love and be loved

Benn drove to my house after school today and we got ready to go for a jog. I looked up trails in Great Barrington and found one called the Housatonic River Walk. I thought it sounded nice so we decided to go! On our travels a baby fox, a black & orange cat, a chipmunk, and a bunch of birds crossed our path (much to Benn's dislike because of his recent biking accident). On our way through Lenox and Stockbridge, we noticed whiteness all along the sides of the roads and on people's lawns. I said I think it is SNOW and Benn said NO WAY, it must be pollen. Finally, I told him to pull over to really check it out. It was crazy hail piles everywhere about half a foot deep!!!!! We were stunned and Benn took a few pictures with his cell phone. When we got to Great Barrington, we found the entrance to the River Walk, stretched, and read the sign. Under 'Prohibited,' it listed the usual biking, skateboarding, yada yada and... RUNNING! Whaaat? Well, we said that we were okay because we would "jog" (hehehe) only to find out that the entire trail was maybe a half mile long!!! Urg! So... we just kept running through back roads and main streets (which was actually quite fun) and looped back around to our car to stretch. Arrived Back home and made some wheat pasta, green beans, corn, and salad with apples and beans for dinner. Excellent!

My oldest sister came home for a week and I asked her if she wanted to go hiking with me today. First, we went to Olovia's Lookout, which is somewhere near the Richmond/Lenox, MA border. The hike was was a 3.2 mile loop but offered no view at the top or anything. Next, we drove to Kennedy Park in Lenox and took several trails that passed by a cold spring, streams, a reservoir, some building ruins, and a "balance rock" (boulders piled in a glacier pass). It was pretty muddy on the trails and buggy (mosquitos!) in many parts of Kennedy Park. But, it was a good, fun hike and I got to take some nice nature pictures!

Woke up this morning to talk to Benn on his way to work. Then had breakfast and tea. After that, I stretched and ran on the treadmill for 3.24 miles at 6.2mph and 2% incline. But, during the last 4 minutes of my run, I had to take a call for my doctor. So, I had to finish the 4 or 5 minutes of running after I got off the phone. Then I did a cool down of 0.96 miles at 4.2mph and 2% incline. (I wish I knew to do another 0.04 miles to have my cool down = 1 mile. But, oh well, I know I can get that done at work for sure). Stretched and had to get in the shower to get ready for work.

At work, my first student was a now show for our session and my second student called to tell me she is not attending today because she is sick. So, after doing some needed work, I hit to the streets and walked 0.712 miles around Lee, MA. It was not so comfortable wearing my work clothes (jeans, tank top with a button-up corduroy jacket). When I left my home this morning it was gray and rainy, but the sky opened up and it was quite hot out! After I got back to the office and calculated how far I went, it made my total 4.912 for the day. I want to do the remaining .088 before the day is done to at least make a complete 5 miles!

Walked another 0.5 miles at work before heading home.. Up to 5.412 miles now. Woohoo!