When:  Sunday–During the Afternoon- 3/11/2018
Weather: 60’s, mid-afternoon
Observations/Thoughts

This is not strictly “on my walk”, but it could have been.  Rather than compromise your trust in me, I will let you know the first two were on the way to LATE church Sunday morning.  (This was the day of the “spring spring”.)

• As we went north to church, the far left was coned off.  There was a steady stream of bikers showing off their physical health.  Then, we came to the hill.  On the other side of the hill, the crowd thinned out considerably.  To customize some old lyrics from an Animals song, “hills have been the ruin of many a poor biker.”  These bikers were not able to take their medicine individually either.  They had to drink the wind and the hill at the same time.  The course was short.  They can watch March Madness all week to recover from the strain they put their bodies through.
• 1.5 out of 3 ain’t bad:  Before I get accused of stealing more lyrics, I will confess to borrowing from Meatloaf.  My wife and I saw a lady walking her dog, attempting to jog, and talking on the phone.  I think she mostly managed the dog.  She was able to get a jog step in every 2nd or 3rd step.  And, the conversation was competing with the wind as well as her gasping for breath.  She probably thought she was doing fine.  I probably don’t have room to judge.  I could never master patting my head and rubbing my stomach.
• In-Line Skater, take 2-Today, the skater was a little more confident.  (Not sure how our schedules worked out.  We chose the same time two afternoons in a row.)  He had a small entourage.  They could have been his sisters on bikes.  I am guessing they were friends.  He was still a little wobbly.  To his credit, I did not see him wipe out.  As I came to the completion of my winding path, we passed again. He recognized me and acknowledged me.  I complimented him on his fan club.  Or, maybe I didn’t do that last part…
• Sunglasses:  The little spur yielded a pair of sunglasses today.  Mine are prescription glasses, and these were not my style.  I am not much for hearts on the earpieces.  I felt a little guilty before picking them up.  Could they have belonged to the stretcher I saw Saturday?  Could they have been lost by a female Bigfoot that haunts our woods and uses them as part of her disguise?  Could they have been left by the Easter Bunny who was trying to protect his pink eyes while out on early deliveries?  Whoever they may have belonged to, they are now temporarily in my wife’s possession.  My wife is a dues-paying member of the “circle of sunglasses” club.  Someone else will have these glasses before I am used to seeing her wear them.

When:  Saturday–During the Afternoon- 3/10/2018
Weather: Low 80’s, mid-afternoon
Observations/Thoughts

• In-line Skater Encouragement:  Very early in my walk, I intersected with an in-line skater.  With his focus being on staying balanced, I made no effort to greet him.  As I neared the end of my walk an hour later, I congratulated him on, “Not killing himself.”  I am not sure it was a compliment, but since he heard this early in his skating career, he accepted the comment with gratitude.  Little did I know then, I would see him again on Sunday.
• Stoic bicyclist: I hate over profiling bikers.  However, when they are all accessorized, they are usually on the less friendly side.  What are these accessories?
  • They have form-fitting clothes.  The shorts/tights come down nearly to the knees.  They are shiny and emblazoned with some logos of high regard to bikers.
  • Of course, they have a helmet.
  • In many cases, they have a little mirror on the front of their helmet so they don’t have to turn around.
  • If their tongue is not hanging out, there is likely some other facial expression to let you know they are in a “zone” and not interested in being bothered by anyone NOT like them.
  • If you hear them behind you and glance behind before they announce themselves (if they were planning on announcing themselves.), they are slightly more inclined to be friendly.  They prefer you only see the back of their bike.  Once you have a face, they are more inclined to honor a higher social system.
• The Stretcher:  The little path I wander down to get another quarter mile on my walk gets a wide variety of clients.  Today’s client was an older woman with her dog.  The dog was well-behaved.  He had to be.  His master was stretching and bending and doing all sort of things.  It was like she owned the little spur off of the main road.  I did not make a fuss.  We exchanged pleasantries between her deep knee bends.
• Scalping:  After walking, I took the advice of a local outdoor expert. He said, “Now is the time to scalp your yard.”  This scalping had nothing to do with the old west.  I lowered my mower blade a couple of settings.  Then, I tried to avoid any newly installed sprinkler heads that might have been sticking up a little too high.  I also found the grass straw to be much lighter than real grass clippings.  I would lightly kick the collection bag.  It still felt like it had plenty of room.  This was only because the “scalpings” were so light.  It did end up providing over 3 bags of straw.  And, it did add quite a number of steps to my day’s walk.

When:  Monday–During the Afternoon- 3/12/2018
Weather: Low 60’s, mid-afternoon, light breeze.  Almost needed a jacket.
Observations/Thoughts

I thought about it.  I walked on the back patio and checked the thermometer.  It said 62 degrees.  If I ended up regretting not having a jacket, I could always walk faster.  Most people I passed did have a long sleeve shirt or a jacket on.  One of the bicyclists I saw had a winter coat on.  I certainly believe it was overkill.  Since he was so unfriendly, maybe he needed the big jacket to counteract the effects of his cold heart.

• Hey:  Early in the walk, I intersected with a couple walking the opposite way on the path.  I said my typical, “Hello”.  The guy gave a facial gesture letting me know he was cool.  It resembled a smile.  His companion was not aware of the expression he offered me.  As we neared the full intersection point, she seemed to feel guilt they had not acknowledged me.  She blurted out a, “Hey!”.  While this was a completely appropriate expression, the inflection sounded like she was talking to a girlfriend.  It started loud and then softened up with a friendly smirk at the end.
• Look more tired:  Shortly after passing the previous couple, I passed a lady and her dog.  She wasn’t chatty, but she did say a, “Hello.”  As we both walked our individual paths, we again intersected on our individual home stretches.  With no prompting at all, “We looked more tired now than when you saw us before.”  I gave her an encouraging response, but I could not disagree.  The dog looked like he was ready for a nap, and she looked like the leash had dug a groove into her wrist.  I can only assume they made it only while collecting a little more tiredness.
• Neighbors:  So rarely do I see people from our neighborhood I actually know out walking.  I have my neighbors I will talk to in their yard, and then I have my walking acquaintances.  When the two worlds intersect, it is sometimes very difficult to find the proper context.  As I was preparing to intersect with a couple coming in the other direction on the path, I did not know how to respond to the more personal than normal greeting.  I think he sensed it.  He countered with a comment that allowed me to zero in on who I was speaking to.  We finished the conversation.  I made the case for knowing who they were by the time we parted.  In my defense, wearing a hat and sunglasses as well as a couple physical modifications (change in hair color etc.) make it hard to keep track of neighbors over at the end of the street.  As the weather continues to warm, I will try not to limit the profiles I will expect as I continue walking down life’s road.

When:  Friday–During the Afternoon- 3/9/2018
Weather: 70’s, mid-afternoon
Observations/Thoughts

I endured another walk without many distractions.  The people of my town need to step up their game.  More likely, I just need to lower my expectations.  I would be foolish to expect the unusual with great regularity.  As eyes and ears are constantly seeking the unique or one-offs, I just may have to accept the retirement of my existing path. It is so familiar and comfortable.  I don’t need to work hard or balance precariously more than once on a narrow isthmus of land.  With so much familiar, the original rises above the crowd.  A new path would inundate my senses with too much data.  I supposed I can just continue with my preferred path.  Maybe the streaker will show up tomorrow…

• The Unfriendly Epidemic:  With the exception of the guy who was staining his fence and calming his dogs, I don’t recall anyone speaking to me.  I don’t view myself as overly attractive.  I don’t expect to walk past a constant stream of adoring fans.  I get the fact I am not special in the eyes of most.  But, I have two legs.  And, whether you have a bike or running legs or an engaging companion of the human or canine variety, it is just a nice thing to do.  One truck did give me the hand gesture that somewhat resembles a gun made with your hand.  It usually is accepted as a wave.  I had decided to briefly camp in a driveway before crossing the isthmus to the next driveway.  This allowed him to proceed without crossing the center line.  A clear indication I am an old and seasoned walker.
• Gecko Kite:  As I felt disappointment near the end of my walk for all of the mundane I found, I was able to see a kite.  A dad was trying to engage his kids in the adventure.  The son was trying to keep track of his sister and the kite.  The daughter was doing cartwheels.  She seemed to be disappointed all of the available areas for cartwheels sloped towards the rain overflow ditch.  The gecko kept dancing in the sky. His legs were all attached to the main kite body so they waved invitingly. It made me remember kites in my youth. It is amazing those ugly four-sided kites were able to navigate the winds so well.  I have largely missed the chance to again fly kites with my kids.  I will put that on my list of things to do as a grandpa.

When:  Wednesday–During the Afternoon- 3/7/2018, also henceforth known as The Day the Cable Died
Weather: Sunny and high-50’s, mid-afternoon
Observations/Thoughts

When:  Thursday–During the Afternoon- 3/8/2018
Weather: 70’s, mid-afternoon
Observations/Thoughts

• Wanted Man: As the crew left the most recent construction site early today, I was able to slither past the barriers. I saw no evidence they had even been working.  I reflect on my deliberate ignorance of the orange mesh fence a few weeks ago.  Is it my age that makes me believe I am above these petty barriers meant to ensure my safety? Is it how a middle-aged person lives on the edge?  Is this how I live the rest of my life without tiptoeing on the other side of the “moral” line?  I guess I have gone a little deeper than I expected.  Light and fluffy for the rest of the post.
• Walking redshirts:  Early in today’s walk, I encountered another guy in a bright red shirt I (I chose red as my color du jour today).  Honestly, I think I wore it better than him.  He may have had better posture and a more relaxed stride.  I brought the confident stride and “sleek” physique to the encounter.  As we passed, we exchanged the obligatory hellos conveniently disguised as nondescript grunts.  Us males are so cute! 😉
• Duck, Duck, Splat:  A male and the female duck had found the ditch along the road a great place to float.  It is doubtful they were calling the ditch home.  Maybe it was a duck hostel us humans were not aware of.  As I neared, they likely felt I was there to collect payment for their ongoing stay.  They immediately fled to the road.  Fearing I might lose any of the duck coinage I hoped to receive, I stepped out into the road to protect them from the ongoing traffic.  They eventually waddled the other direction.  The ducks then ducked under the fence.  My hopes of acquiring a souvenir coin with Daffy on it were temporarily postponed.

When:  Tuesday–During the Afternoon- 3/6/2018
Weather: Sunny and mid-60’s, mid-afternoon
Observations/Thoughts

When:  Monday–During the Afternoon- 3/5/2018
Weather: Sunny and low 70’s, mid-afternoon
Observations/Thoughts

Some walks are satisfying, but not very visually stimulating.  Many times, they are low on the mental springboards as well.  As a bit of filler and to flesh out an idea, I am going to largely skip my usual observations. (A grandma was trying to keep track of her grandkids on bikes, and the bikes flew by when operated by adults.  Lastly, it seemed the only people who were social were the ones who were not in pairs and went slower than me.  If they were faster than me, they only acknowledged me if they sensed the evil eye coming out.)

What if I could pay to have the walk a little more interesting?  Would these ideas be winners?

• Someone pulls out a squirt gun:  This could be fun and it would certainly keep me on my toes.  In the present climate, I think I will move this one to the bottom of the list.
• Have a list of things to look for during the walk. Some might be normal, and some would be placed there for me:  What would I be willing to pay for this type of service?  Who would be willing to set it up?  I am pretty sure the cost would be prohibitive.  I would pay no more than a few dollars.  If a person had to go over my walking course to plant things, they would need to make a profit.  I can’t see the price or cost being agreeable to either party.
• Have a list of things to do to or in front of people on my walk:  (Cluck like a chicken. I wouldn’t have a microphone in my ear or have bodily harm hanging over me.  I would have to commit to the honor system.)
• Talking and listening:  Some people enjoy doing this.  If I didn’t have to listen to any of it, I don’t mind. When there are no headphones and I have to listen to them talk and their music (I know I only hear it briefly, but it is an intrusion into my world–no matter how brief.)

When:  Sunday–During the Afternoon- 3/4/2018
Weather: Intermittent Rain, but warm-high 60’s
Observations/Thoughts

• Squirrel: The rain wanted to try and sneak in from the front. I tilted the umbrella slightly to give extra protection. This works well if the rain does choose to accept any nudges from any stray wind gusts. The point of all of this is the umbrella is angled and not upright. On the sides and under the umbrella, I catch glimpses of rapid movement. I could dismiss the flashes as mirages or hallucinations. I could blame them on the refracted light. However, when I follow the flash and dash to its destination, it is comforting to see a squirrel peaking from the tree. My vision is good, and those who criticize dogs for being easily distracted by squirrels are unsympathetic. Maybe a dog is just seeing movement around the hair that is in his eyes. The flash of motion is what he sees as the squirrel emerges from his shaggy mane. If I were a dog, I would be chasing the little mammals as well.
• Sidewalk Coveting: When I started my walk, there were two men walking with a dog. The men were not interesting, but the dog caught my eye. He looked like a husky. had a big tail and coloring like none previously seen on MY sidewalk. The mist soon became another of my sidewalk companions. The umbrella popped out pretty quickly for me. The three of them kept the same pace even when the sprinkles began. As we neared the bridge across the little creek, I noticed a car park there. There is not usually a car parked there, but there is not a car park there. As the threesome neared the car, it was clear it was theirs. The sidewalks are pretty good in our neighborhood. It would not make sense for them to drive to that spot when they could have left their front door and began the walk. So, my conclusion was a case of coveting. It wasn’t our neighborhoods grass that was greener; it was our sidewalks that were wider, and I guess better…

When:  Saturday–During the Afternoon- 3/3/2018
Weather: It turned into another beautiful day. I caught the day just after 8:00 when it was still in the 50’s
Observations/Thoughts

My daughter had a meeting with her robotics team at 8:00 on Saturday morning. Since I had an appointment at 11:00 in that same general direction, I decided to make the most of the situation. I am not fond or retracing my steps (really, I mean retrace my drive. I would have had to drove home, and back the same way again.). If I can come up with a way to accomplish my list and use “retracing” time more productively, then no coercion is necessary. Today was one of those days.

• Change of Venue: My walks are typically around my neighborhood. I walk out my front door and then find my way home again. Today, I chose to walk the path I walked during the summer when the girls had to cross-train at school. It gave a little variety. And, due to all of the recent rain and stretches without a sidewalk, it offered more mud possibilities as well.
• QT: Down in our part of Texas, the QT (Quik Trip) is a good place to stop for a soft drink or a coffee. Or, if you drank your coffee and a tea on the way to drop off your daughter without making any pit stops, then it will take care of your needs there, too. Without this little luxury today, I would have been in bad shape.
• Old Christmas decorations:  Where I walked today is an area with lower-end housing.  I was able to see a palm tree wrapped like a candy cane.  And, a deer made of lights was still straddling the fence of its owner.
• Soil not sand:  On my side of town, the rain washed out mostly sand.  Where I walked today, the sand doesn’t flow when the crowd is saturated.  The soil made rippling patterns on the sidewalk just like the sand in my neighborhood.  The sand looks more inviting and less dirty.
• Political signs:  This walk had lots more signs.  They seem to accumulate at the minimum distance to the voting facility.  (I am writing this a couple days after.  The signs have gotten even thicker as election day has gotten closer. Today, Tuesday, was even thicker.)  Sunday night I saw the truck and trailer with the assignment of cleaning up the signs. His usual assignment is cleaning up the signs from home builders.  I didn’t follow him to confirm whether he was limiting his collection to non-political signs.  Tomorrow or likely next weekend, he will fill his trailer a few times over.