Day Fifteen

If you were driving down Maner Road today and some blind lady stepped out in in front of you, well, that would have been me. My greatly anticipated eye doctor appointment was this afternoon. And, just as suspected, my vision has gotten worse since my last appointment. Thanks to my lovely fashion consultant, youngest loving daughter, I will have new designer glasses in about a week.

Having your pupils dilated sucks. And walking three miles up hill afterwards sucks too. Today's instructions simply state, "Hill walking (on rolling terrain, a treadmill set at a 3% to 5% incline, or up and down parking lot ramps during non-peak hours), easy, 3 miles". Does anybody see a problem here? What the heck is a rolling terrain? The only thing I can imagine is the field beside my dad's house with cows. Cow Poop? No thanks. 3-5% incline on a treadmill? Forget it. That doesn't even sound fun. (Unless I'm at the Grove Park.) Then the last suggestion, a parking lot with ramps? Where would I find that? And what are parking lot ramps? Like I'm going to walk there during peak hours or any other time for that matter. Oh well, I decided to construct a 3 mile route on my own. Now, I am surrounded by hills. I live on one and everywhere I go there are hills so this should not be too hard. I decide to walk up to Maner and go to the end at the high school, then walk to the other end where it meets Fulton. If I do this twice then walk home, that will be three miles. Easy, right? Wrong.

I have already been on my feet all day at school. Preparing for the arrival of 81 and counting, precious 8th graders to arrive next Tuesday. I spent the day working on bulletin boards, moving heavy furniture, and arranging desks. My shoulder hurts and my left foot is already killing me (whine, whine, whine) but I have discovered that the walking doesn't make it hurt any worse until I stop. Isn't that strange? And it is hot today. Very hot. My pupils are dilated. AND, my eyes water. AND, my vision is blurred. (more whining) But I march forward. I have to walk looking down at the ground because if I look to far ahead, my vision gets worse. I have on these huge sunglasses over my regular glasses to hopefully offer some relief to my eyes. Every few feet I have to take off both pair of glasses and wipe my eyes. My hair is soon soaking wet and dripping onto my shirt. (Forgot my visor today.) Since I'm not looking up, I don't see the oncoming cars. Talk about peak hours. I try to stay as close to the edge of the road as possible, but every once in a while I veer outward. Ooops, sorry I made you swerve there car. I am disabled at the moment. But thanks. By the time I am on the last leg of the route, I am about to pass out. I can feel the heat coming off my face. I finally reach home to my loving and jumping and kissing dog. Today's 3.1 mile walk took me 1 hour and 8 minutes. But, it was mostly up hill. I don't know if that's good or not.

After I got home, I had to work in the garden. Being a product of the country, we know that there only 3 days in the year that you can successfully plant turnips. August 7th, 17th, or 27th. I don't eat turnips or grapefruit. They have to be kin because they are both round and they both stink. But I do love turnip greens. And you can't beat fresh ones from the garden in October. So, since hubby had tilled up my patch in the garden, and purchased the seeds for me, as instructed, I had to plant them today. I'm tired.

Until tomorrow.....