Saturday, June 12, 2021

Day 6: A hike in a state park

 I had to get up a little early, just to make sure I got my stuff together.


Then I decided I should take a before picture, sort of a progress photo, because I'm going to work to get the pandemic padding off... confirm, yes, it still shows up in photos.  Also this was the grin that comes of trying to beat the flash of the old camera.


Our target for today's hike was a nearby lake and it was an adventure finding it because it's been a few years since I'd been down there and there's road construction between home and there.  My friend Gerri drove, and somehow we managed to find where I used to do open water swim practice with others in training for triathlons.  We meandered around... took RunKeeper a while to find satellites, and we stopped and chatted with a couple of sets of other walkers, in a social-distanced outdoorsy way... met a couple of dogs, one of which was the most darling female German Shorthaired Pointer, who warmed up after her hu-mom and we chatted a bit, and let me stroke her trademark ears.  Ahhhh! That makes it a great day, right there.  Unfortunately, I didn't get photos of either the other folks we chatted with, or even my friend, because... well... because I didn't!

Map of our hike.
We came home via a different route, finding more/different road construction and detours... and got close enough to where the NEW YMCA combined with a Middle School were to take a self-directed detour and see them!

The school and Y front, through Gerri's windshield

The outdoor pool... looks inviting!

Home and showered now, and taking time to blog to decompress a bit before heading out to check on Sister #1's kitties.  
These are Ginger and Spice (left to right)
That's about it for news from me today!  Here's hoping all my fellow Spark refugees are settling into their new spots and that we're communicating enough to find and support one another, this one and only Saturday, June 12, 2021 we'll ever get.  We are all worth taking care of... and finding our own joy!  💗💗🙋🙋






18 comments:

  1. Awwww, sounds like a wonderful hike. And Ginger and Spice are adorable!

    Nice to get that 'dog fix' on the route, too! Something about petting a dogs ears! LOL Soft.

    Have a good Saturday.

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    1. Yes... a lot to be said for a canine 'fix'! Hope your Saturday was/is great, too.

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  2. glad you had a nice hike . i love that i can still read your blogs hugs

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  3. Great day for a hike! I just got back from an outdoor baby shower at the park. Lovely day with a delightful breeze coming through the pavilion!

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    1. Yes! It was such a relief after the heat / humidity of the past week. The fact that you're seeing it up your way too speaks well for our next couple of days!

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  4. You had a wilderness and urban adventure today. It’s so nice to get out of the house after so many months cooped up. The love of dogs touch’s the soul more quickly than with anyone else. They are remarkable that way. Nice before picture. Looking forward to more.

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    1. So true about dogs, especially if you are partial to a breed, as I am with GSP's! My Diamond, gone these ten years now, was a GSP, and was the dog of my heart.

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  5. Possible I missed it, but - how long was the hike? (I swear, my eyesight gets worse by the day!)

    Re the pool: I wondered about the swimming. Even if you're not tri-ing (!) any more, would it be relatively easy to get to a pool and swim some laps? (I can easily recommend this - I don't know how to swim! lol...)

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    1. I haven't been in a pool in a while. That was part of the reason to detour over to this (still remote) neighborhood to find that new Y... I had read in my old triathlon team's FB page that several of the team were swimming there certain mornings. I'd actually stopped with the swimming even before the pandemic, but it's been tickling at the edges of my brain... the thought of going back into the pools.

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  6. What a nice day: AND a German short haired pointer!! You are staying healthy and well and pointing the way for all of us to transition gracefully!! WATERMELLEN

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    1. You, too... I saw your comment on a maintainer group thread about the possibility of having a multi-author place... have you thought about it as a shared blog, perhaps? A way to share longer conversations like the Spark blog comments used to do for the group? Put me down as interested.

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  7. Yay! Yay- for your day and that I can read your blog. Fellow refugee here- Big hugs Em/Letsgoplay

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    1. Ah! NOW I recognize who you are! Thanks for hanging out with me!

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  8. I keep dodging my hiking friends’ invite. I need my Drs’ clearance, but in all honesty, I haven’t brought it up to him. I don’t want him to say yes! I’m scared to hurt myself out there.

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    1. What is it that scares you? Injury? Covid? Decide whether you're ready to face it or not. If you're not, you're not. Be patient with yourself, but asking the doctor for clearance might be the first step to getting over the fear, then take it in easy steps, choosing the adventure to be a mild one at first?

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