Day Three: October 11, 2006 - 9.63 total miles

Today, much like yesterday, I didn't feel like walking. I did though, and it went pretty well. I mapped a course that would go by my ex-sister-in-law's house so I could stop in and say hi. I underestimated the hill she lives on. Needless to say, I was a panting, sweating pile of "I'm never doing this again" by the time I got to her unnaturally steep driveway. I visited for about an hour, and headed home (downhill, which should have been easier, and was, but still had it's moments). I took some pictures of course, and really enjoyed the day. I walked 3.14 miles in 1 hour, 25 minutes (combined). Nico said his second word while we were coming home. It was "Bubba" which is what we call Vinny (Big Bubba [brother]). I told him we were going to go get Bubba from school, and he said Bubba several times. I called Mat to tell him, and ever optimistic, he said Nico will most assuredly say "Dada" sometime before fifth grade. A few minor notes about my walk today, nothing major. I was thrilled to find out that the prickly pods on the trees I've been seeing are chestnuts! I took before and after pics. I came upon a pond on my way, and about half-way past, a snake slithered away from me and into the brush. Startled me, but oddly, snakes are not something I'm afraid of, so I kept on truckin'. I was stopped shortly after by a big black chow who was not on a leash, and was eye-balling me hungrily. Perhaps my walking really has made me tougher, because he finally gave way and let me pass. My third reason for pause was the most heavenly smell I've smelled in a while. I pinpointed it immediately: an apple tree with ripe apples rotting in the sun (sounds gross, but it's cloyingly, wonderfully sweet-smelling. It reminded me of my summers across the street at a neighbor's who would make us clean up their orchard while they were supposed to be babysitting us. Free labor, I guess. Anyway, it was a nice change from the citrus trees in Arizona.

Nothing too scary to report as far as Halloween goes, but there was this completely freaky display that was way high up on the "just plain wrong" scale. I've got to get Vin in a few, so I'll end it there, but I'm looking forward to another great walk tomorrow.

I'm wondering how I'll keep going when I go to NJ next week. I guess it will be even cooler since the neighborhoods are all new to me. We'll see!