That's all I have to report.
On to other things!
We have signed up for the Halifax Regional Search & Rescue's Eco-Endurance Challenge again! It's an orienteering adventure held in the woods of Nova Scotia. Nance and I entered the 8-hour recreational category as a two-person team, The Happy Campers (t-shirts and all, yo). The countdown is on and it's only 10 days away.
We are excited to meet up with team Jedis and Padawans - friends and their kids. So, that's four adults, two 10-year olds, and two bouncy dogs in one suite. Should be hilarious. I am very curious how the kids will do over an 8-hour stretch searching for flags with a compass and map. That's a long time on your feet! Snacks and games will be key to prevent grumpiness. My grumpiness, that is.
The last time we went on this adventure, we were team Huffin' Puffins, joined by my father-in-law and brother-in-law. I was very excited, but it was brutal. Ticks, heat, and the flies were so thick, we were inhaling them. Actually, let's not go down this road of expounding all the bad things about that day now that I've signed up for it again. We survived! And it's totally live and learn. Bringing tick deterrent this time and planning for heat.
Ah yes, heat - my arch nemesis. The bane of most people with MS. It steals my tongue and blindfolds my feet. This time I will be bringing a cooling towel, sun or no sun. It's bad enough to be confused and start talking and walking funny when near home - super not fun when you're miles from help. Team Happy Campers is planning ahead and will be ending this one as happy campers, dammit!
I'll report back when the event is over and see how that turned out.
In other news...
Spring is finally springing on the homestead and that means a new season of groans in this old house. Paging Bob Vila! Nothing too pressing or we'd ask the owner to call in a professional, but this week one of the toilets needed fixing and the dryer needed a new vent (putting an end to the rodent superhighway and icy porch). Enter my love of tools.
No one was hurt. I'm handier than I look.
I have been on an 8km a day kick lately and it is HARD. Not the walking itself. I feel great and my legs are functioning just fine these days. Frankly, New Denmark is rich in 1) potatoes, and 2) land. Wide open spaces - you'd think this would be a cinch, right? Naw. It's so fricken' windy because of the lack of...anything. So, walking gets tricky. I wear earplugs most of the time to keep the wind from blowing my thoughts away. Also, there's a lot of bear scat in the fields now and we saw one a few days ago, so field walks are much more careful now. Also also, there are no sidewalks or anything resembling shoulders on the roads, so it's a bit risky. Especially with ear plugs. Also*3, people here don't fence or tie their dogs (yay!) so I am greeted and followed by strange dogs no matter which direction I try (boo!). Yesterday Abbey and I walked two km with a lovely mixed breed, Maya.
Adorable, yes, but I couldn't keep going and have her follow me the other 5 km back home. Or, I suppose I could have, but then I'd have worried about her not making it home safely [note above section on lack of sidewalks or shoulders].
So, there it is. Walking is officially harder when you have massive space in which to roam. Or something. And now I'm paying to go do just that in the woods. ;)
xo
