Walking

It is Day 14 of the Slice of Life Challenge with Two Writing Teachers... plowing onward and Aprilward...

Since losing weight (24 pounds today, but I promise this won't become just a month long weight loss journal), and doing physical therapy, I have found my walk again.

When I say "found my walk again", I don't mean that I couldn't walk.  I could walk.  But my walk had been the walk of the wounded.  It was a walk of stiffness and pain.  It was a walk I could recognize in others as I cruised the grocery store aisles - walk I'd seen but refused to call mine.  It was a walk that enjoyed the rest of a shopping cart for leaning, for stretching, and one that sometimes required breaks at the front of the store to sit out the next dance.

But recently, my back and hip joints seem to have been released, whether from the weight loss or the physical therapy, or both.  Either way, I think I have reclaimed at least a half an inch in height, and have begun to enjoy the pleasures of walking again.  My therapist says I've got a bit of a sashay... or was it swagger... I don't recall now!  Either way, it's a good sway! (and that, was my poem thought starter)

Add to this the fact that the training collar for the giant puppy has been a huge success so far, it means I will be out walking the dog again in no time!  She's a smart one, and it only took using the zapper three times (once for each edge of the woods on the lawn) for her to figure out I meant "Come right now and stop sniffing everything and ignoring me and wandering farther and farther into the woods because there is more deer poop somewhere out there" when I said "Come!"

My son has been helping us on Sunday's when we can't get back to take Ginger out in the middle of the day.  He took her for a walk on the quiet road out here yesterday while we were gone, and was able to have her stay by his side consistently.  I'm so excited!  That is my goal.  I'm not able to make sure she heels on a leash, as I don't have enough strength in my back and arms to force an excited 70 pound puppy to stay by my side.  I need her trained first, so our first foray into society won't look like me being dragged face down on the pavement desperately whimpering "Heel".

I recently met these three well behaved canine citizens.  None of these is Ginger.

We are getting there.  When the dog can be walked safely by me... or when I can safely accompany the dog on a walk, then we are going for a walk.  Me and my dog.  I mean, Me and my husband's dog.  Wait a minute.  Why am I walking his dog?  I'm going to go get myself a 15 pound dog.  I might be able to carry that one.

Walking

Run and skip,
Strut or stagger,
Trot and march,
Sway or swagger,

Trudge or saunter,
Dawdle, amble,
Hike or plod,
Wander, ramble,

Promenade, roam,
Traipse and stride,
Take a stroll
Sashay, glide,


Stretch your legs,
Perambulate,
Mosey on;
Don’t be late.

Take a stroll,
Prowl or tromp,
Jog or slog,
Hoof it, stomp.

Forge ahead
Onward go,
Shuffle off
To Buffalo.

Whatever gait,
Whichever walk -
Boldly step;
Walk the talk.

©2016, Donna JT Smith

And speaking of walks...
Noah says he will be walking on "little cat feet" tomorrow, so I need to take a paws while he talks.  He does look a little like a fog cloud.