I didn't want to go out there - at all!

That's right, I didn't want to go outside! It was cold, it was raining-and I just plain wanted to stay inside where it was warm and dry. Period. I got over it.

What's the point of having all this high-tech weather gear if you don't actually use it in any weather? I have wicking shirts, and advanced running pants, and my nifty toe-socks. Plus all my little dots and LED arm bands...and well, you can just imagine me out there in the rain, with my hat (Go Seadogs!) and my blaze orange wind breaker - mostly looking like I don't know enough to come in out of the rain.

BUT, it wasn't raining that much and I didn't actually get wet (through all those layers and fancy duds) AND I felt rather proud of myself. Almost Klingon-like. Kaplah!

One more thing-I didn't have to dodge any cars at all. They must all have seen me coming. (They all might be questioning my sanity-but that's beside the point.) As my mom would say: "TaaDaa!"

Dotted!

I got my dots the other day and put some on my windbreaker and running pants. This afternoon was a great time to try them out - the sun drops quickly at this time of year and what starts as sunshine turns from dusk to dark faster than the speed of...well a walker going to the library to drop off two books. (Me)

I only put on a few here and there not knowing how they might work, and it didn't actually get full dark while I was still out so this wasn't a qualified test-run; but it was enough for me to know they do show up-and more wouldn't hurt.

The other thing that happened-not related to my dots-at least I can't tell how it might be related-was that the right sleeve of my windreaker lost its elastic band at the wrist. Here I was happily walking along the sidewalk and I began to wonder if I had put on the wrong one-since the sleeve seemed to be too long and falling down off my wrist. That would have been a problem since I had, as I mentioned first-put my dots on it. But no, I assured myself that in fact this must be the correct one-and I had put the dots on my own windbreaker, it was just that the elastic has ...become inelastic-it had become it seems inert. Just a little lump at the end of my sleeve. Now for some after walk fun. (No not chocolate...although chocolate milk actually sounds good.) I will use my favorite seem ripper to open the wrist and sew in another elastic band...I wonder where one of those might be, hmmm.

-later

What happens if you take a couple of weeks off?

Well, I'll tell you, starting back up again means some muscles that let you know they've missed the work! Today, my legs are asking me what was so important that I didn't get out there to do some walking?

There is a draw back to dark, winter days in upstate NY-and that is-you guessed it, less time to get outside and go for a walk, while there is any light left. And it really makes dodging traffic tricky; or as my UK friends would say "dodgy."

Yesterday, I ordered two LED arm bands and some reflective spots. I am thinking that sticking them all over in random patterns like you might see on a blue screen (or these days I guess it is a 'green screen') would really surprise the drivers as they came up behind me-and tried to decipher what the heck I was. HA! that'll teach them to pay attention. I have no intention of ending up flat and flexible like Gumby. (I contemplated carrying some small somethings that I could use as attention getters for errant side of the road drivers-but decided against it. I couldn't think of something safe, that wouldn't distract them even more and still let them know I didn't appreciate their lack of rule-following-and unsafe driving methods. These are just the little things one thinks about while trying not to get run over.)

I got up earlier than normal today in order to go outside when the sun was up and I, of the neon orange windbreaker-would be more visible. Result? No car dodging.

Tonight, I am taking my legs to bed early-in order to rest up. No sense in missing out on the lesson learned today: Go out early and often.
-later