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Today I decided to really put my new boots to the test: I went for a walk in a large local park full of unpaved trails. I was out a long time. Today was the first day that I took a snack with me so that I wouldn't have to cut short my morning walk because of low blood sugar.
There was a trail marked "Flooded." I took it, thinking the flooding wouldn't be bad. It was great at first. I was finally alone, in nature. It was peaceful and the fresh, chill air was invigorating. The morning wasn't too cold and the trudge through the mud helped keep me warm.I I slid and almost fell in the mud several times, but then I found a side trail that allowed me to walk on drier ground.
My shoes were holding up well. Then I stepped into a puddle that was deeper than I'd thought and I felt water enter my shoe. I couldnt' go any further because the water had gotten so deep. I had to backtrack. As I emerged from the side trail back onto the main trail, I heard a man's voice and froze mid-step. Men are always a danger when one is out alone, especially some place where other people are unlikely to move through. It was still early and few people would be taking a flooded trail. And a guy talking could mean that he was with other guys, which would increase the danger.
Another day in patriarchy.
I couldn't see anyone. I hurried ahead along the trail, thinking I'd get away from him/them, then turned onto another trail. Somebody caught up with me, the same guy I'd heard, I assumed. He had only a dog with him. He said hello, passed me, and that was the end of that.
I came upon a puddle so deep and broad that I couldn't get around it nor through it without immersing my entire foot. I had only one wet foot at that point and wanted to keep it that way. So I had to turn around. I ended up on a long detour, maneuvering around puddle after puddle. I walked across tree roots to avoid getting my feet wetter and even crossed a small stream by balancing on fallen branches. But I did finally fall. It wasn't a big deal, didn't hurt at all. And I fell in the mud, not in the water.
Finally, I made it back to the "Flooded" sign. More people were walking into the area, passing me on my way out. I noticed that they all had shin-high boots on, just as the guy with the dog had.
I'd stayed out an extra hour or hour and a half. My feet were hurting (my boots are not terribly comfortable to walk in) and I felt ill from low blood sugar, so I waited for the bus at another park two or three blocks away. I had breakfast about three forty AM and got home at ten AM. I was pleased that I'd been able to go six and a half hours on just one meal plus half a banana. And I was glad that I'd put food in the slow cooker before leaving home because I was in no shape to cook.
Mandarin is consuming my whole day. I need to find a way to spend less time on it.
I'm supposed to be going for a uterine ultrasound in about a week and a half. It's all the way in SF, which is a pain to get to on public transportation. Last time I went to this clinic, I ended up stranded away from home and had to walk five or six miles down the highway. The bus takes over an hour to get to SF, plus I had to take another bus once I arrived in SF, so the round trip ate up the whole day. I can't even afford to go this month, so I'll have to reschedule for next month. Is this even worth my time and energy? I'm still wary of IUDs.
There was a trail marked "Flooded." I took it, thinking the flooding wouldn't be bad. It was great at first. I was finally alone, in nature. It was peaceful and the fresh, chill air was invigorating. The morning wasn't too cold and the trudge through the mud helped keep me warm.I I slid and almost fell in the mud several times, but then I found a side trail that allowed me to walk on drier ground.
My shoes were holding up well. Then I stepped into a puddle that was deeper than I'd thought and I felt water enter my shoe. I couldnt' go any further because the water had gotten so deep. I had to backtrack. As I emerged from the side trail back onto the main trail, I heard a man's voice and froze mid-step. Men are always a danger when one is out alone, especially some place where other people are unlikely to move through. It was still early and few people would be taking a flooded trail. And a guy talking could mean that he was with other guys, which would increase the danger.
Another day in patriarchy.
I couldn't see anyone. I hurried ahead along the trail, thinking I'd get away from him/them, then turned onto another trail. Somebody caught up with me, the same guy I'd heard, I assumed. He had only a dog with him. He said hello, passed me, and that was the end of that.
I came upon a puddle so deep and broad that I couldn't get around it nor through it without immersing my entire foot. I had only one wet foot at that point and wanted to keep it that way. So I had to turn around. I ended up on a long detour, maneuvering around puddle after puddle. I walked across tree roots to avoid getting my feet wetter and even crossed a small stream by balancing on fallen branches. But I did finally fall. It wasn't a big deal, didn't hurt at all. And I fell in the mud, not in the water.
Finally, I made it back to the "Flooded" sign. More people were walking into the area, passing me on my way out. I noticed that they all had shin-high boots on, just as the guy with the dog had.
I'd stayed out an extra hour or hour and a half. My feet were hurting (my boots are not terribly comfortable to walk in) and I felt ill from low blood sugar, so I waited for the bus at another park two or three blocks away. I had breakfast about three forty AM and got home at ten AM. I was pleased that I'd been able to go six and a half hours on just one meal plus half a banana. And I was glad that I'd put food in the slow cooker before leaving home because I was in no shape to cook.
Mandarin is consuming my whole day. I need to find a way to spend less time on it.
I'm supposed to be going for a uterine ultrasound in about a week and a half. It's all the way in SF, which is a pain to get to on public transportation. Last time I went to this clinic, I ended up stranded away from home and had to walk five or six miles down the highway. The bus takes over an hour to get to SF, plus I had to take another bus once I arrived in SF, so the round trip ate up the whole day. I can't even afford to go this month, so I'll have to reschedule for next month. Is this even worth my time and energy? I'm still wary of IUDs.
