When: Monday–During the Afternoon- 3/19/2018
Weather: Low 70’s, mid-afternoon, VERY breezy.
Observations/Thoughts
- Camel-up: Today’s trek was, with one exception, only me. I am guessing the wind accounted for a large part of the drop-off. Although walking the middle of the afternoon might also be a factor. The two ladies who were walking an intersecting path acknowledged me with a “hello” without breaking stride. This left me little to notice beyond their water bottles. I can’t fault them for carrying water bottles with them. I don’t know how long they are going to be out. They also may have a health condition that makes it necessary to take the occasional swig of water. My plan has always been to saturate myself prior to walking. (Cameling-up) I may be a little parched at the end of the walk, but my hands are not bothered by grasping a bottle that will throw off the swinging of my arms. When I start taking those large strides, my arms really get moving.
- Zinc lozenge: As I tried to get some quality sleep Sunday night, I was fighting the symptoms of what I thought was allergies. (I.e. Drainage and stuffy head). As I moved through the day on Monday, I became more convinced I was on the quick path to having a cold. I scoured the bag I brought to work to see if there were any stray zinc lozenges in the bag. There were not. As I endured the rest of the workday, I was planning to find my stash of lozenges as soon as I got home. If lucky, I might yet use their magical powers to ward off the deepest depths of the all but unavoidable cold. Fortunately, the stash was still intact. I popped one immediately after getting home. I did those post-work things do to help me unwind. Then, I took my walk. About 1/2 mile into the walk, I exhausted the first zinc drop. I launched another one into my mouth knowing I would still stay below the daily prescribed quota. As I tucked it into alternating corners of my mouth, I focused on stretching out its near magical powers. I wanted my body to get a slow steady drip of its cold-fighting effect. This last lozenge kept my mouth company for over an hour. My mouth and tongue seemed temporarily transformed by the spells it weaved. The mouth either had a heightened awareness or a slight numbness. Whatever effect it had, I usually avoided food for a while after anything zinc touched the inside of my mouth. Sometime after dinner and bed, I did take one more lozenge. I wanted to give my body a good dosage of medicine to see if the battle for my health might allow my body at least a partial victory. Monday night I had better sleep than the previous night. The cold symptoms were not present. When I arrived at work, the sneezes and only slightly runny nose were what awaited me. It doesn’t mean my foe is giving up the fight. It does mean he may need to find a new general if he wants to completely vanquish me and my zinc ammo.
Walking Down Life's Road With Andy 