The Great Outdoors

So, yeah, what’s with this weather? Late January and we’ve got temperatures in the upper 30s to lower 40s. This week’s forecast says the mercury will climb into the 50s!

Well, I finally took advantage of the anomaly and headed outdoors last week. I already told you that last Monday, but Friday was the big bonanza day. It’s just that I had such a busy weekend that this is the first chance I’ve had to write about it. Really!

I don’t suppose it’s all that exciting actually, as I returned to literally running errands – two credit unions to visit, including one to make my car payment (delicious irony that). But, oh, the goodies! Another pair of shorts (too big this time I’m afraid), a shopping bag, a lumbar cushion and loads of cans. But why was there a set of plastic fangs – vampire teeth – like kids wear at Halloween lying on the sidewalk?

Anyway, it was an adventure. Monmouth Boulevard, where I was running anyway, is a wide street that leads to the town’s former manufacturing district. The sidewalks along there are narrow and the minimal housing and remaining businesses means no shoveling is done. While the snow is rapidly melting (hardly any remains as I write this) there was enough crowding the sidewalks on Monmouth Boulevard that it was something of an obstacle course. As I dodged snow piles, dancing like a football player hopping through the tires, my feet periodically found gushy patches of mud where the snow had melted away. I never slipped, but my shoes were a mess at the end.

Today's Stats

Temp: 39 degrees F

Distance: 4.86 miles

Weekly Total: 10.86 miles

Treasure: 1 rubber-palmed work glove; 1 child’s mitten (pink, knit); 1 black magic glove; 1 pair gym shorts (gold, extra large); 1 reusable grocery bag (Humana); 1 CD-R; 1 lumbar support-style cushion; 1 set plastic vampire teeth; 26 cans.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)

The Red Strokes – Garth Brooks (Trouble finding the original, award-winning video, but this one's cool)

Summertime – New Kids on the Block

Hey You (Live) – Roger Waters

Rosanna – Toto

The Scientist – Coldplay

Ya Ya – Lee Dorsey

More Than This – Roxy Music

Roll With the Changes – REO Speedwagon

Veracruz – Santana

Broken – Tears for Fears

Rock of Ages – Def Leppard

Searching for a Heart – Don Henley (cover)

Wide Boy – Nik Kershaw

Prove Your Love – Taylor Dayne (... was so freakin' hot!)

Bad Enough – James McMurtry

Hey Jude (Anthology version) – The Beatles