Friday, July 16, 2010

It Helps That I'm a little Obsessive

Honestly, I don't think I could keep doing my morning hike and exercise if I didn't have little obsessive tricks to keep me going.

Every morning--well at least five days a week--I follow this routine. It gives me a certain sense of accomplishment--or maybe just smugness.

1. I start early. It's essential if I don't want to collapse in the heat and puddle into a little pool of melted ambition. Besides, if I start early I can see doves and hear them--cooing high on steel gray lines against the pinkish sky.




2. I walk to the courthouse--about a mile away. listening to music, and occasionally--by certain houses--slowing down to pray.















3. I always admire the courthouse--especially the clock tower. If you look closely you can see a spiral stairway inside. One day I want to climb it...just to be able to say I've been inside the clock, rather like the Mt. Everest experience of a small town, sedentary soul.








4. I climb these stairs--10 times. Evens are diagonal, odds straight up and down, threes and sevens I climb backward--
using a whole new set of muscles I assure you.

















5. When I get to the gym, I head for that circle of dragons
and exercise on each one--usually fifty times--
sixty if I'm ambitious, forty if I'm exhausted already.
Then I weigh, drink a glass of water and leave.
(yes, in that order. Why jeopardize my hopes and dreams by weighing that extra glass of water?)

















6. If I have gained weight, I punish myself
by climbing these ghetto-looking stairs.
















7. If I have lost weight, I reward myself by
strolling around this fountain.
(Every little psychological trick helps, ok?)
















8. As I pass by the other side of the courthouse,
I run stairs again. Of course there had to be a
matching set on the East side. These are sunnier.
Lively music helps.














9. I walk home quickly. Sometimes Carina calls
and we talk on the phone.
It's the next best thing to walking with someone.

10. Slapping mosquitoes: There are several deadly passages through mosquito ambush points like this one. I've found that while speaking softly doesn't do anything to remedy the situation, carrying a stick helps. Originally, I started carrying one to ward off annoying dogs, but it works well as a swisher.




11. Saying hi to Melvin and his dog, Pistol Pete.
Melvin is 84 years old, and has lived in this
county all his life, so, really, he's a fixture,
like the courthouse. I encounter him at the
end of the walk just as I return home to
drink a cup of coffee and catch up on facebook.

Wedding Frenzy

In nine days, my son, Elijah, is getting married here in our church to Marie, who lives in the city, two hours away. Fourteen days after that, his cousin, my niece, Cordelia, is getting married in that same city. I'm trying to calmly get done what needs to be done and make lists for Elijah of things he has to do: Car in the shop, electricity switched to your name, deposits paid, gifts bought for the groomsmen, brides bouquet.
Claye is the maid of honor for Cordelia, so there are fittings. Zay and Mim are the ringbearer and flowergirl for both weddings. My sister, my daughter and I are singing in Cordelia's. There is rehearsal dinner planning, apartment/moving helping, cake recipe finding, lodging locating, insurance switching, lawn mower lending, etc. etc. etc. I filled the car with gas three times this week. It's insane. It's a beautiful fuss, though, and if I'm going to be going crazy for my children, this is a great reason.

All that to say: I haven't been blogging much lately. There'll be time for this later.