January has settled in around us. I am somewhat housebound because of the ice and my fear of falling so I have been working out on the tread all week long. I miss the outdoors, I miss the woods and the walks with my dogs, but I know that it won’t be long before we are back out there again. When the rail trail warns you that you need spikes to walk on it then I know I am better off inside. But, yes, I miss it. John laughing at himself this week said “I am a little old man” as he shuffled down the driveway to get his newspaper. That is certainly how we feel when walking on the icy surfaces. However, on the bright side I have found some fun walks on the Peloton with uplifting music that makes me smile and dance my way through 40 minutes or more. So there is a good side too.
The Turkeys Came
The turkeys have found the bird seed in the back yard under the bird feeder which is now suspended on a clothesline contraption away from the house and closer to the trees. John has also put out some corn for them. I was on the tread when they arrived and then I let the dogs out the front door as I was telling John they were in the back yard and off they flew. One of them went straight up into the bird feeder and it went flying off the clothes line but no body was hurt. The turkeys might never come back however. The dogs don’t even really chase them they are more curious than anything. Those birds are way bigger than Bean!!
Jenny Lane Then & Now
Sometimes I really need to take a look back at where we were a year ago. This week, in 2022, we were digging up the back yard because we discovered the pipes were rotten and disintegrating in an alarming way. We did not have a bathroom at all and the laundry was pathetic at best but the machines did work once we got the drains sorted out. Sometimes I don’t realize just how much we have accomplished in this house. In the January 2022 picture you can see blue tape on the floor which is where I outlined where I thought the walls should go. I am very happy that it is January 2023. Life is luxurious now. The 2023 photo below is almost the exact angle of the 2022 picture. We added a window which made a huge difference. It is a fully functioning laundry room now and we don’t miss the wires and the insulation at all. The amazing thing is we don’t need any heater in the room as the pipes overhead are hot water and the walls are all foam insulated so it stays toasty warm.
Food For Thought
Potatoes are an interesting vegetable. Often maligned for being too starchy but in truth they are actually pretty good for you – it’s all the butter, salt and sour cream we add to the potatoes that make them not quite as healthy. My absolute favorites are the red potatoes and I use them in my stews and soups quite liberally. They are a staple in many vegetarian diets and they do fill you up. Plus, they have lots of vitamin C and potassium in them which is good for you. I found this poster on Facebook but I do not remember which page.
Reasons To Walk
As if I needed more reasons to walk! Everything is good about it except when you are walking on ice. However, that doesn’t last forever. This week I managed to get on the treadmill for six days in a row. I was really pleased with that accomplishment. That makes 11 out of the last 14 days. Since I love statistics I am keeping watch on my Peloton app. I now have a six week streak going although there were a few weeks in there when I only walked two or three days. The one thing that I have noticed is that I am getting faster. I started at 20.49 min/mile and am now at 18.38 min/mile on average. There are times when I am going much faster. Am now thinking about maybe trying to find some races in the area. I used to love to go to those when I lived down south. Nice to have a goal to work towards.
The Good News about January
I came out of a meeting on Monday at 5:10pm and this is what the sky looked like. The days ARE getting longer.
