It was a pretty quiet day. I had hoped to put up our outside Christmas lights today, but Billy didn’t sleep well and wasn’t feeling up to it. If that happens again tomorrow, I may just have to do my best to do it alone. We can’t not have our lights up! Christmas is in six days!! Today I did go for a trail run at Julington-Durbin Preserve, went to the gym, got coffee, showered, had lunch, and watched the rest of the requisite Christmas movies. I started reading a book called Wool, which I’ve only just started but is making me crazy because I need to know what is happening. Robin had a pizza party after school for photography club, which she hasn’t gone to for at least a month. Apparently the teacher asked her to come, which is always flattering. Christina had hip hop and wore Billy’s Grinch pants to class. One more day left of my week off, and I’ll be spending it at the Post Office. It receives 1.8 stars on Google and doesn’t deserve any of them. Wish me luck.
Tag: hiking
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October 30
I did a trail run at Julington Durbin Creek Preserve this afternoon. I figured since it’s flat and there aren’t ruts or roots to worry about, it’d be more or less just like running on the road, but the softer ground made it a lot harder. I did not succeed at an easy run, but I did have fun and then I hiked the rest of the trail for a total of about 5 1/2 miles. It was a beautiful day today, around 60 degrees and sunny, and so nice to be outside in nature. I went out for sushi with my chorus friends after Christina’s dance class and that was nice. And I hemmed a pair of pants for Christina. I’m definitely improving – both legs ended up a little short, but they were the same length and straight! Christina’s happy with them. That’s all that matters.
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October 3
Today didn’t quite live up to expectations, but it’s ok, really, because expectations were kind of low anyway. My run this morning sucked. After a couple really great runs, I had gotten hopeful that I’d finally broken through the barrier, but today I just couldn’t do it. I finished feeling insanely disappointed. Crushed, really. I feel I have tried everything and I can find no plausible reason for my lack of progress and it just makes me miserable. I’m still not giving up. I’m just enjoying it less. The day kind of never went up from there. I did go out for a short hike before it rained, which was nice, and I should have enjoyed it, but instead it made me sad because I remember a time when we would have hiked as a family and all enjoyed it, but now no one would come with me even if I paid them each a hundred dollars. That special time I had with them is good and gone. And then I went to the mall to get a birthday present for Robin and maybe buy that dress, but as I wandered around, I felt more and more indecisive and less and less inspired and ended up coming home with nothing. I spent the rest of the day reading a book I only like a little bit. And that was my “vacation” day. I’m trying to think of a way to salvage something from it, but I think honestly the problem is my frame of mind, and my mind can be astoundingly unmovable and stubborn, even if you show it exactly what to do and how to do it and why, with piles of evidence proving how important it is. This has not been my reality for such a long, long time that I actually thought I’d never feel this way again. But here we are.
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July 1
We went on another cave your this morning. It was unlike any other I’d done – the cave was wide open and, well, cavernous. It was really cool. It rained most of the morning, but after lunch we went for a short hike. It was somewhat drama-filled since there were varying levels of enthusiasm for the hike, most of which were barely registering. I may have screamed at everyone in the middle of the forest. The day got better, though. We played Uno No Mercy and got ice cream. We made pork chops and potatoes for dinner and then kicked Billy’s ass twice at Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. Billy made the biggest campfire ever, using almost an entire package of firewood. It was, shall we say, MAMMOTH. As fun as it’s been, I think most of us are ready to go in the morning.
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November 3
Trying to keep vacation vibes going as long as I can. Being outside in nature fills me up in a way nothing else does. Time with myself is precious too. Spent the morning on the UNF trails. It’s been years since I was there and I didn’t remember how beautiful it was (in places… some spots were tedious and directly next to the highway). I need as much of this in my life as I can get.
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October 27
Got in a four-mile hike at Julington-Durbin Creek Preserve while Christina was at a dance team party nearby. It was a good, fast-paced hike so I wouldn’t be late picking her up. The weather, once again, was beautiful. I want to wring every minute of outdoor time I can get out of this vacation.
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October 24
Had to call 911 today after stopping at a crash scene on the way to dance. Several other drivers in front of me would have had a clear view of what happened, but none stopped. I was a few cars back and only heard the crash, but at least I stopped to call for help. At least three cars were involved and one person had to be taken in an ambulance, but no one seemed seriously hurt. I am angry and dismayed that there were witnesses who just kept driving. I am also mad at the assholes who were purposely feeding squirrels at the park. They brought a gallon-sized bag of food specifically to feed them. I’m sure all these people have their reasons for behaving this way. Doesn’t make me any less disappointed in humanity.
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June 30
We checked Congaree National Park off our list today! We hiked a trail that was described as a good opportunity to spot otters. Unfortunately the creek was almost completely dried up so we didn’t see any. But all the cypress knees were pretty cool.
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January 21
Led the church service this morning. It went ok, but wasn’t my best effort. I explored Tillie K Fowler Park after several recommendations. I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. I had trouble following the trail map, which, ok, is kind of a problem I have everywhere, but it irritated me nonetheless. And then a big part of the trail was completely flooded over, which kind of ruined my mood too. And then I kept getting texts from Robin asking for more tablet time and tunafish and sewing advice. Next time phone is in airplane mode.
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October 8
I’ve hiked the trails at Losco Park about a thousand times, but today somehow I got turned around and ended up hiking the loop twice, turning a 1.5-mile hike into a 4+ mile hike. It wouldn’t have been that big a deal, except Christina and the dogs were with me and the dogs were exhausted and Christina didn’t really even want to come in the first place. They were all troopers, though. Christina didn’t even complain a little bit. At least the weather was nice. Gorgeous, in fact. One of the first fall days of the year.
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July 28
Today we went for a short hike up Black Balsam Bald. We watched a storm rolling in toward us for the whole hike and ALMOST made it back to the car without getting caught in it. What is a hike up a mountain without getting caught in the rain?
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July 27
Another year older. We went on a short nearby hike to this waterfall, where the girls and Siggi and Brett went for a swim. We played my new board game that Siggi gave me for my birthday called Wingspan. I won! Then we went out for dinner at a stream-side restaurant in town with great pizza. Finished the day with chocolate cake and a candle found on top of the dining room cabinet. Not too bad.
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July 5
We decided to get up early and go to Jordan Pond for the hike we’d missed before getting on the road toward home. We were all packed up and there by 8 and definitely missed the crowds. By the time we finished our hike, the trail was getting a lot busier with people who were clearly not avid hikers. It was everything I hoped it would be, and for once on our trip, the sun was out. It was gorgeous and Robin even spotted a couple of bullfrogs on the rocks. Great way to start a long day.
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July 3
We hiked up Cadillac Mountain – 7.5 miles round trip with 1,500+ feet elevation gain over rocky scrambles and muddy, flooded trails in rain and fog with little to no visibility. The kids were good until about mile 3, and then they started complaining. Poor Robin had a nasty blister on her foot. But we made it, and I’m really proud of everyone. It was exhausting but in my opinion rewarding, despite the lack of panoramic views. Robin slipped and landed hard on her butt several times and there were tears, but I managed to make enough jokes about it to elicit some smiles and laughs despite it all. All in all, very impressive.
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May 10
I decided to go to the park while the girls were at cheer practice, thinking I’d read under a tree, but then I thought why not a short hike? I figured I’d be done in 45 minutes, well before sunset and when I’d have to leave to get the kids. Except I miscalculated the distance. I did two trails which I thought were a mile and a half combined. Actually it was a mile and a half for one trail and three quarters of a mile for the other. I had dawdled at the beginning thinking I had tons of time, but the last 20 minutes were rather speedy. I’m glad Christina wasn’t with me, because she would have freaked about hiking in the dark. Who knows what lurks in the shadows?
Year in Photos 