Find Your Inner Peace

 I just thought I'd share some colorful calming stuff today.
These are photos from last April when the forest was beginning to awaken.

I listened to the news this morning. Not good.

I am taking the rest of the day off from the news as yesterday was a cluster-f-ck. Pardon my French. It started off by an event on the way to my doctor's appointment.

Olive's husband's dog ran out [they wear electronic collars and always just run to the ditch and stop]. 

Apparently the collar didn't work and he went right into my front right of the car just under the headlight and next to the front wheel. 

Stunned, I went 20 feet and stopped and couldn't see the dog anywhere. So I called and Olive answered breathlessly that she had the dogs in the house and she was sorry. And I was sorry. And my car suffered damage to the front piece that I'd just replaced a year and a half ago from the great liquid cement fiasco.

UFFDAH!

So then it was time to see my doctor. She is a PA that I've seen since I've lived here. She is much younger than I am so I must have started seeing her when she was 'brand new'. 

I started to keep a daily log of the weird stuff since I started to have some strange muscle and joint pain at the end of December. 

Short notes.
Date, what happened, pain level, tylenol taken, or heat, or ice, ... for each day something happened. The good days were noted and I told her those days were active days for me in which I felt normal enough to hike and enjoy life.

I also gave her my 'log' of BP's. She kept that and now next week I have to go in once more just to give in a week's new log and a readings. I'll see a nurse who will check my BP and see if the cuff is as accurate human reader. [A bit of sarcasm there]. 

She did note that if she gave me BP meds she was afraid I'd bottom out a lot. 

I had her note the stars next to the higher readings with short hand notes that explained that things that disturbed the balance of things which make my BP peak. 

You know the balance of my inner peace and contentment....which I'm sure I am in control of each day...you know that inner peace thing....

"Oh your blood pressure is elevated today," said Anne, she is so sweet. She gives me the eye.

"I hit my friend's dog on the way here." I reply. "Dog's okay. I'm not. I feel like my inner peace took a crap."

Anne smiles and we move on to what she feels are pertinent. This is an ER after visit after all.

Protocol says that the chest pains were not a heart attack and probably not angina. To rule other things out I'll have a Stress Test.

"You are at that AGE now where we have to think about these things," Anne says in her nice but firm voice.

I grasp me chest and go all wide eyed. "What? I'm at THAT age. OMG, I thought I'd be dead by THAT age." I blink and smile sweetly.

See, Anne gets me. She chuckles and says, "You are that AGE." She didn't throw me out of the little room we were in.

I am poked, prodded, listened to and examined and then I go see the vampire so she can take vials of blood. [Do lab workers drink that stuff??? Kidding]

We discuss that it could have been anxiety. But why the weird pain? She looks at the notes and the logs and then at the side effects of Prolia and says it didn't happen in the first weeks of Prolia?

I'll address that at another time. I have a theory.

Good news though. 

Anne knows that I am stuck at home more in the winter. She asks if I have 'support' and I tell her about my Legends Class and my Wolf Pack ... well coffee/workout buddies but that sounds so lame.

Anne concludes that we'll do the follow ups, the Stress Test, and that I need to go to class with my friends even if I can't do much.

She then forbids me to go hiking until after the Stress Test. 

Do you think I can follow her rules for the next 3 days?

Be like Charlie find your

Inner Peace....

Ps~ The dog is fine, he is sore but he will be okay. Nathan came out and saw the damage and told me to get it fixed and they will pay for it. 
No hard feelings between us and a quick hug while standing in the road this morning.

Challenges...

This is the map of part of the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. I took the map of the southwestern topographic map and overlayed it onto the Tromp and Chomp running route that KVR put together.
The trail run can be an 8 mile run or a 13.1 mile run. I can say I am not a fan of half marathons so I won't even try it in a trail run.

It has been so many years since I even attempted something like this. But one of my CrossFit pals was talking about it and I decided a goal for Spring would be a good idea.

Now this sounds totally insane for me right? I went out the other day for a 'run'. Let's just say it wasn't a run like 7 or even 8 minute miles. That train left MY station a very long time ago. I left any devices that could record my 'time' at home and went out to see if I could still enjoy a 'run'.
Funny thing is. I followed my son's advice and I ran, toddled, jogged, moved...whatever you'd like to call it for 2.5 miles. When I struggled hard on a hill, I slowed to a hard fast walk and recovered to go again.

When I reached our mailbox, I felt really quite good inside and outside. My feet still felt light my legs were not heavy. Nothing was broken!

Okay, two miles and a half won't get me down an 8 mile trail run will it? So I ran again yesterday. Only a mile, as our CrossFit workout in the morning was a killer workout.
The first half of the mile was a struggle, like jogging/running through soup. The last half was light and easy.
I picked up the mail and headed down the slippery driveway thanking my ancestors for good knees.

My son Eddie, has done many trail runs and he is advising me on how to approach this goal. Run a bit, walk a bit because the terrain won't allow you to actually run when you are going over boulders, roots, and through mud.
And I have hiked these trails over and over that are on the map. I agree. Parts of Little Canada can be beastly and require my hiking skills.

These are some photos from a past winter hike...I was incredibly amused by the trail markers...
Horses upside down and broken bikes. Does this mean it is a really difficult trail?

A swift hiker can do well in a trail 'race'. But my goal is NOT a race against others. It is a goal of can I do it?
Can I get set this goal and achieve it just before I turn 64.
I like challenges and goals.
That is how I live my life.

No runs today or tomorrow. Perhaps on Saturday or Sunday. Unless I can get to KVR and hike this trail again. It is a fun one.

That's the way things go...

Beautiful Night Hike at Wildcat Mountain State Park:

The full moon was bright and clear once it came above the horizon.

Tiki Torches lit the trail which was a bit slick in spots from the ice storm. But it was worth it!

I took the above shot knowing that it would turn out pretty crappy, but in my mind's eye...

I saw this:

After all, the moon the trees, the reflections off the ice and snow where amazing and so beautiful!


I'd made some awesome creamed chicken soup from leftovers and so Sunday was just a lazy day of folding laundry and doing chores.

While I was doing chores the phone rang and Rich didn't pick it up as he didn't recognize the number. But he called me in...actually he went outside onto the porch and flagged me down!

The call was from the Guardian and his mother was being taken to the local ER, could I call the Guardian back? I was watching the water tank fill so I texted the Guardian.

MIL was suspected to have pneumonia could I notify my SIL? I texted sure and made the call. SIL calls back as I am getting my coat on.
"What's up? What's going on? How is she?..." you know the endless questions that one wants to ask.
I remind her that she is calling on the landline, so I am still at the house and not at the hospital. I suppose I should be used to her knee jerk reactions by now. So I tell her I will text her after I see her mother.

I do get to the hospital as the nurses are setting up IV antibiotics. Mom sounds tough and she rattles and has labored breathing. They have her on 02 but she is in good spirits and seems to be well aware of what is going on.
The nurses are vague as far as any diagnosis but do say that they are treating for suspected pneumonia. Blood tests reveal that there is an infection.
I help MIL eat a sandwhich and she loves the fresh fruit plate, dislikes the coffee, and dislikes the soda and states to the nurses that she will NOT drink water.
One of her IV's is for re-hydration of course.

I stay until she is settled and falls asleep.

I did inform SIL via text and she starts asking: Is this related to her legs?

I scratch my head. MIL is near stage IV kidney failure so has badly swollen legs but I'm not sure what the connection is except that MIL is not very healthy and has several medical issues going on all of the time. That is why she is a resident in the nursing home.

I text back: I don't know.
She texts back: I KNOW

I don't answer as I am perplexed as to how she knows everything. Besides, SIL rarely makes much sense.


At 6am this morning I start getting texts from SIL in Utah.
"How is the patient?"
She means well, but sometimes I think SIL has an alternate reality where I am her personal assistant from afar.
I text back: "It is 6am and I have to plow and do chores, take care of your brother...I am not at the hospital."
Her reply: "So when are you going to be there?"

I think about the things I'd like to say. But am pleasant in my reply:
"When I get there."
I wanted to say....If you are concerned, you can get there first.
Snarky as she moved to Utah and we are in Wisconsin.

But not Snarky because she told me that she did not want to care for her mother or visit her.

So there.
So please don't expect me to be extra kind to relatives that pretend to care so much but really don't.

That's the way things go...

So you do well for your....

Hepatica

Black Tulip Fungi

Skunk Cabbage

Virginia Pinks

Wild Dutchman's Breeches

My neighbor who turned 32 this week wanted to go for a nice long hike with me...sans the children.  We've gone on short hikes because even though her three year old is a tough little hiker, I was pretty sure he wasn't going to enjoy this hard hike.

We covered about 3 miles under the canopy of more than one forest mini eco-system.

Near my place there were no flowers blossoming and just the mayflowers were beginning to poke there heads up like little torpedoes through the leaves.

She has studied plants and I have studied the forest floor.  She could give me the proper scientific names and I could ID the plant with the common name.

We headed through our land into the valley across the creek and up onto the ridge.  We took a fast walk over what we fondly call 'the velodrome' which is an open ridge.  It was farmed two years ago and no one did a thing with it last year.

As we dropped onto the trail that lead to the 'back' valley, flowers began to be noticeable in abundance.

Everywhere we looked there was beautiful hues of white, pink, purple, and blues.

The Hepatica were up ... and another plant I call Virginia Pinks which are actually Virginia Spring Beauties.

I was disappointed not to be able to find the Blood Root, but I'm pretty sure they'll come on strong as soon as the weather warms.

Well we wondered into the 'hidden' valley, crossed the creek and found skunk cabbage in all of its glory.

Then off we went while I pointed out landmarks that would soon disappear with the greening of the woods.

We went past the 'ice' cave and did some ravine exploring.

When we got back to the first valley, we crossed that creek and headed back through the old mule trail.  I did a little half step and trip but didn't fall.

I laughed and said something about one day I'd probably fall down and not be able to do this sort of hike any more.

My good young friend said, "You do so well for your..."

I could literally hear her mouth slam shut.

I laughed.  "For my age?"

"Um, no," she recovered, "most people my age couldn't keep up with you!"

Funny, I don't feel that 'aged'.  

We had a great time.