Leapin and Hoppin

November 8, 2013

Thursday’s High			67
Thursday’s Low			31
Days in Las Cruces			137
Steps/Miles walked June 2013(in Las Cruces)		73,509	36.8
Steps/Miles walked July 2013		215,276	107.64
Steps/Miles walked August 2013		217,546	108.77
Steps/Miles walked September 2013		251,186	125.6
Steps/Miles walked October 2013		300,043	150.0
Steps/Miles walked Thursday		10,238	5.1
Total Steps/Miles walked in Las Cruces		1,138,116	569.1

Today, I got two more readers for On & Off the Road. Yay! I give a hearty welcome to you both! You know who you are… yes you do! Just so you know, I don’t mention people here by their names unless I have general permission to do so… most of the time. There are exceptions…

And so today I have spent every possible moment of the day trying to figure out how NOT to write. I almost have convinced myself I will not finish NaNoWriMo. I’m at around 15k words by tonight. And, in spite of my best efforts, I actually punched out about 2,200 words. I am feeling irritated, mostly at myself.

So, today it was cold when we got up. The bedroom was chilled, and three of us were cuddled deep in the comforter. Nikki, of course, with her long coat thought it just delightful. She woke me up at 5:45 today. I’m having a hard time retraining her for the new time.

So, I get Princess Ixchel up. She’s groggy as hell this morning, has a hard time opening her eyes. She groans, complaining. “Ixchel, honey,” I whisper, “Want to go for our walk? Want to go potty?”

She licks my face. I gather her in my arms, and head out to put her leash on and my coat. Opening the door, we step out, and oh my goodness is it ever cold! We set out, and all Ixchel’s grogginess seems to fade, and from her trot, she’s all business!

We do… what we do. I turn around and we set out for the “Long Walk”. But every bone in my body is griping. No, I do not want to do a long walk! The blister still hurts. It’s chilly. Eden is not what it’s cracked up to be!

Evie is coming out to get her paper, so I pick it up and walk it up to her. “Thank you Eric. It’s 31 degrees out here!”

“I know Evie! Can’t believe this!” She turns to go back inside, slowly guiding her walker up her ramp. And I turn to continue our walk. I really don’t want to.

Now, you have to understand. Both girls love their morning walks. They drag me along at break-neck speeds until some blade of grass beckons, the scent of some calling card left by another dog, or maybe a skunk, or a squirrel or a bunny. Maybe even a coyote. Or Freddy the Fox who lives somewhere on our grounds. So I tell myself, “If the girls want to walk we will. If they don’t, I’m going home!”

I drop the leashes as we near our house. There are no other dogs in sight, but I look around furtively. Unleashed dogs are a big no-no here. Nothing. I look back at the girls. They’re racing on ahead… and make the turn up the sidewalk. Yes! They want to go home! I don’t have to do the long walk in the cold!

So, off come the leashes, open goes the door. I expect Ixchel to do as she always does, dash for the food bowl, and a drink of water. But no, she passes up breakfast, pushes the bedroom door open, and she’s gone. Burrowing under the sheets. I hear Scott groan. Cold nose, meet bare foot! I guess it’s not for nothing that she is named for the Mayan Goddess of Summer!

When Scott left for class at 4 pm, we did our long walk then. So I at least got in a mile or so. But I’m way short of my goal for the day. The day now nears it’s end and I’ve walked a mere 6,880 steps of my desired 10,000. Maybe I should go put in a quick walk around the block a couple of times (it’s actually about two blocks long, so it’s a nice long block.) The girls could stay home. Scott won’t be back for an hour or more.

NOTE: I took the girls. I walked around the long block. Not enough steps. So I went around a different set of streets. I’m up to 9,500 steps. One last potty walk tonight, and I’ll make it!

But, on this walk just now, something good came of my time… I have a topic for tomorrow!

Stay tuned for “All in the Family”!

DAILY GRATITUDE

Today, I’m grateful that God has granted some people a real gift for music. I love listening to music, but I often don’t know what I like to listen to! So much of the time, I don’t listen at all.

My brother Bob introduced me to tonight’s selection.

I remember getting an album from him ages and ages and ages ago… before 1971, I think. Cat Stevens’ Greatest Hits.

Yes, I’m being followed by a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow
Leapin’ and hoppin’ on a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow

PRAYER INTENTIONS

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” — Jeremiah 29:11

I’m foregoing the “Prayer Intention tiles” that I have spoken of over the past weeks today.

Instead, I’m focusing my prayer request on God’s guidance. The verse I’ve quoted, Jer. 29:11, has spoken to me for over ten years, actually, since about the same time as I first heard of the Prayer of Jabez. I believe this. I have seen the fruits of this all these years in my life.

I’m hoping that one of two prospects pan out this week. It would entail taking on a management position in a retail setting, in three small stores nearby.