Walden Cabin: Observations typed on an old Underwood

Love week at Walden.

Running is easier when you keep your eye on the middle distance. I discovered this today. Suzy signed me up for a 10k training course as a Christmas gift (the jury’s still out on whether this was a generous gesture or a way to kill me), and I’m just starting to get the hang of running. It seems that one of my problems was a tendancy to stare at the ground. I must have looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame in tight pants and reflective tape.

>> Love your body: Consider taking a Running Room course.

Looking up helps. The sun was setting during my run today, and my eyes were drawn up by the miraculous sight of snow flakes suspended mid-air in golden animation. It’s this kind of observation that makes life worth living, a brief moment and reminder that our time here is short and beautiful. Another reminder is the feeling that kicks in at about 6km in the run when suddenly anything’s possible and the body is firing on all cylinders. At the end of the run, the rush and pounding in the head is just so close to death that life could not be better. It’s a tough thing to explain.

>> Love your jogger neighbour: Learn CPR.

Running, of course, is only possible if followed by stretching. I was dismissive of the 20-something Running Room chick who spoke to last week’s meeting about stretching. She gave us a schedule of 15 “super, super important” stretches that, in sequence, would take about half an hour! So I didn’t do any. Jasper laughs when I have to slide up and down stairs on my sore butt.

>> Love yourself: Find out how to stretch.

In case you can’t fit in all 15 stretches, take an epsom salt bath. Add 2 cups of salts to a tubful of hot water. Stir. Enjoy.

>> Love the Internet: Order decadent bath products on-line.

… I’ve run out of stuff to write about tonight.

Quick winter observations
Bright red cardinals are suspicious birds. Maybe they're aware how ridiculously conspicuous they are. Unlike the ubiquitous sparrow or carefree chickadee, a cardinal grabs a seed from the feeder, and turns around while eating. Poor things, I guess vigilance is the price you pay for beauty. Cardinals, the celebrity winter bird.

>> Video: Birdbrain.

I've never understood why people choose to walk on the road in winter, thinking it's safer than the slippery sidewalk. And crunchy snow is not a good excuse, Elizabeth! (see comments, below).

Speaking of risk, who decided it's important to label chain link fences: Frost Fence. Gee, thanks. I would have licked it otherwise. Phew.

Environment Canada is warning us about the "big snowstorm" coming today. Ooh, 10-15 cm of gently falling snow. Any less and it could be cleared with a stiff broom. What ever happened to the classic Canadian winter storm? 30+ cm of snow, followed by days of high winds and drifting. I say it's not a storm if you don't have to use a pole to find the car afterward.

Got any good storm memories??