Day Sixteen

If you happened to be driving down Wintergreen Court late this evening and saw a strange woman running, well, that would have been me. That's right!!! I ran today. For the first time ever, I ran. (At least it was the first time I have run since I was eleven and being chased by a bull at my uncle's house. Another story.) The reason I suddenly decided that today was the day I would start running was because I was trying to escape from my house, undetected, by Miss Priss. She and Papa sat glued to Wonder Pets and I slowly crept across the room, out the front door, closing it ever so softly, and darted down the steps so I wouldn't be able to hear her scream for me when she realized I was missing. After darting down the steps, I , for some unknown reason, just kept going at that pace and before I knew it I was running up Wintergreen. Now I didn't run very far, just to my neighbor's driveway, but I RAN .

Today's instructions "Low-intensity activity, 40 minutes". I didn't really know how I was going to work this activity in today since I worked until a little after 5:00. And no taxpayers, you don't pay me to work past 3:30, so don't worry, and after work today my family was to gather at mom and dad's to celebrate dad's 79th birthday.

Going to mom's to eat is always a big treat and tonight was no exception. Fresh potatoes from the garden, fried okra, creamy cole slaw, tomato sandwiches with her secret spread, and the best part, biscuits. Over the years, I have come to the conclusion that my mom's sole purpose in life has been to bake buttermilk biscuits. Now, you may think your mom's biscuits are the best, but you are so wrong. Noboby can beat my mom at biscuits. Her biscuits are even good cold and three days old. I've even been known to eat one after pinching a little mold off it. And she doesn't use some old mix, she makes them from scratch with shortening and real butter milk. And then she kneads and kneads them and rolls them out on a cloth that she has had for years and then she bakes them on the same pan she has been baking them on for as long as I can remember. Yep, hers are the best.

After sitting around for a while, it was time to come home. Miss Priss was coming home with us for a while. When we got home, we went across the street to play with the neighbor's children and then we watered my plants and got really wet with the hose. She loved it. Hubby liked it when we sprayed him too. Then Miss Priss and I got in the hammock and I had to tell her her favorite story. The one about the beautiful princess (who happens to have the same name as Miss Priss) with the most beautiful, wonderful, greatest, most intelligent gamma in the world. Me.

After the story, papa and Miss Priss decided to watch tv and I changed into my walking garb. That's when I headed out on my first ever run. When I first started running up the street, it kinda took me by surprise. It was like looking at myself and I was thinking 'Am I really running?' and I was. And like I said, I really didn't make it too far till I started walking but after I got up the first hill on my route to the flat area, I decided just to see if I could run again, and I did. I ran to the next incline. That was when I decided that I would run on the flat and downhill areas and walk up the hills. The hills became my friends today. I did this all the way out of my neighborhood and up Maner Road to Fulton. That's when the little blue car slowed down and started following me. Fortunately I know most of the people that live in that area and was prepared to start running to some one's house if necessary. Don't worry, I've decided not to walk on Maner Road after dark alone anymore. Finally the car went on past and I was headed back down Maner Road. On the way back, I didn't think it was too safe to run down Maner Road. No. 1 , it was dark and No. 2 it's steep. I didn't want to trip over my number 8.5s in the dark and my knees were kinda weak. So after I entered back into my neighborhood, I started running again. After about 2 blocks, I passed a fellow runner. She kinda gives me this nod like we have a connection. Like we belong to a group. Like I'm one of them. Little did she know that I am about to die and not sure my legs will keep me up. But I'm not about to stop running. I can't. I have to prove I can do this. Plus, it is down hill almost all the way home. I make it around the turn and about halfway down Wintergreen and then walk for a bit. Then I make myself run the last stretch to my door. It was great. I was soooo proud of myself. But I'm really glad it was dark and somewhat thankful for the hills tonight.

Today's lessons??? Don't walk alone after dark, always know your surroundings, and have respect for things that are scary, because they might become your friend someday.