When:  After work; mid-afternoon on 1/11/2018
Weather: Rapidly dropping temps, lower 40’s and down,
Observations/Thoughts

• Really Windy: Before starting today’s walk, I had to do a sales job.  The wind was brutal.  While driving home after work, I could feel it blowing the car.  Yet, there is this part of me that insists on doing penance for any snacking I may do.  Walking is relaxing AND penance.  My second guessing was not a solitary pursuit.  However, I seemed to be the only one who acted.  I did not see a single fellow human walking.  The wind was so brutal trees appeared to be moving and animals were blown back onto their rear feet, but no humans.
• Leaves: Those who have raked up your trees annual shedding, congratulations.  Those of you (This is not about me or my neighbor.  This is just observational as I circulate amongst the neighborhoods on my path.) who choose to rake have done those who dwell on your right or left a great service.  Should you have not raked and be blessed by a windy day, you likely donated a number of leaves to your neighbor’s yard.  If they don’t express their gratitude, it is probably because they feel none.  And, if you want to blame them for their pine trees dropping a little love on your yard, you might find out they are VERY easy to rake up.  If you don’t own a rake, I am sure an “injured” neighbor would be happy to lend you one of theirs.  This was not a story about me and my neighbor.  This is a story given to me by the swirling leaves and the solitary loneliness of my walk…really!
• Chihuahuas:  The little doggie was barking at me frantically yesterday while being hushed by his owner.  Today, he had just been fed.  He was competing with his fellow lapdogs for the meal.  The owner was still outside.  She waved to me out of friendliness or guilt.  Speaking of guilt, when an owner’s dog (another dog with another owner) bites at your ankles, they may feel guilty enough to run you home when you are caught in front of their house during a thunderstorm.

When:  After work; mid-afternoon.
Weather: Upper 50’s, The sun arrived late, but it was very welcome
Observations/Thoughts

• Walking App: The Prequel:  Starting back in November, the park that was at the end of my walk was temporarily declared “Closed for Construction” by the city.  I foolishly hopped the early fences.  (The fences were the orange plastic type.  They just challenge you to stretch over them.)  Due to hopping, old age, frequent inclement weather or other circumstances best not described here, I was forced to modify my walking route in mid-November.  When I got back to walking my normal route, the fences were new and improved and idiot-proof. (They must not have approved of my early avoidance of their weaker barricades.)  The old route had been given the “walking app” treatment.  I knew exactly the distance of this particular route.  With construction still keeping my old route captive, curiosity was getting the better of me.  How far exactly was the modified walking route?
• The Walking App:  This was today’s assignment.  How many miles am I walking every day?  (This would not include sabbatical days, of course.)  As I left the front door, I turned the app on.  At the one mile mark and beyond, I really don’t remember that much of the walk.  Once I was told what the time was on the first mile, the couple miles that followed were an opportunity for me to compete against myself.  Despite the temperatures, I developed a light sweat.  I remember a couple of bikes and a couple of pedestrians. I was so focused on beating my last mile time.  I know I focused on each step launching out in front of me as far as it could–not running steps, but certainly a step that would sneer at most casual walkers.  After all of the self-competition, I found myself back at my front door.  I can now delete the app again and walk in confidently knowing I am walking enough…
• Armadillo dismissed: The Armadillo aerated the entire root structure of the base of the tree before leaving.  While time and a few inches of rain will again make the ground active to future grub-makers, the acne-like scars will likely survive for a few weeks.

When:  After work; mid-afternoon.
Weather: Mid 50’s, Mosty sunny with blue skies.  Breeze made it feel quite cool
Observations/Thoughts

• Seasoned Bicyclist:  As I walked, I was passed by a couple on a bicycle for two.  This was no mere “couple”.  They were likely in their 70’s.  They were not Quasimodo, but they were not sitting straight up either.  They were wearing their helmets.  They seemed happy to be out and about–I think the lead rider (Mr.) was providing most of the juice to power their ride.
• Straightening the tracks:  As I passed the train tracks today (my path takes me along the track for nearly 3/4th of a mile), there was a vehicle riding the tracks.  It had an extension a few yards out in front of it.  This track was recently replaced. (This may be retold at some point in the future.)  The extension in front of the vehicle had lasers on it.  It appears this is one of the final steps before the track is “approved” for speedier train travel.  This track is scheduled to be used to provide train transportation to DFW airport.  We don’t live too far from the airport.  It is the airport parking that will kill you.
• More Armadillo:  The armadillo was still digging today.  He had created holes somewhere in the teens or higher.  Typically, they seem to be night creatures.  I am not sure why he was so intrigued by this particular tree.  Obscure trivia:  What is one of the common ways people get leprosy in the US? Yes, it is from armadillos.

When:  After work; mid-afternoon.
Weather: High 50’s, Mosty sunny with blue skies
Observations/Thoughts

• Repealing the Sabbatical:  When I woke up this morning, it seemed like the cold was gone.  The day substantiated it.  A couple peeks out of the window during work, and I started to get excited to do a real walk again.  When I left on the walk, I was practically bouncing.  My stride was extra long.  Should I have encountered any fellow walkers, I am confident they would have realized I had some “extra” something today.  After being sick, it really makes you appreciate your health.  I don’t plan on taking it for granted for at least another couple of days. 😉
• Lock Licked bicyclist:  All the bicyclist today seemed unaware of the recommendation to utter an “on your left”.  I was so happy to be walking, I didn’t feel the need to go out of the way and remind them.  The last guy was willing to wave.  He was wearing a surgical mask.  Was he sick now or was he afraid of getting sick?
• Saw my first live armadillo:  I have seen a few dead armadillos along the side of the road, but I have never seen one live.  I have seen a few times when it looked like a creature was nosing in our flower beds–we assumed it was an armadillo looking for grubs.  Today, a naked tree was having its roots tickled by the armadillo.  I never saw his face because it was buried in the ground the whole time.  The base area of the tree was pocked with lots of grub prospecting.  The last glance I had of the creature was the top half of his body buried in a hole.  Dirt was flying to his rear.  I am not sure what he found, but apparently, it was a good one!

When:  I didn’t really walk.  Explanation to follow.
Weather: 50’s, Cloudy, Rain is supposed to be on the way
Observations/Thoughts

• Today was another walkless day.  It makes me look like a liar mouth.  I call it my daily walk, and yet I don’t walk.  As i threw this project together at the end of last year, I thought, “What will I do if I am sick or traveling or for some reason can’t walk?”  As you may have already guessed, I am well within my rights to take a figurative view of a “walk”.  And, this is what I am doing.
• Still sick: I won’t bore you with the extra nap or the extra liquids.  A cold may not be drowned-able, yet it does seem to be temporarily appeased when excessive liquid is introduced into a virus-ridden system.  It did seem like I walked/sat around the house with a constant dropping of tissues in my wake.  As the day has progressed, my mind feels closer to its usual sharpness.  My wife was not pleased to hear this.  When I am sick, I am a better husband.  I gratefully accept all of the help she offers me.  I don’t resort to a sassy or slightly exaggerated comment.  I am “me” with the insecurity removed.  When sick, I realize my flaws and don’t  try and defend my often flimsy positions.  (Maybe not always flimsy.  Maybe I am just more tolerant of other positions when sick…)

When:  I didn’t really walk.  Explanation to follow.
Weather: Low 60’s! Very pleasant out.
Observations/Thoughts

• Walking Sabbatical:  It is a little early in my journey to have to pull out this cheap ploy. If I am not mistaken, I mentioned I was feeling a little sick recently.  The little became a lot.  And, when compounded with some Nyquil well past its expiration date, I didn’t have a restful night.  (The Nyquil smiled on me for about 3 hours.  Then, it decided my only option was to toss and turn for the rest of the night.  Fortunately, I received a full night of nasal drainage protection.  The rest of the Nyquil chemicals deteriorated into something more spiteful than I remember.)  My body was prepared to speak the comfortable mantra of a walk.  My wife, in one of her rare moves of discouraging me, encouraged me strongly NOT to walk.  If I could not walk, then I could not justify the leaf rake making any new friends in my front yard.  Today, I sacrificed achieving my list for reassuring my body I wanted it to be healthy.  Since it is the weekend, I will have one more day tomorrow to convince my body I am committed to his health.

When:  Mid-afternoon Tuesday
Weather: Cold–below freezing cold
Observations/Thoughts

• Resolution Keepers:  A couple women who decided to get in shape for the new year reluctantly stretched their resolution out for at least one more day.  They were covered in cobbled together winter attire.  They restricted themselves to half of the sidewalk when we passed.  They then reswelled to fill the whole sidewalk again in my wake.
• Blow the stink off of you:  My dad used this phrase when I was growing up.  When he said, “Go outside and blow the stink off of you.”, we knew we were getting a little too rambunctious in the house.  Today, I prescribed going outside on my own.  I don’t need to say any more about this.
• Siri Hates The Cold:  As I took my walk, I used Siri as my notetaking tool.  She seemed to sense it was frigid out.  Her processing power was greatly depleted.  After I said, “Take a Note”, Siri heard my note.  She had to think about it longer than normal before she was able to display the thought.  It became clear after I saw a story today of how Apple phones don’t work so well below freezing.  So, now we know.