• Confessions,  Working On My Fitness

    The Long Walk Back To Me

    When I turned forty-two (ouch) last November, I made four simple but clear goals for myself for the year (click here to read that entire post): 1. Lose thirty pounds 2. Move/exercise more often 3. Get my book published 4. Get organized At that time, I had no idea that number three would not only become a reality sooner than expected, but also that it would completely paralyze my progress on numbers one and two. (Number four? Piece of cake; did that in December.) The fact that not only have I made absolutely no progress on those first two goals since November, but that I’ve even GONE BACKWARDS is more…

  • Roxie,  Working On My Fitness

    Getting Some Shut-Eye

    One of my favorite walking routes is a black-topped path through a huge park not far from my house. The path is not a straight one; it gently winds in pleasant curves around the natural landscaping, helping to create an enjoyably scenic journey for those who wish to travel from one end of the park to the other. On Monday, which was a gloriously beautiful fall day around here (before the gusty winds and coldness hit), Roxie and I headed out to walk there. The sun was shining, the tree branches full of yellow-to-orange-to-red (and some still green) leaves were gently swaying back and forth in the light breeze, and…

  • Roxie,  Tough Questions,  Working On My Fitness

    The Dog Proves Once Again That No Matter How Much She Wants To Be a Human, She Will Never Be One

    Fulfilling the commitment I made to myself to “move daily”, I just got back from a 40 minute walk with Roxie. It was one of the most annoying walks I’ve had in a long time. Not only was she “reverse sneezy”, but it was practically endless today. Unlike “most” beagles, she does not stand still while she does this during a walk: she just keeps going. I make her sit for a couple of seconds and she stops, but as soon as we resume walking she begins again and I’m looking over my shoulder wondering how many people are outside thinking I’m a terrible pet owner for walking a dog…

  • Roxie

    Before Fall Is Technically Over…

    I posted this photo the other day at my NaBloPoMoFo page, but since I am fairly certain that nobody reads that page, I’m putting it up here too…just because I think it’s so lovely! This tree is in my neighborhood (not in my own yard: wah!) and the colors were so gorgeous about a week and a half ago that I walked Roxie over there just to capture it on film. I took photos of Roxie the Beast as well, on her cute little walking harness. You see, when she was a puppy we discovered that she is one of those annoying dogs that pulls and pulls on the leash…

  • Roxie

    Random Thoughts From My W-A-L-K This Morning

    I really enjoy walking, even more than I enjoy ironing. I made a promise to myself that when we brought Roxie home, I would walk her regularly: something I didn’t do with Bijoux. Actually, upon bringing Roxie home, I discovered that she was going to make it so I HAD to walk her regularly, because she is so full of energy that she just needs to get it out just to–well,–behave herself! Roxie, Summer 2005 We are big fans of Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer. Most of the “problems” he encounters on his show are caused by not enough exercise (the dog, not the person). As a puppy, Roxie was…