Ponder this:

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

The cat just took me for a walk

In my effort to become as much more mobile as I can without making myself sad about it, I determined to do what I call my "loop walk" whenever the mood strikes. It's out one driveway, up the road (respectable hill), down the other driveway. It's a beautiful walk and is short enough that I can do it on a whim, without allocating more than ten minutes for it. There are the rest of you hiking up mountain and down dale and pitching hay bales and hauling compost and here am I, striving to do a ten minute walk on anything like a regular basis. 
That's all right; one has to start somewhere, doesn't one?


Most people who have dogs have canine companionship on country road walks. I used to. Tonight, Max was sleeping and Angus stood in the door and said, "It's too close to fisher/dark time. I'm not goin'!" MiMau, on the other hand, was out in front of me, leading the way, her little hang-down belly swinging from side to side. We were a good pair, now that I picture us in memory...


I saw some lovely simple pink flowers that looked like this, but appeared to have grapeviney leaves. Who can tell, without investigation (and I was walking, not investigating) what leaves are attached to what flower on these country roadsides?
I don't care what they are, beyond Pretty


Rugosa

A brown thrasher followed MiMau and me for a little time, yelling at us in some Slavic language and in French: "Chak! Chak! Piriot! Piriot! Piriot!" Makes me wonder where that bird spends his winters.

There is a spot about a third of a mile along where some trees rub together in the breeze. I look to see which trees they are but they stop until I turn back around. They sound a little Halloweeny, sneakily creaking like that.  

By the time I got to the entrance to the top driveway tonight, I was swinging along pretty well, and it's all downhill from there, so it got very easy at the same time. 
That worked out well! 
As I approached the house, Angus stood inside the glass door and barked at me. Husband came and opened the door. Angus stayed in the doorway and barked. Husband remonstrated with him for trying to wake everybody (Max) up. Angus said, "It's too close to fisher/dark time. I'm not goin'!" and indeed, he did not come out the door, even onto the still very well-lit-by-sunshine lawn. That's all right. He's sixteen: he doesn't have another skinning recovery left in him.

As I came inside, and turned to close the door, I looked back and saw MiMau sprawled on the gravel of the driveway. I think she's going to wait for a passing chipmunk or a still-inept baby bird of some description to pass by. She's a good companion for a walk: doesn't require conversation, doesn't go too fast or too slow, doesn't care if we stay abreast . . . and doesn't critique my performance at the end, but goes on with her own agenda.

20 comments:

VioletSky said...

If nothing else, your daily walks could give you some good blog fodder!

i used to have a cat that my room-mates and I would take for walks on a lead. The routine soon morphed into a 'let me be carried until we have turned the last corner then let me down' walk. He usually ran all the way home for that last block. We must have looked quite a sight for the neighbours sitting on their porches.

June said...

VioletSky, you remind me of taking my first poodle to a village-wide garage sale. He was old and infirm and shortly into our walk around the village I picked him up and carried him. People were disgusted and didn't mind telling me so. I thought they were rude.

georgia little pea said...

There are a couple of people on my street who take their cats for walks. One I call The Mad CatWoman because she feeds all the street cats and they've taken over the intersection, refusing to move for anyone or anything. (They also attack dogs.) The other once took her cat to the dog park (DUH) and drove all the mutts nuts. Your walk sounds much more civilised and non-harmful to dogs :)

Actually, that was a really nice walk you had, with or without dogs or cats. Why can you only walk 10 minutes? I will be joining you soon since I'm up for a second knee op.

Hugs to the sedentary poods x

Rubye Jack said...

As usual I've been giving myself my nightly lecture on getting up early so I can go for a walk. Sometimes it works. I have to go by 8am because of the heat and I'm not at all a morning person so I tell myself just do one loop, 1/4 mile. It all counts for the good. Usually I make it a mile but who's counting.

Rose ~ from Oz said...

Mimau sounds like my kinda walking companion! I thought I was ever-so clever doing a 30 minute round today!(first one in a month) :(

June said...

GLP . . . it isn't that physically I CAN'T walk for more than ten minutes. It's something psychological . . . if it's ten minutes, it is, by definition, not work (to my brain). Longer than that is Another Chore In My Day.

Rubye, you're doing well to go on after your 1/4 mile, and to tell the truth, that's part of my plan once I grow more fit. I need to get back into the "wandering" mind mode on these walks. It appears maybe you've accomplished that.

Rose! Hi! I'm quite sure with your walking around inner cities et al, you've been getting quite a lot of exercise.

threecollie said...

I love the fruit of the flowering raspberries if ever I beat the catbirds and cardinals to one! Your walk sounds wonderful to me. There is so much to be seen even in a little distance. I rarely go beyond the house and barnyards, for the same reason, plus that darned tick phobia, yet there are so many birds and plants and skies to see every day. You enjoy your walks and we will too vicariously.

June said...

Well, thank you, Marianne! Flowering raspberry! THANK YOU!

DJan said...

It all adds up, ten minutes outside walking is wonderful, June! I am so happy to see and hear of your adventures on your walks. You made me smile today with this post. :-)

Jacqueline Donnelly said...

Sounds like a very satisfying ramble, made even sweeter by the quiet companionship of your cat. If that big beautiful "rose" had grapeviney leaves, it was Purple-flowering Raspberry and you can look forward to snacking on its big plush fruits (if the birds don't get them first).

Anonymous said...

I LOVE that MiMau joins you on your walk! As for the path you take, it sounds very much like mine. I'm doing something very similar with my dog, only we head out to a field behind my house. I haven't timed it, but I'd say it doesn't exceed 15 or 20 minutes, at the outside. Nevertheless, it's something, right? I had to laugh at your description of the Thrasher.

Carolynn Anctil said...

Oops...that "Unknown" commenter up there is me. Apparently, I was logged in as someone else...weird.

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Congratulations on finding a pretty walk of just the right length .
Cardiovascular perfection will ensue , I'm sure ... and by the end of the summer you'll be on first name terms with that thrasher. If I did the same round here , I might be making rather different buddies !

June said...

DJan, yes, thank you. If I keep this up at this rate, by 2094 I might be as fit as you. :-)
Woodswalker, thank you! I checked the plants and found many many flower buds. I doubt I'll get to the fruit before the birds do, but perhaps I can use them as bait for myself to Get Out There.
Carolynn, well, yes. It is something. And a good part of the point of the whole thing is the good it does for the inside of my head and THAT's working quite well.
S&S, last night Husband and I both played with the thrasher and he came as close as he could in the birch tree, leaning out to duet with each of us. :-)

georgia little pea said...

I get that June. Totally. I can walk quite a lot (still) but for some reason, I can't run more than a couple of blocks. My pea brain shuts down and it's time for a coffee break.

What supper? I'm having a blur moment :)

georgia little pea said...

Okay, post before this one :) hope Husband is feeling better x

Barb said...

This is where I coach you that the "new" theory is that 10 minutes (albeit several times a day) is perfect. Here is what I've read - walk s-l-o-w-l-y for a couple minutes to warm up. Pick up the pace for another couple minutes but easy does it. Then - walk like H - fast as you can - for a couple minutes to get the heart pumping - I'm talking barely able to catch your breath. Then do another set. You'll have to add two minutes for a total of 12 rather than 10. The cat can do as she pleases. Good Luck. Hope your husband is feeling stronger.

June said...

GLP, Husband's feeling like he's had twenty years shaved off his age, so yes, he's feeling GREAT!
Barb, thank you for that information. I do start out s-l-o-w, and even that logical beginning took some thought, because I always WAS a FAST WALKER, back in the day, you know... I am of such a condition now that my heart gets pumping pretty good at just about ANY speed, though, so I'm figuring it's all good. I have realized that the shortest little times making my legs go back and forth makes my back and my joints hurt less: that's some pretty reinforcing knowledge.

Grandmother Mary said...

Whatever you do is good. If your goal is to spend more time on a walk how about listening to books or talks or even a language (I listen to Italian) on an iPod and accomplish two things at once? Makes the time go faster. Good luck!

Hilary said...

Those first steps lead to more. Good for you for getting out and finding the lovely things in your surroundings to keep amused. And the good company is bonus.

I just read your previous post. I'm sorry your hubby went through such a frightening experience but so relieved that he's okay. Frank has been through it too. Scary stuff but ya gotta appreciate modern medicine.

Hugs to you.