Saturday, February 23, 2008

Walking Thoughts



 "Forty-something Causcasian woman walking dog." Pardon me if I sound rude, but this lady is 40 something?! Maybe up close she looks a lot younger. But, really...who am I to talk? I've been silver-haired since I was in my later 30s and I've been offered Senior Discounts since then. With so few women my age letting their gray or silver show, I really am a bit of an oddity. Usually it's the more senior Senior ladies who say phooey to the bother and just go 'natural.' But both my parents 'silvered' early and I knew it was coming so I decided early on to accept it and just go with the flow. I honestly can't remember myself looking any differently than I do now, I've looked this way for so many years. Almost 20. A long time.


Now I'll rattle around to where I was headed with this in the first place. Most of you know I get up pretty early...anywhere between 4 and 4:30 on weekday mornings. Well, if I make it to 6 on a Saturday I feel like I've really slept in, I'm so used to my up-before-the-Robins-sing hours. My usual Saturday routine if I don't go out to the archery range in St. Helens with Dear Hubby is to have my breakfast, dress, and take little Miss Chloe dog out for a long walk before I head off to do my grocery shopping. This morning she and I were out by 7 am and what a glorious morning it was, too...a little frosty but oh-so-clear and blue and beautiful! We covered a couple of fairly brisk miles when I could tug her away from the occasional clumps of grass and utility poles she had to stop and investigate. Otherwise, she was as giddy as a young pup and just as playful, dancing and prancing around. A few things I noticed:


1. Women who come out to pick up their morning papers off the front steps at 7 am on a Saturday look completely mortified to be caught with bed head and no makeup. They look at me like it's my fault because I'm already up and out and walking. They like fluffy bath robes at this time of year. And most wore decorated pajamas.


2. Some dryer vents were already going full-force, blowing steam out into the cold air. For some reason I found myself holding my breath as I passed by them. The thought came to me I didn't want to breathe in dryer lint. And then the thought came to me about the short-lived commercial on TV about 'body debris' on bed linens -- "How clean are your sheets? Do you know how much bacteria lives there?" -- and I wondered how much 'body debris' was blowing out of those dryer vents. Ewwwwwwwwwwwww.


3. Men seem to be especially shocked to see me out so early. And they treat me with respect. They are impressed by my early hours, knowing I'm not still buried under pillows with bed head and no make up. Bed head, yes...but I never wear make up so they're wrong on that score.


4. I impress myself with how quickly I walk. With a long-legged stride and good posture. I have the legs to prove it...my daughter says I have prettier legs than most women half my age. I don't think I have the matronly 'pudge' waddle I see in most women my age out walking. To say I'm proud of my still-fairly-youthful body would be wrong, but I'm mighty satisfied with it. Is that wrong?!


5. I can not imagine sleeping a beautiful Saturday morning away. Even when I go to bed exhausted like I did last nite. After a full week of baby sitting Dylan, I have no troubles with insomnia at all. I hit that bed and I'm out.


My Dear Hubby said something so sweet to me this morning. I'd agreed to baby sit Dylan for part of the afternoon today while my son took my d-i-l out to a movie for her birthday, which was Wednesday. Quite often I'll go to the archery range with him, then do my groceries later in the day. Since I wasn't 100% sure what time the kids would be coming by and needing to get groceries, I told Dear Hubby I didn't think I could ride out there with him this morning. He said, "It sure isn't anywhere near as fun going out there by myself." Imagine that, after 34 years together. He likes me...he really LIKES me!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have been coloring my hair off and on since my thirties. Just this past month I was thinking about letting my gray shine through...still thinking on it...as the years go by I wear less and less makeup...now it's just a smudge of eyeliner and I'm off...and just so you know...I never sleep late...ever...the latest I sleep is 7 something...a smidgen longer than you ;)...and the hubby thing...we always sit out in the late afternoon...sometimes we sit and talk...sometimes I read a book...well my husband informed me yesterday he likes it better when I'm not reading, even if we don't do much talking some evenings. They are a funny breed ;)Thanks for all your wonderful comments...you are a treasure and I like you....I really like you ;)

Loretta said...

Recently I was looking at some old pictures. I could hardly believe it was me. It seems like the more grandchildren i had the less make up I wore.lol I don't have much gray, but don't think it will bother me when i do.

I love to just sit and talk to Pete, although lately we haven't had much time to do that. I really like him!!!
p.s...I like you too.

verabear said...

Hi Kris! :)

It's usually my dad or my mom who takes my little dog Zune out for his morning walk. He knows to wake them up when he wants to go. Haha. :) I usually prefer walking out on my own, when I ever get the urge, because Zune isn't one to go on long walks - I don't think Shih tzus like that so much. hehehe. It is amazing how much insight on human behaviour you could form while out walking, and how so many thoughts could run through your head yet you wouldn't feel tired of it in the end. You know what I mean? We do a lot of thinking all the time and sometimes it's exhausting but somehow, when you do it while out walking - it's just different.

Oh well... on another matter:) I haven't seen any PJ Tracy books around here but I will check those out, maybe I just wasn't paying attention. I read all sorts of books and I do enjoy mysteries too so thanks for the tip :)

oh, about your neighbor. a lot of filipino migrants do come home in retirement mostly because they've already saved enough to live here comfortably. I think my uncle who's still out in California is thinking of that too when time comes. Another aunt and uncle have already settled here though three of their kids are still in the US. It's not so bad though because they do go back to the US every year (or every other year, I forgot).

icanseeclearlynow said...

oh i can DEFINITELY imagine sleeping a beautiful morning away. i do it almost every weekend. LOL! on th mortified woman looking at you like it was your fault she got caught with bed-hair.

:)

maria