31 May, 2007

What a painful mistake

Yesterday was, indeed, record high temperatures. It hit 87 degrees. Since I had accompanied a friend to her infusion appointment there was no bike riding so I just thought I'd have her drop me at the office and then I'd walk home after work. To that end I wore low(ish) heeled slip on shoes which were very comfortable and also cute and no stockings, because it was hot. Things are really busy around here this week -- finals, meetings and the guy I'm attending the geek meeting with in late June was also around starting to get stuff together for our little show and tell. Anyway I finally headed out around 4:45 to walk the 3 miles home. Oh it was gorgeous! Just a little breeze so it wasn't stifling hot. I had my iPod and I was just walking along, enjoying the scenery and the music. I did have the foresight to put a couple of band-aids in my purse just in case my shoes might rub a spot on my feet. The walk from my new office to the top of the campus is a mile, maybe a touch more. And sure enough, about that time I needed to stop and put a little band-aid on the top of my foot but it wasn't bad. In fact I was doing just fine until maybe the end of mile 2. That's when I noticed that the balls of both of my feet were feeling a little odd. And by the time I hit 65th, where the 3rd Place Books is I was definitely in pain. I started taking my shoes off at this point and walking in the grass parking strips whenever I could. I've rarely been so very very happy to see my own front gate. Yes - blisters on the bottoms of both my feet! I could barely hobble the rest of the night. Lesson learned: Never walk any distance in bare feet in any kind of heels!! And oh yes, there were running shoes in my office I could have put on. Don't think that thought didn't cross my mind about a million times.

And hobble around I did, because when I got home my new plants were in several different states of heat exhaustion. My rhodies were drooping and they looked the worst so I started with them. I had purchased a flat hose with holes in it which is much more efficient for watering the beds than the back and forth model I had for the lawn. They perked right up and this morning look like before. I also had to get the window fan from the basement and put it in my bedroom. Since it was the first very hot day it wasn't that bad in there, but I do enjoy having the fan and now I don't have to worry about it.

When I finally settled down after all my chores and paper reading and dinner I thought I'd finish up that first front of the Airy Wrap-around and I almost got there. I have about 5 rows to go. But Tink was wanting to play and it was almost time to go to bed anyway so I left it for tonight. I hope I can get the second side done more quickly. Now that I know how many eyelet repeats to do I won't be stopping all the time to measure. I must say I love the detail in this pattern. It really doesn't come through in the pictures in the book and, as someone else observed, when you do have the ties wrapped around you the cable work on the lower back is mostly covered up. But YOU know it's there. I wish I had it today. It's cooler today and it would be perfect with what I'm wearing. Instead I'm using my Kureyon Flower Power shrug. I sure have gotten a lot of use out of that.

I have to proctor an exam this morning - only 45 minutes of it, which is pretty sweet. And a late meeting at 3:30, which is going to throw my whole evening off! Work - I hate when it cuts into my social time, don't you? I am meeting some people at 6 and I don't know when I'm going to have time to walk Tink. Well, I won't is the thing. Maybe I can go home at lunchtime and let her out for a while ..... I probably should do that.

And speaking of things I probably should do - got to start thinking about my June gift for my secret pal!

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