Stuff and nonsense

Tis a lovely Wednesday morning. The rain has moved on and we can expect warm sunshine for the next week. I'm all for that, although I've become enough of an Oregonian that I don't really pay much attention to the rain, anyway. Doesn't mean I don't prefer warm sunshine!

Been a quiet week. Sunday I hiked up the trail again, but this time I went in the reverse direction and I like that a lot better. Partly because I'm already part way up the elevation gain, so why go downhill to the other trailhead and then have to regain all that elevation? Of course, I have to eventually gain it, and at the end of the hike as I come back uphill to home, but that's ok.

Another reason I like that direction better is that the trail from here to the park trail is very steep and roughly maintained, and much easier to walk up than to walk down. Walking down is uncomfortable in many places and it seems very likely that I could fall at any moment. I think a good hiking stick would help, but I don't have one so uphill it is. I also learned on Sunday that weekends are a time to avoid the trail because of the bikes on it. I absolutely hate bikes on a hiking trail. It's totally legal, it's a multi-use trail, but they always make me uncomfortable barreling at me and forcing me to step aside or be run over. Takes away much of the peace and tranquility of hiking in nature. So -- weekdays it is.

Today I'm headed to the local humane society to get an orientation for possible volunteer work, which will probably involve cleaning the cattery once a week. I know that sounds yucky to lots of you, but it doesn't bother me in the least and I love being around all the cats. I did this in Brookings for awhile and it was really rewarding.

I've lost 1.5 lbs this past week, despite going off the diet, having wine and coffee and cheese and my 'normal' diet. The weight has seemed to fall off much faster since ending the diet, and I don't know if that's just coincidence or if there is some real correlation. It isn't likely to be what I'm eating, but I can easily see that it may be due to removing that stress. I feel so much better, mentally, not having to think about all that. Still counting calories, and have resigned myself to do that for a good while longer. Whatever. If it keeps working, I don't mind.

No gym this week, either. My body has been so weak that I decided to give it a week off, let it rest a little. Not sure how much good it's doing -- my arms feel like cooked spaghetti as I write this.

Yep -- more boring stuff. But maybe tomorrow will be better. I plan to hike the trail again, and this time I'm taking my camera because the number and variety of wildflowers blooming out there was just astonishing on Sunday. There was even a patch of wild orchids -- and much more.