The Journey of 1,000 Miles: 2025 Edition

 

Seen on East 57th Street, from the windows at Christian Dior  

For the last nine years I've begun the year hoping/planning to walk 1,000 miles. For seven of those years, I've succeeded, including this year. On Friday past I passed the 1,000 mile mark, actually a few days before my estimation. I've walked approximately eight miles since Friday which brings my mileage since 2017 to 9,073 miles. 

The gingerbread decorations at Dior

I'm kind of amazed when I look at these numbers. There are days when I'm dragging for most of the steps and two miles is a stretch. There are other days -- like today -- when three miles zip by. There's no rhyme or reason to it, though company and interesting scenery make the steps pass more quickly. This year I walked in six states and six countries, including the United States. I added Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia, which included some of the most interesting walking of my life. 

A close up of the Dior windows

One day this month when my steps were really dragging, I thought about calling 2025 my last year of 1,000 miles and not tracking mileage at all. But I've gotten  reinvigorated and I'll continue tracking in 2026. I'm not going for 1,000 miles, only 900+. My goal for 2026 is to complete My Journey of 10,000 Miles. 

On a different note, I've calmed down a lot since my last post. I'm aware that I won't see every holiday decoration in New York City this year. I may not/probably won't make it to Macy's, the Metropolitan Museum or the windows and light show at Saks and that's fine. It's like everything else in life. There are a lot of places that I may not/probably won't get to, and that's okay but as I slow down I'm enjoying stopping and smelling the gingerbread. Thanks, all, for your good advice. 

As ever, thanks for visiting. Enjoy the days ahead and stop and smell the gingerbread.  

 

The Journey of 8,065.8 Miles

 

On the Sidewalks of New York...

...Providence, Rhode Island; Sedona, Arizona; Wildwood, NJ; Litchfield, Connecticut; Boothbay Harbor, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Halifax, Nova Scotia and Paris, France. I walked in eight states and three countries and my mileage total for 2024 was 1135.2 miles. My goal for 2024 was 1100 miles, which I met in mid-December.

I've done a Thousand Mile Walking Challenge for the last eight years and have walked 8,056.8 miles. Last year I decided to really challenge myself and upped my goal to 1100 miles. It took effort, but was doable. I'm giving myself leeway this year and my goal for 2025 is 1,000 miles. I'm not sure how many states and countries I will walk in this year, but at  this time in 2024 half of the places I walked weren't even in my thoughts. 

A few years ago I decided to walk 10,000 miles (over a number of years) and it looks like over the next two years I'll complete that challenge. I've "only" got 1,934.2 miles to walk, circumstances permitting. I'm smiling/laughing as I type this. As we see every day so much is out of our control and the thought that a woman in her mid 70's with a myriad of orthopedic conditions will walk thousands of miles seems definitely ambitious and optimistic. But if all is well in December 2026 I will complete a 10,000 mile walk, the distance from New York City to Sydney, Australia. Sydney, here I come.

My Walking Goal: Sydney, Australia 

The last few weeks I've been walking around New York City and mostly staying in the neighborhood. I did brave the cold and get down to the Times Square neighborhood on Wednesday for breakfast with a visiting friend. It's been cold, cold, cold and I've enjoyed keeping cozy, reading and working on cards. I've also returned to decluttering, which took a break for the  holiday festivities.  I've got lots of shredding to do. 

No-Spending January is going well. I've bought nothing, except for groceries and cleaning supplies. I have been very tempted and the sales don't make it easy. But when I think about the purchases I might have made I realize that there's nothing I need. How is No-Spending going for anyone else who is doing the challenge?

Dear California friends, know that you're in my heart and prayers.

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.  

       

The Journey of 1,001 Miles

Saks Fifth Avenue sound and light show, Fifth Avenue

Last Wednesday December 6 the "Mileometer" once again passed the 1,000 mile mark, and with a lot of walking for the day, I actually passed the 1,001 marker. As of this afternoon I've walked 1,011 miles and have set a new goal for this year of 1,050 miles. There were a few times of challenge, would I or would I not make it? But with assistance from my orthopedist for a stress fracture in my knee, my spinal team -- a new bout of stenosis -- and my wonderful physical therapist, Sally, who helps keep me going, this 73 year old was able to walk over 1,000 miles. 

This is the seventh year I've had this goal and the fifth where I've achieved it. I had my hip replaced in 2019 and that meant a few months of (much) less walking and in 2020 I only walked 919 miles due to significantly diminished activity. 

This year I walked in seven states -- though it was only the corner of Vermont -- Puerto Rico, England and France. I don't have much planned for next year yet, but I hope to walk in at least as many states and a few countries besides the United States, too.     

Most of my walking was done in New York City, both in local neighborhood walks and those times I've been a tourist in my own town. One of those times took place last week when I braved the crowds to visit Rockefeller Center and see the sound and light show at Saks Fifth Avenue. Despite the rain the tree and the lights were fabulous and didn't disappoint. 

The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. beautiful even in the rain

I always enjoy this display on Sixth Avenue, near Radio City Music Hall

We've entered the super-busy season of the year. On reflection we're well into it. I was keeping up well last week, but as ever my card-writing needs a big boost. I've just got one more trip to the post office and then wrapping and card writing to do. This is not a complaint at all about cards and seasonal activities. I'm so enjoying the cards that are arriving and am grateful for everyone who's taken the time and effort to keep in touch. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. 

2023: Our Walking Year

 Welcome to 2023: Our Walking Year

As 2022 winds down and 2023 is clearly in sight, I'm starting to move into the year to come. I've gotten the burst of energy back that seemed to be nowhere in sight on Tuesday and I'm happy to share my/our big project for 2023. 

A number of friends have asked about my walking journey and I've been thinking about how to extend this challenge and the answer came to me this week. While we can't all walk together physically, we can walk together virtually. Every week I'll be logging my miles and sharing thoughts about motivation, answering questions and featuring walking friends around the world. I'm planning to do a weekly post in Buttercupland, a post on Instagram and a post on Facebook. 

My goal is once again 1000 miles, but I know that's not everyone's goal. My friend Cheryl in Atlanta will probably walk 2000 miles and other friends might choose 100 or 500 miles for 2023. A challenge is great, but not if it's impossible. I choose to call this challenge Our Walking Year, because we will be walking together and the number of miles doesn't matter. It's not a competition, just friends walking (virtually) together.

How do you join our walk? It's not a formal signup, though I may figure out a form at some point. Just choose your mileage for the year, start walking on January 1, 2023 and start tracking. Next year at this time we'll compile our mileage and see how far we've all walked together. Approximately 25,000 miles is one lap around the earth at the equator. How many times can we walk around the world?

Ready, set, put on sneakers and go!

As ever, thanks for visiting and let's get ready for a walking year.  

On the Twentieth Day of December

One of the sights from walking in the neighborhood

It's the twentieth day of December and I'm pleased to announce that last Wednesday, December 14, not quite a week ago, the "mileometer" turned past 1,000. Yes, I've completed 1,000 miles for 2022. As of this morning I've walked 1,017.7 miles and will probably walk 20 more (or so) miles for the year. I'll do a post in the beginning of 2023 with my final count for the year. 

For new visitors to the Journey of 1000 Miles, I'd like to give a little back story to my yearly challenge. 

People who are able to walk don't think very much about being able to walk, until walking becomes something that we have to think about. I was no exception. In March of 2012 I was hiking in Arizona and in April of 2012 my right leg was dragging behind me. In May of 2012 I had the diagnosis of a spinal cord tumor and in June of 2012 I had surgery to remove it. The tumor sat inside the spine on top of the spinal cord. The great majority of spinal cord tumors in adults aren't malignant, but they can be devastating. 

My surgery went very well, but I wanted to get back to where I had been in March. Actually that hasn't happened. As a result of the tumor I have neuropathy and balance issues. A week  after the surgery  I walked a block, then several blocks and after about a year I could walk about a mile a day. I've seen a number of medical professionals and one of the neurosurgeons I consulted with told me that the best way to get my function back and as importantly, keep the ability I had, was to walk as much as I could. Walking (and a lot of physical therapy) would be my path back.   

At the end of 2016 my Weight Watchers leader at that time suggested we choose a "Challenge" for 2017 and I made up "The Journey of 1000 Miles." My challenge was to walk 1000 miles in 2017. It was doable, but was it doable for someone who barely walked two miles a day, not the almost three miles this challenge needed?  

It was more than doable. I didn't think I needed a purpose or a structure, but walking  became a daily part of my life. I plan my walking, I get lots of exercise and it was a lifesaver during 2020 and 2021 when activities became so limited.    

I've thought of not continuing The Journey in 2023, but that's not going to happen. I've even got the idea for a walking vacation that's just a fantasy now, but I'm letting it simmer and see where the idea takes me.  I've also got a few other ideas about how more people could join the Journey of 1,000 Miles (or 500 miles or 100 miles) for 2023. But more about that in another post. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and keep cozy.

Nearing the End: The Journey of 1,000 Miles, 2022

A mile done on this rainy Wednesday

Before I get totally enmeshed in the annual seasonal photographs I want to do an update of the annual Journey of 1,000 Miles, 2022 version. Despite starting the year with my annual physical therapy sessions, I'm right on track to walk 1,000 miles this year. As of this minute, I've walked 960 miles, leaving me 40 miles until the end of the year. Without over-exertion I expect to complete walking 1,000 miles sometime in mid-December.  

I started this project in 2017 and expected to do it for a year, but found it such a good impetus for exercise that 2022 will be my sixth year. I kept going despite the pandemic, hip replacement and spinal stenosis and have walked 5,769 miles so far since the beginning of 2017. I looked it up and that's the distance from New York City to Cairo. 

I've begun to consider making 2022 my last year of counting. Not that I'll stop walking, but  accomplishing the "official" count, even though I am the only one counting, gives me a level of anxiety. I may call it The Journey of 750 Miles to take off some of the self-imposed pressure. 

I want to do an update on my other project for this fall, No (New) Clothes. I didn't make it, I bought new clothes. Early in the project I found that several pairs of my every day leggings were starting to fray. I could be pantsless, which would be quite awkward. In the last two months I bought three pairs of leggings, two on sale at Macy's and one at Costco, for a total of $30.00.

 I also noticed earlier this month that the winter coat that's been my mainstay for the last five years was starting to fray. I thought I might look for a new coat in January, after my No (New) Clothes project ended. But I saw in the Cyber Monday email from Land's End that a down coat I had admired was $60.00. I also saw that my size and preferred color, navy, happened to be available. Click, click, click and the new coat is on its way. I'm going to make every effort to restrain from any further clothing purchases in 2022. Has anyone else joined this project?  

Besides my walk this afternoon and making French toast (a rainy day indulgence) this morning I'm not sure where today went. I'm earmarking an hour tonight to wrapping presents to mail and doing cards. What are your plans?

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a good evening.   

The Journey of 10,000 Miles: Mid-Year 2022

 

The Pacific Ocean, as seen from Lima Peru

3,500 miles from New York City

Firstly, I am not in Lima, where it is currently winter and a balmy 58 degrees. I am in a not-so balmy New York City and plan to be here, with perhaps a day trip here and there, until what's become my annual visit to Maine to see Betsy and Debby (an junior high school friend) later this month. My goal is to get a million errands that have been neglected done in the next few weeks, do some reading and keep up with my mileage. 

On the topic of mileage let's begin with my six month tally for 2022. My goal, as usual, is 1,000 miles for the year. Thanks to a lot of walking at both my Mount Holyoke and Dartmouth reunions, I've surpassed my six-moth goal of 500 miles by 35 miles and I'm moving right along into July. Generally the summer is the time I do the least walking because July and August are really rough for my favorite outdoor walks, but it's been fine so far. I'm also going to be away somewhere cooler in July and in August, so that should keep me on track. Lots more to come on the August destinations, but the trip includes one of the places I've been thinking about for the last three plus years.   

Last year I introduced the idea of walking 10,000 miles. I don't have an end-time for the 10,000 mile achievement, but estimated 2026. It seems an ambitious goal for someone who turns 72 in two days, but one that keeps motivating me. I like working towards my yearly 1,000 miles, but I love having a longer goal to keep me going. 

I've walked approximately 5,330 miles since January 1, 2017. When I searched "5,300 miles from New York City" the response was the Pacific Ocean. I haven't seen much of the Pacific in the last decade and this was the only photograph that came to mind. I've got some long-term Pacific goals -- Chile and the Easter Islands among them -- but those are still dreams at this time. I'm thinking of California, too, and finally getting to Yosemite, which seems a lot more likely than the Easter Islands. What are your travel dreams?

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a good Thursday!

The Journey of 1000 Miles 2022 Version

 

These steps at the Color Factory yesterday will be part of March Miles

As promised I'm here to recap my February projects, starting with the Journey of 1,000 Miles. I'm mostly on my miles goal for the year so far, remembering that the winter is a traditionally tough time to get in as many steps as I'd like. My goal for every month is 80+ and February with cold and snowy days totaled 72.4 miles. I'm not thrilled, but I'm realistic that there were days that didn't lend themselves to a lot of walking. I'll add, because pretending otherwise doesn't help meet a goal, that there were days I was less than energetic. Between January and February I walked 154 miles (not to shabby) and I've added 20+ miles already in March. I'm going to take advantage of the better weather and get myself outside every day. 

Also at the Color Factory: delicious macarons. 

I went with coffee flavor and it was so good.  

My other project for last month was GroceryFebruary, where I kept track of my grocery spending for the month. My total was $185.00, which seems actually quite low. Analyzing this number: 1) I eat virtually no meat 2) I didn't include snacks or lunches out and 3) I did a good resupply of basics at the end of January. I didn't intentionally try and save money -- any more than I regularly do -- but I was more thoughtful about what I bought. I planned to do a repeat in March, but I've already lost track of what I've spent. I'm thinking of tracking again in April and seeing what the difference will be. 

Sadly, however, I have no report on decluttering, because aside from the usual recycling of newspapers I did very little decluttering. I did shred two bags worth of paper, but it was nothing close to all that I did in January. My minimum goal for March is to shred at least two bags of paper again and recycle a bag of books. Did anyone else work on decluttering last month or is doing it as a Lenten project?

Yesterday was seventy degrees and I wore a cotton jacket. Today we're back to winter and I'm in my down coat. It's not windy though and I've gotten my errands done and two miles of walking very comfortably. How has your day been?

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.

Bye Bye January

 

Great sneaker, but at $149.00 it didn't come home with me even after

No Spending January ended.

I have no regrets about bidding farewell to January. It was really cold, it was really snowy and there wasn't enough sunshine for my taste. But nonetheless, it was still a productive month and there were some definite good moments among the short days and the snow.

I had five (yes, five!) projects going on in January and that doesn't count keeping Buttercupland going. I've got updates on four of them and will do an update on my January reading in the next few days. 

No-Spending January: I wasn't as successful as I've been in past years, but still cut my spending significantly. I spent $22.69 on "things." I bought two pairs of black leggings, which averted upcoming wardrobe issues and $6.75 for soap for a gift. I could have waited to buy the soap, but I took advantage of a great sale. I have no regrets on any of my purchases and know I'm beginning February in a more thoughtful spending place. Yesterday I stopped at the neighborhood shoe store where I found the fabulous purple sneakers. I decided that if they fit I would consider buying them. Upon investigation, I found they wouldn't accommodate my orthotics and they cost $149.00, which is out of my budget in any month. 

My Journey of 1,000 Miles: My goal is to walk 84 (or more) miles a month and my total for January is 81.6 miles. I've got no regrets considering how cold and snowy it was. Today is sunny and relatively warm and I'm planning on walking at least three miles today. 

Decluttering: I joined a "30 Bags in 30 Day Challenge" and I completed discarding 22 bags. One of my first activities yesterday was donating a bag of books to Goodwill and my goal is to donate another bag in February. My decluttering goal for February is more focused. I'm going to work on paper shredding (which seems endless!), my bedroom dresser and kitchen excess. I seem to have a lot of lids and storage containers that don't seem to match. I'd like that to be history in March. 

My fourth project has been physical therapy. I've had a great therapist and as of next week I'm "graduating" to a once a week appointment. I doubt if this will be the last time I go to physical therapy, but I'm hoping that it's the last time in 2022.    

Though I've formally ended No Spending January, I've got a new money project for February and I'll share that in a post tomorrow. I'll also post later in the week about my January reading. Does anyone else have reading challenges for the year?

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.  

The Journey of 1,000 Miles: Chapter Five

 

And the final number for 2021 is 1015.9 miles, which surpasses 2019 and 2020, when I fell short of my goal (875 and 919 respectively).

I finished my Journey of 1000 Miles for 2021 on Monday, December 27 at approximately 4:20 P.M. I was delighted to have the four remaining days in 2021 that didn't include obsessively tracking my mileage. I did keep walking and without planning finished the year with a five-mile day on December 31. The morning was bright, sunny and as balmy as any day in April, which made walking a complete pleasure. 

I also tallied my miles for the last five years (when I began serious tracking) and my total mileage is 4809.9 miles. My goal is to walk 10,000 miles in ten years (or eleven or twelve, if need be) and I'm reasonably on track for that, too. If it was possible to walk to Europe or Africa I'd have reached Moscow at 4,786 miles and gone beyond  Dakar, Senegal at 3,830 miles. My ultimate goal is to reach Sydney, Australia at 9,950 miles. 

When I first started this habit/practice/obsession I wasn't sure I would have the discipline to complete it, let alone to keep doing it after five years. Though I didn't complete my goals during 2019 and 2020, it gave me structure during the worst of the pandemic days. The one thing I could do is go outside and walk and I did. Now it's just part of my life and one I'm very grateful to be able to continue.  

I walked in seven U.S. states last year. I'm hopeful I can do more traveling and add a new place or two to my walking list. I've got no plans right now, but lots of dreams. I will definitely keep you posted.  

This first week of 2022 has been a quiet one, but quite productive. I went into a decluttering whirlwind and there are two bags of donations, two bags of paper to recycle and two bags of trash. At least a dozen magazines went for recycling and my goal is be much more ruthless in that direction. More to come and so glad I've embarked on this with so much energy.

As ever, thanks for visiting and hope you're having a good first week of 2022.

Will I Or Won't I?

I will definitely be wearing shoes (with toes) very shortly. That's not the question.

The question posed in the title is whether or not I will achieve my goal of walking 1,000 miles this year. I had my doubts for awhile in the summer when it felt too hot to get in much walking. It still feels like summer -- almost 80 today in the middle of October -- but I easily managed the 2.8 miles I need daily to stay on track. 

Last year my total number of miles was 919, which wasn't bad for everything that went on in 2020. But I made a commitment that this year would be different. The winter months were tough, with more snow and cold than the past few years. I spent a lot of January and February walking circles in my teeny apartment and pacing the building halls. I may have looked a little quirky, but I kept my mileage up and walked out a lot of anxiety. 

As I get in to the final stretch I've been keeping really good track of my miles. I don't want to get overconfident (one lesson I've learned in the last eighteen months), but if all goes well I will walk a thousand miles this year. Including today, my total is 788 miles. There are 77 days left in 2021 and I need an average of 2.75 miles a day, every day. It will take steady commitment and I know there are days when I won't make that number, but I know from experience there are other days when I will exceed it. Here's to the next 212 miles!

It helped that I took part in two charity walks in the last two weeks. One benefited the American Heart Association of Eastern Connecticut and my participation was part of a great birthday weekend celebration for my friend, Miriam. Her terrific daughter organized the weekend and a fabulous time was had by all who participated. So glad I could join the fun and walk for this cause.

Our team -- including a college friend and one of my first cousins, who both live in the area. So enjoyed spending time with both of them.  

My second walk of the month was for a great local organization, Caring Kind, which offers support for caregivers and families of people with dementia in Manhattan. It was my sixth walk with the group and so happy that this year was in-person again and in Central Park. The weather wasn't as dazzling as the week before, but there was  a big turn-out and the park was beautiful. 

The amazing David Hyde Pierce once again joined the walk and 

provided terrific encouragement. 

This has been a busy week, but not an especially photographic week. I'll be back later in the weekend for Pink Saturday fun, and we'll be returning to a place I loved in Vermont. Please join me there. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a sweet Saturday. 

The Journey of 10,000 Miles Continues

 

That Old Black Magic takes me on my walking journey.

Despite some sloppy record keeping -- I didn't calculate all of May until a few days ago -- I wasn't sloppy in my walking. In my past years of challenging myself to walking 1,000 miles I don't remember setting a half year mark. But as I did my calculations I realized that I needed to be (very)  near to 500 miles if I wanted to reach my goal. On Wednesday night I was 17.8 miles away from my half-year goal. As of this minute, I am 11.8 miles away. Barring some totally unforeseen circumstance I'm on my way to 1,000 miles this year. 

So few things have been in my control for the last year and a half, but walking was one thing I could do in the midst of all the uncertainty swirling around. I didn't achieve my goal for the last two years, so I'm especially pleased that I'm two years older and keeping at it. During one of my neighborhood walks I passed my favorite local store for sneakers and treated myself to an actual full-price pair. The staff was great and so patient as I tried on at least a half dozen different sneakers.  

I know June was supposed to be a low spending month, but as I'm out and about more I realize I've literally worn out a number of items of clothing. Sneakers were getting thin, t-shirts look dingy and my mainstay summer skirt has a rip in the fabric. A few months ago I thought I had more than enough clothes to last for the next decade, but I keep wearing the same few outfits everywhere and they won't last forever (or even just this summer) if I don't give them a rest. I did some looking at Marshall's and nothing was quite right, so my plan is to brave Macy's 34th Street this weekend. I've got coupons, but I'm not sure that I have the wherewithal for a full shopping expedition. Wish me luck!

We're having a (virtual) tea party for Pink Saturday this week. Hope you'll stop by to join the fun. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

The Journey of 1,000 Miles, Chapter Five

 

My view from the bus stop today, mile mark 2.6 

In January 2017 I decided that I would walk 1,000 miles during the year. It was a challenge and I wasn't sure I would succeed, but I put on my sneakers and put one foot in front of the other and by the end of 2017 I had walked 1,039 miles. I found I liked the regular exercise and the discipline and I made the same commitment for 2018 and again walked over 1,000 miles. 

I began 2019 by getting my hip replaced. I knew there would be days I wouldn't walk a mile, let alone two or three miles and made my commitment to walk 500 miles. I ended 2019 with 850 miles and was very happy with the number. Last year I resolved to walk 1,000 miles, but 2020 wasn't a year where I walked all over New York City and a dozen other places. There were days I walked around my block four or five times, avoiding everyone I encountered. I even stopped tracking my mileage. Fortunately my Fitbit didn't stop tracking and, at the end of 2020, I added up my miles and my total was 919 miles. 

I wasn't sure I would do my 1,000 mile journey in 2021, but, at the beginning of January,  as I reflected on the year ahead I realized that regular exercise was one of the few things I could control this year and I needed as much structure as I could build into my life. I recommitted to my Journey of 1,000 miles and walked 80+ miles in January. 

Even though it doesn't look like 2021 will be a year where I walk all over a dozen other places, I'm optimistic about expanding my world in New York City. I am scheduled to receive my second dose of vaccine on Friday and by the beginning of March i think I will feel more comfortable planning walks throughout the city. I will still be masked and I'm not sure how comfortable I will be eating indoors, but I'll be looking for outdoor events, especially as the weather gets nicer.  

A coffee stop at Breads Bakery on Broadway. Great coffee, great bread and heaters!

Though snow was predicted for today it didn't materialize and it was a pleasant enough day to enjoy coffee out of doors -- as long as heaters were provided. I made the most of a snowless day and ended up with 8900 steps, not quite 3.6 miles. Tomorrow looks equally warm and snowless and I'm planning another three mile day, too. 

As ever, thanks for stopping by. Take care and keep cozy. 

The Journey of 1000 Miles: Spring Update

Walking on the Sidewalks of New York

My last mileage post was March 31. I'd had a terrific month of walking  -- recalculated today at 96.1 miles -- and was optimistic that even if I couldn't walk 90+ miles in the months to come I could make progress on my goal of walking 1000 miles in 2020. 

I did make progress in April, but I only walked 55.3 miles, sadly not even an average of two miles a day. I can plead chilly and rainy weather and that's true, but it was much more the circumstances of our times. I didn't feel confident being outside and risking being too close to other people. There were a few days where the farthest I got was around my block. I walked at least a mile every day, but that didn't bring me close to my goal of 2.8 miles/day. 

I realized last week that I needed to get outside more, both for my mental well-being and for exercise. It might only encompass sitting by myself on a bench at the park a block from my house, or it might mean walking the almost one mile to Central Park. It doesn't make up for being alone, but sunny days and seeing people outside -- while being socially distant and wearing a mask -- cheered me up a lot. I wasn't happy the first few days I wore a mask. I got hot, my glasses fogged and my hair got in my eyes. But I very quickly realized that a mask kept me from touching my  nose and mouth and that made me feel better about going outside. I now wear a mask, carry gloves -- some of the stores require it -- and always have hand sanitizer with me. 

Some of my friends have not left their houses since we began to shut down in New York City in mid-March. Others are essential workers and are out regularly and others -- like me -- feel comfortable from time to time in small groceries or the drugstore and skip larger stores. Every store -- including Trader Joe's and other big grocery stores -- has limits on the number of people who can enter at any one time, and there is store personnel enforcing the limits. I've found people courteous, keep a social distance and are aware of those around them. What I haven't done since March 13 is take the bus or subway or use a taxi, so my world has become very local. 

Nessie and Pep hope you had fun on Cinco de Mayo

Nessie and Pep thank everyone for their good wishes. Initially we thought it would be a very small wedding, but so many people, monkeys and bears have asked to be part of the wedding celebration, it's made us go back to planning to make sure to include friends and family around the world. Of course our Buttercupland family will be part of all of the festivities.

I've got a surprise for tomorrow. I won't give any hints, except to say it's a big week in Buttercupland, and no, I'm not getting engaged. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take care. Much love and wash your hands!  

The Journey of a Thousand Miles Meets a Bump in the Road

Sometimes we come to a bump in the road and we figure out how to go around it. 

It feels like I've lived weeks, if not months, in the last few weeks, which is especially surprising considering I probably haven't been further than a mile from my cozy apartment. But the days are starting to take on some measure of routine. I read newspapers on line, I cook, I chat with friends and attend Zoom sessions, watch television, read and blog. I also continue to walk for exercise, which is a great continuity with my life before Black Swan Days. 

On February 23 I posted about my optimism about walking and accomplishing my goal of walking a thousand miles in 2020. I was about to leave for Arizona, where I expected to walk a lot. I had gotten my spinal diagnosis and my prescription for physical therapy, which I planned to start in early March. Despite a rough 2019 I was getting back on track, literally and figuratively, to more exercise and the walking I so enjoyed. 

What a difference a month makes. I started off March with lots of walking and had my first (and only) physical therapy session. I have no idea when I will have my second session, but fortunately, I have my series of home exercises and mostly, I'm doing them. With a few days when I really stayed put and only walked around the block, I have kept walking for exercise -- and my sanity. I was sure, however, that I would fall short of my goals for my journey of walking 1,000 miles this year. 

Drum roll, please! My trusty Fitbit keeps tracking even when I have lost hope and with today yet to complete, I have walked 94.9 miles for March. My total, again without today's number, is 257.5 miles, which averages out to 85.8 miles a month. This keeps me exactly on pace to walk 1,000 miles this year, barring any unforeseen circumstances. At this point, I take nothing for granted and know that the theme of 2020 is unforeseen circumstances, but I am beyond pleased that there is one healthy goal I have kept up up during this time.    

On a different topic, if anyone would like to "guest blog," please leave a comment or send me an email. I've asked a college friend who keeps bees to share her experience and I'm delighted that Peggy will be making an appearance in Buttercupland. But your contribution doesn't have to be anything especially unusual. If you have a recipe to share, a way you're keeping engaged or a book or movie you've enjoyed, please be in touch.  

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. Much love and wash your hands.

Black Swan Days Begin

Lower Manhattan, Looking North

I've had a lot of trouble finding a title for this post. But I saw a post from a friend on Facebook about a black swan. A black swan is an "unpredictable event that is beyond what is normally expected and has potentially serious consequences. They are extremely rare and have a severe impact." My deepest prayer is that Covid19 is as many have characterized it,  a "bad flu," but looking at data from Italy I am more concerned that it is a black swan. 

Buttercupland is not about to become a medical blog and I will make every effort to continue to write about positive and upbeat topics. But I most likely will be spending much more time at home and staying away from gatherings of large groups. The latter is on recommendation of my internist who I saw on Monday. There may be a lot more photographs taken in walking distance of my apartment, photographs taken in years past and lots of long delayed book reviews. 

I thought about what I will be doing in the hours I would normally be scheduling activities all over New York City. I will be blogging more, reading more and yes, working on the infinite decluttering. I will also be walking as much as possible as a way to keep fit and to burn off nervous energy. My building has a beautiful -- and little used -- roof deck and I plan to enjoy it more than usual this spring. 

Saturday my friend, Jane, and I spent the afternoon walking, taking pictures and then walking a lot more. My total for the day was over six miles. It was crisp, but sunny and we had a wonderful walk in Lower Manhattan. We stopped for lunch at Pier A, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1886 as the headquarters for the New York Harbor Police and Department of Docks and renovated several years ago. 

 An extraordinary view from Pier A. Alas it was too cold to sit outside for lunch. 

 The Oyster House is modeled after the classic fish house of New York City. It wasn't crowded

 for Saturday lunch, but during the week it's much more difficult to find a coveted seat at the bar. 

My day today was very average, but I enjoyed every minute spent outdoors and seeing friends at Weight Watchers. First stop of the day was Weight Watchers, my first day of physical therapy, a visit to the library to return an overdue book and a quick stop at the grocery. I'm pleased to report that there was more than adequate stock of both toilet paper and paper towels. How was your day, dear friends?

As ever, thanks for visiting. I'll be back tomorrow with thoughts on hand washing, our new global activity, and prayer. Take good care!

The Return of the Journey of 1000 Miles (Part III)

Spring flowers from my morning walk via Waterlogue

It's only been in the last week that I realized that it would be feasible to once again do the Journey of 1000 Miles. I first did the Journey in 2017 when I responded to a Weight Watcher challenge to pick a fitness target. I wasn't sure I could do it, but I broke the challenge down to walking an average of 2.8 miles every day and by mid-December 2017 I had walked 1000 miles. I once again decided to walk 1000 miles in 2018 and had completed my goal by the end of November. 

2019 was a different story. I had my hip replaced in early January and knew it wouldn't be possible to walk 2.8 miles daily for at least several months. I had a rocky recovery and it wasn't until the fall that I got closer to my daily average. I figured 2019 would be the Journey of 500 Miles, but I ended the year with a total of 850 miles. 

I didn't even think about mileage for 2020. I've had a series of walking issues that have been problematic for the last year. But in January I changed my gym routine, which really helped with the pain I was experiencing. I also saw a spinal specialist and will be returning to physical therapy next month to develop a home-based exercise program. I've got chronic issues, but right now they have become manageable. They have in fact become manageable enough that I've been able to walk more.

Great weather, less pain and my new Fitbit to prod me along and amazingly I'm almost back to my pre-surgery mileage. So far in 2020 -- Drumroll, please -- I've walked 140 miles. My goal is twenty more miles in February which is ambitious, but not impossible. I hope to report in December that I've once again walked 1000 miles in a year. 

The only change between past Journeys and 2020 is the addition of my Fitbit. I tracked my miles on an app on my phone. It was good, but I needed to be carrying my phone to count steps. I wear my Fitbit all the time and I'm counting every step as well as counting minutes of swimming in the pool. Counting all my steps when I'm at home does give me more steps. I can easily walk three quarters of a mile without leaving my apartment.  

If you remember in January I wrote about having a cold. I took the sound medical advice I was given and rested. I skipped all of my gym activities and realized that the pain in my leg that made walking difficult was significantly better. When I felt better I returned to Yoga and swimming, but the pain didn't return. The difference was the strength training I'd been doing regularly, and had stopped doing. I'd been doing strength training for five years and had really come to like it. But it's goodbye to the machines I'd come to like and hello again to the miles that I can do without pain. I've learned that in exercise, like in most other activities, moderation is the best course.   

What are you doing to keep active? Walking? Swimming? Yoga? Any runners in the group?

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.  

The Journey of 1000 Miles Continues

New York goes to the polls, 2018

 

Voting in New York City is no different that voting across the United States. I voted in an overheated school gym in my neighborhood. It was crowded, actually as crowded as I've ever seen the turnout for a mid-term election. Under a white canopy outside the school the PTA was running a bake sale. There was lots of staff to explain how to scan our ballots and to keep the literally hundreds of Upper West Siders in line. 

 

The biggest difference about voting in Manhattan and voting in most other places is that I walked to PS 163. There are closer polling places, but for some reason I cannot understand, my building was assigned to a site not quite a mile away. Despite wind and rain, I walked over. My round trip this morning was 1.7 miles, slightly more than half of my daily walking goal. 

 

Yes, I have a daily walking goal. I don't always make it, but usually I'm close to or above the three miles I try to walk daily. I began 2017 with a goal of walking 1,000 miles. I ended the year with a total of 1,040 miles. I started 2018 with the same goal and in the first week of November I've walked over 900 miles. My thousand miles for 2018 is right in sight. I'm hoping to make it to 1100 miles, but that will depend on the weather. Icy sidewalks are not conducive to long walks.

 

I've found I love to walk, and I especially love to walk outside. I don't enjoy the treadmill, so I've found that if I'm bundled up in winter or in the right combination of layers in other seasons I can do a lot of my errands via walking. I started slowly. In 2016 my goal was two miles a day, and in 2012 after my spinal surgery I was happy to do three or four blocks. I'm grateful for how far -- literally and figuratively -- I've been able to travel. 

 

 As much as I'd like to take the journey in 2019 it may not be possible. In the first week of January, I'm going to have a total hip replacement for my right hip. This will definitely sideline my walking journey for several months. I'm hoping by the spring I'll be walking all over New York City again and by April I'll be back on an airplane.

I'm a walker, but I also enjoy my seated yoga classes and strength training machines at the local Y. It has come as a complete surprise how much I like working out on the machines. Is anyone else a fan of weights? Yoga? Walking?

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care!
 

The Walker Formerly Known as Purple Sneakers...

...is now Red Sneakers!

 

I started tracking my walking a little over two years ago. It was just about that time when I realized I loathed walking on the treadmill and committed to walking outdoors. At that time I had a pair of purple sneakers and that became my name on the Weight Watchers Connect site. I found I really liked walking and tracking my miles. Before I knew it 2017 was beginning and I challenged myself to walking 1,000 miles in one year.   

 

I started the project wearing my beloved purple sneakers and last summer unofficially became Blue Sneakers. I had worn out my purple ones. During the trip last weekend to Atlantic City one of my goals was to visit the shoe outlets and buy a new pair of sneakers. I bought two pairs from the marked down rack against the wall. If you're an outlet shopper you are familiar with the section against the wall. They are the shoes that are mismatched, several seasons old and generally beyond sale. Not this time. My friend, Jane, did an extraordinary job of searching the racks and found not one -- but two pairs -- of great sneakers at amazing prices. 

 

I bought a more sensible pair of black sneakers and the beauties shown above. The color is bright, but it feels as though I'm walking on air. This season's color for this style is a beautiful purple, but they were twice the price, even at the outlet with an additional 20% discount. I also fell in love with the Velcro that holds them in place. Somehow my sneakers are always coming untied and this will prevent my concerns about falling on a shoelace. 

 

I've continued doing a journey of 1,000 miles this year, too. I ended June, my best month thus far, with 112 miles and have walked 561.5 miles for the first half of 2018. I've got some very minor foot surgery coming up next month which may derail me for a few weeks, but I'm on track to walk 1,000 miles once again.

 

It was a not-so balmy 95 degrees today and the forecast for tomorrow is 100. I'm drinking water, taking it easy and enjoying the pleasures of air conditioning. I'm profoundly grateful for the latter.

 

As ever, thanks for visiting and keep cool!

 

   

Cold Rain: An Update on My Journey of 1000 Miles

It's time to stop and see the flowers.  

When I looked at my Journey of 1,000 Miles last year it was primarily sleet and hot weather that slowed me down. This year it's cold rain. Luckily there hasn't been much sleet and the warm weather of Australia didn't stop me at all. I walked in the Outback one day at six in the morning to avoid the triple digits later in the day.

But since I've been home -- almost three weeks -- I've gotten L.A.Z.Y. I've let cold rain slow me down. There have been a couple of days that I've walked less than two miles, which is my basic goal for every day. Fortunately I walked a lot in Australia and made up for my less productive days. My total mileage for January and February is 178 miles, slightly less than 90 miles a month. I've set a goal of 90 miles for March and I'm not going to let a little, or a lot, of cold rain get the better of me.   
In the last few days I realized I'm really back from Australia. I'm back to yoga, strength training, grocery shopping and cooking. I'm over jet lag and have started to schedule more activities. Some are very routine, like a haircut next week and others are less so. I'm going to a basketball game this weekend and a meditation program at my synagogue, too.

One thing that has lagged is blog planning. I don't plan every post in a month, but usually I have some idea about the things I'm going to write about. But I've started to put the next week together.  Tomorrow we're celebrating what would have been my father's 101st birthday. Buttercupland will join me at the basketball game and we'll be doing some reading. I'm also starting to gear up for Blogging from A to Z 2018 and I've chosen my theme.

I was getting my miles in on Tuesday -- a beautiful spring day in February -- and walked by the local community garden to see if anything was budding. The flowers were more than budding. They were out and thriving. I hope you enjoy these glimpses of early spring. 

 

I hope you're enjoying your evening and as ever, thanks for visiting. Take care and sweet dreams!