Two Canadian Geese w/ their three goslings on our little, local lake.
A little closer image. They were paddling much faster than I.
"Yes, Sir, that's my Baby" ------- unrelated to HER, don't you love that pick up your dog poop sign?! If her brothers read this, PLEASE do not make this the topic at our next gathering.
Yesterday, Wed, 05/20/09: 87 degrees Fahrenheit!! And 8 miles (not the Enimen 8 miles, although that isn’t so far from here). Today, Th, 05/21/09, I'm recovering from 18 miles of triking over the past 2 days :-)
I had a “guest” journey with me today (yesterday's "today" since I'm posting this on Th). We had interesting and unusual conversation. You know, sometimes those conversations inside your head just sound plain weird and scary when uttered out loud. At least that’s what my daughter told me while we were conversing & pedaling through the dismal, swampy areas of our local trail. I’m glad she understands me, even at times is confused, by others, as being me ( a "mini-me"; much to her chagrin/delight).
Having my daughter join me today was akin to celebrating her birth and many of the other firsts in her life. She hasn’t ridden a bicycle in many, many years. In fact, when she was learning to ride, I was petrified that she would get lost going around our block. That was her style: playing out in the yard and ending up in some other neighborhood b/c she saw something pretty “over there”. Over there led to another “pretty over there”. So, we held a family meeting, one night, to discuss whether she was ready, er, whether we were ready, for her to ride around our simple, square block, ON the sidewalk. Her merely older brothers took it upon themselves to set up posts at the corners away from the sighting distance of our front yard. Meaning they went to the street behind our house and positioned themselves on their bikes at the intersections to prevent their little sister from wandering off. We did this a few times, until she understood that she had to turn left at every intersection. Very comical, in retrospect. Poor child, “bless her heart”! Even till today, she’s likely to end up somewhere entirely opposite of where she intends to go.
When she was in high school, she and a friend wanted to make a major road trip. Neither of them outright owned a vehicle nor had the financial resources to just get in a car and go. So, they invited me along. We were going to the Outer Banks of NC. I settled into the back seat, reading and napping, totally giving them reign over the vehicle and map. My sole function was to dispense money. At some point, well into the darkness, my dear daughter, awakened me and inquired whether we should go to NY or WV. We were quite far into PA, having departed earlier in the day from MI. Well, our initial itinerary did not include any part of PA. I figured out where we were, that’s when I decided that from then on, I have to purchase only large-print maps and keep a magnifying glass with the map, JIC, and decided upon another itinerary. Fortunately, we hadn’t made hotel reservations for that night. Unfortunately, we ended up “sleeping” across the street from some raucous truck driver convention, or something of the sorts.
All in all, it was just short of a miracle that my daughter rode her bike yesterday and stayed close to me. I guess she’s learned a lot in her “old” age. With explicit directions, we departed paths while I had a massage and chiropractic visit. She seemed concerned/anxiety-ridden, about getting lost when I had to turn right and go 1/4 mile south from our divergent paths. She repeadtedly asked for verification of her directions: "Go straight across this road, turn right as soon as you see another paved path, otherwise, you’ll be in a parking lot. Go to the end of that paved path until you reach the park. Stay there until I come to get you.” It worked :-) The park essentially is in the back "yard" of the chiro ofc. Same park as mentioned yesterday (yesterday's yesterday), which our family helped build and we've spent many, many visits playing there. This girl (young woman) grew up in this town. "Bless her heart!"
My chiropractor is very intrigued by this trike. First time he’s seen it – he sat on it and fell in love. I bet I’m gonna see him triking around town some day. You can’t NOT love it. It is so comfortable: reclined position, head rest, elevated legs. Luxury. I am grateful to my auto insurance company and my parents for gifting me with this trike. Well, my parents’ portion was a gift. I think I’m still paying for it re: the portion from the insurance company (recovering from injuries sustained in that auto accident). People comment on how “good” I look (I take it to mean “not as mangled as we imagined” or as gauntly as when I came home from the hospital). I am feeling stronger in my core. The core provides balance & stability for the limbs. People, also, comment that I’ll “be back to running very soon because you look so ‘good’”. To which I respond, “I love my trike”.
I may want to run a 5K, just so I can say “this is my last run” and know it is. The last time I ran I didn’t know it was the last time. At least, I do have that memory – the Portland Winter Run on Sat, Jan 19, 2008. Gosh, it was cold. And snowing. Bitter is more descriptive than “cold”. But, the veggie chili afterwards was awesome. And talking forever with my friend, Tracy, was a special treat. My concern about running “one more time” is that it may hasten the inevitable damage in my joints, thereby hastening surgery and recovery (and dependence upon others…). I vacillate between: 1) Be Nike and “just do it” – cherish the opportunity – go out w/ a victory run, and
I had a “guest” journey with me today (yesterday's "today" since I'm posting this on Th). We had interesting and unusual conversation. You know, sometimes those conversations inside your head just sound plain weird and scary when uttered out loud. At least that’s what my daughter told me while we were conversing & pedaling through the dismal, swampy areas of our local trail. I’m glad she understands me, even at times is confused, by others, as being me ( a "mini-me"; much to her chagrin/delight).
Having my daughter join me today was akin to celebrating her birth and many of the other firsts in her life. She hasn’t ridden a bicycle in many, many years. In fact, when she was learning to ride, I was petrified that she would get lost going around our block. That was her style: playing out in the yard and ending up in some other neighborhood b/c she saw something pretty “over there”. Over there led to another “pretty over there”. So, we held a family meeting, one night, to discuss whether she was ready, er, whether we were ready, for her to ride around our simple, square block, ON the sidewalk. Her merely older brothers took it upon themselves to set up posts at the corners away from the sighting distance of our front yard. Meaning they went to the street behind our house and positioned themselves on their bikes at the intersections to prevent their little sister from wandering off. We did this a few times, until she understood that she had to turn left at every intersection. Very comical, in retrospect. Poor child, “bless her heart”! Even till today, she’s likely to end up somewhere entirely opposite of where she intends to go.
When she was in high school, she and a friend wanted to make a major road trip. Neither of them outright owned a vehicle nor had the financial resources to just get in a car and go. So, they invited me along. We were going to the Outer Banks of NC. I settled into the back seat, reading and napping, totally giving them reign over the vehicle and map. My sole function was to dispense money. At some point, well into the darkness, my dear daughter, awakened me and inquired whether we should go to NY or WV. We were quite far into PA, having departed earlier in the day from MI. Well, our initial itinerary did not include any part of PA. I figured out where we were, that’s when I decided that from then on, I have to purchase only large-print maps and keep a magnifying glass with the map, JIC, and decided upon another itinerary. Fortunately, we hadn’t made hotel reservations for that night. Unfortunately, we ended up “sleeping” across the street from some raucous truck driver convention, or something of the sorts.
All in all, it was just short of a miracle that my daughter rode her bike yesterday and stayed close to me. I guess she’s learned a lot in her “old” age. With explicit directions, we departed paths while I had a massage and chiropractic visit. She seemed concerned/anxiety-ridden, about getting lost when I had to turn right and go 1/4 mile south from our divergent paths. She repeadtedly asked for verification of her directions: "Go straight across this road, turn right as soon as you see another paved path, otherwise, you’ll be in a parking lot. Go to the end of that paved path until you reach the park. Stay there until I come to get you.” It worked :-) The park essentially is in the back "yard" of the chiro ofc. Same park as mentioned yesterday (yesterday's yesterday), which our family helped build and we've spent many, many visits playing there. This girl (young woman) grew up in this town. "Bless her heart!"
My chiropractor is very intrigued by this trike. First time he’s seen it – he sat on it and fell in love. I bet I’m gonna see him triking around town some day. You can’t NOT love it. It is so comfortable: reclined position, head rest, elevated legs. Luxury. I am grateful to my auto insurance company and my parents for gifting me with this trike. Well, my parents’ portion was a gift. I think I’m still paying for it re: the portion from the insurance company (recovering from injuries sustained in that auto accident). People comment on how “good” I look (I take it to mean “not as mangled as we imagined” or as gauntly as when I came home from the hospital). I am feeling stronger in my core. The core provides balance & stability for the limbs. People, also, comment that I’ll “be back to running very soon because you look so ‘good’”. To which I respond, “I love my trike”.
I may want to run a 5K, just so I can say “this is my last run” and know it is. The last time I ran I didn’t know it was the last time. At least, I do have that memory – the Portland Winter Run on Sat, Jan 19, 2008. Gosh, it was cold. And snowing. Bitter is more descriptive than “cold”. But, the veggie chili afterwards was awesome. And talking forever with my friend, Tracy, was a special treat. My concern about running “one more time” is that it may hasten the inevitable damage in my joints, thereby hastening surgery and recovery (and dependence upon others…). I vacillate between: 1) Be Nike and “just do it” – cherish the opportunity – go out w/ a victory run, and
2) slow down the inevitable – take as long as possible to prolong the need for surgery.
I meet w/ the foot/ankle dr (who, I just learned, attends the same church as I) in July. I’ll ask his opinion. He’s young (-er than me) and will understand this conundrum.
A conversation that threaded from my massage therapist to the chiropractor is how we think we’ll respond when we see Jesus F2F the 1st time. Do you have an image of how you think you’ll respond? Won’t it be incredible? Maybe you believe that you’ve already encountered Jesus’ face when you’ve fed the poor, visited prisoners, and given your Bible away to someone w/o a Bible, joined in the mesmerization of a little child’s wonder over nature, etc. Will seeing Him the second time be less awesome than the first time? Or will the first time be the beginning of eternity- no day or night or tears or sorrow or pain or ….
Blessings Abound!
~A~
A conversation that threaded from my massage therapist to the chiropractor is how we think we’ll respond when we see Jesus F2F the 1st time. Do you have an image of how you think you’ll respond? Won’t it be incredible? Maybe you believe that you’ve already encountered Jesus’ face when you’ve fed the poor, visited prisoners, and given your Bible away to someone w/o a Bible, joined in the mesmerization of a little child’s wonder over nature, etc. Will seeing Him the second time be less awesome than the first time? Or will the first time be the beginning of eternity- no day or night or tears or sorrow or pain or ….
Blessings Abound!
~A~
(BTW, yes, my daughter granted permission for me to share how much fun she makes love)
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