when it's a little bit drier. Since the trail is well traveled and well maintained, it was in great shape with only a few minor puddles to navigate.

And now I can  enjoy the rest of the day inside, safe and warm, with more than 16,000 steps recorded on my Apple Watch for the day's exercise. Not too bad for a day's activity, eh? I do hope your day will be a good one and that you will find some way to stretch your boundaries, no matter which approach you decide in order to do so. 

:-)

Two years ago

Saturday walking group

This picture was taken almost exactly two years ago, and obviously we had snow then, too. Right now most of our recent white stuff is gone, but I had forgotten that we had this much snow not that long ago.

Today, I didn't go anywhere with any group. My lower back is giving me fits, and it's hard to get up and down from a seated position. This happens to me every now and then, and I know it's most likely going to get better sooner rather than later. In fact, it's better right now than it was this time yesterday, but I am still in pain and hold onto my lower back when moving into an upright position, like the old lady I've become.

Two years ago we were still unaware of what changes we would go through between then and now. It's been two full years of dealing with the pandemic. It was only a few short weeks after this picture was taken that we started into a lockdown scenario. By March 2020, I had stopped going pretty much anywhere in my usual routine. I found this from my blog back then:

My schedule is still plenty full, with yoga classes on Tuesdays and Fridays, my rarely missed Thursday hikes, and the Saturday walk. Not to mention the four days a week at the YMCA, which I am considering shaking up, too. It's just time for me to reassess what I am doing out of habit, and what I am doing because I really want to.

How little did I know how much my routine would be altered! I don't go to the Y right now because of Covid, or the Saturday walk which only recently started up again. (I do walk most Saturdays with Mel.) I still do yoga, but now it's on Zoom rather than in the studio. Occasionally I join the Thursday Senior hikers, but mostly these days it's just Melanie and me, a smaller group for several reasons. The pandemic has really changed my daily life. I also am not taking the bus because of possible exposure to the virus, and my friend John, who I usually sit with in the coffee shop has caught the latest version of Covid, although he's triple-vaxxed, like me. Even if I wanted to catch the bus, there's no place I would feel safe going to.

So I am not getting the exercise I was very much addicted to. Little by little, most of the days of getting all my steps and closing the exercise rings on my watch just isn't happening. At first I was upset by it, but I am finding that I am enjoying what I do accomplish much more than I did, when it was just routine. Once my sacroiliac joint is no longer painful, I'll do more than I am right now. Which is not much.

For two years we have been profoundly affected, pretty much all of us, by the pandemic. Other countries are also having a hard time of it, and I should be grateful that we can actually see an end to it in the near future. But, of course, that's what I thought last summer, and then Delta came to spoil our summer, and now Omicron is simply everywhere. So, I am hopeful but not totally convinced that I will soon be getting back to whatever my new normal will be. How about you? How are you doing two years in?

:-)

A cold and windy holiday

Snow looks like white blossoms

If I wasn't feeling so cold, I could really enjoy seeing Christmas being white and delightful. But yesterday, the day after Christmas, we here in Bellingham woke to 10°F (–12°C) and wind blowing 30–50mph, giving us a wind chill of –20! I didn't even attempt to leave the house for any reason, much less thinking about going out to breakfast with John. I called him on the phone and found that he, too, didn't leave the house all day.

But today, I got an early morning call from him asking if I'd like a ride to the coffee shop, and I of course said yes, since he would be driving his big ol' truck with huge tires and lots of weight to keep us safe. He showed up about 7:30 and we drove downtown, looking at all the snow and hearing the snow crunching under the tires, with nary a slippery slope to navigate. It was lovely, looking around at all the snow in dawn's early light. The skies had cleared, and the wind died down to nothing while we were out. Bellingham got anywhere from 4–15 inches, depending on your location.

The coffee shop, however, was closed. Nobody there, no lights on, and no idea why (other than the obvious one that nobody could make it in). We decided to head to Fairhaven and to Shirlee Bird's cafe, which has great coffee, and enjoy a good breakfast as well. And that's just what we did. We sat in the cab of John's truck because the frigid temperatures outside and all the snow on the ground meant it would be the warmest place to eat and drink. Delicious food, and once we were well caffeinated, John drove me home. 

The only task I have for today is to write this post and possibly go for a walk. I've fallen down on getting my steps during the holiday and miserable weather, but I figure I've banked a little backdrop of effort by not missing many days in the recent past. It's not good to do that very often, especially at my age, but it's definitely indicated that I should be careful out there. I'll wear my boots and strap on my microspikes to help keep me from slipping on the ice. With the right gear, it should be exciting. And relatively safe!

Hope you had a safe and delightful holiday, whether you gathered with friends and family or just stayed home. I watched a couple of movies and enjoyed hanging out with my guy. Watching the wind blowing snow into drifts while being inside, life is good.

:-)

Indoor workout today

View from the treadmill

This morning, in the midst of another Pineapple Express (warm rain coming up the coast from Hawaii), I was getting ready to set out for the bus, armed with all the rain gear I could manage: raincoat, cap to keep its hood upright to protect my glasses, rain pants, and waterproof shoes. Yep, I was just about to set out when John called me to say that my chariot was awaiting me in the parking lot! He had driven  from the coffee shop to my place, to keep me from having to walk in the heavy rain.

Well, of course I took him up on it, but that meant I still needed to find a way to get some exercise and close my exercise rings on my iWatch. So, instead of letting him drive me home, I headed over to the Y, where I have an account, and went inside to use some of the devices. I got on the treadmill (seen above) for 30 minutes, and then rode the stationary bike to nowhere for another 20 minutes. Then I caught a bus back to the closest stop to home, when usually I would get off early for a bit longer walk. Not today, not with the heavy and unceasing rain, and with the wind making it scary as well. I was able to close two of the three rings before reaching home, so I was happy.

Insufficient drainpipe

I could hear the water splashing on the concrete outside my bedroom window, meaning that our drain pipe was clogged and not carrying the rain to the ground. And with so much more rain on the way, I took this picture and sent it to the manager, knowing that he needed to know about it even if he had to wait until later to get on the roof to fix it.

Nice-sized puddles

Coming back from the bus, there were plenty of places like this one that I had to navigate around; the ground is so saturated and soft that I was careful not to walk under any trees and skipped the park in case there might be uprooted trees ready to come down any minute.

On the bus, I could hear the driver listening to the reports from other bus drivers needing to take different routes because of flooded roadways. And there was even one notice of the main I-5 highway closed off because of fallen trees. I was happy to get home and hunker down. No more going outside for me today. Tomorrow is supposed to be much better, with the rain coming to a stop and the temperatures plummeting to normal ranges. We have already received more than four inches of rain in the last 24 hours, with more to come today. I'm glad to live away from rivers and streams!

:-)

Those darn birthdays

 

Another year older

My dear friend Lily decided I needed not to forget my birthday this year, as I intended to do. She invited me over for a very small gathering (four of us), windows all open as the weather was mild this weekend, and a huge pile of gourmet cupcakes! Behind the sinfully delicious cupcakes is a sweet gift of 2 Bodum double-walled coffee cups. Not only did she make some wonderful guacamole dip, she also served up a store-bought sweet potato pie with ice cream. Needless to say, I was very full and glad that at least the coffee cups would not make me fat! 

And I am not kidding when I say that those cupcakes were wonderful, even if I only ate one. I was able to take home two of them, but fortunately for me, my dear partner took them off my hands (and hips). I am not complaining, it was truly a delightful time. Until I had to step on the scales in the morning, that is. It wasn't as bad as I feared, but now I am hungry for more sweet potato pie. Sometimes you just need to let moderation go by the wayside. At the beginning of holiday season, I am going to have to step up my exercise routine, methinks.

And I received two wonderful crocheted items from a blogging friend, unexpectedly. Well, I guess if other people can acknowledge my birthday, who am I to object? It doesn't make me any younger to ignore those darn birthdays, does it?

:-)

November musings

 

November barcode (Rita's name)

I have belonged to Flickr, the image hosting service, for a long time now. I've pretty much stopped posting my own pictures on it, but I've kept my account current because I love to see the pictures that many of my friends post. The black-and-white image above was taken by Rita Eberle-Wessner, who lives in Belgium and takes wonderful pictures with her Canon Mark IV camera. Curious about the camera, I looked it up and realized there is a reason why her pictures look so professional: not only because of her incredible eye, but the camera, too. And since it costs thousands of dollars, I'm not likely to follow in her footsteps, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy her art.

Today I went back to my gym, the local YMCA, for the first time since the pandemic hit and closed its doors. It's been reopened for a few months now, and I didn't realize it until I walked by the door and saw people going in for... what? I went inside and discovered that the gym is open in a very limited capacity, and that you must call ahead and reserve a space.

Taken this morning

That's my shoe in the lower right corner. What they have done is separated all the workout machines with plenty of room between them, and this room is considered to be for LifeFitness machines and stationary bikes. Only five people are allowed in at a time. There was one other person in there while I rode the bike. And during the half-hour I was there, it was cleaned by two masked attendants. I felt quite safe. The other room, with the treadmills and weights, is much larger and allows up to 15 people at once. (I'll be sticking with this room for the time being.) I am glad to find somewhere that I can get a workout when the weather is bad this winter.

Tomorrow is the election. We both returned our ballots the day we received them in the mail (Washington is an all-mail state). And I was able to put in our information and go online to see if they had been accepted. They both have, and it put our concerns to rest about signatures and whatnot. Tomorrow I have a yoga class and an acupuncture treatment, both of which will help to keep me centered and, if not serene, at least in good spirits. I will watch the returns for awhile but most likely will know little by the time I head to bed. There's no doubt that I'll enjoy a glass of wine, though.

:-)

Got off my backside today

Two trillium today

My friend Melanie suggested that we go for a hike today, as it's been awhile since we got together to enjoy the outdoors. I told her that I have been feeling more than lethargic, even downright lazy and unwilling to rouse myself from the easy chair. But upon her urging, we met this morning at the local trailhead to head up Chuckanut Mountain, one of our favorite places. And the trillium are out and abundant!

Salmonberry (Mel's picture)

As we began the hike, I kept thinking I would have to turn around and let her go without me, since my hip hurt and the uphill sections seemed enormously difficult. She slowed down as I whined about not being in shape, etc., but after a short break, I realized that there is a reason I need to keep doing this exercise regularly: since I have nerve damage and compromised circulation in my right leg, only constant exercise keeps it from deteriorating. And my recent vacation from any kind of physical effort had taken its toll. So I kept going.

Red currant in bloom

After we had been out for an hour or so, I began to perk up a little and felt the wonderful environment, green and lush, revive my interest. We stopped lots to take pictures, and before I knew it, I was happy and feeling much better about everything, including my hip. Guess I just needed a bit of a push from a dear friend, eh?

Is that a cigarette or a joint?

Someone noticed striations on this tree's bark that reminded them of a face, so he or she added a rock for a nose and stuck something in his mouth. The science of seeing faces in inanimate objects is called Pareidolia, which at one time was considered a symptom of human psychosis, but it is now seen as a normal human tendency. (That link takes you to Wikipedia and explains more about the phenomenon.) Whoever first noticed this one was quite clever in making it impossible for passersby not to see the face and injected some joy into at least two observers.

By the time we finished our lovely outing, I was feeling like a new person myself. My hip had loosened after having gotten the kinks worked out, and the wonderful day, along with Melanie's company, made me very happy to have spent my morning and afternoon out and about. I did, however, binge-watch a wonderful show yesterday, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for a fascinating series: Undone. I would tell you what it's about, but I can't. Suffice it to say it got a score of 10/10 from Rotten Tomatoes, so I must not be alone in having enjoyed it so much.

And now, I've settled back into my easy chair, but this time I no longer feel guilty but instead sated by another wonderful day outdoors. Perhaps I will be more enthusiastic next time Melanie suggests a hike and won't look for excuses so readily. (P.S.: we were physically distant from each other as per usual, and we both wore face masks, saw only a few people on the trail, and everyone was polite and kept their distance.)
:-)

Our missing rain has returned

All smiles

We had a very long period without any rain, almost a record for this time of the year, but this morning as I headed out the door, I noticed a light patter of rain on the stairs on the way to my car. I was going to walk with the ladies, and I had decided to meet my friend Lily halfway between my place and where the walk would be. But alas, she didn't show up. I received a text that she had overslept.

I frankly was not unhappy, because walking in the woods in the rain might be occasionally fun, but I wasn't feeling up to it today. (The light rain never stopped and picked up enough to make it a bit soggy.) Instead, we went back to the coffee shop for another round of coffee. I ended up having twice my usual amount of espresso, and when I started dancing, the barista decided I shouldn't get any more. I was feeling really jazzed.

However, I ended up missing my usual Saturday walk and considered going to the Y for a date with the treadmill, but somehow I just couldn't work up any enthusiasm for it. By the time I got there, the caffeine had begun to work its way out of my system, and I decided that it would be fine if I skipped a day. Maybe I'll make up for it tomorrow, and maybe I won't. It's nice to take a day off now and then.
:-)

Hertz trail walk

Submerged log has a tree growing out of it

The Hertz trail along the southeast shore of Lake Whatcom has long been a favorite place to get around six miles on a very mellow, almost flat terrain. This morning the ladies met there for their walk, and I decided to go, since it's an out-and-back and I could go at my own pace and then turn around when I ran into the others on their return from the end of the trail. I knew it would be foolish for me to go the entire distance at their brisk pace, but it was a perfect way for me to see how I'm coming along.

Cindy, who had a knee replacement several months back, has been struggling to regain her usual pace, so she was happy to walk along with me, going slower than the others. It was a lovely walk, and I was pleased to feel only minor pain. I went out for a half an hour, then rested before returning. Cindy joined me, and although I have a bit more pain than I did upon awakening this morning, I was encouraged by how well I'm coming along. Slow and easy.

A nice view while resting

I'm feeling like maybe I can spend some time in the garden today, doing some much-needed weeding, and picking some veggies to snack on during the day. We've got some warm weather coming up for the next week, so I'm going to be getting any afternoon exercise indoors. Thinking about Thursday already, and pretty sure I won't be ready quite yet. It's coming soon, but maybe not that soon.
:-)

Three weeks post-injury

This morning's latte

It has now been three weeks exactly since I slipped and fell on that muddy boardwalk, and I'm definitely much better. This morning when I got out of bed and walked across the living room to peek out the front door, I felt little discomfort in my tailbone/sacrum area. I decided to treat the day like it was just another weekday (not a Thursday) and take the bus to the coffee shop, then to the gym. I like the pretty design in my coffee; you can also see my new glasses and iPad to complete the picture.

Our apartment, upper right

Then I took the bus back home and pondered what I would write about today. The Senior Trailblazers are on the Yellow Aster Butte hike, one of my favorites. I went to the search widget on this website and searched for last year's trip, which is linked here. I haven't missed this hike in ten years, but there is always a first time.

A poem

I saw this poem outside the downtown library, written by a three-year-old artist. It's titled "Sky Goes Flying." If you enlarge the picture, you can read it for yourself. It made me consider perhaps it would be fun to put up pictures chronicling my own sky flying, pictures of my skydiving career, but I decided to save it for next week, if I am still unable to hike. It's possible I will be healed enough to attempt it, but it's too soon to tell. That's a whole week away.

Lots of herbs

Last Saturday while walking around the Farmers' Market, I saw this picture and decided to save it for my "photo safari," but I didn't get enough gathered to make it worthwhile. However, this picture sure shows the abundance we have around these parts in locally grown herbs. I wandered around for awhile longer and then came home.

I'm under the care of my acupuncturist, and he is admonishing me to take it slow, walk briskly for no more than 15 minutes at a time, and eventually I'll be my old self. It's interesting how long it took today for me to start having pain with each step as I walked home from the bus. Every day it's a longer distance, but it's still there. One day soon, I'll be able to throw caution to the winds and dance in the green mountains again.
:-)

Busy Tuesday

Our coffee group this morning

This morning at Avellino's, my coffee shop of choice, we had all six seats around the community table filled with this motley assortment of people. Me, John, Gene, Teresa, Roger, and Tim. We all enjoyed our usual coffee and scintillating conversation, and then I realized I had stayed longer than usual and was in danger of missing my exercise class. I didn't, however, as I was able to hustle out the door a little faster than I have been. I'm slowly getting better.

After the class, I headed to Fairhaven for my usual 11:00 yoga class. I was pleased to find that several poses that were beyond me last week are now getting easier to accomplish. Then a trip to my acupuncturist for another round of needles. It never fails, I leave there feeling much better, although I definitely have a love/hate relationship with the needles going in. Most are just a little pinprick, but some give me zingers that last for seconds before settling down. He offers to take them out if it's too much, but heck, if I suffer through their placement, I'm going to enjoy the effects later on.

I would say I am probably 75% returned to normal, and I have been told by Warren (the acupuncture guy) to continue to limit my exercise to 15 minutes at a time. I told him I've been stopping at 20 minutes, and he says that if he told me 20, I'd go for 30. (In other words, he figures I'll always overdo a little bit. He knows me by now.)

Then I came home and am presently finishing my final task for the day: a post. Now I can pick up my latest book and bury my nose in it.
:-)

My Thursday exercise

Out the door and down the steps

Another Thursday when I cannot go out with the Senior Trailblazers on one of my favorite hikes, the Chain Lakes loop. But I decided to head out to catch the bus downtown and pretend like it's not Thursday. The day was a perfect temperature, in the low 60s (around 16°C) with lots of sunshine. The trip to the bus is about a 15-minute walk at my current pace.

My chariot

Our bus system has a few spots for people to take a bike to use once they get to town. And when you get to know the bus drivers, they are very friendly and helpful.

My favorite coffee shop

My first stop is always Avellino's, my favorite place to start the day's activities and meet up with my pals. John was the only one there this morning, but he had some homemade dill pickles to share, which were just wonderful.

Shane making a latte, Carrie in the kitchen behind

Although it's just a little after 7:00am in the morning, Shane is ready to brighten my day with a smile and a double Americano. Sometimes I have a latte, but this morning I thought straight espresso was the way to go. Then, around 8:15, I left for the Y to get a little workout going.

Stationary bike

I usually warm up with twenty minutes on this stationary bicycle, which is very comfortable; I do an interval program and have worked my way back to using a Level 3 resistance. When I first got injured, I did the program at the lowest level but am now back to my normal resistance. I'm getting better, a bit at a time. I usually then take an hour-long strength and tone class, but today I skipped it, not feeling much like it. (I've also caught a summer cold.)

A nice front yard garden

After taking the bus back, I walked back home and noticed this lovely garden, with the gardener Judy working away. I said hello, and she smiled at me and asked if I wanted any summer squash. (It's all getting ripe and the time has come to share the bounty.)

Inside the garden

She invited me in, and I didn't mention to her that I have some zucchini squash in my own garden, because I always look forward to seeing how other people's produce tastes.

Two kinds of squash and strawberries

I selected these two delightful squash, and she asked if I like strawberries. Doesn't everyone? These were sweet and perfect, so much so they didn't make it all the way home.Yum!

My sister Norma Jean

Once home, I made myself some lunch and got on FaceTime to chat with Norma Jean, who is visiting her daughter and granddaughters in Virginia. She's staying in the basement, which is not quite finished, as you can see. It's her birthday today and I wanted to catch up with her. It was a nice visit, but I sure wish I could be with her to share some wine together. We'll have to do it separately, but I will definitely quaff a glass to celebrate her advanced years (she's younger than me).

Now it's late afternoon and time for me to take something to help dry up my runny nose and finish my latest book. Hopefully the Trailblazers are having a wonderful day. Melanie, I'm sure, will post pictures on Facebook, and I'll just have to reminisce, thinking of all the wonderful times I've gone there in previous years. I'm happy to have had a good day anyway.
:-)