Coyote Run

Dear Diary,

I hate making my body go running, but I sure do love how I feel after I run.  Shouldn't these feelings be on the same wavelength?  My run, today, was a bit of an adventure.  I, typically, walk an old Army track to warm up before I hit the trails.  Today, there was a young coyote chasing gophers at the track.  I was thrilled and pointed him out to some hikers that were heading out.  I watched the coyote leave on the trail to the right, so I opted to cross the road and run the trail that went left.  That should keep me away from his path.  WRONG!  After a couple minutes of running, I came across a young coyote in the path.  I slowed to a walk and he turned towards me in curiosity and held his position.  He looked like the little guy I had seen earlier.  Why isn't he running away?  Sigh.  I guess the trails are his, today.  I beat feet back to the pavement.  As I looked back, he was loping casually behind me.  My heart rate shot up but I forced myself to a walk so he didn't think I was worth chasing and after a couple minutes he disappeared.  I was so relieved.  I continued my workout doing out and backs from my car.  Every girl needs an escape plan, right?  After all, that little coyote was only about a quarter mile from the parking lot.  Meanwhile, I got a new Personal Record on my run.  I'll take it.

I Hate Water. . .

Dear Diary,

I had to get back on the wagon and write a blog post.  My brother seemed a little down and here is my pick-him-up response.  Salt is bad for you and I hate drinking water.  It always tastes like the container it came from.  I think my FitBit tried to kill me.  As I worked through one of those workweek challenges, I was forced to compete against others for the most steps.  Every night I went to bed #1 and every morning I woke up about 6,000 steps behind.  I blame the time difference.  I was competing with people from Minnesota.  Getting smart, I stayed up late and threw down 20,000 steps in a day.  My calves were screaming.  I ran two miles and walked another two miles later that day out on beautiful Fort Ord, California.  As I went by the vernal pools, I remember having to tell my mother what a vernal pool was when she visited.  Then I had to show her.  They can only be called beautiful.  Kind of like hanging near a deserted portion of the Mississippi River up in Minnesota.  The ducks were abundant.  I just got over a week of being sick and all that walking wore me out.  I went to see the doctor when I was sick.  He told me I had a temp of nearly 100 degrees.  When asked how long I had been running a fever, I laughed.  I told him
that I wasn't sure as I thought I was just having hot flashes.  I wonder if he thought that was as funny as I though it was.  OR it was my fevered brain that made me think I was funny.  I was sent home with instruction to 'drink more water'.  Guess that's a family trait.

Page/Life Refresh

Dear Diary,

I have a confession.  I slacked off on the writing of my book pretty much the whole month of February.  Every time I sat down, I had so much going on in my head and I would get overwhelmed.  On the bright side, my California writing buddy has given me so many tips.  It turns out that running a log at the bottom of my page (on the computer) was a way to get these thoughts down before they got lost.  I now have one wicked (read amazing) outline for my book and as I sit to write in this new month of March, I am finding my momentum is back.  I am so thankful.  Meanwhile, I saw an old friend from my Minnesota days over a long lunch, today.  I don't think we have seen each other in close to fifteen years.  It really brought back some fun memories.  Although, it did feel weird for me to think of his kids as all grown up.  I should know better since they are the same ages as mine and my kids
are all grown up.  I guess I think of them as the age I last saw them.  I invited him to my big "Half Century" party in May.  I hope he comes.