Tag Archives: walking

Can’t Walk Away from the Letdown

So it got nice and warm, then it rained, then it got cold again. Oh, I’m not complaining about the return of winter temperatures; that is to be expected. But did it have to freeze so quickly after the rain? Now the sidewalks are covered with ice. It makes an attempt at a pedestrian post interesting to say the least (and when have you ever known me to say the least?).

Here I am, in the middle of my post-Christmas letdown, not inclined to do anything, let alone seek out Mohawk Valley adventures. When I got dressed I realized most of my clothes are dirty. I finally put on a rather nice-looking skirt. You would think dressing up a little would make me more inclined to leave the house, but not so much. Still, dogs like to take walks. Perhaps a little fresh air and exertion would cheer me up.

I most recently fell on the ice Christmas Eve. You would think that with my fat butt, falling on the ice would hold no terrors. Well let me tell you, all that padding does not necessarily help. But I thought, I was unprepared for that particular patch of ice at the time. I would be careful. This would work. After all, ALL the sidewalks couldn’t be bad.

Yes they could. At least they weren’t all smooth. Most of them, in fact, were pretty rough, with ripples or footprints. However, I soon found the best place to walk was in the crunchy snow beside the sidewalk. Tabby got a little confused, thinking I wanted to cross the street, but she is very adaptable and we went on.

We had a bad moment crossing the street at a four-way stop when some lady in a car did not want to come to a complete stop. It looked like she was wearing a fur coat, which kind of gave me an oh-no-wonder feeling about it. We were in the road well before she had reached the intersection. I tried giving her the thank-you wave, but I have a bad feeling that if I would have fallen on the ice just then, I would be roadkill instead of writing a blog post right now.

Tabby became a little indecisive after that.

“Do you just want to go home?” I asked her. It seems she did, and she began pulling me that way.

Then we heard a guy yell and saw a dog bounding across a lawn, making right for Tabby. Luckily, it seemed she only wanted to sniff (I think it was a girl name the guy called her). He hollered for her till she went back to him.

“Sorry about that,” he called.

“That’s all right; it just startled me.” We went back home, sticking to the crunchy snow as much as possible. A nice lady paused before entering a driveway we were about to cross. She waved us on before pulling in. That is what polite motorists do.

The whole walk did not take very long, but I felt it had been more effort than many shorter walks. The cold air did not freeze out my letdown, unfortunately, but I do not repine. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, sometimes you just have to feel a way till you don’t feel that way any more.

Walking toward 2014

When I took my schnoodle Tabby for a walk earlier, I vaguely hoped for enough material for a Pedestrian Post. The main reason for the walk was not to blog, but because dogs like to go for walks. I had to leave for a few hours and I hoped she might like to nap after a stroll.

I was happy to be wearing my insulated sweatshirt instead of warmer, bulkier wear. I found the fancy not-supposed-to-mess-up-your-hair earmuffs I had given Steven some years ago. He almost never wears them. I don’t either, because in avoiding your ‘do, they tend to push dangly earrings right into your neck. Ouch! So I left off the earrings and saved the coif.

Some of the sidewalks were bare due to the recent warmer temperatures, but it was not warm enough to make a lot of messy mud. In other words, almost perfect winter walking temperature. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the walk, which is good for me, but there isn’t really a whole lot else to say about it.

I did warn you people that I might be posting nothing but foolishness until 2014. At least, I think I said something like “all downhill from here” but that was what I meant. On the brighter side, that’s only four more posts. On the duller side, why do I think things are going to get better just because the calendar changes? I remind myself, it will be Wuss-out Wednesday on January 1st.

Take heart, gentle reader, I promise to do SOMETHING blogworthy tomorrow. And if I don’t write about it right away, I can always philosophize half-bakedly on New Year’s Resolutions. What’s that? You think mine should be to do fewer foolish posts? Say it ain’t so!

A Stroll But Not a Shop

I think Saturday Pedestrian Post is going to be a thing, till the return of Saturday Running Commentary, of which I do not despair.

It is raining in the Mohawk Valley today (Saturday, as I said). My schnoodle, Tabby, does not like to walk in the rain. She will go a few feet, then stop and give me a look that says, “What are we doing out here?” She won’t even go into the backyard to do her business till she’s desperate. She will stand on the porch and look out at the wet landscape speculatively.

When it looked as if the rain had stopped for the moment, so we gave it a try. Of course it had started again by the time I had found a proper jacket (damn weather that changes every five minutes), got Tabby’s harness on and made sure I had poop bags. However, Tabby seemed to want to go, so we started out.

It was not raining very hard. We headed down Bellinger Street towards Church. I had an idea to walk to Main Street, so see if anything was going on with Herkimer Now’s Shopper’s Stroll. This was to be a Christmas event featuring specials at participating businesses, strolling carolers, horse and buggy rides, a live nativity and more. I figured a cute little dog with wet paws would not be welcome in a business, but I figured we could see some sights.

Tabby wanted to go a different way, but I convinced her and we made it to Main Street. The live nativity was to be later (preview of coming attractions), so things were quiet at Herkimer Reformed Church. It started to rain a little harder as we started down Main, but I didn’t get the Look from Tabby, so I hoped for the best.

There was the horse and buggy! Two beautiful Clydesdales pulled the covered wagon, first at a walk then at a trot. Tabby seemed very interested. Perhaps she wanted to make friends with the horses. Or she thought all the people getting a ride would probably like to pet her.

The rain tapered off but did not stop. We crossed the street to the old Glory Days, where some people were putting up murals. I had read about these in the paper. They were painted by local high school and elementary students. They are beautiful and certainly improve the appearance of that sad building. I complimented the people putting them up, and thanked them for doing it.

I would have liked to stop in a Weisser’s Jewelers. Steven got me a lovely ring there for an anniversary. I wonder if I could find a nice ring there for him. However, I kept my wet-pawed doggy out of there and kept walking. Likewise we stayed out of Mary Anne Mothers Designs. We greeted Santa Claus in front of Brian’s Roast Beef Deli. Some people were taking pictures with him.

We did not walk by all the businesses that participated, and I apologize for not giving a shout-out to everyone. However, if any of my lovely readers would like to know more about the Herkimer Shopper’s Stroll or about Herkimer Now, you can visit their website at www.herkimernow.com. You can also Like Herkimer Now on Facebook.

Not Bad for a Saturday

I knew I wouldn’t run today, but I thought I could walk with my schnoodle, Tabby, and get a nice pedestrian post out of it. It was a little cold when I decided to do this. Our thermostat showed the outdoor temperature as 14 degrees, and it usually reads a little warmer than it actually is.

I know Tabby has a built-in fur coat, but I thought she could use a little extra help. A couple of winters ago, we got her a cute little coat, grey with pink furry lining and trim. The words “Good Girl” are embroidered in pink on the back. The coat was big on her when we got it, but she’s put on a little weight since then (cue smart remarks about dogs getting to resemble their owners).

Unfortunately, the coat was somewhere in Fibber McGee’s closet (if you don’t get that reference, ask your grandmother) (oh dear, now I’m going to get hate mail from grandmothers who are NOT old enough to have listened to “Fibber McGee and Molly” on the radio).

Where was I? Ah yes, pulling everything out of my living room closet. Oh, well, I had meant to clean out that closet anyways. On the brighter side, I also found my mittens I had been looking for. Just in time to shovel the driveway, which I suppose I will finally have to do tomorrow.

So, there we were, all bundled up and ready to go. We got one house away from home, and Tabby stopped and looked at me. That’s usually her signal that she wants to go home. Sometimes she actually turns around and pulls me. This time I took the hint right away.

Well, for a ten foot walk, this is almost a 300 word post. I call that not bad for a Saturday. Hope to see you on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

Two Block Tabby

Now that winter weather is here, it becomes more of an effort to take our schnoodle, Tabby, for a walk. This being Wuss-Out Wednesday, I suppose I could write a post about how I’m too damn much of a wuss to take my dog for a walk today. However, dogs like to go for walks. Our dog is a very sweet, good dog. We took her for a walk.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (today) have all been cold. I know, not as cold as it’s going to get. In our defense, Steven and I are both still convalescent from last week’s colds (the head kind, not the weather). I told Steven he could stay home, but he agreed to walk with us.

We went two blocks, taking a different direction each night. That way we could check out different neighbors’ Christmas lights. I make myself obnoxious by pointing out each house with lights and each tree visible through a window. As a testament to what a good husband Steven is, he does not find it obnoxious.

It was cold but not particularly windy. Till tonight, when we were two blocks from our house and turned a corner. Yikes! Right in our faces! Of course this was the block Tabby found the most things she wanted to sniff. I was happy I had worn a scarf.

My favorite kind of lights are different colored and not blinking. I especially like when there are a lot of them. My favorite house has three trees, a wreath, and lights around the porch railing and pillars, all different colors, none blinking. But I enjoy the blinking lights as well. I particularly notice the new icicle lights, that actually look like they’re dripping.

One lady was standing on her porch, talking to another lady and a little girl.

“Pretty lights,” I said.

“Thank you,” she replied.

I wanted to say, “No, no, thank you!” Because I think it’s nice for people to hang lights and brighten up the neighborhood.

Tabby Knows Best

I had this whole elaborate Monday Middle-aged Musing going on. Oh, I was getting deep. Then I realized I was in too deep. I didn’t know what I wanted to say. What to do? I thought I’d take my dog, Tabby, for a walk and do another pedestrian post. I know I do a lot of those, but I thought I might see some new things tonight.

It was dark by the time we started, making it all the easier to admire our neighbors’ Christmas lights. There is a kind I hadn’t seen before: they are shaped like an icicle and the light kind of runs down them. Very cool.

Tabby had a little indecision as to where to go when we reached the corner but resolved that and we continued down Church. She was stopping every two feet to sniff attentively. That made it easier for me to check out the decorations. I noted a large tree in a window not yet decorated and a staircase with lights running up the bannister. I regretted that we don’t have an open staircase. I like the lights on the bannister look. I reminded myself one can’t have everything and walked on.

Tabby stopped and looked at me.

“Let’s keep going,” I encouraged. She acquiesced. Then stopped again. Then deigned to walk some more.

We had gone a total of a block and a half when she stopped the last time, turned around and headed back home. I followed. She walked faster. She did not stop to sniff. What’s going on, I wondered. When she didn’t even stop to sniff the fire hydrant, I became a little concerned.

Being a woman of vivid imagination (as regular readers know), I began to ask myself if Tabby knew something that I did not. After all, animals have instincts. There have been stories. My husband was at home, nursing a cold. Could it be he needed us? I knew I was being silly. Then again, wouldn’t that make a tremendous blog post?

It did not take long to get home. Steven was fine. I turned on the computer and hoped I had enough for a blog post. Looks like I did.

Yet Another Pedestrian Post

This morning I walked to the post office with Tabby to mail a few postcards. It is one of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning. I like the fresh air and exercise, and I get that little frisson of satisfaction for accomplishing something.

It was cold this morning. Some places in the Mohawk Valley set records. I sensibly waited till after 10 a.m., when it should have warmed up a little. At least one would think it would have. I wore an actual winter coat, hat, gloves and a scarf. As I walked I wished I had found my mittens instead, but one can’t have everything.

I have taken Tabby for a few walks in the last few days (I believe I wrote about one on Thursday). When we went for yesterday’s walks, a little snow was falling while the sun shown on it. It looked like glitter falling from the sky. This morning was bright but precipitation free. I wondered if I should have worn my sunglasses but did not feel like returning for the house for them.

I was glad I had the scarf. The worst problem I’ve had on previous cold days has been my cold face. I have been known to walk along with a hand on either cheek, like that painting, I think it’s called “The Scream,” that a lot of people have as their screensaver. Only of course I’m not screaming. That would be silly.

After mailing my postcards we continued our walk to Main Street, down around Albany and back up Prospect. When we got to Church Street, Tabby pulled me towards our street. She is a smart pooch, because I was ready to get home, too.

You know, I hope no stalkers read this blog, because I bet they could figure out where I live by my descriptions of our walks. Well, who’d want to stalk me anyways? My adorable schnoodle Tabby, on the other hand… I’d better exercise caution.

Be Thankful the Post is Short

After all, I don’t HAVE to write a post every day. I CHOOSE to write a post every day.

Wouldn’t that be silly if those two sentences were my entire post?

In fact, it is Thanksgiving Day, and I don’t got much. That is, I have a lot to be thankful for, of course. But I don’t have a lot to write about. Oh, I know, I could write a post about everything I’m thankful for, including perhaps a little snippet about how we OUGHT to be thankful every day, not just the day before Black Friday. Blah, blah, blah. Let’s save the half-baked philosophy for Lame Post Friday, shall we?

I did take a walk today, which is often good for a post. It was cold. I was glad I had borrowed my father’s hat. It was like a big hood not attached to a coat. The coverage was great, head and neck.

One sister and one nephew walked with me and Tabby. I ought, perhaps, to mention that I was at my parents’ house in Rome, NY. They live in a nice quiet neighborhood, good for walking. We walked down the middle of the road in a couple of places, to avoid patches of ice. We took to the sidewalks in other places but had no mishaps. Phew!

A few people had their Christmas decorations up already. I think tomorrow is a better day to begin our Christmas celebrations, but what are you going to do? My nephew revealed that he had perhaps inadvisedly volunteered to put up the Christmas lights at his house. I believe this was before the temperature dropped and the snow fell. We discussed my previous quest for a hard plastic light-up snowman (NOT the blow-up kind!).

Yes, it was an uneventful walk, but as usual we enjoyed it. I will strive for a more adventurous post tomorrow, but it will not include Black Friday shopping. That’s not how I roll.

Writing About Not Running

No, running commentary isn’t back yet; stop pursing your lips at me.

I thought about running as we walked to the post office this morning. We consisted of me; my friend Tracy, visiting from out of town; and of course my schnoodle, Tabby. My husband, Steven, was at work. I explained to Tracy how I had not really started running again yet, but intended to (if anybody mentions intentions paving a road anywhere, I’ll scream).

I was sorry I had not started running again while the weather was good. I had my reasons. Maybe they weren’t very good reasons, but these things happen. The weather was not awful this morning, but it was cold. A fairly still cold, not a whipping wind. Still, it felt good to walk. I love to walk. I pointed out places of interest to Tracy. Tabby sniffed places that were of interest to her.

I had thought I might run at some point, but after all, I had to entertain my out-of-town guest. So instead of running anywhere, I found myself driving to Little Falls (preview of coming attractions: we went to the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts). I was wearing a nice cape that was recently given to me. As I was putting gas in my vehicle, I realized I needed a good ten degrees warmer of temperature to wear that cape. Well, suffer to be beautiful.

It was on the way home from Little Falls that the weather got interesting. I saw a few flakes in the sky as we walked to my vehicle. They were joined by more as we drove out of town. Soon the sky was white and I was driving slowly.

“Are you glad now or sorry that I drove?” I asked Tracy. She admitted to pondering that very question before I asked.

The pick up truck in front of me wasn’t moving much faster than I was, and the car behind was not catching up. I discussed my speed choices, and we speculated on if and when the road might get slippery. My feeling is: when in doubt, go slow, because mid-skid is too late to slow down.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes, or drive five miles.” It was six back to Herkimer.

Sure enough, the snow has stopped now, although there is some white stuff on the ground. No, I am not going running today. I walked, I drove in the snow, I wrote a blog post. I’m done.

Wrist Firmly on Forehead

Well, it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday after all.

I went wine tasting in the Finger Lakes yesterday with certain female members of my family. I’m a little tired today. Oh, stop looking so smug and self-righteous; I didn’t taste all that many wines. I was no more obnoxious than I am in the usual course of things (I know, some feel that is plenty obnoxious enough). However, it was a long day, and I am not a young woman.

Steven and I went for a walk with Tabby just now, thinking a pedestrian post would be acceptable on a Sunday. Hmmm… not much of a walk. No interesting anecdotes resulted. No striking observations or even silly jokes.

I put some chicken in the oven, so I suppose I could make something of a cooking post. Hmmm… that would take far more words than I am at present inclined to type (I did mention that it was Wrist to Forehead Sunday, didn’t I?).

I looked at the draft I am STILL working on about The Tingler, only to discover that there is at least a page and a half still in my notebook I haven’t even typed in yet. And I believe there is still more to write (it is going to be SUCH an anticlimax when I finally publish that damn Tingler post; it’ll never live up to expectations now).

So, I guess this is my Sunday post. A few lame excuses and a half-hearted preview of coming attractions. I wish I could muster the exuberance of last Sunday’s declared day off. Oh well, we all do what we can. I hope to see you on Monday.