What is it about nice people that attract total idiots?Nice people are martyrs. Idiots are evangelists.

SOCK IT TO ME BABY!!!

Saturday, March 8, 2014

I'm not getting paid enough for this... oh, wait

This wasn't at work, it was a walk to the woods on Thursday afternoon- a walk I have sworn won't be repeated until all this damn white stuff is gone.  But here, let me set the stage.  The day, Thursday, the time, 3 PM.  The temp is around 35, the path, down the street to the north entrance of the woods.  This includes going across four streets and hanging a left at the stop sign.  Our first indication of what was to come was at the street before the turn.  Where the others were nicely cleared, this crossing was buried under eighteen inches of piled up snow, with a tiny foot trail gouged over it.  Scrappy was halfway across the street by the time I started edging down the downslope.

Having survived that, we made the turn and (after a detour into the street after a far more blocked crossing halfway to the woods) we were faced with this...

 
 
 
 Yep, yet another treacherous crossing, at which Scrappy said, "Really?  Really?"



But, we made that barrier as well and made it into the woods, where I promptly lost track of what was trail and what was not.


 
 
 
 
 
 Scrappy seemed to be pulling me into the woods, but was actually leading me to the side trail- such as it was.




Remember last time we went?  How I complained about the icy ruts that made walking nearly impossible?  Well, same thing, with a four-inch snow covering.


 
Somebody dug a hole here.  Scrappy found it.


 
 
 This fellow shortly began to upbraid us for being so stupid as to take this path.



Once past this pile, we were on the level ground of Dead Tree Lane.  I did not verge off of pavement the rest of the walk- even though Scrappy fought tooth and nail to reach canal bank.

One good thing did come of it.  I finally admitted that my poor shoes- valiantly holding together almost without benefit of material- were in need of replacement.  They, along with the two pieces of carpet from work that I recently stuffed them with- are now enjoying retirement at the bottom of a trash can at Wal-Mart.

16 comments:

  1. You literally have two pieces of carpet stuffed in your shoes and it took walking through a tundra to convince you to replace them? Splurge and get a pedicure, pamper those poor feet of yours for what you've done to them.

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    Replies
    1. I was hoping to last out the winter, switch to sneakers, and replace them next fall. Winter one, shoes zero.

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  2. I looked out my window after reading this and by golly I see snow here as well. It's on the mountains (yes, it's clear enough to see them this morning). It may be in the 80's here today, but by golly I can see snow too.

    Nice bird pics. Good-bye old shoes. I always have a tough time parting with shoes.

    Lee
    Wrote By Rote
    An A to Z Co-host blog

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    Replies
    1. I am currently sitting within 5 feet of 4 pairs of shoes, 2 of which will likely never be worn again. You just never know when you might have to slog through hog manure or something.

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  3. So, I guess this means you are tired of winter?

    Glad you bought some new shoes. Sounds like you really needed them! I remember when I lived up north I had a pair of boots that I wore all winter long. When we moved south I must have donated the boots. That really wasn't very bright, because they were excellent for snow and such.... and I still have family in the north. We did go back one winter and I longed for those boots. Ah well...

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    Replies
    1. I tell you one thing, it took a few hours to get used to the feel of having something actually doing its job on my feet!

      And winter? I was over it in December...

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  4. Hoping spring finds you and scrappy soon!

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  5. Chris:
    Hopefully, a NEW pair of shoes were in the offing (hate to think of you going barefoot through the woods), and slippers JUST ain't gonna cut it, brother.
    A decent pair of work/hiking/walking ankle height boots are good for almost everything.
    And if that fails, anything footwear that has the word TACTICAL in it...comfy, practical and they tend to wear like iron,.
    (trust me on that one)

    Is that a woodpecker in that tree?

    Those trails will be "fun"(er) when we get more snow this week (spoilers)
    Snow OVER ice...I hate that stuff.

    Good post.

    Stay safe and trek smartly up there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, woodpecker. No, boots. We just need to avoid the drifts.

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  6. Great picture of the bird. very pretty! Sounds like you need REAL winter boots for those kind of walks. Sneakers arent cut for many of those.

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    Replies
    1. Rubber sole work type shoes work just fine. I think the Woody is still pissed about not putting up suet last year. Hey, if they want to stop by around 2 AM and chase the raccoons away, I'll be glad to negotiate.

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  7. I like a reason to buy new footware, though it likely doesn't mean quite as much to a man as it does to a woman.

    As treacherous as it sounds, these photos are full of beautiful blues.

    Cheers and CA sunshine to you,
    xoRobyn

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  8. Very pretty bird!

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  9. Still snow?? You poor buggers. Weather is turning here and getting cooler. I hope you get the warm that is leaving us

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