Friday, June 28, 2013

It's the heat. And the humidity.

Mostly the humidity, lately, as I don't think we've even hit 90 yet.

I work Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Generally that means "the cool of the day." I try to walk around 7 a.m. on those days, to avoid having to get it done later in the afternoon, when the heat has built up and my energy is at its lowest.

[Aging sucks, y'all. I shouldn't be complaining, since I'm still upright and breathing, but my stamina and endurance just aren't what they used to be.]

Maybe as I continue to lose weight (how's that for confidence?), my comfort level will increase. For this summer, though, I'm going to have to manage my walking time carefully. Earlier is better.

Early happened yesterday, but even though I said I wouldn't melt in the rain I apparently thought I might, as I turned around at the three-quarter mile point, logging 1.5 miles yesterday morning. It rained nearly the entire time I worked, so I paced back-and-forth inside the sales building for 15 minutes before deciding that might be a little compulsive. When it wasn't raining too hard I could check things off the to-do list – stick cuttings in dirt, tidy up the displays – and we even had a few customers. (Deer repellant is flying off the shelves.)

To up the weekly mileage, my husband and I decided to take advantage of a lull in the storms and take a longer walk. We left the house at 2 p.m., or "the heat of the day." Probably not our best idea. We lasted three miles and called it enough. I collapsed until dinner time and collapsed again after dinner, completely wiped out.

I'm beginning to wonder if I need to take a vitamin.

At least on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Heh.

I managed to get a tiny bit of landscape gardening done as soon as I got home from work. (I've just about given up on the vegetable garden, but maybe this weekend I can tackle some of the weeds.) I have brick planters in front of my house on both sides of the porch, which are in shade most of the day. I've spent tons o'bucks on shade shrubs over the years, but nothing survives.

Year before last I planted some hostas, and this year I've added more to the collection. I needed to move one yesterday to make room for an additional one, and I stuck a couple pink astilbe toward the front. Hopefully everything will survive and thrive. I'm happier with the planters this year than I've been in all the time I've lived here.

Sometimes you just have to give up what you'd like and accept what works.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've done quite well with hostas, until the deer eat them!

Maybe you're not compulsive about walking, maybe your body is just used to that level of activity and you feel restless without it.

I absolutely have to run before 7:00 a.m. It's only in the low to mid 70s at that time, but the humidity makes it feel like about 12,000 degrees.

denise said...

I was thinking of planting hostas as filler around my patio, but several people (a landscaper among them) warned me not to do that around here as they attract ground moles which eat the root. The plants look normal until something touches them and they fall over because they're basically sitting on top of the ground without roots.

What I heard of that is "they will attract rodents to your patio," and I immediately gave up the idea! But I do like the look of them and yours look good!

Vickie said...

I have a big bed in the back where I have tried all kinds of things over the years. Several years ago, I divided hosts from all over the yard and planted only hosta in this big bed. Easier to weed because I can tell at a glance what does not belong. And the hosta thrived.

Winnie said...

Your hostas are lovely. I have mine under my trees, and the problem with this is the bunnies think they are salad. Ugh. I just love them and they grow so nice for me.

I HATE summer and the heat and humidity. I am so uncomfortable each day on my commute int he subways etc. I applaud you being able to do walking in this weather. I do my yard work like you do in the "cool" but it is never really cool for me.

Enjoy the weekend! PS. Blogher had a recipe they claim is Obama's chili recipe. I am sure you can search it. Sounded yummy!

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