WIP Wednesday_Late

Sorry, due to doctor appointments and lab visits I did not get to post on Wednesday. I am finishing the border on the Solar System Strippy Ninepatch kid quilt for the 40 Quilt Service Project on Quilt Studio. I will probably be able to post the finished quilt top photo tomorrow and get it off to Debra G. for quilting. I continue to work on my March 12 x 12 but won't post any more about it until the reveal the week of the 12th. I'm also expecting a package of stash fabrics from Debra S. to make another service quilt, this time it will be for a military woman who has been injured.

I am two weeks behind on my WOTB blocks but will get those done when the kid quilt is in the mail and before I start the woman's quilt. I've also organized fabrics and patterns to start making blocks for my son's airplane quilt. I figure if I only make a block every two weeks, at least I'll have it started. I am not good at just working on one project at a time or production quilting. I find if I look at a quilt as one block at a time and switch back and forth I can deal with it; trying to think about sitting down and doing a whole quilt just overwhelms me.

The major work in progress in my life right now is me. I am working at improving my health and fitness through diet, exercise, and spiritual discipline, with the help of my friends at the Quilter's Lounge. I used to be active in walking, mountain hiking and a little cross country skiing, but when my health went down hill and I had to retire in 1997, I wasn't able to do these activities any longer and let myself begin to think and act like a semi-invalid. All or nothing thinking; if I can't do it all, I can't do anything. In 2005 at the urging my my primary doctor, I started exercising at Curves and shed 35 pounds. Once again, a few health set backs led to me giving up and gaining back about 20 of those pounds.

This time I realize that I am in this for life, it can not be a temporary change in lifestyle. I am attempting to deal with the emotional and spiritual issues that caused to let myself get in such a sad state. I think this realization stems from getting involved with my quilting friends online and finding a whole new world of creativity opening up for me at a rather mature age. "Too soon old, too late smart!" But, luckily, we live in a universe that allows us second chances any time we choose to take them.

So, I am walking again, after all this time of thinking I couldn't because of arthritic feet and the need for oxygen 24/7. When I started using a pedometer to measure my steps about a month ago, I was only walking less than 1000 steps a day around the house. Due to snow, ice and cold, I began doing my walking at the Canon City WalMart, the closest thing we have to a mall. I was able to up my steps to around 3000 on the days I got there to walk. Now that the weather is nice and warm I am strapping Ursula Oxygen around my waist like a fanny pack, and walking around the neighborhood, using a walking stick to keep my balance.

Yesterday, it was so gorgeous that after my appointments and shopping, I went to Centennial Park, along the Arkansas River in Canon City, and walked around the perimeter of the park. I enjoyed the sounds of the river, watching lots of Little Leaguers practice, and admiring the ducks and geese at the pond being fed by some cute kids and their parents. After my pleasant walk, I got my camera and walked around some more taking photos. A photo from this park, taken a few weeks ago, is featured in my March 12 x 12.

I used to walk all over this town, but since moving here 4 years ago, I have only managed to walk around my block a few times, and hadn't walked downtown. I didn't think I could. This evening, I decided to see if I could make it, so I walked 9 blocks down Second Street to Santa Fe Avenue, south a block to Main Street, (the intersection where I used to live in an apartment over Joe's shop, overlooking the main downtown block of Main Street), and then walked 9 blocks home. I stopped a couple of times to admire certain views, and visited with a friend, and then halfway home, I stopped and sat a few minutes on a bench next to an ornamental pond in the yard of a historic home that is now a funeral home owned by some friends of ours. Too bad I didn't have the camera with me; I'll go back when the flowers are in bloom and get some good shots. By the time I got home I was staggering some and very happy to have the walking stick. But I felt so good to realize that I can walk around town again. Just because I have some stiffnes and a few aches and pains and an oxygen tether doesn't mean I have to be an invalid.

I wore my new microstretch Keds that were just delivered today, and my feet did hurt a little, but not enough to keep me down. I love these Keds. I had some a couple of years ago and wore them until they fell off but couldn't find anymore. I got on the internet the other day and found some and paid for quick delivery. These are the greatest shoes for people with sore feet! Next, I'm going to start walking again on the Riverwalk between Florence and Canon City where I used to walk every day 20 to 15 years ago. And guess what? I took 5154 steps today! Can 10,000 be that far away?