Taking time to enjoy the weather...

Slower, but surer...
As I mentioned in my last post, I walk fairly slow - probably one-tenth the speed of the average walker. Whenever I have tried to walk faster in the past, I always end up hurting my feet and lo and behold I cannot walk for a few days until they feel better. Over the years, I finally came to the brilliant conclusion that if I want to walk every day, then walking at my own pace is so much better than trying to keep up with everyone's faster pace.

When it comes to using crutches...
I can walk indoors without my elbow crutches, no problem. However, when I'm outside, I do not feel safe without using the crutches. I have tried to walk with just one crutch, but eventually my feet start hurting and I end up having the same problems that I had when I walked too fast.

My elbow crutches are my supports...
Someone once told me that by using elbow crutches, I'm dependent on something to help me walk. I absolutely agree with them, because if I did not walk with crutches, I could not walk to the next door neighbors and back. But with them, I can walk almost a mile in an hour. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who has a difficult time walking, but want to get up and move, should try using elbow crutches. First of all, I enjoy walking and it's a lot easier because I'm not constantly worried about falling. Secondly, since the crutches weigh a pound and a half each, my arms also get a decent workout, making them stronger with every step that I take.

Nature in all it's glory...
Over the past few weeks as I have walked, I have enjoyed looking around at nature. Have you ever stopped to look at a yellow dandelion? It may be a weed, but it has a simplistic beauty all it's own that is a flower in every sense of the word. The blooming trees have also put on a spectacular show. And unless you are living in a cave, you couldn't help but notice the maple trees discarding their "helicopter" seeds all over the place.

Really wacky temps...
The real problem was having 80° temps in mid March, because we all got spoiled and just wanted the nice weather to stay for good. Just when we got used to wearing shorts and short sleeves, we got zapped with cold weather making us go back to wearing jackets and even winter coats.  Now that it's May, I'm pretty sure that the freeze warnings are not going to be happening until mid-November.

Road construction ahead...
Since May 1st, North Star has been getting some major road construction on the far east side of town.  The crew in charge have already ripped up the road and sidewalks and by September 1st, we will have a new road, sidewalks and curbs on both sides of the street. Since 1969, when the south side of the road had sidewalks put in, it will be much better having sidewalks and curbs on both sides of the street so residents and their visitors can actually park their vehicles in front of their homes.