Foot Notes*

Posts Tagged ‘time change’

Can Spring be far behind?

I went for a walk with my little grandson Tuesday afternoon and was excited to be able to point out undeniable evidence that spring is coming. There it was – a tiny little purple and yellow flower amidst the dried up leaves and twigs in the mulch of a neighbor’s landscaping. We bent down and inspected it and he said it looked like a butterfly. I suppose it did.

When we resumed our walk, he looked up at the cloudless blue sky and said, “What a beautiful day!”

No question about it.

My family is anxiously awaiting the arrival of another new life this week — my son’s first child, Amelia Elizabeth.  The doctors have said that if she isn’t here by Monday, they will induce labor.  I look forward to sharing a picture of her next week!

It’s that time again

Daylight Savings Time returns this weekend.  Don’t forget to set your clocks  forward Saturday night before you go to bed, or else you’ll miss the Sunday run — which is the trail cleanup, beginning at the high school  — on the corner of Dry Mill Rd. and Catoctin Circle in Leesburg.

I’ll be there — unless Amelia has made her entrance, or the drops on the weather map turn out to be a deluge (which it looks like could happen on Saturday).

My son -- 1982

My son is 30 years old today, and I don’t know how that happened.

How did he manage to go from being this adorable little boy, peeking into the hospital nursery to get his first look at his baby sister, all the way to being a 6’4″ law enforcement officer who knows how to break down a door and clear a room — when I haven’t changed at all?!

My grandson -- 2010

Last weekend I baked some chocolate chip cookies with my grandson, and now looking at these two pictures, I’m having a serious bout with deja vu.  I have to realize that the next 30 years are going to zip by even faster than the last 30 did.

I want to be around (and able) to teach a great-grandchild or two how to lick a beater properly.

And that’s why I keep running.

Weekend Runs

How nice it was this week to get back outside for a couple of days.  Still a bit nippy, but at least without the wind it’s crossed over into the wimp-acceptable zone.  And by golly, the forecast for Saturday looks down right half-way almost  kinda pleasant (in comparison, of course). 

Sunday?  Not so much.

So I’ll be aiming for Saturday at Hamilton:

– for some kind of out and back modification.

Why aren't there stories about brave little cabooses?

I went to my first club run early last spring.  I had found the club’s website, and had been wanting to join the club for some time, but I held back because I don’t run very fast, and I can’t run very far.  I didn’t know how the club runs worked, and I worried that I would hold every one up. 

 Or that I would be left in the dust. 

 I figured that there was no point joining a running club if I was going to be left in the dust because, after all — I can run by myself…  by myself.

 I finally decided to give it a go and I gathered my courage one chilly Sunday and made my way to Greenberry’s.  I didn’t want to be late, so I arrived about 7:45 and looked around anxiously for people who looked like runners (as I said, I didn’t know how the club runs worked!).  I went inside Greenberry’s and looked around.  Nothing.  I went back outside and sat in my car.  I checked my watch.  I worried.  I saw a guy heading into Greenberry’s who was wearing sweats and I asked him if he was a runner and he laughed and said no..  but that maybe he should think about it. 

 I felt pretty stupid.  But I kept waiting. 

 Shortly before 8:00, several cars pulled in and I could see that yes..  these were runners.  I took a deep breath and approached two women from one of the cars and introduced myself.  They were extremely friendly and invited me to wait with them in their car for a few minutes.  I told them that I couldn’t run very fast or very far, and they assured me there was nothing to worry about. 

 I wound up running with them and I actually managed to keep up with them (or they were holding back for me, I wasn’t quite sure).  When I went home from that first run, I was glad that I had ventured out, and I felt very welcome in the club.  (Thanks Marcia and Sue for that!)

 I went to a few more runs and had the same experience.  I began to recognize a few more faces each week, and started learning names.  I began to feel a little more confident about joining the club.

 One Sunday, at the run out at the Philomont Community Center, there wasn’t much of a turnout.  None of the people I had run with before were there, and when everyone started off, I began to have visions of being left in the dust.  But that didn’t happen.  A man hung back and ran with me.  It was a beautiful morning, and we had a very pleasant chat.  I told him about my “left in the dust” worries, and he said that the person who was assigned water duty for the run was the designated “sweeper” —  in charge of making sure that no one got left in the dust.

 I think that is the most generous and friendly thing. 

Trick or Treat with Teri and Tom

(How’s that for alliteration?)

During the three years I had my business in downtown Leesburg, I always made sure to beat a hasty retreat on the day of the Leesburg Halloween Parade.  This year, gathering at the Simond’s house to watch it amidst appetizers and fellow roadrunners sounds like a good time.  Since it’s a Saturday, there shouldn’t be any horrible problems with rush hour traffic.  (Although there are some showers predicted, let’s hope we don’t have a repeat of last Saturday’s gully-washers!)

Time is 6:00.  Bring an appetizer and/or beverage.  (I’m hoping that includes those with “spirits”).

If you don’t know the address, drop an email to Teri at tlhsimonds@verizon.net.

 Daylight Savings Time Goes Away

 Remember to set your clocks back after the Halloween festivities, or you’ll be way early for the run Sunday morning at Bluemont:

http://loudounroadrunners.org/maps/Bluemont.pdf

Hope to see at least a couple o’ warts there.

I don’t want to hold anybody back.  But I don’t want to be left in the dust, either.