Number 7, Number 1x3, and the Best 99 Cents I Ever Spent

I'm turning into a jogging fool, I tell you! No, no, not in those beat up old flip flops. More on them later. I jog barefoot.

Two days ago I jogged - slowly, slowly - the half mile (.6 I say!) across the beach, along the shore, for the 4th time. I felt so good about it that I tried again yesterday and did it for the 5th and 6th times. I was a little disappointed in myself because I couldn't make it all the way on my first crossing, same as two days ago. But after walking the rest of the way across to the rocks and back to the pier side (by my Pookie on the wall) I tried again and - TADA! - I made it. I high-fived the Fonzie rock on the far side then walked back feeling pretty good. After I got back, I still felt good, so I turned around & jogged all the way back again. This time I not only high-fived Fonzie, I jumped up on top of the Flat Stanley rock and pumped my arms up in the air, triumphant like Rocky!

Then today. I made it across on my first try & felt very proud, my 7th time jogging all the way across the beach. I high-fived Fonzie, hopped on Stanley, walked back for a minute or two then decided I would start jogging again when I got to the blue sign. I jogged the rest of the way - which was most of the way - back to the pier, touched the wall, poked Pookie like I do, then turned around and kept on going back to the rocky far side. Again, I high-fived Fonzie, jumped on Stanley with triumphant arms in the air, then kept on jogging all the way back to the pier side again. Since I had walked that little bit after the first time across, I wanted to make up the difference, so I poked Pookie and jogged back an additional 400 steps (yes, I counted) to make it an official 3 laps distance jogged across.

I don't even know who I am anymore! Ha Ha Ha!

I walked the rest of the way back across and counted steps to confirm that I had indeed jogged enough extra to more than make up for my delayed blue sign starting point. I again high-fived Fonzie several times, stomped all over Flat Stanley, then mostly walked, although I did jog a teeny bit just for fun, back to the pier side.

Honestly, I may be the world's slowest jogger. Other joggers often pass me. Yesterday, even a fast walking guy passed me. I'd like to pick up speed, but all in good time. I had two goals I hoped to reach by my 50th birthday which is in 2 months. #1 - I wanted to be able to jog across and back. Today I made it 3 times across. Boo Ya! #2 - I wanted to make it across in 10 minutes. I did that at least twice today, maybe all 3 times.

As for the flip flops: loved, beloved, wonderful, beat up old flip flops. I bought them about a year ago at the 99 Cents Only store. I wear them all the time. I leave them on the wall when I walk (jog!) on the beach. I even bought a second pair for when they inevitably wear out or get stolen off the beach. The first thing happened long ago, the second thing, still no, and that 2nd pair is still fresh and waiting in my closet. Who would steal those crummy old sandals? Nobody could possibly want them. I imagine someone would only take them to be mean or because they mistook them for being abandoned like trash, but that just makes them even better because I don't care. I wonder sometimes when I finish my walk (jog!) if they'll be gone. I imagine saying "oh well" and walking barefoot back to my car, but there they always still are.

They are simply perfect. They've done their job & they're still doing it. They've served their purpose for far longer than I ever expected they would. The right one has that big crack in it so that now the strap occasionally pops out if I put any more strain on it than just the gentlest of strides and even then it sometimes pops out just from stepping off the porch. But I don't care. I still love them. To me, they're still perfectly fine just the way they are. When they're gone, they're gone, and I won't shed a tear. No shoe museum for them! I love them dearly for now and I will remember them fondly when they're gone. They are as impermanent and delightful as life itself. And only 99 cents - such a deal!

:)

Ch-Ch-Changes Maybe ..... or Mysteries of the Deep

Sorry I've been away from these pages for awhile. Sometimes the days are like a blur & I don't know how they pass so quickly.

Anyway, the Ch-Ch-Changes Maybe:

Three times now I've jogged (slowly, very slowly) all the way from one end of the beach to the other, about a half of a mile, actually .6 of a mile by my calculation. I made it from Pookie to Fonzie. I'm very proud of myself for this. For me - a lazy, ex-smoking, overeating, overweight, non-motivated person - it's an amazing accomplishment. It's like a small miracle, both that I could do it & that I even wanted to do it. I did it I think three days in a row while the tide was very low. The last & third time was about a week ago. I couldn't do it again last week. I'm going to blame the higher tide & the slanting sand. Yeah, that's it. The funny thing is, it's not my breathing that gives out as I would have suspected; it's my calves. I think I have bad form & I rely on them too heavily. So now I try to change my form, to use my thighs, hips, and core more. It feels awkward but good. I envision that the movement of my arms is somehow lifting my body up and making me lighter. This jogging thing has become my new project. I like it.

The Mysteries of the Deep:

It was deliciously foggy the other morning. Like this:



The fog is definitely one of my favorite things. It adds such an air(!) of portent to the morning. I love it! It makes me think and wonder about what's lurking under the water just offshore. I imagine mythological beasts and sea dragons ready to burst forth out of the waves to claim the sky in an amazing display of water and fire. Awesomesauce.

Also, just walking in the sand and foggy air is awesome, too. I took that pic of my footsteps and not two seconds later they were washed away by a wave. Something about that impermanence makes me happy and keeps me in check. I took the pics of the fence next to the pier to illustrate low tide versus high tide. One week ago, during low tide and my walks, I was able to easily high five the concrete wall out where the fence ends. The foggy high tide day of the pics, the water came way up almost to where Pookie lives, directly down from the red pylon thing on the pier. I'm not sure if both things are visible in the photos. Anyway, neither day was at exact high or low tide. I've seen it much higher & certainly lower.

That's all for now. Just trying to squeeze this post in before another day flows right by me and through me. The days go fast but I haven't missed one yet!