Day 4929

It's going to be a long summer. It's only June and I don't think the temperature is going to get any cooler in July and August. The heat makes it even harder to stay optimistic. Every time I turn on the television I feel like I'm watching society crumble around me. There seems to be this desire to deconstruct everything that has worked in the past and start over. Lots of luck with that. I'm not inherently against change, but I think we are headed in the wrong direction. Western Civilization wasn't all that bad. So, are these the end times we are living in? I'm not a terribly religious person, but it certainly feels that way.

To stay sane I just focus on day-to-day life. I don't get involved in politics or grand causes. I do read history though. Humans seem to make the same mistakes over and over again. I think it's a safe bet that we won't be here nearly as long as the dinosaurs were. It may seem simplistic, but I think the world would be a better place if we all just minded our own business.

I try my best to mind my own business. When I was renewing my gym membership yesterday they seemed surprised that I wasn't interested in having a personal trainer. That's the last thing I'd want. One of the reasons I go to the gym is that it is very peaceful to walk around the indoor track in silence. I feel the same way about my walks in the parks. I almost never talk to anyone but I am very observant. Over the years I've learned the names and characteristics of virtually all the plants and animals in the park. Almost anything can be an educational experience. I have no interest in taking classes, but I'm always downloading instruction manuals and trying to figure things out on my own. Trial and error is often the best teacher.

I can't say that I've learned anything today, but you've got to play the long game. I did learn a few new things yesterday. Today started out as it always does with a sunrise walk with Dawn. We always look for bunnies, but we didn't see any today. We often see a mother duck taking her ducklings down to the lake from where they spend the night in the tall prairie grass. Less than a month ago the ducklings were tiny. Now they are almost full grown. They still follow the mother duck down to the water though.

The temperature was in the eighties this morning but I still went to the gym because it was humid outside. I didn't shoot baskets today because people were playing pickleball on the basketball court. I don't understand the fascination with pickleball. It seems like a cross between tennis and ping pong, played with a green plastic wiffleball. I did walk three miles on the indoor track. I am able to walk faster on the indoor track than I do in the park and my speed is more or less constant. This was initially surprising to me, but I guess it makes sense. I'm not fighting steep hills and humidity. The track is even cushioned against impact so it is easy on your feet. The only downside to going to the gym is that I'm driving a lot more. My car gets terrible gas mileage.

I've started eating lunch again and fixed myself a ham and cheese sandwich when I returned from the gym while Dawn waited for Janet to return with the groceries. Dawn gets very excited on grocery day and is always nearby when Janet is putting away the groceries. I just try to stay out of the way.

I do my own grocery shopping tomorrow. I'll probably go back to the gym as well. It's certainly not getting any cooler outside.

Boo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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