Pomegranate seeds, sleeping past 8am, trail running, 55 degrees, too many (little) dogs, missing my loved ones, warmed and welcomed, claymation Christmas, butternut squash and caramelized onion tart, candles, checking for ticks, mill towns in need of revitalization, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, audiobooks, highways, and of course: appreciation
Another growing year gone
Goodbye to the raised bed that has been so good to me the past two years. May the next person enjoy the worms in the soil that weren’t there when I started.
Over the past few weeks, on my early morning drive to work, I have seen flocks of migrating birds passing over the Yarmouth harbor. I wonder why some birds leave a little earlier than others. Do they have farther to go? Are they young and anxious to leave home? Are they less tolerant of the cold? And I wonder why some groups veer in one direction and others a another. Which way would I go?
This morning frost had coated the grass, the newly bare trees, the edges of the stately pine, and I knew things were different now.
My capstone draft (all 30 pages without attachments) actually isn’t that bad. You’re welcome in advance to small coastal communities struggling to start engaging in the sea level rise planning process. I am happy to show you the way.
(Assuming my supervisor thinks it is more than just babble…)
Tree lighting at L.L.Bean tonight
Black bean and sweet potato tacos
Perfected with some tangy slaw, avocado, and hot sauce.
“Runners. All they wanna do is run.” The physical therapist next to me said to the one looking at photos of my running form. I told the one assigned to me that day (I had seen three different PTs in total) that I wasn’t willing to go back to regular running shoes and I hoped to be doing ultras at some point. “That’s my kind of lady!” he said. I felt a wave of relief.
When you tell non-runners you just completed a 20 mile training run, and that some day you want to run a race longer than a marathon, they lecture you about how bad it is for your body. Here I was, still unable to run on a broken foot, and a professional in the medical field was telling me that I could stick to my minimalist shoes, get back to the barefoots in January (when I could also start full on training again), and that ultra-running is great.
So when the PT told me that I had to spend the next three weeks doing walk-runs of 2-3 miles, I might have protested and asked a million questions about how far exactly I could run, and what was the least amount that I could walk in between those running spurts, but ultimately I abided. I may have chosen more secluded routes so that people wouldn’t see me walking, but I was running, putting on the clothes, breaking a sweat, and that was enough for a while.
Today marks the completion of three weeks. I’m now allowed to do 3-5 mile runs, without walking, until December, when I can start to build my mileage again. I’m a little nervous, if my foot gives me any trouble I have to start the 8 weeks again, but seeing as I haven’t felt any pain in weeks, I’m hopeful.
Armed with great exercises to reduce pronation (like balancing on one foot, which I do while I’m brushing my teeth) and some warm running gear, I’m ready to be a runner again. Wish me luck.
Hand knit and fleece are equally as affectionate.
Flea-for-All, Portland, ME
I went to the Flea-for-All for the first time this weekend. There were lots of tables and chairs; it would be great to see more crafters and artisans there. A good thorough peruse may turn up little gems, especially if you’re diligent about going. Also, it looks like they’re hitching to the food truck band wagon, which is pretty cool.
There is currently a sweet (and funny, and curious) little Edward Gorey exhibit at the Portland Public Library. I visited last weekend and was pleasantly surprised. I especially recommend it to those who are not familiar with his work (I was not) as it is somehow artistically refreshing.
And make it count
