When:  Wednesday–During the Afternoon- 3/14/2018
Weather: Low 60’s, mid-afternoon, light breeze.
Observations/Thoughts

• Getting the paper: On Monday night, I turned the sprinkler on. The green grass is just starting to push through the straw of last year’s final breath. I wanted to start the grass breathing well this year. And, the lawn person came on Monday. They generally say to water in the fertilizer within a couple of days. So, I set the sprinkler to run on our next watering day–Wednesday. I had a passing thought about this on Tuesday evening. I wondered how the sprinkler schedule might affect my grabbing the paper Wednesday morning. It definitely had an impact. Just before 5:00, I peaked out the front door. The sprinkler was showering my path to the street where the paper presently dwelt. I figured the news was not of immediate importance, so I continued my preparations for the day. With all prepared and really just wanting to read the comics, I took another gander out the front door. The first sprinkler head, the only one I could really see any water coming out of, was pointed the other direction.  My immediate path was clear. With no thought as to what may have been beyond the first sprinkler, I dashed toward the paper. My commitment could easily have been swayed by the couple of sprinklers not as favorably turned, but I persevered. Again may I stress, it was quite early in the morning (Just after daylight savings time began). I believed I was supposed to read the comics and trusted the sprinkler would be favorable. I got back to the house with a slightly wet lower back and a pulse running a little more quickly then when I left the house. The paper was in a bag, so the comics were not a soggy mess.  My day could start well.
• Build a dam: Since it was spring break week, I am picturing some parent who was asked by her adorable children, “What can we do this week? We are bored.” The parent with possibly a little sarcasm replied, “Build a dam.” And, that is what they did. The driftwood from the recent heavy rains was waiting to be plucked from along the fences. I am not sure where the dirt came from that was placed on top of the driftwood. There were ample mud smatterings along the sidewalk. The house of origin may have donated the mud OR the tools dropped mud as they were hauled back to their garage of origin. Regardless, the now slow moving water in our overflow creek was somewhat dammed up. The dam had an area approximately 3 feet wide across the top. At most, the dam was 4 feet long. Atop the dam was some items indicating the dam was more than just a project. It was a place for a club to meet to celebrate its accomplishments. The next large rain is likely to start decomposing this spring project. In previous years, the same kids may have been responsible for moving the rocks below the culvert and creating a damming effect. Maybe next spring break’s project will involve cinder blocks and the generating of electricity.
• Slow jogger with weird shirt: This is certainly the weakest entry in today’s collection. A middle-aged man was wearing a shirt that fit way too snuggly. His shirt was a light green with the word “Weird” appearing prominently on the front. His jogging pace was nearly that of a snail. I believe he feet, at their highest point were still scraping the sidewalk. At no point was I concerned he would trip and fall on his face, but neither was I confident he would actually stop jogging in place. My assessment was apparently incorrect. His body did indeed move forward. I hope he lived close. Otherwise, he might be out “jogging” for quite awhile.

When:  Tuesday–During the Afternoon- 3/13/2018
Weather: Low 60’s, mid-afternoon, light breeze.
Observations/Thoughts

• Going To The Park: At about the mile point on another beautiful late winter day in Texas, I saw a mother with her 3 daughters coming toward me on the street. The front two were moving via a plastic wagon, and mom and the youngest were coming behind. The mom wore a green t-shirt representing the local school district. (In Texas, they are referred to as ISD for Independent School District.) As I came upon the youngest, she excitedly said something to me. After she said it a second time, mom quickly translated, “We are going to the park.” My next question was, “How long has it been since you have walked to the park?” She admitted it had been awhile. I let her know the park had been closed a few months, and it would be closed for a few more. She replied, “I really don’t think we were going to make it there anyway.” With all 3 girls being under 5 and with mom having only 2 arms, I was pretty sure my news did not disappoint her too much. I probably had a parting phrase something like, “Enjoy those precious girls of yours.” And, if I didn’t say this, I thought it. Where was the nice guy who presently lives in my body when I was younger? The guy who lives here now OR the guy who writes this blog, always seems to know what to say. Or, the guy who writes this blog makes it seem that way…
• Turtles in the trees: My walking path includes one pond. The pond has been the source of many problems. While coming up on the pond from both sides, there is a sign stating the path is part of the 100-year flood area. (I know it doesn’t use these words exactly. I have spoken to people from the city and they use phrases like this to try and alleviate their guilt in the poor planning.). The most recent issue was when the path was closed down to deal with more draining issues. (It is also when I got in “trouble” for traipsing where I supposedly had no business being.). Thanks to the recent rains, the pond has been quite high. This has allowed a few of the trees to drink heartily right along the edge. With the trees under water up to their lower branches, pond-dwellers are granted easier access to the trees. This is where the turtles win. Their claws do help, but an ability to come from the water and land on a branch near parallel to the water does facilitate their evolutionary progression. They are not able to climb anything that resembles perpendicular. They don’t mind. They are enjoying the chance to dry out and see if their wrinkles go away. Should I pause too long or get to close, they will unhook their claws, and roll back into the water. I am not sure if it is the same pair. Nearly every time I pass the pond on my walk, there are two of them situated on the same branch.  The pond pecking order is probably at work…

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.)