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Okay NOW I am in the the thirties and counting down. This is good.

I decided to hang out after work with some coworkers at a sort of symposium thingie that was sort of related to tools used at work… but free drinks and munchies! Two rum and diet cokes and some BBQ wings later, me and the two retired military coworkers were debating the merits of Merrell boots vs Keen boots, and the life expectancy of each on the trail. I’m hopeless. I’m a terminal case.

Dishes, web work, some flopping around… my new headlight arrived today, and proved that it is indeed much brighter than my previous one, by nearly burning the sight out of my retinas when I turned it on at a bad angle. More sliced almonds also arrived today, but I haven’t filled any more oatmeal baggies yet.

I really need some free time. And chocolate. Fortunately, I can have chocolate. Why do we have to sleep? I really think I could get so much more done if I didn’t have to sleep. Someone invent something.

Um, can’t think of much else right now, so…
Ciao!

Tonight’s theme song: St. Elmo’s Fire

One month! Only one more month until April 1, my last day at work!!! And, given the kind of workday I had today, I am so, SO eager for that day to come…

If Romney had binders full of women, I have BAGGIES FULL OF OATMEAL! Well, half-full. 1/2 cup oatmeal, 2 packets Splenda, Mexican cocoa, cinnamon, sliced almonds, and 4-5 dried apple slices. I ran out of almonds, and the powdered milk I have has passed the expiration date, so I have to buy more of each. I didn’t get very far today, but still, the start was made.

I took the pack for a good walk earlier. It was chilly, so I used the parka instead of the windbreaker, but a good walk. 🙂 With hills. I love the Keen boots – zero break-in time, and well-cushioned!

Now, some webwork, and I really have to quit procrastinating and get that student loan form filled out and faxed over. I have to make a doctor’s appointment. I have to … um, do a lot of stuff. Time’s getting short – I’ve reached the thirties in the countdown!

Cina. My new great-niece’s name is Cina and she is a cute little package!

Ciao!

Edit –  oops, a little overeager. Day 40, not day 39. Right.

Sadly, not much to report tonight. Apparently I’m a great-aunt again. I got maybe four hours sleep last night, for various reasons, so kinda wrecked tonight. More, and more cheerful, tomorrow. Very flat right now… and it’s cold outside.

Ciao.

For some reason, I have a splitting headache tonight. That’s not a whole lot of fun.

Today was a rest day; originally I thought that my ankles would be my weak points, and the parts of my body most likely to complain, but it looks like my knees have stepped forward to claim that ‘honor’. They are definitely feeling the weight, but they’ll get stronger. They’ll have to.

I did peel, core, slice, and get six apples dehydrating; when they are finished, I will begin making up “breakfast ziplocs” for the trail – baggies with 1/2 cup oatmeal, a couple crumbled slices of dehydrated apple, some sliced almonds, cinnamon and/or cocoa powder, and powdered milk. All that will be needed will be one cup boiling water, and a couple minutes to soak – a quick and easy breakfast, but it will provide a fair jolt of protein and sugars early in the day. Along with instant coffee… need to buy that still. I’ll probably work on that tomorrow.

I received notification my new headlamp has shipped. Yay. 🙂 I need to send back the boots I am not going to be using.

I’ve noticed that I’ve stopped obsessing over money as much. I think, on the whole, that’s a good thing. I have enough to be going on this hike; I have enough money to support Dad while I’m gone; I have enough for at least 2-3 months after I get back. What happens after that is in God’s hands, but at least I’ve stopped killing myself trying to penny-pinch, failing, and then fretting even more over the failure. It was getting to be a vicious cycle!

Dinner time! I’m hungry! Ciao!

Day full of STUFF.

Up at 8 am and doing web design work; crafted and sent off the resignation letter for April 1 by 10 am; 11 am found me cleaning out the closet. Three piles – one for Goodwill; one to pack immediately; one to pack later. Regular Eucharistic Adoration hour from 2-3pm, 2 mile walk with Dad and 32lb pack 4-5 pm. 

I was going to see the movie Risen at 7pm, but it was full(!), so that’ll be 9:40 instead. So, making dinner now. My legs are very tired, but the new boots performed very well, no blisters, no hot spots. Happy about that. Next week, I’ll try pushing it up to 3 miles, full pack.

With the resignation letter sent in, I officially have passed the Point of No Return. It’s really real now. So… crossing fingers!

Song of the night: Here I Go Again
Two words of the night: Lemon Beer

The boots arrived today! Two pairs of Merrells, identical except for sizes. One pair of Keens. I tried them all on – wearing one new boot from each pair on my left foot, and one boot from the pair of boots that proved too tight on my right foot, for comparison. It may have looked silly, but it was effective. I settled on the Keens, because they have a wide toe box, and apparently, I have a notably wide foot. The other two pairs will go back.

Some work done on non trail-related projects, but not much else to speak of tonight.

Except… the lemon beer from Wisconsin is very strong. Hoo boy.

(NB, I don’t watch the videos on these things, just listen to the music. So apologies if it is inappropriate)

Designated rest day. Lemon beer; a group of Republicans about to start yelling at each other on a live feed. Some work on one of the projects I have to get done before I go. And….

….

….

….

….

drafting of the official resignation letter to be emailed out tomorrow. April 1st it shall be.
One of my co-workers tried to bribe me not to leave with a Klondike bar… it was a tasty attempt, but doomed to fail. If I play my cards right, I may get a good deal of ice cream before the end though. 🙂

Tomorrow, new boots. And more pack-walking.

Gets easier… Carrying 32lbs, I mean. An extra loop around the park added in today. Tomorrow, another loop; gradually working up to the two miles by the end of this week. Then, gradually working up to three miles by the end of next week. And so on.

It really does feel good to be off the treadmill. Tom and I mean to do another six-miler, or more, this Sunday; by then the new boots should be here, and in need of breaking in. Supposed to be nice weather this weekend.

I’m feeling the time beginning to press in on me. There is still a lot of big things on the to-do list. And a lot of gear I need to get familiar with, or familiar with packing. Weights are easy to slip into a backpack, but making all the gear fit will be another story. The bulkiest item is the sleeping bag, followed by the tent.

Food for a few days. Water containers. Sleeping bag. Sleeping pad. Tent. First aid kit. Stove. Mess kit. Clothing. Camp shoes (crocs). Water filter. Smartphone (serves as camera, phone, GPS, voice recorder, electronic journal, and e-reader). Pepper spray. Fuel canister. Sunscreen. Bug spray. 50 ft. nylon cord. Stuff bags. Pack cover. Headlamp. Multi tool. Empty ziplocs. Sunhat. Water purification drops. Hiking poles. Soap & towel. Gaiters. Maps. Duct tape.

And so on. And on. And on.

Well, friends, Romans, countrymen/women… we have reached max weight. Yes, indeed. With the adding of another 5lb weight to the backpack, we have reached 32lbs. And there it will stay for most of March. You wouldn’t think that 5 extra lbs would matter so much, but my feet and knees made me very well aware /they/ felt the difference – Dad and I took a mile or so trial walk around the neighborhood.

This week is all about getting used to walking with that weight. Next week, according to the schedule, comes the increasing distances. But I’ll have to find a softer place than sidewalks – luckily, I have a few options in mind. The last thing I need is to have shin splints.

My last day at work was tentatively scheduled for April 8, the day before I head east. But more and more, I’ve been thinking, and I might change it to April 1 instead. Besides being marvelously appropriate, April Fools Day and all that, I really think I’ll need those extra 8 hours a day to do the frantic last minute preps that are always required. I have until March 1 to decide, I want to give them a month’s official notice – though they already know I’m leaving. (And I cannot WAIT.)

Ciao!

The gears are getting stuck in the anxiety and worry position again.

Also I went overboard on ordering new boots to try out from Zappos – three pairs! One to keep, two to return.

*fret**fret*