A Decision

This week a decision was required. I have been attending a yoga class, offered weekly, but which I do not attend weekly. The pay as you go class has suited me well. Many weeks I do not go, because there are other things that I want to do during that time slot. The classes require a Membership to attend, as well as the weekly fee. The organization has made a “business” decision, to require a three month commitment and prepayment for classes beginning immediately. Since my annual membership fee is also due, the cost is more than I am willing to invest; I wanted to buy new boots and you can’t have everything. Today I sent a note saying that I will not be returning to the class. The only thing I will miss is the instructor, who is excellent.

The decision to end my attendance at the yoga class led me to seek a new way to keep myself limber and flexible. I checked out DVDs on amazon.ca and rejected those, the one’s I liked were $60 or much more, not really feasible. Then I decided to see what YouTube had. I found a suitable, for me, set of very gentle daily yoga routines, that are provided free of charge online, from the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. I will be following these routines daily, or almost daily. There is one each for the morning, for the afternoon, and for the evening. That will give me a longer “workout” than the yoga class I was taking for one hour a week. And I can afford to continue with it as long as I like.

Walking in the winter is problematic for me; the snow accumulates on the roads and ice forms in patches, making the footing uneven and unpredictable. It is too cold, and too wet, to walk in my running shoes.

I have solved the issue of walking on a slippery surface in the winter, but not the issue of uneven surfaces. I have a new pair of boots, they are neoprene, and are relatively non-slip. I chose the low rise boot, as it is easier to get on and off, and I still have my old boots which are quite high and will be worn if I need to walk through deep snow, which will be a rare event here at Mist Cottage.

I was due for a pair of boots this winter, as my regular pair are 10 years old and were inexpensive rubber boots from Canadian Tire, a reasonably priced chain department store. Terra recommended Bogs, which were what I ended up buying. Of course, I tried on a dozen or more different pairs of boots before settling on the Bogs, I had to be sure. The sales person, a young woman, was most gracious about spending so much time showing me what they had in stock.

Today I went for my first walk in my new boots. It was a beautiful sunny day, cool but not frigid. The weather has been mild, the roads are relatively clear and the walking surface even. This is my first time out for a walk in the neighbourhood in weeks! The Bogs were comfortable, made snug by an added insole that I took out of my old boots and put into my new boots. I felt very sure footed in The Bogs, even when I had to walk over frozen icy patches down the side of the road; I was still cautious though. So far, so good!

My new boots. These are Bogs, neoprene boots with warm lining, good to -40C. I think these will last me a very long time!

Worldly Distractions

Weather

-1°C
Date: 1:00 PM EST Wednesday 27 January 2016
Condition: Not observed
Pressure: 101.9 kPa
Tendency: rising
Visibility: 24 km
Temperature: -1.0°C
Dewpoint: -10.7°C
Humidity: 48%
Wind: W 22 gust 32 km/h
Wind Chill: -7

Quote

“The lesson which life repeats and constantly enforces is ‘look under foot.’ You are always nearer the divine and the true sources of your power than you think.”
John Burroughs
1837 – 1921