New view

Saturday, Nipper and I walked somewhere we've never walked before in about four years of living here -- to the park, about four blocks from home. How we got there is the new part. We walked the dry creekbed.

The creek is almost completely dry all the way through town, until it gets to the small dam on the east side. Nipper and I have been walking in the evening from the wooden bridge near my house to the bridge that's just south of us -- about a mile or so as you follow the roads. But then we've always turned and gone back home after reaching the bridge. Yesterday morning, I thought, what the heck, let's walk as much as we can. It took us close to a couple hours, mostly because the creek is awful twisty, and at one point, loops around almost back into itself. It was also pretty sandy, so the walking was a bit more difficult.

I wish I had taken my camera with me, because there were some interesting things that you can't see by sticking to the roads. Like the little skunk that just went about his business along the creek bed's edge, confident we wouldn't dare bother him. Or like when we came around the first bend and saw there was still one large pool of water, with a couple dozen or so fish trying to stay out of the mud. Or the large hole in the bank at the pool's edge that is home to who knows what kind of critter (I wasn't going to take a closer look!).

Also at that point, it looked like there was another channel that entered the creek (on a map, it looks as if it's a natural draw from the bluffs up north), but even stranger was that there were three or four large concrete structures crossing it, as if there was a bridge there at one time. But I saw no evidence of a road there. I'll have to check with one of my sources for local history about this.

We walked a little farther, and suddenly there was a loud crashing sound to our left, and then to our right! My heart pounded until I saw the white tails of several deer running through the woods alongside the creek bed. They must have been bedding down there for the day when we startled them.

At one point, the limestone bluffs that are common around here come right up the creek bed and towered over us. I imagine that back in the day when the creek was deep, that was probably a popular spot with the kids for swimming and diving in the summertime.

We got a little farther, and through the trees on our left, I could see some familiar sights of houses that line the road we usually walk on, so I knew we were getting close to the park. It was interesting to see the backyards of some of the houses we've walked by so many times.

We got to the park and climbed up to rest in the shade and get some water before heading home, since it was already getting hot. I don't know if we'll go that way again, but it certainly gave a different perspective on where I live.

All clear

Had my second mammogram since surgery on Tuesday, and got the notice today I am clear of cancer. Yay, me!

It continues to be hot, with temperatures above 100 degrees. Yesterday was a record-setting 112! I haven't been working out since the only place I really have room is in the garage, and it's even hotter in there. Tomorrow is supposed to bring some relief, with highs in the 80 for a couple days, then up to the 90s, so maybe workouts will be possible again. I'm tempted to go get that second punch card through the cancer center exercise program. Six weeks would get me through the end of August, and most of the hot weather around here.

That's all for now.

Hot!

The thermometer under the pecan tree read 110 this afternoon. That's in the shade, people! It is right now, at 8:45 p.m., still about 95 degrees.

The fish in the pool under the bridge near my house are starting to die. There were four dead ones today. I might end up taking the shovel down there to bury them, to keep down the smell and the flies and the chance of Nipper eating them a couple weeks from now. Yuck.

Since the creek is pretty much dry, and it's so hot, I set up a birdbath in the back yard. It's pretty easy to do. Birds are more attracted to moving water over stagnant water for bathing and drinking (wouldn't you be?), and this is a cheap way to help them out.

Just find a large dish -- just a couple inches deep at the most. I first used a plastic planter dish, then got a larger terra cotta one (the kind you would put under a pot to catch the water that leaks out). Set that someplace attractive to the birds. Mine is on the ground, but it could be on some kind of stand, too. Set it in the open somewhat, where predators won't be able hide and get the birds while they're drinking or bathing.

Then you need to hang some kind of container above it. I used a shepherd's hook, but you could use a tree branch if that's handy. For the container, I used a small drink bottle (not too small -- you don't want to have to constantly refill it -- and not too large that it will be too heavy for whatever you hang it from). I drilled a small hole near the top to put a bent wire hanger through to hang it from the pole. Poke a hole near the bottom with a pin and hang it up. The hole in the plastic of the bottle I used was actually too big, causing the water to spray, so I endup up putting some duct tape over that and poking a small hole in the duct tape. That seemed to make for a good drip rate.

I've seen robins and starlings and finches using the bath, and I'm sure they'll be more as word spreads. I'm sure the birds tell each other these things, because in the winter, they all seem to know when I put out fresh seed! And today when I was refilling the bottle, there was a bird in the tree singing. It sounded like it was trying to tell me to hurry up.

Here's some instructions for birdbaths/drippers:
Easy milk jug dripper
Bird bath water dripper with pictures.

It's OK!

Got the call -- the MRI is fine! Whoo-hoo!

Had the MRI today, and I think it took less time than the last one. Makes sense, since they were just doing my head this time. Don't know when we'll get the results, though, so I might be on pins and needles for awhile. I'm not too concerned, but it's still kind of nerve-wracking not knowing.

Well, looks like the thunderstorm has passed, so I better get my workout in!

Feeling stronger

Today I had my final assessment with the exercise program through the cancer center, and I was kind of surprised. My resting heart rate is lower than when I started about six weeks ago, and I took an extra 30 seconds on the exercise bike to reach a target heart rate compared to the first assessment. Both mean my heart is pumping more blood with each beat, my trainer said. I also did better on the strength test, getting 2-4 more reps on the leg press and chest press. Not bad for just twice a week!

I've even been starting to exercise at home. I did strength training Saturday and Sunday, and got on the exercise bike tonight for 20 minutes. I probably won't get quite as good a strength training regimen at home as I could at the fitness center, but it's a lot cheaper to work out at home!

I have been having a lot of headaches lately, and that's been a bit of a concern. They feel like tension/stress headaches, and there has been a lot stress at work, but I just need to make sure it's not something else. I'm coming up on one year since the biopsy, and that's just had me thinking a lot lately. Someone from an online group I'm part of died recently after her breast cancer metastasized in her brain, and someone from my local support group is dealing with a recurrence right now, and I guess that's been on my mind lately. So I talked to my nurse about the headaches today, and she talked to the oncologist, who suggested we could schedule an MRI. They were pretty understanding about it. I rarely ask questions or have complaints, so maybe they thought if I had something to say, it must be serious! At the least, the MRI should relieve some anxiety.