Report From Ladder Company 40 -Day 31

Hi Team!

Today has been a really terrific day, mostly.

Coach Alex and I made up for missing yesterday's walk by meeting this morning to walk instead. Our usual route has been somewhat modified. It seems the mall is now under construction and our path of the perimeter has been blocked. We now have to go around a huge section of parking lot. This is not really so much of a problem, it actually adds distance. The real problem (at least for a brief moment) is the fact that they have blocked access to the steps we have been using for climbing. HOwever, on our walk around the perimeter, detour included, I noticed that just a short distance out of our way there are two sets of steps leading up to Toys R Us, on the side of their building. There are only 9 steps to a flight there, where as the former Nordstrom's entrance had ten (two sets of five with a small landing inbetween sets). The nine steps all in one shot seem to be comparable, until I started climbing them. The individual steps were higher and the stairways were steeper. After 4 trips up and down I commented that I would probably make 6 and move on. At first, Coach Alex didn't encourage me. Neither did she discourage me.
But then she stopped talking and looked at me, after a moment I said, "What?" She gave me a hard time BRIEFLY and then I had to kick my own a.. and keep myself going, finishing 12 sets. YAY ME!!!

Pete says my total step count was 9,256. I am pleased enough with that count. Still hoping to reach 10,000 daily on regular days that are not exercise days.

I drank about 2 quarts today, a tad bit over that really. I am happy enough with that.

The rough part of the day was that today was the TFD's open house events. I attended the one at station 11. Unfortunately, all the people with kids of their own i had planned to go with changed their minds for various reasons. Coach Alex offered to go with me so that I wouldn't have to go alone. I hate to go with out kids to fire department things because I don't want to be seen as a fireman groupie. WHile I admit I DO like to look at firemen, that isn't the primary draw. I grin wider and more easily at shiny fire engines than firemen. Alex and I showed up and I spoke to two firefighters who were manning the goodie table. I asked for a plastic firehat because the custodian at the school I work in, knowing I am "into" the fire department and would be attending the event asked me to pick one up if I could for his grandson. His grandson wants to be a firefighter for halloween and mom made him a nice set of turnout gear but he needed a hat. Nobody was going to be able to make it to the open houses to get one. The firefighters kindly gave me a hat and made sure I got a stick on badge as well. Then they said to just take a whole goodie bag. I then inquired as to weather or not they had a pen with the TFD logo on it, explaining that I was starting to collect fire department pens. They didn't have one, just some cool pencils which they offered me. I was very impressed though that one of the firefighters took his personal pen out of his pocket and examined it to see if it might fit the bill. It was a nice pen! I do believe he would have given it to me if it had had the logo. FIrefighters are such NICE people. Oh, yeah, I said there was a rough part to this. Ok, well, I'm getting there already. I had planned and hoped to speak with the paramedics at the station about the process of becoming a paramedic and the process of becoming one for the fire department, specifically. Unfortunately today was one of those days when I got an attack of the shy's. I couldn't bring myself to do it. Alex asked me which ones were the paramedics and all I could do was say, "well, how should I know? I don't hang out here or anything. I just drive by every day." I felt very awkward haning around there and finally I gave up and left. AUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! Why do I DO that sometimes? Firefighters are nice, not scary. There were both male and female firefighters there so it wasn't that kind of an issue. In fact I have noticed when I drive by the station and see them out with the rigs, more often than not that at least one of the paramedics on shift is a woman. I just don't get what makes me feel so self conscious, silly, awkward and shy! How will I ever get past that? Pray for me, please! God is able.

To finish with a positive note: a nice lady from church approached me at a special event I went to today. She said, "Karen I bought you something."
This is an older, retired woman who is trying to help support her daughter and her family and who is on a fixed income. She presented me with a beautiful skirt. It is a 1x size. WHen I started all this I wore a 2x and sometimes they were tight. I tried this on to see if I can wear it to church on SUnday. It fits! It is even a bit on the loose side! (I will have it taken in if need be later.) What an encouragement from my friend Sharon. What a blessing.

Okay, to bed now. Way overdue.

Stay Safe!

Hotflash out.