Training Log Archive: Bash

Mom left us a year ago today. It feels like yesterday and it feels like a different lifetime. I've thought of her a lot lately. Mom taught home economics, and as I've started baking and sewing again during the pandemic, I've remembered her lessons and felt her hand guiding mine. I've had time to sit at her piano and play music - but not nearly as well as she did. I miss Mom every day but I'm blessed that she's always with me and always will be.

First mountain bike ride of the season - fun! I rode over to Palgrave East and had a great ride on single and double track. I won't be going there on sunny Saturday afternoons for a while, though - too many other people to dodge.

This was Day 7 of a week without running or hiking - an experiment to see how that would affect my heel pain. It's improved but the usual niggle remains, and I expect it will flare up again as soon as I do anything. I'm gaining weight from 'Bent's excellent cooking so I need to get more active again.

'Bent took the pooches for a walk around 5 pm and returned within 10 minutes. Poor AdventureDog had sliced himself open on the side - a cut about 3 cm long right through the skin. In normal circumstances, he would go to a vet for stitches but these aren't normal circumstances. Our vet office was closed, as was another office owned by a friend. Our only option for professional care was to drive into Brampton and wait outside the vet emergency clinic until they could take A-Dog. Ugh.

But... this couldn't be *that* different from dentistry, could it? 'Bent phoned his sister Mimi, a veterinarian, who asked us to email a photo. She suggested that we use a few surgical staples to close it up. (She gave 'Bent a surgical stapler a few years ago after he fixed up a badly injured guy while we were mountain biking.) We read Dr. Mimi the names of all the dog medications we've saved over the years, and she suggested a combination that would make him drowsy and control the pain somewhat. 'Bent went to his office to pick up some Lidocaine, a local anaesthetic, to flush the wound. He asked about injecting a local anaesthetic (it's one of 'Bent's hobbies) but Dr. Mimi said that bothers dogs more than staples do.

AdventureDog was a little groggy but not so groggy that he didn't notice what 'Bent was doing. Although I tried my best to distract him with peanut butter on a teaspoon, he expressed his displeasure each time a surgical staple went in. We sent a final photo of the stapled incision to Dr. Mimi, who was impressed at 'Bent's work. To save Hammer from seeing blood, I won't post it here. Anyway, mission accomplished. Now we just have to watch for infection.

Poor injured pooch.



Staple time.



'Bent finishing up his work. Peanut butter jar in the background was no longer needed by this point.



Adventure-Dog looking at me suspiciously post-surgery.

Another great Zoom circuit class with weights, led by Mrs. Gally. The club sells online training passes by the week so I wanted to do at least two classes. I don't like exercising in the morning until after I've exercised in the morning - and then I really like it.

Also, I've never liked the overhead time of driving anywhere to do a workout. We live in the boonies and our Adventure Basement is reasonably well equipped. A Zoom workout is a nice compromise where I can stay home and still have someone push me harder than I would push myself. I signed up this week mostly to be a supportive friend but I might keep going - maybe alternate weeks.

Much needed Zoom Happy Hour with Dee and Mrs. Gally. 'Bent FaceTimed with Mr. Gally at the same time so it was a big social evening in our household. I think we might even "attend" Open Mic Night at The Crow tonight. Thank God our rural Internet has been working reasonably well. I hope it's true that Rogers isn't charging for data overage. If this lasts much longer, maybe we'll even give Netflix a try.

And it's official: Air Canada cancelled our flight to the U.K. for Ultra Trail Snowdonia in June. They're keeping our money but they'll let us fly somewhere else within the next 24 months. The event website is still stubbornly accepting entries for the June 12-14 race weekend. Our first week of overpriced accommodation in Wales is theoretically non-refundable although the hotel has been closed so maybe we can negotiate a deal. Instead of *having* a vacation this year, it looks like we may just pay for one. ;( I kinda wish I hadn't been so diligent about making travel plans for 2020.

Zoom circuit class with Mrs. Gally through Collingwood's Buddha Rider studio. What a slave driver, lol! Good way to start a long day of work on corporate taxes.

Some foothab after a fun Zoom Happy Hour with Crash. The most painful thing I did to my gimpy right foot all day was 1-footed balance with eyes closed. Maybe I'll give that a break temporarily.

Trav and Baloney have started a trend! Although the handmade treadmill takes it to a new level. (Click on Youtube to see a larger version.)

C3 core workout with Luis Lopez on YouTube. Ouch.

Foothab. I was deliberately very easy on my heel today since I want to try to calm it down, then experiment to figure out what makes it flare up. There aren't many days when I only do one thing that could bother it. I dug out my old Barefoot Science insoles and wore them in my indoor shoes. The idea is that you're supposed to increase the level of arch support when you become accustomed to the current level. They feel helpful so I'll keep using them.