Outside!

Today the weather was mild so I took two walks outside.  On my first walk I walked to the mailbox and back and then back to the mailbox, down the hill to the corner, and up the hill to the next corner and back again.  How life has changed when walking two corners is a huge accomplishment!  Since that went well I took a longer walk after lunch.  I thought it would be good to get out while it was warm but before the snow had a chance to melt and get slippery.  The path around Elmcrest Park near my house had a half inch of snow on it but the snow gave me good traction.  The angle of the sun make my shadow long.  With my cane I walked around the prairie part of the park.  I was very pleased to see a group of about 20 gourd shaped purple martin nests on the edge of the prairie.  I walked slowly but steadily and all went well until a couple dogs came running up to me. The first dog was a black lab mix of about 60 pounds - enough doggie weight to tip me over.  I stopped and held my hand out to the dog so it would sniff me instead of jumping up on me.  The second dog was a 30 pound mutt who probably also could knock me over.  The man running with the dogs kept calling them and they ignored him.  He had no control over his dogs.  Lucky for me they didn't jump up on me although I think the black one would have if I didn't keep my hand out in front of me.  The man said, "They just want to say hello to you."  Whatever buddy!  Try following the leash law because I am not steady on my feet and I do not want to be knocked over by your friendly dog.  I would have told him this but I could see he had headphones in his ears so he wouldn't have heard me anyway.  The rest of my walk was uneventful except I was surprised that it took me 50 minutes to do this walk.  Man, I am a slow walker.  I was aiming for 28 minutes of walking but 50 minutes worked as well.  This walk was wonderful because it is the first time in, I don't know, 5 or more years since I've attempted this route.  I quit walking Elmcrest Park because it was too painful.  So even though I was slow and a little bit afraid of the loose dogs, I am walking in parks again and not suffering for it.  That is a huge  and very welcome change in my life.