Feel-good Friday!

I left the gym last night with the key to the hooch cabinet!  Wow, I went to bed feeling terrific, and so far the day is just as good.

I have received a number of comments from folks who would like to exercise but can't get motivated.  If keeping your brain and body healthy isn't motivation enough, it would be good to think (or make up) some sort of other motivating factor.  In my case I had delusions about backpacking again, so I was driven to exercise my upper torso to be able to carry a backpack, as well as my lower torso and legs in order to walk the mountainous terrain I was sure to be hiking on.  I've since realized I am unlikely to ever do more than possibly an overnight trip into the backcountry, but in the meantime I've so enjoyed getting fit and the feelings of well-being that accompany exercise, (actually a sort of "high") that I could never give up now.  I'm motivated to do it for me - to keep myself fit and healthy and active in a measure that is younger than my years.

This morning I got my list of places I need to go to, and started out at AAA to pick up some current California maps, including camping maps.  I forgot that their camping maps are marked in print too light and too small for me to make out, so that was a disappointment, although I have all the books and maps I really need.  Now I need to decide what I want to do, and where and when to do it.

After stopping at a credit union for withdrawal of some cash (I try to not use my debit or credit cards most of the time), I just decided to drive on home.  I can hit some of the other places on my list later today or over the weekend.  Got the marigolds planted but it looks like the oleander isn't going to root - although I'll give it some more time.  The flowers are completely wilted but maybe they can still root?

I need to pick up some velcro to see if I can re-hang the side door screen and keep it from being pulled outward by the airflow.  Joe and the girls were here yesterday and there was so much traffic in and out it was better to just take the screen down.  Joe did a job I had been putting off - clearing out leaves and debris under a platform that covers my utility connections.  It is open on one side and stuff had piled up that I couldn't get out with a broom.  I'm taking a little break from weeding and cutting out the old heather.  Some of it is on my neighbor's side of the line, but he told me a couple of years ago that he didn't mind if I cut it down.  I still hate to do that to what is on his property, but I think I'll mention it to him the next time I see him.  We have to decide what to plant in place of the heather, or what else to do with that patch, or it will be overrun with weeds and there are already enough of those.

Before I ventured out in the car this morning, I walked about a mile around the park.  I came to an old man who was walking down his driveway using a cane and I called out "good morning".  He gave no indication that he saw or heard me, and that's ok.  Next door to him a woman was out watering her lawn and she looked up when she heard me calling out to him.  By the time I got to her I said "hello", and she looked straight at me and then back down at the hose.  Not a word.  Just a little further on I met a woman walking towards me with her little dog - I waved and said "hi".  She looked at me and went on without so much as a nod.  What in the hell is wrong with these people?  I don't think I look sleazy or dangerous, and I just can't figure out what they have to be so snobby about.  I quit walking in the neighborhood a year ago because of this very kind of behavior.  By the way, I jogged about a half a block just to see if I could do it.  Damn, I'm good!  Didn't even breathe heavy.