Monday

Today I was out amongst it for thirty minutes -- less the five to seven minutes I was standing around in the coffee shop waiting for some people getting their lattes, and then chatting with the barista who I haven't seen since last week. It was so cold, I knew it had to be a short one, and twenty-some minutes was it. But it was sunny and I was dressed for it, so "This isn't so bad" I was thinking on my way up the block. Then with the wind at my back I went south on Beld to the bike path, and followed that to Frankly Field. Instead of following along there as usual I cut north across the parking lot from the dog park, and took the path through the park behind the pool up to Olin Avenue.

Even facing north, I was thinking, way better than the mall. The sound of a jet way on the north side of town cutting through the air, the rattle of leaves in the oak trees, none of the assault of smells and sounds and dodging through the crowd. I took a photo of a big snowball someone had made with a hole in it, "The Wonderful O" (see fun pirate story by James Thurber).

I wore my boots, and traction was generally good but feet are having the expected aches from adjusting to the new shoes, left arch in particular. At the corner of Olin and Gilson there are a couple of big dogs in the yard, who like to bark at people, and the black bulldog mix was jumping high enough to get his forequarters over that fence if he was really interested. But I crossed the street, where they won't bark at ya, and said Brave boys, out in the cold! Up Spruce St to home.

I lay on the floor for ten minutes and stretched lower back a bit, with bridging and piriformus stretch. The bridging I tried as repetition, in time with my breaths, like Matt suggested, but after twenty or so was still not feeling any strain and was getting bored with counting, so I held it then until I was tired which didn't take so long. Then Karen came over and we went out for a couple hours, shopping at Trader Joe's and then to the public library. So I was busy and on my feet for a while longer. Ready to lie down again now.