Return of the Crazy Old Lady Hat

I was going to call this post Blogger’s Sick Day, because I was too ill all day at work to write during my breaks. I was not too ill to work, just too ill to feel happy about it.

My plan after work was to return home and scramble into bed to nap before tonight’s rehearsal (have I mentioned I’m in a play at Ilion Little Theatre? Oh well, preview of coming attractions). I carefully set my watch alarm to wake me in time to shower and type three sentences, because, as regular readers know, I have challenged myself to post something every day for one year.

Well, I sucked on Zicam all day (I usually buy generic, but the name brand was all they had at Kinney’s last night). It seemed to help. Or else the cold is just running its course. Who can tell about these things? In any case, I did not feel as knock-down, drag-out awful as I did yesterday driving home from work.

I had also spent the day watching the light outside fade and brighten. Now it looked like a storm, now it looked sunny. As I drove home to Herkimer, sun had won. Hmmm, no walk for Tabby yesterday. Me and Steven both going to rehearsal tonight. I saw my way clear: I had to walk my dog. I realized, too, it was warm enough to make wearing my crazy old lady hat appropriate. Score! A plan and a blog title!

What a long introduction, just for a post about a walk with my dog. Oh well. I relaxed for a few minutes with my steel-toed work shoes off, then put on running shoes and got my hat and Tabby’s leash. I found my prescription sunglasses, too. I find the sunglasses/hat combination to be ideal on sunny days. I should mention, perhaps, that my crazy old lady hat is khaki canvas with a wide brim. I love it.

Other than the running shoes and hat, I still had my work clothes on: BDU pants and a black t-shirt from Melfe’s Shoes (where I got my steel-toed work shoes). Yes, it was a crazy old lady outfit, even without the hat. No matter. When you’re walking a cute, friendly little schnoodle, people tend to smile at you regardless.

We turned down Church Street toward the Historic Four Corners, Tabby’s favorite way to walk, because a lady was walking two dogs in the direction I would have taken. They seemed very interested in Tabby, and I didn’t want to cause trouble. Tabby did her business in somebody’s lawn, which I usually try to prevent. I try to get her to poop in the strip between the sidewalk and road, but this time she was too quick for me. Of course I picked it up in a plastic bag I carried for just such a purpose.

As we went by Herkimer Reformed Church, Tabby wanted to sniff some dog poo in the church yard. Who let their pooch poo in the church yard and didn’t pick it up? That shows a lack of respect. I saw another pile of poo in the sidewalk. Really, some dog owners.

Tabby pulled me across Main Street, no light-hearted task, and toward our church, Christ Episcopal. Nobody was there, but Tabby has been there a few times when nice people have petted her, so she often wants to check it out.

We continued on Mary Street then down Washington past Carney’s Corners, where we had walked with Tabby the other day. Steven went in and bought us a sub while Tabby and I hung around outside. Tabby looked with interest at the store today. I thought briefly of going over and putting her poo in their outside trash can but decided against it.

We walked on. We passed Lorraine Bills School, which has been closed for some years. There is a FOR SALE sign on it, saying it is a brick bonanza and has a large lot. I guess that means the building is no longer any good. I hate to see these old buildings go to waste.

I noticed a sign for a chicken pot pie dinner Wednesday the 21st at the church on the corner of Green and Washington. Tabby pulled me around the corner and down Green before I had a chance to look at which church it is, but corner of Green and Washington, you can’t miss it.

We luckily made it back across Main Street and made our way toward Meyer Park. Ah, here was a trash can where I could deposit the poo. It was starting to smell in the warm sun. I was feeling a little hot in my black t-shirt. It seems as if we skipped spring straight into summer, but I hate to complain about the warm temperature. The brim of my crazy old lady hat started blowing up, letting the bright sun into my eyes, which aggravated my headache (did I mention I’m not feeling 100% better yet?), so I crossed to the shady side of the street.

As my hat continued to blow up, I wondered if I looked like one of the Bowery Boys, either Sach or Mahoney. I don’t properly remember the Bowery Boys, only that we used to watch them on Saturdays when we were little. I seem to remember one of my sisters turning up the brim of her hat and saying she was either Sach or Mahoney. I guess I should get these childhood memories straight before I share them.

Well, I’ve rattled on a good long time about a short little walk. All this with a headache. Guess I didn’t need Blogger’s Sick Day after all.