Gawd what a SHITTY day it is out there today!!!
Me n' The Niglet were out on dawn patrol this morn and there was ice on the wooden bridges leading to Dawg Island... and a few very tiny flakes in the brisk wind. Phone said 0C but with the wind chill it was -9C... which isn't bad. We got our 10km in, and another afternoon trek should bring us up to around 14 km for the day. Ughhh... 10 years ago I could run that - and the wife could go even further. I'm down 13 lbs from a month ago and that sounds great but it's all water. I've lost all the easy weight... and now it gets hard. I knocked all junk and almost all the fats out of my diet, as well as most of the meat. I am trying to approximate the diabetic's diet of strictly controlled carbs and protein. At first I had it really rough but it is getting easier. I had a few lapses but the weight is still coming off. We did our 10 km this morn and I felt great for the first time since I started all this... and then when I sat down and I took root and now I don't want to get up again, HAR HAR HAR!!! Uggghhhh!!!! The Niglet crashed and is sleeping on the couch so she is out of shape and feeling it too a little bit too. She'll recover when she wakes up and will be nagging me to go again. It's good to have company on those miles that are starting to get longer as I get older.
But... I ain't slowing down. I want to be able to do 4 hours on the hoof, or about 20 klicks at the drop of a hat! One day we hit 18km and we were both wrecked the day afterward and we had a "recovery day". The day after that we just did 7 or 8 and then resumed the long hauls of 10km a couple days later. It takes a LOT of gumption to get up and roll out when the winds blow and the days are dark and cold... but there is a satisfaction in it too.
The doctor still wants to see me today, so... that can't be good. I bet my blood levels are just effed but I am thinking they will stabilize as I come down in mass...? Who knows? Right now I am still massive enough to exert my own gravitational pull... but I can feel things changing so maybe that's a good sign?
Whatever.
The Niglet is driving me bonkers with her craven cowardice. I am just pleased as punch with the young people around here, they're taking halloween seriously and there are some great decorations and displays up! But the Niglet is terrified of them! This morning she got spooked by a badly done wraith with bony hands flapping in the wind ... but the rest of it was just a hooded cloak on a hanger. It flapped and snapped in the breeze and the little dawg just lost her mind in fright! I got control of her and I walked her right up to that thing and made her look at it... and she still didn't like that thing even though she saw it for what it is.
Tall tales and lore have it that dawgs can see evil spirits that humans can't. A lot of folks I know say that there's a lot of evil in Halloween too - it's a pagan, demon worshipping holiday that celebrates the devil or something. Could be something to that - our women turn into absolute sluts on halloween with the spooky constumes and skin. I don't get that but it is what it is I guess. I like seeing the little ones having something to look forward too at this dreary time of year and maybe scoring some candy to boot. I see nothing evil in little kids dreassing up as princesses, lions and superheroes so generally speaking - I am just peachy with All Hallow's Eve. There is all kinds of evil afoot these days, every day of the year and all I guy can do is keep his head on a swivel and take what enjoyment he can. When I was a kid, the sickos were putting razor blades, needles and poison in the candy they gave out and parents had to check it before the kids got at it.
But... it's a tough time of year up here in Alberta. The days get short, the wind blows cold, the leaves fly away and the sun is lost in the clouds and gloom. But - it's not my problem! I'll turn on the lights in the Reclusium after Dawg Patrol, put on a podcast and go about my chores and hobbies as usual.
You should too! Don't let the gloom and dark of fall and winter get to ya! Keep yer chin up and stay busy.
Cheers,
Filthie
"Tall tales and lore have it that dawgs can see evil spirits that humans can't." No WONDER Biden's German Shepherds gave him so much trouble!!!
ReplyDeleteSnow?... ICE??? Damn. The only way we know the seasons are changing here in the Wild West is the leaves start falling from SOME of the trees, and our desert tortoise disappears into the ground for five months! That, and the electric bill drops and the gas bill goes up...
My wife and I are on "doctor's orders" as well. Weight's never been a real issue for me, but Doctor Buzzkill said we both need to eat like political prisoners in DC. And no more alcohol... I guess I gotta call the kid to score me some weed...
Amen, brother. It’s full on winter up here but someone missed the memo today. 5 or 6 inches of snow on the ground & the temp went above freezing this morning with rain like it’s July. Roads are gonna absolutely suck come Wednesday when it drops again. Shorter days only mean it’s closer to breakup…
ReplyDeleteDogs gonna be spooky when young, looking for elders to know how to react. Ours would settle down after about 5 years old.
ReplyDeleteDo a keto diet. Body will burn fat when it has no carbs to burn. Eat fat to burn body fat instead of carbs. You still have to eat fewer calories than you expend but you will feel great, have plenty of energy and loose weight rapidly. The smart and easy way.
ReplyDeleteGreat work with the walking Glen. Between April - June this year the wife & I slowly walked the Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port to Cape Finisterre in northern Spain. Around 1000 km all up. We trained to the point where we could walk 20 km with a 15 kg back pack three days in a row - and pull up fine. That was the indicator - anyone can walk a big day, but when you back it up with the same distance three days in a row and feel fine on the third day - like you could do it again a fourth day - we were fit enough. (We're mid 50's & both still working so three days was the longest break we could get). Most folks try to walk the Camino Frances in 6 weeks. Many of them fail along the way because of over-use injuries or massive blisters. We didn't get a single blister - our gear was tested before we went and we tried to keep our distances around 15 km. We only walked 6 days per week. Those that pushed it, invariably had some sort of issue. But we were lucky enough to take 3 months long service leave, so had the time to enjoy every second. Most folks had 6 weeks leave max - unless they were retired. Anyway, well done on your efforts and I hope the news from the Doctor is positive. Keep up the great work.
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