It was 58 degrees when I left on my walk this morning. I was glad for that brief respite in the unrelenting rain, which started coming down in sheets shortly after I parked myself in front of my computer on Monday morning. Luckily, Mother Nature finally turned the spigot off around 8:30 a.m., so I seized that opportunity to get out and get some steps in. One minute the rain was just pounding on the patio roof, then suddenly that sound was reduced to a light pitter patter, then nothing. Without the noise of raindrops in the background, I heard the twitters and murmurings of the sparrows who were huddling together, lined up along the bedroom window ledges underneath the patio roof, just as they always do when they seek shelter from a soaking rain.
We’ve had two inches of rain since early Monday afternoon and the weather folks tell us this translates to 20-24 inches of snow. Well, I for one, am thankful it is not snow; that 9.2-inch Snowmageddon on February 9th was quite enough thank you. This continuous pouring rain makes you think it might be ark-building time.
Unlike yesterday, I was not willing to rely on the weatherman’s prognostication, after getting soaking wet on yesterday’s walk, so I decided I’d check things out with my own eyes and do my own scientific determination, i.e. I opened the front door, stuck my arm out, palm face up and felt nary a drop, and saw no fog that the weatherman had yammered about either.
I closed the door and was in such a hurry to get going I smacked my knee into the wooden trim on the couch … it’s only been in the same place for decades. What a klutz! I skinned my knee just like a five-year old, and had to stop and put a Band-Aid on it since I scraped it raw. It could be worse – my good friend throughout our high school and college years had a knee replacement this morning. I’ll be good as new once the scab heals; Cheryl will take a little while longer ‘til she is stepping out again.
At 58 degrees I was out of the hiking boots, and back in the walking shoes, with no danger of slip-slidin’ away on any ice. A dark and brooding cloud hung overhead, so I didn’t stray any further than the ‘hood. I half expected to see worms slithering across the sidewalk, then remembered the ground was still cold from our recent frosty temps and all that snow. I even took an umbrella this time, but, of course, since I toted it along, it never rained. It was like a good luck charm I guess. I got in about 2 ½ miles this morning – not my best effort, but better than a poke in the eye as that saying goes, as every little bit counts toward my year-end total.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
The reprieve of Winter weather letting up today and next is so welcoming. I still have my bedroom window open and enjoying the fresh air.
I can’t wait for my roommate to return in order to start walking together. Both of us have health problems, and we need to start in order to improve our lives.
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I was glad I could get out today … didn’t count on it but then when the rain stopped and it was 58 degrees, I was glad to just get out and enjoy it. Then it has rained nonstop again. I love walking and you will enjoy it too. I started with just a mile a day, walking around the block, then two blocks, and gradually increasing it a little bit every day. Luckily that first Winter it was a mild one and I walked to this little footbridge over a Creek every day and fed the ducks … just 2 1/2 miles but that was a goal for me, and now have increased it to as much as 6 by mid-Summer, on weekends mostly. Get yourself a pedometer to measure your steps and you will be surprised. You don’t even need a fancy FitBit, just a pedometer.
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Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. My friend is looking into the pedometer for me. 🙂
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You would be surprised how the miles add up. If I am doing a big grocery shopping (especially stocking up for pantry items for Winter, I can easily rack up 3 to 3 1/2 miles by the time I do the shopping, lug in the groceries, etc.)
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Wow! That is awesome. I have to start off gradual because of my knees being shot to ever loving hell. I need a double knee replacement, and I’m debating the surgery because of the stairs in the house. But, before the surgery I have to build up muscle, and lose the weight first.
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Wow a double-knee replacement – well, the walking will help you out then. As you saw in my post today, my friend Cheryl had a knee replacement today. She had a bad knee for a long time and has been nursing it along with steroid shots. She retired last week so decided to go ahead and have it done and recuperate over the rest of the Winter.
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My knees have been shot for over 30 years now Had one surgery already, but it wore off. I’ve had shots over the course of the last 3 years every other 3 months. And, depending on the dampness in the weather, I have to walk with a cane.
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That is rough – I know they have improved knees through the years and it is my understanding that knees were always the most-difficult of all the replacement surgeries, but much improved now. We had a family friend and she had rheumatoid arthritis from when she was a teenager. She used to refer to herself as a “bionic woman” as she had replacement surgeries for almost every joint, and prior to that had the steroid shots and even gold injections at U of M Hospital in Ann Arbor for awhile to help the pain. My mom had many orthopedic surgeries (42) over her lifetime as she was hit by a car at age 11, so I am familiar with replacement surgeries … she had a hip replacement, then the stem of the prosthesis came loose (usually it is the other way around) and she had to have it redone 9 years later – that is not the norm though. It is called a revision. My poor mom with all those surgeries – took its toll on her.
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I know, I have had several acquaintances and friends that have all sorts of surgeries as well. I just have high anxiety about the whole mess. 😦
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I would too but they improve the procedures all the time.
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I know. 🙂
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before long youll be reporting on spring for sure!
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I sure hope so.
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Miss Linda……………….I’ve never heard of the saying: “a poke in the eye,”………………………and what about that word you used, “snowmageddon”?
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I will write you separately Ann Marie as I have a website that tells about how phrases originate and what they mean, because some expressions can be geographical too. But “Snowmageddon” is a relatively new term that people add “a-geddon” to the end of words to make something a big event … like three days of non-stop rain, people might call it a “Rainageddon” … “better than a poke in the eye” is an old-fashioned expression meaning basically that a little of something is better than nothing at all” … it’s rather a dumb expression to be quite honest. I got Robb a subscription to a guy called “The Word Detective” and he sent out a biweekly newslatter of the origin of phrases … I got a complimentary subscription for signing up Robb. Unfortunately, the author is ill and no longer does the column but they are archived on his site and it is searchable.
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We had earthworms galore galloping on our road yesterday and today. Sometimes I forget to watch for them.
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The big ones are slippery … I don’t mind worms, but am terrified of spiders and centipedes. 🙂
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Spiders are at the top of my hate list. *shudder*
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Oh mine too – I am absolutely paralyzed by the sight of spiders and centipedes.
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