Monday, December 3…

I promise not to take all of this year’s photos with my phone….but the reality is it’s just so convenient. And I’ll give it to the folks at Apple this little phone takes a pretty good picture.

This is how I start my day so often when I’m working. We seem to run a call between 5am and 7am with great regularity. Coffee, the log book and the computer. On a side note someone down here in Fairfax has been making a lot of noise…

Hope you have a wonderful Monday!

12/2/12

That sure is a lot of 2s…

Even on mornings I have to get up very early for work the first thing I do is turn on the tree. Actually it’s the second thing…first I put the crazy dogs out.

I love how the light from the tree illuminates the entire house in the dark morning as I wait for the coffee to brew.

I’ve posted a picture much like this every year and I think it’s because this time of year I am drawn home. In the busy holiday madness I treasure moments when I can sit in the big red chair and just look at my tree.

December 1…Let The Pictures Begin

I spent this first day of December with our fire students as they went through their burn trailer training. The day the lessons finally come together and they begin to feel like firefighters. What a great way to start this wonderful month!

Almost Time For The December Photo Challenge!

For the last several years I have participated in the December Photo Challenge and this year it looks like I will be going it alone…unless…maybe y’all want to join me?

Now I don’t know how to do all of those crazy things on my blog (badges, lists, links)…and clearly I don’t use it enough for that to really matter…but I figure we can post on Facebook…I can set up a page so we don’t clutter up everyone’s feed…or maybe that’s the whole point. Anywho…you can use your phone, camera, Instagram…

Come on…this could be the start of something fun!

Jenn

Trips and Deer

Today at the lake trail Henry saw his first deer. I enjoy his exuberance. Why a short legged black dog thinks he can catch a deer is beyond me…but perhaps the joy is in the chasing, the running, the movement. I know that’s why I’m here. That and because well exercised dogs are infinitely more tolerable.

The trail where I run is a mountain bike trail and in spots it’s a bit precarious…I think this probably makes it better for me but a little dangerous at the same time. I’ve always wondered what I would do if I fell and broke my ankle or something. I run with my cell and I know pretty clearly where I am so I guess I’ll just roll those dice. Today I fell for the first time. My sore feet…mostly just my old right foot…didn’t quite make it over a root or rock and down I went. Realizing as caught myself that I’m more likely to break my arm I spent the rest of the run visualizing all of the ways I could splint a break with what I had on me. Ahhh the wonder of a life in EMS.

And a question to the two of you who actually read this…why is it that just towards the end of my run…and today I ran two songs, walked one song!…at the end of my run I actually like the running? The beginning is so miserable.

The Process of Movement

And that’s what it is…a process. The contraction and relaxation of muscles, the stretch and rebound of ligaments. There is a scientific process that allows us to move our bodies but there is also a psychological process that allows us to move our bodies for exercise.

We can call it the ‘Want To’. It’s the nag…or shout…in your head that says ‘Go! Do!’. Its the way the sun feels on your skin, the way outside smells like life or the way sitting on the couch with the TV on sometimes feels like its sucking the very soul out of me. (Please don’t get me wrong…sometimes sitting on the couch with the TV on is the ONLY thing I feel like doing…and that’s ok, too.)

There’s not always a destination…sometimes you stay right in one place. I often stay right on my bike, right on the trainer, right in the bay at work or in the garage at home…and that is totally okay. I am a sporadic, exercise addict. I get in the groove and all I want to do is run the dogs at the lake, row on flat water, ride…even on the trainer.

Rowing, for me, was a perfect fit. The repetitive movement seems to attract me. I don’t have to concentrate on anything once I find that groove…I can turn off my head, breathe in and out, move. I played team sports and liked them okay but they never spoke to me the way swimming, rowing and cycling do. I enjoy running but it hurts my dang feet and sometimes I do it anyway and then limp around. The process of movement is worth it.

I’m in a movement zone right now. Running, rowing, cycling most days. And I’m headed out of town for a trip to the beach with some of my crazy family. I could run there but then I’d have to limp around and with all this gray hair people should really think I’m old. I was a little anxious about being able to satisfy my need for exercise. Lucky for me my aunt and uncle share my love for the bike and are driving down with our bikes!

So I’ll still be moving. And that makes me almost as happy as going to the beach.

Because I Can

Just Me and the Dogs…and the Hummers

I spend some time each morning sitting on my front porch with a cup of coffee and something to read. The dogs are with me as always and in the last several weeks so are our Hummingbirds.

They’ve been scarce the last few summers and didn’t arrive here until August. I’m told they are migrating back north and because of the drought they have very few food sources…explains the popularity of our feeder. It’s not uncommon to see five or so in the yard, fighting for the feeder territory, feeding from the morning glorys or those weird but pretty flowers that pop out of the hostas this time of year.

I love the chirps they make, the buzzing as they zoom past my head through the porch as I slowly wake up. We have other birds, a Robin who scolds the dogs, annoying Grackles…who really are just annoying, House Finches and many others. Strange that they don’t seem to be bothered by the very large black cat who patrols the grounds. Amanda swears he’s a hunter but he pretty much ignores the birds (I do believe, however, the rabbits live in fear).

I started this post this morning intending to write about my ongoing struggle to stay fit and how I had a breakthrough of sorts…but then I was buzzed and, well…hey look…a chicken…

So get outside if you can. Breathe some fresh air. Move. Even if it’s just a walk or puttering in the garden. I feel a sense of responsibility. There are those out there who would love to go for a walk or run. I move because I can.

And I spend my mornings on the porch with the Hummers.

Finishing Up Our To-Do List

We’ve talked about a trip to Leavenworth for two summers now and seeing as we are running out of summer we decided today was the day!

My friend Carolyn, who lives in Leavenworth and lived on base when her husband was stationed there, offered some great suggestions and then came along as our guide! It was great!

We took a 5 mile bicycle tour on post. There are historic markers with audio narration. It’s a really nice tour. We rode about 5 miles, climbed some pretty big hills for a new bike rider…Andrew did awesome. And I think he even enjoyed himself.

We finished up the trip visiting the Frontier Museum. A really nice museum if you ever get up that way.

So with an unexpected row with Ed yesterday at noon this makes almost two weeks of workouts. I’m tired, a little sore, crazy hungry and starting to feel like I’m getting somewhere. Tomorrow. Tire flipping.

Resting…Yeah, Turn Out I’m Not Very Good At That…