Standing at the Trailhead of Winter

Like usual, Ado and I set off for our morning walk. A bit later than usual since I slept right up until 7:45. Then I snuggled for another half hour against Ado. He's the best cuddle buddy ever. So when we finally started off, the sun was shining, warming the morning so nicely. While we walked I thought I'd cycle up to the farm to return the egg cartons that I'd been collecting over the last couple of months. I wasn't about to let this beautiful fall day get away from me without a cycling trip of some kind. Once Ado was settled in after we returned to the apartment and after I aired up the tires on Sweetness, I started out. Only to realize the wind had come up during the time I fixed Ado's breakfast, geared up, packed the egg cartons in the pannier, and stepped back outside. Not just a little wind, either. No. This wind, though I didn't know it until after I checked the weather once I got home, was blowing over 23 miles per hour, gusting up to 40 mph. There was

I was sitting in my oversized chair last evening, watching a new Netflix show, when the very top of the full moon edged above the apartment building next door. I watched it rise, finally appearing entirely. I switched off the TV, spread out my meditation blanket, lit the candle, and turned off the one lamp in the living room. In the yellow light of the moon and the flickering candlelight, I settled onto the blanket. Ado came over and curled up right against my legs, and together we spent the next half hour in meditation. Well, I tried to in any case. The moon shining through the piece of stained glass art in the window. Maybe it was the effect of the full moon. Maybe it was the warmth of Ado pressing against my legs, feeling his breathing, feeling his energy. Whatever it was, I just couldn't go into full-on meditation. Instead, a memory from long ago surfaced, one that I've not visited in a very, very long time. Because I'm ashamed of the decision I made. But last e

When I look at the calendar, I'm amazed that we're in week ten with the semester. In all my time teaching, I've not had a semester just seem to zoom by like this one is. I think a big part of why I feel like the weeks are slipping by so quickly is I'm teaching two hybrid sections, so I only see the students of each section once a week. After our once-a-week meeting, the students are sent on their way to complete the work online. I love this approach to teaching, and I hope to continue teaching the hybrid courses, but they definitely do make the semester go by in a blink. And with the weeks passing, the cooler weather seems to be here to stay. Which I am perfectly okay with. Though I do need to buy some long johns to wear under my clothes if I'm going to continue biking to work. And a good pair of winter boots, ones that are stylish yet practical and warm. I've been searching for the just-right pair of boots for a couple weeks now, and I think I've narrowed

True to form, Illinois went straight from summer to winter. A week ago I was wearing shorts and a sleeveless blouse to work. Today, corduroy slacks and a lovely cashmere sweater I found at the thrift store for a mere $8. To keep from getting too cold on the bike, I wrapped a scarf around my neck, pulled on a fleece jacket, and covered my head and ears with my favorite slouchy beanie. Once I started out, I decided to just ride to the transit center in Uptown and hop on the bus. I like having that option available to me if I want. This afternoon the wind was still blowing cold out of the north, but the sun was shining and warmed my back for the ride home from the transit center. Waiting for the bus -- season's first snow Just four days ago snow fell for most of the afternoon. I was sitting in a meeting at work and looked out the windows to see the first flakes of the season. An hour later when I left for home, fat, wet flakes fell. Like today, I'd ridden to the transit cent

I avoid confrontation. If I see a situation brewing where confrontation is definitely part of the equation, I'll find a way to slink away, not have to become part of the mix. Yesterday, though, I actively confronted another person.  Funny Delightful Son came home for the weekend, and we went computer shopping for him. His laptop gave up the ghost, so he was on the hunt for a replacement. After doing some online research, he decided to head to Wally World where the kind of computer he was searching for was listed online as being on sale. When we arrived at the technology department, he found the computer. Right below it was the sale tag. FDS said he was going to play around with the computer for a bit, so I wandered off to the bike accessories aisle to see if I could find some bungee nets to use on a couple of my panniers. I found what I was looking for then returned to FDS who had that look on his face, the look of things not going as planned. Apparently while he was che

Mornings are still dark when Ado and I get up and go for our first walk of the day. I see the moon move through its phases if the sky is clear. I watch the crows fly overhead, going from their nightly nesting ground to wherever it is they go for the day. I hear the hoot owls calling to one another. Rabbits zip to the shelter of hedges from openly eating in front yards under cover of darkness. The stillness of this time snuggles around me like a favorite sweatshirt pulled on that first cool morning after a long, hot, muggy summer. Speaking of yellow . . . During my walk home from the Coffeehouse last evening, after sitting for several hours with a friend, talking work and writing, my thoughts turned to how not long from now darkness will settle in by 5 pm. My excuse to pull on pj's and hunker down for the evening. One of my most favorite things to do, and it will last right up until April when I'm ready to shed the layers and get back out into the world again. The last f

I finally swallowed my fear of the scale and weighed in this morning. I mean, if I'm going to see if this intermittent fasting actually works (which I already believe it does given the last three weeks of fasting and how my clothes are fitting), I want to see some actual numerical proof. The last time I weighed in was just over a year ago, at the end of the Pacific coast ride, after thirty-two days of cycling sixty-five miles a day, burning anywhere from 2500 to 4000 calories a day. That kind of daily exercise is a sure way to lose weight. But I'm not doing anything near that level of activity, so I've been a bit apprehensive about getting on the scale. A year ago, I was at 144 pounds. This morning the scale said 145 pounds. Whew. Not bad. The year with the kids did put some extra pounds on my frame. Lovely Beautiful Daughter is all about hearty meals, especially during the colder months. She would fix pastas, potatoes, and all kinds of other starchy, carbohydrates rich m