Each day now my medicine walk gets a little longer. It took me a while to master the upward slope at the end of the road where it joins the Cilfrew ‘Main’ Road. I don’t mind huffing and puffing a little when I’m out. It is after all supposed to be a cardiac workout. Having to stop, clutching chest like a feeble old man is not my style, though.
Today, having taken the upward slope and stood for a moment at the junction as I have done on each excursion for the past couple of weeks before turning back, I stepped over the kerb, across the road, and into the entrance to the track up to the heavily forested hill. My ultimate target is the top of that hill, known as Graig Gladwys or something very close. May be I’ll make it by the start of next winter, going a few steps further each time.
Today my progress was arrested by the gate across the road, closed at 16:00 in the winter, so I’m told. I could have ducked under it but that seemed unnecessary, pushing the point too far. Besides, it’s silly for me to walk where I cannot be rescued by car. Next time I shall go out an hour earlier.
And that was it for my day, really. I looked up at the dark forest on the hill above me, anticipating adventures to come. Not a bad way to finish a walk, turn round, and plod homeward, not weary, not bowed, just fizzing a little with beneficial exercise.
* * * * *
This morning I posted a small additional entry, based on a ‘meme’. I’ve been meaning all day to look up ‘meme’ but haven’t quite managed it. I’m sure it’s valid or at least as valid as a referential enthymeme.
13 responses so far ↓
oldgreypoet // February 26, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Appeal for help! It seems some folks are having difficulty commenting because their system is no longer saving their name, etc between comments as it used to do. I have no idea why this should be and shall be much obliged if anyone can provide a workaround us dummies can understand? TIA
Stubblejumper // February 26, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Dunno John, it’s working for me.
When I clear my cache, which should be done often and is, in my house, that’s when MY system gets rid of saved names, urls, etc in comments sections at blogs. It’s not the blog’s fault, it’s my own actions at this end that clear them out.
- Kate
Mary Lee McClure // February 26, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Hmm, now I’m goning to have to research ‘meme’. I’d just sort of taken it for granted that it was a modernized, or shortened version of ‘mnemonic’ — a loverly word I’ve loved but had little occasion to use, in all these many years, like probably nearly55 or so, Of course, I do believe I can still remember the mnemonic for remembering the various ‘feet’ in poetry. Well, more or less, anyway!
Bonnie // February 26, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Works for me. btw meme is not in my dictionary.
Wish I could remember being 5. I don’t even know how old I was when I started school.
Brigitte // February 26, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Bonnie….
Sharon // February 27, 2009 at 12:52 am
I’m inspired. I very much need to be taking a daily “medicine walk,” and haven’t been. You’re doing better and better. Maybe I can, too. It’s dark now, but I’ll try tomorrow.
Dee // February 27, 2009 at 2:04 am
For what it’s worth, folks, Wikipedia says this:
“The term Internet meme (pronounced /miːm/) is a neologism used to describe a catchphrase or concept that spreads quickly from person to person via the Internet, much like an inside joke.” But I’ll be durned if I can figure out how to pronounce it from their instruction. (eyes rolling in confusion)
Mage Bailey // February 27, 2009 at 2:49 am
Simply lovely….I need to join you on the days I’m not looking foolish in the water. I too pant….bad, bad stuff, panting.
Bex // February 27, 2009 at 2:50 am
I lost my comment data too every time I run various spyware, adaware, malaware virus scans on my computer, too. I asked my computer guru about that and he says it’s just one of those inconveniences one must put up with if one is to have a clean computer.
John, since you mentioned the closing time of 1600 for your walk, I wanted to ask you a question: Do the various “right of way” walks all around England etc. all have “closing times”? Like for instance, if we were walking the Wainwright walk in Yorkshire, would walking those paths, across all those farms, etc,. be illegal at nighttime? I had never thought of that.
oldgreypoet // February 27, 2009 at 7:42 am
I honestly don’t know about time limits on ‘rights of way’ but I doubt if there’s a general rule other than common sense — walking the hills and moors at night is inviting trouble.
The track I was talking about here is open 24 hours for pedestrian traffic; the gate is there to prevent vehicular access at night, quite reasonably for the houses that line the foot of the hill.
I think the safest rule is to check with the local authorities, bearing in mind that, while the same laws apply in both England and Wales, Scotland have their own way. Also, when crossing agricultural land very strict rules and exclusions to right of way can prevail in times of animal and bird disease.
Jim // February 27, 2009 at 1:11 pm
The word “meme” was coined by British scientist Richard Dawkins as a cultural analog to gene. It is generally pronounced to rhyme with theme. Online journalists and bloggers have borrowed it to label collections of questions and such that spread around the Internet.
Anne Gibert // February 27, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I know from experience that if you keep it up you will eventually pant a lot less, and you may even begin to enjoy the walk. Then if you miss it for some reason (like here in the Pacific Northwest we have nasty, slippery snow all over) you will really feel your day is incomplete. I need my walk to keep my digestion in order.
~ Sil in Corea // February 27, 2009 at 8:04 pm
When I empty my cache, I only dump the temporary files, and save the cookies, form data and passwords. I’ve also set my antivirus and anti-spyware programs to keep their grubby little mitts off my cookies, form data and passwords.
I am looking forward to better weather to do my medicine walks; they’ve been rather catch-as-catch-can during the winter. ‘March in March’ is my motto, for now.
Like gas stations in rural Texas after 10 pm, comments are closed.