Whew!

Tax season is finally over! Now maybe I can get back to some serious training for my trip. Going back into the office in late March after thinking I was done for the year really threw me a curve ball, from a training standpoint. Even the days I was only working 5 or 6 hours I found it really difficult to find the time to get good workouts in. I don't know how full-time workers can make the time to train seriously for whatever endeavors they pursue. I guess you just have to make it a priority, and something else has to give.
So now it's time to catch up on yard work...my lawn is beginning to resemble a hayfield, so I imagine I will be mowing every 2 or 3 days for the next couple of weeks until I can get the length of the grass where I want it and the clippings mulched in. Also, the typical homeowner's to-do list is always there too, so I will remain busy, but without the pressure of a deadline looming over me like April 15 was.

Our National Bird

No, not that one! It slipped my mind Sunday night when I blogged, but Sunday morning, as I was driving, I saw a Bald Eagle! What a spectacular raptor! It was about 10:00 am as I drove along M-71 past Vernon, MI...he was just floating along, riding the breezes, barely even having to flap his wings, and probably only 60-70 feet off the ground. I have only seen a few of these majestic birds in the wild, so it was really a thrill for me even though I was only able to watch hin for a few seconds. I can hardly imagine that they were nearly extinct just a couple of decades ago and have now rebounded so heartily. I'm sure glad we humans got it together on this score and quit polluting their environment (and ours) so that the resiliance of nature could take over and preserve the species.

Good news for me!

The latest developments are good for me on two fronts...my feet are finally healed up from all the blistering problems I was having. Now if I can just keep them healthy as I resume a more rigorous walking program. Hopefully the advice I got from the doctor regarding powder in my boots and doubling up on socks will take care of the issue for me.
Also, I was talking to my friend Dan on Friday and he expressed a renewed interest/possible availability in acccompanying me on this trip! It's still very early and he has to figure out his timetable but since we talked about it in the spring and he thought he had other obligations, I had pretty much ruled him out in my own mind. It's still early, but who knows?