Day 10 -- The Thermometer - Believe or Not

The sun was shining and the temperature looked pretty good, so I bundled both Lucy and Belle, tucked them into the double stroller with a blanket over their knees.

We were off for a short walk while their mother was away.

The thermometer did not say anything about the wind! It was "passing through!"
The sun decided to play hide and seek with the clouds! I thought we should just go back home.
The girls were laughing as their tiny fingers got cold and their noses turned red and Lucy said, "Go that way."
We kept walking for another block and I spotted a brass marker in the sidewalk for today's photo.

Finally, I decided we had had enough. Just as we turned around, my daughter drove up, popped hats on heads and mittens on fingers. She got back in her car and we raced her home. The short walk was a really short walk!

Next time I check the thermometer, I believe I'll pop my head out to check the wind as well.


Note about the marker: The markers, which are rapidly disappearing, were placed by my husband's uncle's company which laid the sidewalks more than 60 years ago. We are so familiar with them, we have sometimes overlooked them, but are now often surprised to find them at all.

Only a half mile
200 Miles in 100 Days
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Day 9 - Off To See the Art!

There is a small show of paintings from France in the Art Hall of Sacred Heart, so the plan was to drop books at the library and add a few more blocks to our walk to see the art.

Just past the library, Lucy and I waved at Ronald who was sitting on the porch of his special house in his bright red shoes. We checked out a couple of playgrounds for possible stops on another trip. We talked about the 'walk' and 'don't walk' signs which were different than ones we'd seen before.

We could see the spires of the old church several blocks away, so we hurried on. Sacred Heart, a deconsecrated Catholic church of immense architectural value, has become an important part of the cultural life of the community.








We looked at the building with its windows glowing in the afternoon light, watched a man playing the organ with his feet, and checked the pictures from the South of France.

We want to go again, so we think we'll put this on our plan another day.

Two miles and a little more
200 Miles in 100 Days
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On the Inside Looking Out

The weather has been rainy and cold.

Having spent six weeks of January and February 2007 with bronchial/respiratory stuff, I'm not tempting the winds of winter, so we have looked for other ways to get a little exercise. Stair climbing and dancing to kindergarten songs (whew!) have been the main ones. Shopping takes a bit of energy, too.

But. . . no one likes the days when walking has to be done inside -- even when there is a bookstore's fun mural involved.


200 Miles in 100 Days
AAB

Day 8 Send in the Clowns

The plan for yesterday was a walk to the library for story time and a visit by the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus clowns. It seemed a good plan: a mile there; a mile back. It WAS a good plan: it was fun and we got more books!

Leaving the library, we turned West instead of East and visited another clown who resides on the porch of the Ronald McDonald House just a few doors away.

It was a lovely cool day -- about 50 degrees F -- with a little sun. A little more than a mile and we would be home again...

BUT . . . we could hear a train and rushed to see it. There were horses and cows for the Futurity at the arena just three blocks over. There was a lovely dalmatian named Gentry in the parking lot whose owners let come out to play.

Who could just come home when all of that was calling? It was a long walk.

Three plus miles.
200 Miles in 100 Days
AAB

Not Since 2002

I usually wait later in the day to walk when the weather is warmer and the morning commute fumes have dispersed. I took pictures into the dark of "later in the day" -- sleet, rain and snow.

I was amazed at how the camera (my Olympus) picked out one single snowflake.

We've not had measurable snow since 2002.

(Actually, we've hardly had measurable rain!)

200 Miles in 100 Days
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A $200 Day

It seems when you announce your plans to the world, your best-laid plans go awry. Once again, no walking. Although I did not mark a day in my 100, I did write a check for $200 to retrieve our big white male cat from the Vet. He had a bug which was complicated by a bad heart. Apparently, cats don't usually have heart problems. He looks better.


200 Miles in 100 Days
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Day 7 - Into the Dark

My walking buddy for today was older daughter.

Just before supper, we set a brisk pace into a brisk wind. This was the latest in the day that I have walked so far and I began to see things in 'a different light.' In the near dark, I was drawn to the patterns and colors of these prickly pear. We stopped for several photos and I thought I had my 'point of interest' for the day.

But as we began our return, we again passed this house; it's lighted side shining out in a Hopperesque glow. The light and shadow seemed to emphasize it's lonely location between an empty lot and a chain link fenced parking lot.

I was glad our walk took us into the evening dark.


Two miles.
200 Miles in 100 Days
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A Sad Day

There was no walking yesterday.

We had a long drive to the country church and cemetery for the funeral of a 35 year old first cousin-once removed. He was the much-loved magician son of one of my favorite cousins.

It was a sad day.


200 Miles in 100 Days
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Day 6 - A Sliver of Moon

There were just two today for a very brisk 30 minute stroll just on our street. We set the timer and turned back at the Signers' Monument. I love the trees in our neighborhood especially in the winter when the moon peeps through.

About 1 mile.
200 Miles in 100 Days
AAB

Day 5 - Past the Tiny Gardens

There were five of us today on a stroll through the neighborhood. Even when not walking far or fast, the addition of a stroller makes just a half-hour into a work-out!

So today we turned left on 3rd and right at Telfair to stop by some old pocket gardens. It was still very wet, so we didn't linger but kept a pretty steady pace. We saw the huge Gingko tree which was planted to commemorate George Washington's visit South and we later passed the parade grounds where he reviewed the troops of the Academy (later, my high school.) We managed the maze of a formal boxwood garden and listened to the fountain in nearby walled garden. We peered through the gate at the Old Medical College building and listened to the bells in nearby church steeples. It was a short walk with lots to see.

Lights were on in houses as we came back down the street. Neighbors were coming home, walking dogs and settling in for the night.


1 mile and a little
200 Miles in 100 Days
AAB

Day 4 - It's a Wet Thursday

Today, we headed for the River again, but went a slightly different route for better sidewalks, ramps and access to the Levee. Collegiate rowers were on the River, the Great Blue Heron lifted in the air close by and we found a tiny little Hero poised for a fight in the Playground.

Lucy is really proud of her new umbrella and happy that it was a misty day. I was happy that we had a ride home for the last mile.

About 2 1-2 miles.
200 Miles in 100 Days
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Day 3 - A Late Afternoon Stroll

Late in the afternoon, we just strolled a short distance after a day of threatening rain. Along the way, there were occasional stops to pick up a stray doll or juice bottle, watch a bird or to take a photo like this one with my iPhone of an gentle sunset.

About 1 mile.
200 Miles in 100 Days
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Day 2 - Double Trouble

Today, my walk involved the double stroller and two little ones who were excited to feed the ducks at the river -- it was a much longer walk. Granddaughter Lucy is my walking buddy on most days. Today, we were joined by Belle. We walked about a mile to the River past the playground to where the gulls and ducks hang out. They quickly ate the crackers we threw and demanded more. We walked the full length of the RiverWalk and back home.

The sun made an effort to shine between the rolling clouds.


About 3 1-2 miles.
200 Miles in 100 Days
AAB

Day 1 - January 7

Getting started is always hard. The walking has taken a while to get going. The blog has taken a while to get going. But, I'll keep walking and catch up by pre-dating Day 1-Day6.
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On Monday, I walked with Lucy in her stroller the mile to the library, paid a fine and got new books.

We just saw the usual things on our street, so we looked for cocoons like this one which we found in front of our house last week. It is a beautiful soft cocoon which is brushed with gold. It is protected by the four leaves, still attached to the tree,which were pulled down around it. The leaf "houses" were unique.

We didn't find any of new ones, but we did get the book about "Madeline" again and a new book about "Henry and Mudge."

2 miles
200 Miles in 100 Days
AAB