The Journey of 904 Miles

 

One of my favorite places to walk is in my neighborhood

Welcome to June, the month where we go from spring to summer and it's time for the joys of long evenings. I'll be spending most of June in England/Ireland and Scotland and I will experience, not quite white nights, but a lot more light. I looked up the Isle of Mull in Scotland, one of the ports that I'll be visiting and sunset tonight is a blissful 10:03 PM and sunrise is at 4:39 am. 

Before I start walking in places new to me, it's time for an update on this year's walking journey. My goal for 2026 is (a somewhat odd) 904 miles, which is the number that will add up to 10,000 miles in ten years. Happily, despite the cold and snowy winter and my ankle issue, I'm right on track. My total for 2026 is 406 miles in five months. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the remaining 498 miles is doable. 

I'm not packed -- I wait until the day I'm leaving to actually put things in the suitcase -- but I feel organized. I know the last minute I will think of a dozen things that need to get done, but for now it seems under control. I've scheduled very little and that's helped a lot. In the next two days I'll go over my lists and make sure that I'm getting all my pre-trip errands done. Today was laundry day and download books day, two travel essentials.  

Before I sign off here are a few more pictures from my trip to Salem.

The view from the House of the Seven Gables

One evening visited with friends in Marblehead, MA and this was our view.

There will be lots of views of sea and sky in June and I will be sharing them with you while I am away. There will also be cities, villages and scones, lots of scones and jam. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.  

Sidewalks of New York: Madison Avenue

 

It might as well be spring (in this photograph), but alas, today it's a very snowy January 

Last week the weather was a very unseasonable and (almost) springlike fifty degrees and today it's a regular snowy January day. I made the most of the great weather with lots of walking and getting as many errands done as possible. 

Last Monday I took one of my favorite walks on Madison Avenue. Fabulous window shopping -- it's still No Spending January -- and fun photograph opportunities. Let's visit a few of my favorite stops. 

I'm not a Labubu collector, but I couldn't resist a photo of this 

cute group in the window of a manicure salon.  

No wedding plans for me, friends, but love to window shop this bridal store 

I passed by a place I've been wanting to try for awhile. I passed by before Christmas and there was a line around the corner, so I didn't even try to take pictures. The winter specialty at Glace is hot chocolate, a very fancy hot chocolate. The summer  specialty  is soft serve ice cream, which is one of my favorites. It's pricy -- two scoops for ten dollars -- and the usual line and the price have stopped me from indulging. But this time there was not much of a  line and I indulged myself by going inside and taking pictures. 

Glace outside 

Glace inside

Everything looks so good. One day when the stars align -- no line and warm weather -- I'm treating myself to soft serve with the  hardshell. I'm leaning to the Brown Butter Vanilla, but there are also ice cream flavors (as seen on the website) which include mint chip and creme brulee. Is anyone else an ice cream or soft serve fan? Which flavor(s) would you go with?

As I mentioned the warm weather has passed and it's snow time. This was the look in Riverside Park yesterday. It was very quiet and I shared the park with people walking their dogs.   

Snowy New York, January 2026

That's the news in Buttercupland. On my agenda for this week is book club, Pilates, a trip (or two) to the gym and there's carrot soup to be made. Any cold weather cooking projects on your schedule?

As ever, thanks for visiting and keep cozy.

The Journey of 1000 Miles

 

Autumn in Westchester, County NY

It's been awhile since I've updated on my walking journey. I'm happy to report that I'm right on track for my 1,000 mile goal for 2025. I've walked 790 miles, not including my steps for today. I'm also right on track to complete my goal of ten thousand miles. I've walked 8846 miles and will walk at least 210 miles more this year. That puts me at 10,000 miles total walking in ten years. I hope to get to the 10,000 mile mark just about this time next year. 

I haven't thought about the ten thousand mile mark in awhile, but I'm amazed and delighted that it's actually in sight. I'm not sure what goal comes after that, but I like having a goal and it's really kept me motivated to keep moving and walking. 

I got most of my steps today in Westchester County, just north of New York City. It was the perfect autumn day and I loved everything about it, except that it got dark so early (to me). I made a long planned trip to Kykuit, the historic home of the Rockefeller family. I took a lot of pictures, and hope to do a longer post about it later this month, but here's a sneak peek of the beauty of the estate. 

One of  the fountains at Kykuit

I'm off tomorrow on an adventure. It will be a new state to walk in this year, but not one of the four states that I have yet to visit. It's one of the prettiest cities in America and I'm happy to revisit and spend time with college friends. I'm hoping for better weather than predicted -- lots of rain predicted -- and (reasonably) on time flights. I'll be drinking coffee, taking lots of photographs and if the weather cooperates, walking on the beach. There will definitely be a post when I'm back at home. What are your weekend plans?

As ever, thanks for visiting and happy autumn days!

The Journey of 1,000 Miles

 

Thanks, good and faithful sneakers

While I was writing about distant lands and travels past, life continued in New York. One of the activities that continued was my walking journey. I walked 82 miles in April, just a few miles short of what I'd hoped, 85 miles, but enough to keep me on track for my 1,000 mile goal for this year. 

This took a lot of miles

On Friday I noticed that I'd just about worn out the soles in my every day sneakers. They probably needed to be replaced for three months, but I honestly didn't notice that the sole was getting very thin. I added new sneakers to my list of things I needed to buy. I've done very little buying this year, but in the last week I bought binoculars -- there will be lots of animals to view -- an adaptor for my electrical devices and a new pair of baby blue sneakers. I also bought insect repellant, more sunscreen and school supplies. The school supplies are for a visit we will make to a school in Zimbabwe.  

Now that I've got everything assembled, there's both not a lot left to do and also an awful lot left  to do. I've got most of what I need to bring sitting on the couch and my suitcase is open and ready. I'm going to Weight Watchers tomorrow morning, making a quick visit to the bank and then I'm treating myself to a pedicure. Then it's home to pack. 

Some time tomorrow I will begin to realize that in 48 hours I will be in Africa. I will be both excited and anxious, though I keep reminding myself that as long as I have my passport, chargers, my prescriptions, phone and a change or two of clothes I'm fine. 

I'm hoping to do one more post tomorrow, but as I've learned over the years packing and organizing will take longer than I anticipate, and I'll be sidetracked with at least a half dozen little errands that somehow didn't cross my mind in the last week. That said, the next post will either be from the plane -- wifi is included -- or once I've landed in Johannesburg, and very shortly my miles will be walked in South Africa.   

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. 

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.  

       

On the Journey of 1100 Miles

 

Part of my mileage on Sunday

I didn't dream that in December 2016 when I first decided to walk 1,000 miles in 2017, I would still be walking in 2024. Not only would I still be walking in 2024, but that I would hit my once-goal of 1,000 miles in mid-November, which is definitely a first. I looked back on past posts and found I met my goal on December 12 in 2018 and December 20 in 2022. Despite a few new chronic orthopedic conditions I'm very happy I'm still walking wherever I go. 

Loved this bench promoting kindness in Sedona

I added 100 miles to my goal when I walked 1070 miles last year. It seemed a challenge, but with a little extra effort I was optimistic I'd see 1100 miles in 2024, and it looks to be on the  horizon. Three things really are making the difference this year. The first two were locations where I walked. I had a wonderful hiking/walking vacation with college friends in Arizona in March and walked at least five miles most days. That really gave my mileage a boost. The second was my trip to Paris in April. Most days I walked at least six miles and a few days were nine mile days. Before this trip I didn't realize I could walk nine miles in a day. I haven't done a nine mile day since, but there was so much I wanted to see while in Paris. 

Loved my walks along the River Seine and this view of Notre Dame Cathedral

The biggest component of walking a thousand or eleven hundred miles is consistency. A few days I barely eked out a mile and a half, but most days were closer to three miles. It's become a big part of my life and it's just something I do now. I'm grateful for everyone who's walked with me, both actually and my friends far and near who are supportive. You all have made what could be a chore a lot of fun.  

What about 2025? I'm planning to revert to my original goal of 1,000 miles. I may end up walking eleven hundred miles, but want to take off some of the mileage pressure. There's also the issue of the weather. New York had about three inches of snow last year, which made winter walking much less challenging. I'm hoping for more snow this winter -- the reservoirs really need it -- and that will make the winter more challenging. 

Is anyone else walking with me? The goal can be 100 miles or two thousand. I'd love to have some virtual company along the journey.

Autumn is fully here in New York and I found my gloves and a light winter coat. It's that time. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a great walking day!

 

The Journey of a Thousand Miles (Plus One Hundred)

 

The Tiny Doll House, which I discovered during one of my January walks

Yes, you read the title correctly. It's another year and another thousand miles to walk, but this year, it's a thousand miles, plus one hundred more. After seven years and at age 73, I'm shaking up the Journey of 1000 Miles. It's time for a challenge. 

For the last three years it's been a relatively easy thousand miles. I ended 2023 having walked 1,070 miles. I realized with a little more initiative I could walk eleven hundred miles in 2024 and set a new record for myself. It will take a little more planning, a little more energy and a lot of good luck. The good luck are the things that I can't control, e.g., icy weather, extreme heat and the aches of older age.  

Unless I do a lot of walking in the next half hour, I will have completed January with 92 miles. Not bad for a month that had a stretch of freezing weather. I walked almost all of this out of doors, but I did use the treadmill, which I am so not a fan of doing, during the coldest days a few weeks ago. 

Where will I be walking this year? Of course, I will be walking in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. I have a trip planned for March back to one of my favorite places ever, Sedona, Arizona, but with a number of new sights on the itinerary. I plan to be back in Maine in the summer and hoping for a visit to Vermont, too.  One of my hopes is to visit somewhere I've never been before. I've got some thoughts, but all of my paths seem to be leading me to familiar places. But the year is young and some of the best memories of 2023 weren't even a thought in my mind in January, 2023.

As ever, thanks for visiting and happy walking 2024. 

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. 

Halfway Home: My Journey of 1000 Miles 2023

Looking downtown from Twenty-third Street 

I was planning to do a blog post when I hit the 500 mile mark, halfway to 1000 miles and my destination, in my Journey of 1,000 Miles. But 500 miles was sometime last week and when I sat down tonight to see where I was, I was pleased to find out that I had walked 510.7 miles as of yesterday. On most days I've been walking about three miles, but the air quality emergency early in the month threw me off my stride -- literally. But I'm back to my walking and I'm happily on to the next 500 miles. I've also kept up with weight machines at the gym and I plan to return to Yoga tomorrow. The latter will be a challenge because it will be the first time in a year I've gone to Yoga class, but I'm optimistic I can make a good transition back. 

Yesterday I took an excursion downtown and visited the Flatiron District, named for the -- Flatiron Building. The Flatiron Building was built in 1901 and was the tallest building north of Fourteenth Street. It's built on a triangular plot of land and the name "Flatiron" came from the shape of the plot, which resembled an iron. The building is now under renovation, but it's still a landmark in the area and the city. 

The streets in the immediate area have become extensions of the adjacent Madison Square Park  -- yes, where the original Madison Square Garden stood -- and are a great place to sit and enjoy the park view and a cup of coffee.  

 

One of my favorite views, looking north from the Flatiron Building

I'm halfway home in mileage and we're almost halfway home for 2023. There's some really fun stuff coming up: Pep and I will be celebrating our birthdays next month and then there are weddings for two of my favorite people and their beaux. One of the weddings is in August and the other in September. But I'm not trying to wish the days away and I'm going to do a few posts with some of my favorite photographs from France and England while my memories are still fresh. La Rochelle, France will be our next port of call. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a fabulous Friday. 

Pink Saturday Counts the Steps

I love  the flowers I see on my walks

I know I've been posting a lot of photographs of flowers, but in the last -- I hope -- days of winter we all enjoy seeing flowers. I don't take pictures only of flowers. I do a lot of window shopping, look out for the neighborhood dogs and try to  include a sunset or two. 

I'm going to use this post for an update on my Journey of 1000 Miles. We've had a mile winter and that's given me the opportunity to walk outside every day. Including my miles for March I'm over the 200 mile mark. This puts me right on track for 1000 miles by the end of the year. 

I'm taking nothing for granted and the hot, hot days of the summer are the most challenging for me to get my steps in. I know everyone doesn't like daylight savings, but I especially like the longer days and taking a walk in the early evening. I made use of the longer light today and added a mile tonight. 

That said, I expect to be off my mileage this week. I'm having a minor medical procedure on Wednesday. It is realistically minor, but I'm sure I'm not going to be doing miles in the immediate days following. My only restrictions are swimming and gym activity, so I'm optimistic that I'll be back to walking quickly. 

Is anyone else counting steps or miles for the year? If so, how are you doing?

That's our Pink Saturday post for this week. I hope the flowers have given you a smile. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and wishes for a great week.  

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!

(Continuing) The Journey of 10,000 Miles

 

These shoes were made for walking

I don't feel that I've done a whole lot this year, but one thing I have done is wear out a pair of walking shoes. My old ones look okay on the outside, but I'm sure after at least 1,000 miles any padding they once had on the inside is gone. I was glad to find this spiffy dove gray pair -- last season's color -- that fit well and was twenty dollars less expensive than this season's color, a beautiful lavender. I was tempted to go with the lavender, but realized that after two weeks on the gritty sidewalks of New York I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between lavender and dove gray. Here's to the next thousand miles. 

It seemed a little daring, preposterous, overly optimistic to choose a goal of ten thousand miles for my walking. But tracking miles is what I've been doing for years and this is just a more cosmic version. I've read several articles about how keeping a structure was an important way to help get through the last year. It was one thing I could do that was actual and not through a computer screen. 

I've now walked 4,076 miles toward my ten thousand mile goal. I've "only" got 5,924 miles left to walk. It's both a daunting and exciting thought. Daunting, because it's impossible to imagine walking almost 6,000 miles. Exciting, because I'm optimistic my dove gray shoes and I will be walking in places I've never been before. I've made no travel plans, and though I've got some travel ideas, I'm not sure where my shoes and I will go. 

The first day of spring was a beauty in New York City, with perfect sunny weather. I got my walking in with a visit to the post office. I also made a stop at a fun local event and spent time taking pictures for will be tomorrow's Pink Saturday post.   

As ever, thanks for visiting and happy spring!

The Journey of 10,000 Miles

 

It begins the same way the Journey of 1,000 Miles begins, with a single step

Yes, you read the title correctly. We're taking a journey of 10,000 miles. 

I embarked on my first Journey of 1,000 Miles in January 2017. My Weight Watchers leader suggested choosing a challenge for the year ahead. I chose a somewhat ambitious goal of walking 1,000 miles during the year as a way to encourage myself to walk more. I was walking about two miles most days and with a little extra effort and planning I could increase that. I quickly realized I needed to be consistent. If I didn't do the work all year I wouldn't be able to complete the challenge by walking 500 miles in December. I liked the structure (and the exercise) and finished the year with 1,039 miles. 

I continued the challenge in 2018 and walked 1,060 miles (approximately), surpassing my 2017 mileage. I kept track in 2019, but only completed 850 miles (hip replacement slowed me down) and walked 919 miles last year. My total mileage for the last four years is 3,860 miles.

If I could walk to Australia, it would be a 10,000 mile journey. 

During this week, my friend, Betsy, and I were out for one of our walks when she commented on my 10,000 mile journey. I started laughing at the thought and put it out of my mind. But when I got home I realized that I was well on my way to 10,000 miles. I did a search and saw that Sydney, Australia could be my (virtual) destination for my decade long challenge, at a distance of 10,277 miles. Barring anything unforeseen, my goal is to complete this challenge by walking 10,000 miles by December 31, 2026. 

If I have learned anything in 2020 it's that there is always something unforeseen. But I have also learned that the journey is more important than the destination, and it's always worth trying to reach a goal.    

New York City to Magdalen College, Oxford,  England, 3,408 miles 

While Sydney is my final destination I'm enjoying the stops along the way. Counting my miles in 2021 I've now left England and I'm on the European continent. I'm somewhere east of Amsterdam, a city I hope to visit and where I'd like to walk sometime in the next six years. 

I'm not sure if I will get very far beyond New York City this year, let alone to any other countries, or even states. But like a pilgrim of the Middle Ages I'm on my quest and excited and eager to see where the bends in the road take me for the next 6,000 miles. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. 

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 First Buttercupland Walking Challenge

 Manhattan, looking south

Happy September, my blog buddies. I love the long days of summer, but I'm also a fan of the cooler days that September ushers in. We've had a hot and humid August, but that finally seems to be on the wane. I've had the air conditioner off more than it's been on for the last few days which is a wonderful change. 

The hot weather really put a damper on my walking, but with September I'm inspired to try harder. Traditionally, I've done a lot of walking this time of year and I don't want to slack off. I started the month off with 7,000 steps yesterday and my goal is to reach the same number every day. 

To encourage myself -- and anyone else that may need a nudge -- I'm hosting the first Buttercupland Walking Challenge. It's an on-your-honor challenge where persistence is more important than speed or distance. Just be a friend/follower of Buttercupland and walk a mile twenty five/thirty days in September. On October 1 I will do a post where you can post your miles for September and then be added into a giveaway for everyone who completes the challenge. There will  be one prize for every ten entrants. If there are more than ten entrants there will be two prizes. I'll be posting my progress throughout the month and I hope you'll join in, too.   

I'm adding a quick update on restoring gas to my apartment building. We're actually moving along. The de-construction phase is over and the plumbers were here today and the new gas line has been installed for my neighbor's apartment. I know this sounds convoluted, but their kitchen and my living room adjoin each other. If this phase is finished as planned this week on the other floors of the building, the line for my gas service will be installed -- but not turned on -- next week. That's not the end of the process, but it feels so good to have the project progress.

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. Happy walking!

     

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.

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 Five Hundred Miles

2019 is the year for the journey of 500 miles

 

For the last two years I've taken the journey of 1000 miles. In each year I've walked over 1,000 miles. This averages out to approximately 2.8 miles a day. I've tracked my mileage each month and have been pleased to pass the 1,000 mile mark in both 2017 and 2018. I've walked my miles on three continents and in five countries. What started as a Weight Watchers challenge became my fitness pleasure and structure. 

 

I knew 2019 was most likely not going to be a journey of 1,000 miles. I had my right hip replaced in January and I barely walked a mile a day in the month following. I'm making a good recovery, but my daily average is closer to two miles a day. I overdid it in my first few months and developed tendinitis, which slowed me down a lot. The tendinitis pain is (mostly) gone, but comes back on days when I push myself too hard. I'd hoped to be totally back to where I was before my surgery, but that's just not my reality. 2019 will be the year for a journey of 500 or 600 or 700 miles, and I will be grateful for whatever my final number will be.

 

As the years have passed I've learned that exercise and vegetables are my best friends. I was never a gym fan, but I've found a number of things that I like to do. Besides walking I enjoy chair Yoga at the local Y and strength training. I 'm not always in the mood to do them, but I always like the results and how I feel after my sessions. Last week I added water aerobics for seniors with arthritis. It's been on my list of things "to do sometime" for the last year and I'm glad my friends from Yoga class pushed me. It's great exercise and I've found I can follow the session with swimming laps. I'm also optimistic that the water aerobics will help with strengthening my hip muscles. Is anyone else a fan of water aerobics?

 

 I'm waiting for the Ark to arrive any day. We've had more rain in the last month than I can remember for a long time. I hoped to share some pretty May photographs, but instead I give you Broadway on a rainy May day. 

 

 Looking North on Broadway, Lincoln Center to the left

 

Looking South on Broadway, Dante Park

 

I'm starting to get ready for my next adventure in the 2019 Journey of 500 Miles. It involves luggage tags, Dramamine and warm sweaters and yes, an umbrella. Please stop by for my next blog post and adventure reveal. 

 

As ever, thanks for visiting. Stay dry, take care and have a great Wednesday!  



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!