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5:43 p.m. - 2004-09-02 WalkingOK..first off I want to give you all a Larry the Love Muffin Update. They didn't let him drive today. They haven't talked to him yet, but I have been assured that they will not let him drive again unless he gets help. Now, I know this place and the boss is not good about laying it on the line with people, however, I have made it clear that if someone doesn't call him on this, and if I even have the vaguest impression that he will be allowed to get back into a truck without a medical detox, that I will go to the the company owner and lay it all out for him, and if I see him getting behind the wheel of a vehicle drunk, I will call the Police. Other than that, Larry stayed in the warehouse and actually made an attempt to do his job today. OK, I'll change the subject to the title of this entry..WALKING. OK...I'm gonna make another confession...I am a sedentary lump. There...I've admitted it. You know...I never ever did enjoy taking a walk and now I have had a job where I am literally chained to a desk all day and my hobbies are all centered around, sitting, driving or short bursts of energy here and there. I also have nerve damage in my left leg and back from my drinking days that will be with me for the rest of my life. My left leg goes numb if I stand on it for too long. Last week, my sister invited me to go to her son's college for family day on Sept. 18th. Now being with my sister's family is the very very top most thing on my Love TO DO List....so I quickly said...Yea. Then I thought about the walking. I called Linda and asked her about the walking and she confirmed that yes indeed there would be tons and tons of walking....uphill. My first reaction was to cancel out as I really don't know how far I can walk uphill....did I mention that I also smoke?....She sounded so depressed when I told her that I thought it would be better if I didn't go and then had to put me on hold.....while on hold, a little voice that lives in my head started yelling at me...it is the little voice my mother left in my head before she died, and it takes over when I need a good kick in the ass. "Look at how you're limiting your life (LAZY COW)...You could get your ass out there on that pavement and walk every day...you have 18 days to get yourself up to speed (LAZY COW)..THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CAN'T!!!!!" (Mom's favorite saying)... Linda got badk on the phone. "Sign me up" I said. Now I work in a large building and I figure to walk around it is about 1/4 mile. Instead of going out to lunch and running errands or staying in and reading a book, I got my butt out there and walked around the building. I huffed and I puffed and when I got back I didn't have enough air left in me to blow the fuzzy off of a dandelion. No body at work knew I went out and did this. The next day, I did it again. I came in a huffin and a puffin and it was hot out so I was a little red in the face and Howard asked me where I had been. I told him about my walk and the pact with my mothers voice in my head and my sister and the college and the whole thing. He said, "you mean that whole time you were gone you only walked around the building?" I said sheepishly, "Howard, I don't walk...I waddle and just the fact that I made it around the building is an achievement." I went on to explain that my goal was to make it 4 times around, which would be almost a mile, by Sept. 18th. Today, lunchtime rolls around and I am phsyching myself up for my walk when Howard runs out of his office, waving a dollar, and holding a stop watch. He announces to Dan and Chuck that he is taking wagers on how long it will take Paula to get around the building today. Now I know this sounds cruel, but we are all like family there and it really didn't insult me...as a matter of fact it had me laughing. I told him to stop sabotaging my effort and forget about the wager...that I didn't want to have the pressure of a wager. They all laughed and went back to work. When I was sure no one was noticing me, I slipped out the door. I actually broke into a full scale walk today...no waddle. I huffed a little but didn't puff. I had definitely improved. When I walked through the door, Dan was waving the stop watch. "You did really good today Paula, it only took you 6 minutes" he said. I couldn't believe that he actually timed me but I was glad he did....I think it might have taken me 10 minutes the day before at waddle speed. Tomorrow...we go a building and a half...I just may make it to Monmouth's Family Day after all. P. I. Yarnsmith
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