Monday, January 9th

It has been a year since my friend Olaf passed away.  Tonight on my drive home from work a truck similar to his got in front of me on the highway and then suddenly just slowed way down for no apparent reason.  Just seemed odd...

My day was spent getting work done on my car, seeing the vet again with Hunter and working.  No real prep.

My happy things for today are that my vehicle passed inspection and that Hunter probably doesn't have cancer.  The vet still isn't sure but he thinks that it is an autoimmune disease called ITP.  We go again on Friday for another blood test.  I am still not sure if this should be a happy thing, but it seems better than cancer.

January 8th

My car has new brakes!  Special thanks to V for replacing them for me and D for putting up with me.  :) Brakes and work seem like all I did today.  Hunter seems to be doing so much better, but tomorrow we shall see what his vet says.

One of the things that my son wants to do on the hike is to do as much of it barefoot as he can.  I am considering this as well.  I have been listening to a series of podcasts lately called Outside/In.  One of them dealt with running shoes, sort of.  They talked about the science and fads and reasons behind certain shoes, specifically the Vibram Five Fingers.  They also talked about the benefits of running barefoot.  It seems that each method has its own unique benefits and injuries.  Here is a Youtube video about the Barefoot Sisters.

Today my happy is that Hunter is feeling better and again my brake man.

Sunset

Saturday, January 7th

It has been quite the day.  My daughter (K) and grandson came by and she was going to stay at the house and sort stuff while my grandson, Gideon, and I went to my cousin's (D) house so my cousin could play with Gideon and her husband (V) could guide me in replacing the brakes in my car.  Hunter was still not feeling well this morning so instead I took him to the vet.  We aren't sure what is wrong yet but anemia is a symptom.  He seems to be doing better now but I take him back the the vet on Monday for more tests.

K and Gideon went to run some errands and Gideon ended up with his other grandmother instead of with D.  While they were gone I tried to change a fuse in my car and killed it.  At least temporarily.  Late in the day D & V came by and it was working.  Did I mention that it was snowing?  They are some very special people.  To cut the story, the brakes are getting done tomorrow instead and K and her husband, Z, helped sort a bunch of stuff still before heading out.   I did a little more cleaning and I am going to sleep very soon.  Tomorrow I hope to replace my brakes as much on my own as possible.  Oh, and I called out of work today because of no car.

My happy for today is that I some how have some very special people that help me out when I need them.  Very, very grateful for them in my life.

When Hunter started feeling better he got to roll in the snow.  🐕

January 6th

Something is wrong with Hunter.  He isn't his normal self.  It doesn't quite seem like one of his seizures.  He hasn't had one in a really long time.  So there is my concern for tonight.

This week has pretty much been a wash as far as exercise for me is concerned.  Really hoping that next week will go better.   I have been thinking about which trail to take to start the hike.  There are 2 from what I have read and been told.  One starts about a mile down the trail so you basically go south a mile and turn around to head north to Maine.  The other is going along the Amicalola Falls Trail which is about an 8 mile hike, just to get to the starting point.  At this point I am planning on driving to Georgia and letting my daughter take the car back with her.  I am seriously thinking about doing the first day using a day pack and having my daughter meet us at the beginning point and picking up the big packs from the car on the way by.  Just something to consider....  I have decided that I don't want to try to keep too much of a schedule.  If I don't finish before the weather turns, I will finish next spring.

My happy for today is the shooting star I saw on my drive home tonight.  I suppose that it technically happened on the 7th instead of the 6th, but my day hadn't ended yet.  It was the kind that looked like it broke through and landed somewhere, not just skimmed the surface of the atmosphere.  Most likely it still just skimmed.
Also happy that I completed all the jobs I set out to do today.


Fresh Snow.
.

January 5th-Thursday

Working all night the other day took its toll on me and I got up much later than my original plan.  I go to bed and have all these wonderful plans for the next day and then can't get myself motivated come morning.  What eventually got me out of bed was my neighbor knocking on my door to give me a gift (see happy below).  It still took a few minutes after that for me to really get moving.  Really hoping that this will change soon and I will be able to better motivate myself again.  I used to be a morning person.

Last night I watched a few You-tube videos about the trail.  So much useful info out there.  Much of it I had learned before.  The woman in the video used baby powder in her hair to help keep it fresh.  I was thinking of baking soda.  I have been washing my hair with baking soda for a few weeks now, vinegar is the rinse.  See this site for more info.  Baking soda has a few uses and I like the idea of bringing items that can multi task.  It can be used to clean dishes, deodorant (I have been using it for a few years), reducing odor in my sleeping bag as well as my shoes, teeth brushing, and as a shampoo.  It can help reduce the odor in a yard where pets urinate too.

My happy for today is that I got a gift and it is useful.  Back story... Last summer I was working so much I was hardly ever home and I had no time to take care of the lawn.  My neighbor took it upon herself to mow the yard for me.  One day we were talking about the amount of cars that they have parked all over the place.  There are at least 4 licensed drivers that live there in a very small house.  Apparently the moving around of vehicles had been causing some anxiety among the people living there.  I offered to let her use my driveway for her car.  I can fit at least 4 cars and live alone, having a car in my driveway more often than not is a good thing.  It is winter now and I have had to shovel the driveway a few times and will, no doubt, have to quite a few more before the season is over.  She came over to help by cleaning off the cars the last storm (her hand was broken, so no shoveling) and we got to talking.  I told her what I did for a job and how much driving I do and she bought me a dash camera for my car.  I don't know how I will thank her for this.  Part of me thought I should just return it to her, then I realized how much more shoveling I would be doing and that she has been using the driveway for almost 6 months I think.  So I am keeping it.  I certainly didn't expect a gift, but it is much appreciated.

Sun setting today.

January 4th, National Spaghetti Day

Very little got done today in regards to planning for my hike.  I worked until after 5 AM and didn't get home until close to 7.  I had to stop and nap to be a safe driver.  I fell asleep around 7:30 I guess and slept through my 10:30 alarm waking around 12:30.  At which point I jumped out of bed to get ready to go to visit my niece who returned to Idaho today.  Hunter got to go too.  There was a Christmas present of balls for him and I got another present too.  It is a game that the players move pegs to get to the top of a mountain.  She also gave me a cool magnet with a saying that is just perfect.  

After visiting I brought Hunter home and went to work.  Laundry is in, I am going to write after I finish this and I am having a can of soup for dinner.  Had I realized that today was National Spaghetti Day before choosing soup I would have made that.  

Considering how little sleep I have had I will call it a day and get some rest.

My happy is Hunter getting to spend time with some of his favorite people.  :) 

January 3rd

This morning I chose sleep over a walk.  I did do some crunches and stretches so it wasn't a complete loss in the exercise department.  Most of the work for my job I was hoping to do yesterday I ended up doing today instead.   The holiday hours have messed with my schedule.  There are stores I was hoping to work late into the night at that closed early.  

So instead I am working the late job now, well, I am taking a break but I have at least 3 more hours I think.  It will be a long day. 

 
I did some writing this morning and did some planning on the house emptying with my daughter.  I am dragging my feet on the emptying of my house.  It is an overwhelming task.  

I started going through the AT Guide I got for Christmas this morning.  It is full of useful information from what I can tell so far.  Maps and lodging info, facts and a treasure hunt.  Very cool. 

My happy for today is Hunter playing.