Last weekend was swell, even though there was no lumbering and no photo creeping.
Saturday was spent watching footy from the time I woke up until late in the afternoon. As a bonus, Spurs won 3-0 over West Ham, and sit 3rd in the table after 4 games. Yeah, yeah, I know it’s super early, but after finishing 17th last year, it’s nice to imagine a top-four finish.
Sunday was another day of slack and footy, but made even better with a visit from Brennan. It’s been over a month since B has been able to make it home, and it was great to see him and catch up with him on the various film projects he’s a part of, as well as hang out with him and Wifey watching Animal House and eating Jet’s pizza (which immediately gave me indigestion, but I’ll take one for the team).
Come Monday, I was up at 5:20 AM to feed Lola and then wait around for it to think about getting light out. Before you ask, yes, I have a headlamp and enjoy using it, but half the reason I hike is to get my photo-geek on, and having some daylight helps. The other reason is to give myself the illusion that I’m actually pushing myself physically outdoors.
Finally, at 6:45, I was slowly hurling myself and Escape II (Electric Boogaloo) down the road through fog so dense you couldn’t even see the homes along the road. My bung was pretty puckered by the time I got to the trails.
The hike and day were all too familiar: hike 6 miles, see some deer in the dark woods, and a few random turkeys as acorns plummet from branches of thinning leaves above. Try to take photos at 1/30th of a second, get nothing all that good because, 1/30th of a second, come home, eat breakfast, shower, do laundry, go for groceries, install a new toilet seat, drop the vacuum off at the Vacuum Cleaner Hospital to have a new cord installed, fold the finished laundry, feed Lola again, make dinner, clean kitchen, watch some crap on TV, go to bed, and get ready to do it all again on Tuesday.
And that’s exactly what I did.
Once again, the fog was horrible on my way to the trails, and I was relieved to arrive it without incident with a car or deer.
As I entered the park, through the fog, I saw what I thought was two large piles of garbage near the empty gate shack. But then it moved, and it turned out to be the two young people who have been living with what appears to be their father (or kidnapper) in the campground for the past 6+ weeks. They were sitting, covered with blankets, waiting for a ride somewhere. I feel so bad for them. I can’t imagine living in the park’s campground for as long as they have. There are no showers, no flush toilets, and only some well water. I just hope they find a place to live before winter arrives. I’m kicking around the idea of dropping off a small care package of food or something for them. I digress.
I did a near carbon copy of yesterday’s loop, but added a small section to get me 6.28 miles on the day, and 12.34 on the week so far.
About three miles in, as I was looking through the web-filled weeds looking for spiders, I saw an eagle flying above through the heavy fog, and snapped a few pics in the hopes I’d get something usable. I sort of did, but the fog was denser than my noggin, and the pic won’t grace my walls anytime soon.
After I got home, I threw some breakfast down my throat and then scurried outside to start mowing the lawn before pausing to take Lola for her bath and pedicure. Then home to finish the lawn, shower, pick Lola up, run some errands, eat lunch (rigatoni with some diced tomatoes and olive oil), and get in the zone to watch Spurs make their return to Champions League football at 3 when they take on Villarreal. #COYS
The week is off to a good start and a great way to start my 3rd Lumberversary week (Friday is the actual day).
Later.