Walking, Weight Loss, and Daydreams

   The picture at the top of this blog is one of my daughter's mother-in-law, Marlene Blosser, and me on Tricia and Jeff's wedding day in 2007. It is my aim to be able to fit into that dress again sometime before June. To that end, I have been walking and eating less.

   I have been trying to walk at least an hour a day. I get in about three miles when I do that, probably averaging about 18 miles a week. I see it this way, you can lose weight with diet, but you'll never change your shape unless you exercise.  I am also doing a dance class about once a week with my darling daughter, which is more fun than anything. I am not a good dancer at all. But it gets me moving and I exercise different muscle groups than by just walking.

   It is becoming more challenging to walk. I have to bundle up a little more. It was 21 degrees Farenheit here yesterday morning. CHILLY! I intend to walk outside as long as I possibly can. I understand that walking in the cold actually burns more calories; something to do with converting the cold air you breathe.

  I have lost a total of 15 pounds, but not sure what the Thanksgiving holiday has done for that number. At any rate, the doctor told me that he only wanted me to lose 5 pounds between now and the next time I see him in three months. I told him that I intended to lose more than that, and he just said that it would be "a plus". 

   This is kind of boring so far, but I just wanted to say that I have time while I am walking to think about all kinds of things. Yes, I think about breathing deeply, and how good it is for me to be outside, and what a stress reduction it is to take the time to be out there. But I also think about the people that I love, places I would like to go, places I have been, things that I want to do.

   I think about the people that I love, and, don't think I'm crazy, but I sometimes have imaginary conversations with them.  I usually am sitting down with them, in my imagination, having tea or coffee, or sometimes I let them have a beer, if they need it. I tell them that they are going to be just fine, and that I love them. I listen to them tell me what they are really struggling with. I share my struggles with them, and we are both better for having shared. I think it is so important to build people up instead of tearing them down.

  I think about places that I have been to, and places where I would like to go. Two years ago in October we went to Calgary, Alberta Canada, job hunting for Jay. And, while we were there, we ended up in Banff. Let me tell you, I loved Banff. I would love to go there again. The city is surrounded by beautiful, tall, snow covered mountains in October. It snowed while we were there.  I can't say exactly why, but I would live there in a heartbeat, if I got the chance.  It is rugged, wild, and beautiful.

  I haven't been to a lot of places, really, in my life. But there are places I dream of going. I think I should see Hawaii some day. I think I should go to Steamboat, Colorado on a ski trip. I think I would like to do a Carribean cruise. I want to go to Alaska. I want to see some of Europe. I think about all of this while I am out on my walking trips. 

  I have a rather wild imagination, so I often dream about taking others with me on these trips. Most often, I think of taking different ones of my kids with me. Sometimes I think I would love to take some of my siblings. I guess, when I am walking, I entertain myself this way. I really love people, and I am never really alone, as long as I am carrying them in my heart.

  Sometimes, out on those walks though, I just rejoice in the beauty of the day. It is sunny, or it is rainy. It is warm, or it is cold. But, whatever it is really like, I always have my eyes open to see something. One morning, here in town, there was a deer. What is a deer doing in town? But he was here. There are little rabbits in the yards. There are fat squirrels. The leaves have fallen off the trees. I wonder if each leaf is different, like snow flakes. So many thoughts flow through my head as I am walking, and losing weight, and daydreaming.