Each New Day

While looking up information for our trip to Boston, I came across the fact that March 17 is a holiday called “Evacuation Day”. I was unaware of this day, so had to look it up. It marks the day during the American Revolution that folks were evacuated from Boston to Nova Scotia in order to prevent another Bunker Hill. Today it is a school and government holiday.

My son’s basketball team played in Galveston earlier this week. It is the first time I had been back on the island since the storm. There is a lot of debris and still some empty stores. But at the same time, there were lots of “now open” signs and other indications of life getting back to normal for islanders. There is obviously lots to still be done, but it’s good for the city that they will be holding Mardi Gras this week. They also hosted a Job Fair to help those who are looking for work on the island. Hopefully the island will be able to recover in the next few years.  

I just learned about a foot problem called a “Tailor’s Bunion”. It is basically a bunion on the outside of the foot. It is a hereditary condition that worsens when wearing the wrong shoes. It can become a problem when wearing shoes with too narrow a toe box. It is named from a time when tailors and shoe cobblers spent time cross legged on the floor doing their work. I think this may be the problem with my left foot. The pain was brought on after wearing my new shoes for a couple of weeks and has been a severe problem every day since then, even when wearing wider shoes. I am going to try to take off running for the rest of the week and see if there is any improvement. I may end up having to see a doctor….

Last year I began training for a triathlon. My swimming is definitely my weakest event. I am wanting to do another triathlon in May this year. This race’s swim is done in a pool. Because of this, you have to fill out an accurate swim time on the registration form. I wanted to get an idea of what my time is so I tried timing myself today. It is not 100% accurate, but it was enough for me to see some improvement in my time over the last year. Last March I swam the equivalent of 10 laps in an open bay in 18+ minutes, which I was very happy with at the time. Today I swam 6 laps in 7 1/2 minutes, and 10 laps in 12 1/2 minutes. This is a big improvement for me. I would like to get the time down a bit on the 10 laps, but I was really happy to see some improvement in my time!     

While having my lunch today, I turned on a local television program. They were discussing the perfect Valentine’s Day gifts to give. They went to a local massage spa to learn how to give the best massage. This could be a fantastic and affordable Valentine’s Day gift for your loved one! Here are the tips they offered:

1. touch-a feather light touch is important in helping the receiver of the massage to relax (though you don’t want it to be so light that it’s ticklish)

2. hands and feet-massage each hand and foot as well as individual fingers and toes; use a “pulling away” motion

3. erotic zone-be sure to focus on the scalp and ears

4. heart motion-starting on the lower back, come up the outer sides and in toward the middle, as if drawing a heart on the surface of the back

5. butterfly motion-hands are positioned splayed out and going in an outward circular motion

I found out today a little trivia about Oscar the Grouch, our friend who lives in a trash can on Sesame Street. I watched Sesame Street when I was a kid. I liked Oscar. But I never knew that he was originally orange. Nor did I know that he was designed to show kids “non-destructive deviance”, a way to learn everyone is not “nice” or “good” and that there are grouchy people out there and how to deal with them.

I went to get some new shoes. I found that the older models I had worn are still available and much better suited to my feet than the newer models. I also found that the updated insoles don’t give me as much support as they did before. I got some today that have the added cushioning under the ball of the foot as well as the extra support for the over pronation. And these insoles are made to be custom fitted to your foot. You put them in the oven for 2 minutes and then wear them in your shoes for 10 minutes to allow them to form to your foot!

 We watched a program last night about “Lion Man” Craig Busch from New Zealand  who works with big cats. He has lions and tigers and is building a sanctuary for them. It was an interesting program and we learned several things from it. I found out that lions are the only cats who live in prides. Tigers love water and are the only cats who will hunt for humans, and then only weak and old will do that. I also found out that an orange tiger can carry the genes to breed a white tiger. Pregnant tigers and ones who have just given birth are more protective and likely to harm someone in its vicinity. Both kinds of cats can be trained, but will always remain a wild animal with the potential to hurt its trainer.

I hardly  watch the Superbowl! I do know that the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing in tonight’s superbowl. I have learned about what a great guy Kurt Warner of the Cardinals is. I have learned that the little diamonds on the Steelers helmets represent three elements that when combined make up steel. I have learned that the trophy presented to the winner of the bowl is called the Vince Lomabardi. As for who wins, I don’t really care. I do like that it is a good conversation piece with some of the folks I care about!