The Better thing…and I did it uphill

Ok, my middle name is PROCRASTANATION.  I can put off anything (except childbirth….especially Texter, but that’s another story).

So today, Sunday morning, I am up at a late 5:22 am (slept in folks!)I walked the dog and saw 2 fleeing deer in the dark.  Dealt with the disappointment of the coffee maker burping my coffee all over the counter rather than into the pot, started a 2nd pot of coffee and read through some emails and generally planned today would be my “art” day (I did some chores yesterday, ok!).  I have a list of things I want to do, get started on, finished up and generally trash my room in doing these things.  Open up the windows, let the light in, ignore the girls…that sort of “Sunday” thing.

Noel was laying on the end of my bed, glazing out the window and whimpering.  She was looking out onto the pathway which leads to the park.  Of which, she has made 1 trip around on Friday night, 2 trips around on Saturday and in my mind I was going to walk again this morning.

However, yea olde Procrastation reared his ugly head (I have a picture of him somewhere….will have to find it today) and I was talking myself out of the walk.

Now yesterday, I walked 2 laps and basically only did it because I had promised someone I would meet her there and we would walk.  I had slept like crap Friday night and did feel great Saturday morning, but I went anyway.  So it is was Sunday morning and I slept fine and I was justifying putting off or not walking at all.

But bundle of energy, whimpering dog talked me into it.  So at 7:45am off we go.  Now there was also a method to my madness of walking at 7:45am.  LESS DOGS IN THE PARK!  Less dogs mean less pulling.  And sure enough that was the case.

The sun was really just getting started.  The wind is brisk and a little high.  I am in my 2nd pair of sweat pants….the other pair, which I wore yesterday, are equally as big and stained.  If I get taken to the hospital in these….everyone will be embarrassed.  I just need to get some new exercise clothes is all there is to it, especially since I am now exercising!

Anyway, normally I go counter-clockwise around the lake.  The reason?  My side of the park is higher than the other side of the park.  Therefore, there is a series of hills on this side of the park.  We are not talking Mt. Everest here, put they are inclines.  By going to the right on the path, I go down the majority of the hills, making for an easier walk.  TODAY I WENT TO THE LEFT!

As a reward, this is what I got to see in the early morning sunlight, peeking out of the grasses in the marshy part of the lake.

See him (or her) there in the middle of the picture?  The heron who’s morning I disturbed by stopping and taking his picture.

Then he decided he had enough of this fool woman who was whispering “wait, wait” to the dog while trying to move around and take his picture.

Further around the lake are a couple of curly willows they have planted, complete with wire guards.  We do have a beaver issue sometimes in the park.  It is so neat to be so surrounded by neighborhoods to have this spot of nature.  I love willow trees, especially the curly ones.  And I like the curly ones in the winter when you can enjoy the branches to their full benefit.

I was paced for part of my walk by one of the swans.  Since my batteries gave out (the camera’s, not mine) before I could take his picture, you won’t see how magnificent he looked.  Of course, when I stopped to take the picture he started swimming toward us, looking for a handout.  Swans are like some people, beautiful to look upon at a distance, but nasty up close.

So not only did I go for the walk I was talking myself out of (and my exercise commitment for the day is over with), but I took the harder route.  So hopefully my decision this morning means I am actually a “smaller” person, if only by a couple of ounces, than I was earlier today.  Now let me get my cheerios and strawberries!

PS.  Texter was asleep when I left.  I get back and am greeted with “where have you been?”  Like I am going to run away with the dog and not come back….I might run away, but the dog ain’t coming!