I've decided I want to try and make Thankful Thursday a more consistent thing, not only to remind myself to be grateful but also because I usually undervalue Thursdays. They are like the less-handsome fraternal twin of Tuesday.
Today is my great-aunt's 86th birthday! We celebrated by going out to lunch - "we" meaning my mother, great aunts, and my grandparents. I was the youngest there by at least 30 years, but it still ended up being a party.
Beforehand, I had the opportunity to go to the gym while my mom went and visited a friend. There I lifted weights, something I have not done in a while, and as a treat relaxed in the sauna for a few minutes. Afterward, my mother and I took Echo for a walk. I truly enjoyed having the company and the additional exercise (usually I either go to the gym or I go running with Echo).
By the time we got home from lunch, I had just enough time to catch up on one of my favorite YouTubers videos (Grace Helbig) before my brother's bus rolled up. We are now listening to music and are about to have a mini dance party!
Life is good.
Showing posts with label walking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label walking. Show all posts
16 January 2014
11 January 2014
Following the Funny Feeling: the Tale of a Stray Dog
This morning my dad had the uncanny idea that today would be a good day for a walk with our dog, Echo. We bundled up and got started walking down the street, noticing that the sky was getting darker as we distanced ourself from home.
Dad and I had barely left the neighborhood when we saw the stray dog, sniffing around the bushes. Echo greeted the dog in his normal fashion as I reached for her name tag. In place of her name tag was the number for what turned out to be the local Animal Control agency. As I called the number, trying to figure out what to do, our neighbor drove up and offered his assistance. None of us recognized the dog from our neighborhood so we decided it was best to take her to the Humane Society.
I, of course, grew attached to the dog in the short time we new each other. I nicknamed her Hattie, partially after the character in the novel I recently read, but also because she escaped our hands three times (hat trick). She is very well behaved and friendly and not to mention gorgeous! How could I not become attached?
Fortunately we were able to drop her off at the Humane Society and got a number to call in a few days to see if she is doing okay. Hopefully her owners will find her.
Strangely enough, my dad insisted on going on a walk, despite the fact that it was down pouring. He later admitted that he had had a funny feeling about it and decided to follow it. Thank goodness we did, otherwise we might not have been able to help Hattie!
Dad and I had barely left the neighborhood when we saw the stray dog, sniffing around the bushes. Echo greeted the dog in his normal fashion as I reached for her name tag. In place of her name tag was the number for what turned out to be the local Animal Control agency. As I called the number, trying to figure out what to do, our neighbor drove up and offered his assistance. None of us recognized the dog from our neighborhood so we decided it was best to take her to the Humane Society.I, of course, grew attached to the dog in the short time we new each other. I nicknamed her Hattie, partially after the character in the novel I recently read, but also because she escaped our hands three times (hat trick). She is very well behaved and friendly and not to mention gorgeous! How could I not become attached?
Fortunately we were able to drop her off at the Humane Society and got a number to call in a few days to see if she is doing okay. Hopefully her owners will find her.
Strangely enough, my dad insisted on going on a walk, despite the fact that it was down pouring. He later admitted that he had had a funny feeling about it and decided to follow it. Thank goodness we did, otherwise we might not have been able to help Hattie!
06 October 2013
Portland Marathon Volunteering!
The event of the day was the Portland Marathon - people gathered from all over to complete the 26.2 mile marathon covering an expanse of Portland and crossing the Steel Bridge twice. It was a memorable day for friends of mine who were attempting the marathon and it was memorable for me to be at a race of that caliber for the first time. Although I was only a volunteer, I was qualified enough to be placed at a medic site.
I was initially peeved about my placement - the volunteer coordinator had placed me downtown in a shift that would have allowed me to participate in the weekly book club session with my mother and sister, but changed the mile marker and times last minute. According to the updated placement, I was to be across the bridge in an area of Portland I was not familiar with at a time directly interceding with the book club session. The volunteer coordinator failed to alert my other team members about the placement change and had some scrambling to get to the right location. Anyway, I underestimated how long it would take to get to the new location and arrived late. The remainder of the time was spent mostly treating blisters and administering water and trail mix to the walkers.
Although I had been in a poor mindset at the beginning of the day, I watched the marathoners with increasing admiration. The realization that walking 26.2 miles straight during the hottest part of the day on sometimes rough terrain was no small feat inspired me. I cheered on, congratulated, and encouraged the marathoners as they passed, acknowledging their strength in having made it that far in the marathon and even attempting the marathon.
Despite the lacking communication skills of the administration running (no pun intended) the marathon, the actual participants were a major part of my first marathon experience and for that I am extremely grateful. My experience today made me more determined to accomplish my goal of achieving a 30-minute 5k next June.
I was initially peeved about my placement - the volunteer coordinator had placed me downtown in a shift that would have allowed me to participate in the weekly book club session with my mother and sister, but changed the mile marker and times last minute. According to the updated placement, I was to be across the bridge in an area of Portland I was not familiar with at a time directly interceding with the book club session. The volunteer coordinator failed to alert my other team members about the placement change and had some scrambling to get to the right location. Anyway, I underestimated how long it would take to get to the new location and arrived late. The remainder of the time was spent mostly treating blisters and administering water and trail mix to the walkers.
Although I had been in a poor mindset at the beginning of the day, I watched the marathoners with increasing admiration. The realization that walking 26.2 miles straight during the hottest part of the day on sometimes rough terrain was no small feat inspired me. I cheered on, congratulated, and encouraged the marathoners as they passed, acknowledging their strength in having made it that far in the marathon and even attempting the marathon.
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