Okay I haven't said much about anything but the puppy lately which I feel is understandable because she's like a new baby in the house - blah blah blah. Today I want to talk about something near and dear to my heart - walking.
Is it just me or have any of you notice no one walks anymore?? This drives me crazy! It's really gotten to the point that I imagine(if the lack of proper maintenance of sidewalks is any indication) that no one thinks about the walkers in the world much anymore. At least not in my city. Now the City itself seems to have it's act mostly together even if they do clear the roads first after a snowfall. They salt their sidewalks and so forth most of the time.
Today I had to run a couple errands or rather walk them. I needed carrots and yeast from the grocery store and a new bread maker because mine died on me(after over ten years of service). So I grabbed my wallet and backpack and off I went. Now my sidewalk is nice and clean and not slippery - I salt my sidewalk. I make note of this because the weather has been changeable around here and is in an awkward there is some snow and then it melted some and then it got cold and now it's all melting again. I salted after the last needing shoveling snowfall and so haven't had to shovel since. Not very many people have done this ... those that didn't now have sidewalks that have very slippery patches of ice/snow/slush and if you aren't careful when you're walking you'll wipe out. I hate this. The roads are clear.
So I had to be careful. Also while I was out I saw maybe 4 other people walking.Really just 4. Everyone else was driving. I don't understand. I think it may be some kind of weird vehicle hating syndrome I have. I walk. I walk my kids to school, I walk to the Y, I walk to shop, and someday when she's big enough I'll walk the dog. If it's close enough I walk it. If it's not I ask Jim to do it on the way home, get the bus or beg a ride from a friend(I rarely do this).
I also got some really odd looks on my way home carrying my bread maker in it's box /grin/ good thing that doesn't bother me :)
I'm just saying ... next time you go to get in the car or van or truck ask yourself: "Can I walk?"
You may be surprised and find you can.
Cass :)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
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4 comments:
I hear you 100% Cass.
At least you aren't pushing a stroller through the inches worth of slush and ice anymore.
I get odd looks at O's Beaver meetings because the only other family that walks lives directly across the street from the school. EVERYONE else drives. Nobody can live more than a couple of KM's away, yet they all drive. I do not understand it.
Nah, I'm all about driving. I like the climate control. I live where its extremely hot all the time and I'd be all sweaty and gross if I walked. Plus that way I don't have to carry anything. My back problems and whatnot thank me.
I do walk for fitness though. And I park farther than needed to leave spaces close to the stores for people with limited mobility or strollers. It gives me a few extra steps for fitness too. I never ever park in handicapped of course.
Ya know Cass... I must admit. I've never asked myself that question before jumping in my van. rofl
Though I rather enjoy the neighborhood I live in. Many of us "walk", even through this fluffy white stuff. It's great!
I walk - to the bus stop. Where I live, this involves crossing one 5-soon-to-be-7 lane road and one 8 laner. There's not a morning that I don't nearly get run over, and it makes me furious that the drivers have no respect for people on foot. Nobody actually stops on red and then proceeds (which is the law), they slide right through, barely pausing, clutching a coffee mug in one hand and a cell phone in the other.
I also walk to the grocery store. I have my four-wheel "old lady cart" and I just push it the two blocks to the store and fill it up. It really can hold a lot - I've gotten up to $200 worth of food in it before.
When I moved back to Florida I considered buying a car. I live near the beach and work downtown, about 15 miles. My firm pays for parking, but all that's left in the garage is roof spaces - 3 flights up and no elevator. I can just see me dragging my big old tired butt up those stairs at 5:30 on a summer day and getting into a car that's been sitting in 95 degrees all day, and then fighting the traffic on the way home. The bus is free for those of us who have reached a delicate age. It would be stupid to buy a car, pay for insurance and upkeep, the $3/gallon gas, and maybe only cut 15 minutes off my commute, when I can ride the bus free and have money left over for a cleaning lady! I'd MUCH rather have the cleaning lady!
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