Soft Sand, Stinky Seaweed and a Butterfly

I finally made it passed the six mile mental block on my walk today despite Daddy-o's lame advice and kid duty.  I did manage 6.25 miles but I had to work at it.

I've had a couple friends tell me I should try walking out by the sand spit.  Daddy-o took Ben out there with his friends a few weekends ago, too.  Even he was singing the area's praises.  So last night I mapped out a nice 6.5 mile walk from the house to the sand spit, around in circles a few times for good measure and back home again.  Unfortunately, I had a 1.5 hour time limit because the boys had batting practice. 

So I headed out this morning about 9:30.  It was beautiful and sunny.  I ran into one of the school moms and stopped to chat (for a tad too long) and lost about 20 minutes.  Yikes!  I picked up the pace and hoofed it through the golf course to the trail head where I soft sand.
 
Ugh.  I specifically asked Daddy-o if the trail was sand or not.  He told me to walk out there and see for myself.  Humph!  I don't necessarily mind soft sand... if I'm on a leisurely stroll or actually, you know, on the beach.  I was not thrilled to wade in for my morning power walk.  I sucked it up, though, already planning on cutting my walk short at the nearest, pride-sparing opportunity.  Just to add insult to injury, the fog was rolling in thick.

What's the big deal about soft sand?  It's a better workout as Daddy-o was so happy to tell me.  I, however, am working for endurance and distance, not strength or whatever one gets from a "better workout".  Plus, the going is much, much slower in loose sand than hard pack and I had a deadline this morning.  Worst of all, though, is the fine, silty sand that works it's way through your shoes and socks and nestles in between your toes.  Yech.

Anyway, I sucked it up and turned back to civilization just as soon as possible.  Turns out there is some beauty out there after all.  The trail meandered into a grove of Eucalyptus trees that were peaceful and full of soft morning light. 

There were two rope swings in there that I took Danny back to in the afternoon.

And some beautiful giant Eucalyptus...  And since I've discovered PhotoShop Actions this week I'm going to show you the same picture with at few different actions... just to show how different it can make a picture appear...

The second one is my personal favorite.

After I hit the pavement again I made much better time but was dangerously late so I walked to the ball field to meet Daddy-o and the boys.  He cut me loose for the rest of the walk.  Yeah!  Now I just had to make up some mileage. 

I took a meandering route my the way back bay where I was bummed to be assaulted my the smell of low tide.  Stinky seaweed.  Yum.  I was also privileged to find a tiny Monarch Butterfly sitting on the trail.  It let me hold it on my finger and check it out for the briefest of minutes before it fluttered on it's way.  Simply beautiful.  There were lots of these poppies everywhere too. 

All in all, a great walk, stinky seaweed and soft sand aside. 

Strutus Interuptus

Have I told you lately how much I'm enjoying my training for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer?  There are so many reasons to love it I can't list them all here.  I am getting loads of quality Me Time and a giant infusion of upbeat Disco, 80s and Lovely Lady Lumps/Baby Got Backish music from my iPod.  Plus there's the whole pre-summer tan thing I have going on...  which, by the way, is good for me because Vitamin D is good for me and every other woman in the world.  Did you know there is an association with breast cancer and low Vitamin D levels???  Just sayin'.  There's also the photo opportunities.  Oh, the photo opportunities!!!  That's a post or twenty in and of itself.  Plus, I'm outside.  In nature.  With wildlife.  I'm appreciating this in ways I never have before.

Every day I am bombarded by nature: blooming wildflowers, budding trees, nest-building birds of every feather and largish rodents by the many, many dozens.  I routinely see rabbits and ground squirrels in a panic-induced sprint at the mere sight of me walking their way.  It's laughable, really, because if I'm so all fired scary, why do they always run completely across my path to get away from me?  Also, they're just too Chip n' Dale-y not to laugh out loud when I see them. 

Today my walk took me by two different gangs of turkeys.  Apparently it's wild turkey breeding season around here because each gang had 4-6 females and a single male trying mightily to impress them.  I wish I'd had my camera.  The males were really strutting their stuff.  Their body feathers were all puffed up making their heads look all itty bitty.  Their giant fan-like tails were proudly unfurled while they each sauntered up and down the roadway in front of the females.  The females, on the other hand, were busy scratching at the ground looking for whatever it is turkeys eat. 

I found it immensely amusing to see the males slowly shrink back down to size as I approached.  I passed each gang twice.  Every time it was the same thing...  strutting guy-turkey showing his wares, hens busy with dinner, irritated male glares while suffering from visible shrinkage and slinks off the road.  It was strutus interuptus at its finest. 

Steaming

Is it just me or has 2010 been brutal?  I haven't talked to a family yet that hasn't had life hand them anything but a steaming pile of doggy doo since January. 

My Grammy has been to doctor after doctor trying to find out if she actually has a tumor in her brain that's causing her to fall all the time or if she's got something else wrong instead.  Meanwhile my 81 year old Grandpa Jess, who had a massive stroke a year ago at Christmas, has developed pneumonia.  Did I mention my Grammy is his primary caregiver?  And just to add insult to injury, my Aunt who helps my Grandfolks out on a daily basis was given scabies by her dog who likes to play with the neighbor's chickens. 

And that's just my genetic family.  My other families haven't gone unscathed...

My bff and her family are going through a traumatic divorce and the unexpected death of a beloved family friend.   

A girlfriend of mine was brutally beaten by a mutual guy friend who turned out to be no one I want to be friends with. 

Worst of all, my Mothers With Cancer family has not gone unscathed.  Sarah from Spruce Hill has suffered a recurrence of her breast cancer.  It's metastasized to her chest wall, hip and lungs.  Now, this morning I find out that Toddler Planet's Susan just got the results of her latest scan.  Not good.  She has some lymph nodes on her scan making like light bulbs... just calling attention to themselves.  It sucks when you have to hope for a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad infection causing problems because the other options are completely unacceptable. 

Superstitious as it is, I've always known these types of things to come in threes.  So now I find myself holding my breath waiting for the other recurrence shoe to drop.  And me with my own scans coming up this month...

I've had a heart-to-heart with God.  I know he has a plan.  I know "that all things work together for good to them that love God".  But I am struggling mightily with his means just now. 

Deep breath.   I've been tossing around symbolic apparel ideas for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in July.  All of this has led me to a decision.  I am now shopping for some pink boot covers.   The kind you wear over your own shoes with your Halloween costume.  They will be my Kick Cancer's Ass Boots!  After all, boots are made for walking!!!!!

It's the least I can do.  Literally.

My best foot forward

Finally!  My Avon Walk for Breast Cancer fundraising page is up and running!!!  I've already started my training.  Whoa Boy is that a lifestyle change for me!!!  Instead of spending my weekend wrangling the kids and leisurely surfing the internet I walked close to 9 miles.  I have to admit, it felt pretty damn good!

Here are some pictures I took along the way...

 

I took the boys with me for a 4 mile walk up and down the 

hills of Los Osos on Saturday.  Danny managed to peddle

his Big Wheel-type tricycle a whopping 2.3 miles before 

I acquired a jogging stroller from a friend for the trip home!

It was a picture perfect day on the Central Coast!

 

Sunday I avoided the up and down streets in town

and headed to Morro Rock to walk the nice flat beach instead!

Of course, I forgot to check my tide book before I left the house 

and found very little beach to walk on due to the high surf!  

Consequently, I spent a fair amount of time in the dunes as well.

 

Still, 4.87 miles hardly seemed like work at all when

the view is so awesome!  

I felt a bit like a frolicking dog chasing all the tiny birds 

off the beach.  This is a Least Sand Piper.  The birder 

I asked said "it's the least amount of sand piper you can get".  

Ha!!!

 

This is workout me - a self-portrait.  

Visual proof of my passing.  My Sunday walk began 

waaaay down there at the Rock.

I'm thankful I didn't run across this next group of birds on one of my training walks.

It would have been a bad omen, for sure!!!

Turkey Vultures sunning themselves in the morning light.

I'm feeling fit.  It seems ridiculous after only 3 training walks but it's true.  Just like making it through cancer treatments, it seems much of training and fitness is mind over matter. 

If you feel like helping me meet my $1800 fundraising obligation you can click the link below.  It will take you directly to my fundraising site.  Or, if you're more comfortable writing a check just email me or leave a comment and I'll be overjoyed to send you the forms you need!!! 

Thanks in advance for your support!!!!!

DONATE HERE

Walk the walk

I'm going to walk.  I've been doing it most of my life so how hard can it really be?  I walk on my breaks at work (when I remember to take them).  I walk with the kids if they beg me long enough.  I walk across parking lots on my way to one store or another.  Easy peasy. 

On July 10th and 11th I'll be walking with a purpose.  I'll be in San Francisco walking the walk... the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer!  It's a mere 39 miles across the City By The Bay.  Thirty.  Nine.  You heard me!  Ack!!!!!

I am excited to get started!  I'm going to train!  I'm going to work hard.  I'm going to raise tons of money for a great cause!!!  I'm going to do my part to ensure that no one else has to lose their parts ever again!!!! 

I hope I can make it.  I hope I can raise enough money.  $1800 is a lot of money!  I'm thinking of forming a team.  Maybe Team Mothers with Cancer or Team Class of 84!  Maybe something else entirely. 

Will you walk with me?  Will you help fight the good fight?  Will you walk for Andrea Collins-Smith, Cancer Visa, and One Mother With Cancer who lost their battles against the beast?  Will you donate for the many, many moms over at Mothers With Cancer that have been victimized by breast cancer? 

Will you walk for me?