Speed Up, Man! "90 Day Free Trial"

"Oh, I'll Fly in April, May, and June"

"Spandex Man!"

So, I had to go for the red spandex running tights. They looked hot in the store window, I liked the feel and they were 60 per cent off "This Week Only!" And you'll be seeing a lot of them on paths and trails in London over the next three months as I speed up my walking routine with shuffling and jogging - for 90 days. "Speed Up, Man 90" I call this next set of brisk, fully athletic, outdoor walks.

 "The bright weather looks even brighter with red in the picture"

"I 'Carried On' for 60 walks. Now I will 'Speed Up' for 90"

Watch out. If you see me coming (and I'm pretty sure you'll see me a mile away), step aside. I haven't shuffled or jogged in a long time and I might be wobbling all over the place.

Here's to wobbln!

 "Yesterday I figured out why the Thames is so high this year"

"Somebody forgot to turn off the 'Fountain at the Forks'!"

Please link to Carry On Gang 60 "Hey, Who's on First?"

Carry On Gang 60 "Hey, Who's on First?"

"What's Up Next?"

"The 'Carry On Gang' 

I cut my walk short yesterday because I had a 3 PM appt. As well, the weather was rotten and I wore rubber boots that caused a blister to swell on a big toe. So, No. 60 (out of 60) in the "Carry On Gang" series of brisk, invigorating walks was nothing really special but it got me out the door, and that really is a key factor in making The GREAT Canadian Comeback.

"Monday's weather - wet, wild and windy as I head south on Edward St."

What will I call the next series of walks? How many walks will be in it? Will I start shuffling on a regular basis, even jogging? What will I wear now that my lovely kilts are folded and back in storage? Should I buy new spandex tights to show off my glutes?

Golly, so many questions, so little time to decide.  : )

Photos below: Sunday, March 27, was a brilliant day!

 "Heading south on Cathcart St."

"Looking north on Ridout St."

Please link to Carry On Gang 58 "What Next I Wonder?"

Carry On Gang 58 "What Next I Wonder?"

Carry On Gang Part 2?

"Be careful out there. Don't get swamped!"

I enjoy my (almost) daily walk, oft-times with friend Don, and I don't want to do anything to upset the apple cart. As the 'Carry On Gang' series of walks draws to a close (I completed No. 58 0f 60 yesterday PM), I'm wondering what to do next.

I want to continue the process of making The GREAT Canadian Comeback but do so without lessening the enjoyment level or taking on too much. So, I have some thinking to do. Add jogging once per week? Start with a very slow shuffle? I'm not sure.

But I know I will be doing something!

I will keep walking. I will keep finding new trails. I will have some fun along the way. And I will up my game.... somehow.

Stay tuned.

Please link to Carry On Gang 55 "Put a Bow on It"

Photos by GH

Supper of Champions

Sauce n Gravy Highly Rated

 "Just seconds later I added the secret sauce n gravy ingredients"

Off The Rails Stew - It started out Irish, then went somewhere else.

Success goes as follows:

Pat likes it and I like it too.

"Some if this went into the sauce n gravy"

Please link to Carry On Gang "Pickn Up Supplies and More"

Photos GH

Carry On Gang "More Walkn Photos"

Photos From Along the Long Way

Please link to Carry On Gang "Walkn Photos"

Carry On Gang 55 "Put a Bow on It"

Closing Out the Set

"Another 6-miler on Wednesday"

When two weekday walks are 6 miles in length, instead of the usual four, I record an 'extra' walk on the month's tally sheet. Looks like I've been alternating fours and sixes this week, and I suggest it will continue for a while because I do like collecting 'extras' in order to finish the 'Carry On Gang Set' (of 60 walks) with a BANG, as well as build up my already gigantic, bulging leg muskles. (The kilt hides this growth, unfortunately).

I faced "plenty of drizzle" yesterday but my plaid umbrella (almost matched my kilt and toque) kept all parts dry - 'cept me shoes and matching, woollen socks. (Remember, walkers. Colour co-ordination is important).

 "Yup. I had the place to myself all the way to there and back"

'Twas not an exciting day at the ol' dog park yesterday

Please link to Carry On Gang 51 "About 32 Miles Per Week"

Photos GH

Carry On Gang "Pickn Up Supplies and More"

The Supper of Champions

"A drizzly day but all seems well and warm after 10 minutes"

Yesterday was not the nicest of days for a long walk but - being of sound and generally positive mind - I can easily count three great outcomes of getting out the door in spite of puddles and drizzle.

One. I covered four miles with friend Don, good laughs included.

Two. Cool temps and wet feet inspired visions of my next "slow cooker stew", and unknown to Don, I planned my secret gravy while walkn through Wortley Village. (The secret to stew is a good hearty gravy, eh!)

Three. After dropping Don at his door I continued to a grocery store for supplies. (Total - six-mile walk. Bonus).

"I soften up spuds n carrots while beef n sausage brown in a pan" 

Last night I prepped spuds and carrots before bed and I woke up fresh, thinkn about stew. By 10 AM this morning they were on the boil, for 5 - 10 minutes only, while I chopped lots of onions and peppers.

"Ingredients for gravy appear from the fridge. Some land in the slow cooker"

Within 90 minutes the pot is full of raw veg, and gently cooked beef and sausage. This stew will be like the last one, excellent, with an Irish theme that I've run off the rails - in a very good way. Nothing left to do by 11:25 but assemble ingredients for gravy. Some of this and some of that, as long as it suits my taste, I say.

 "All will be well by 5 PM"

"Not a bad day for walkn. Powered by visions of 'Off the Rails Stew'"

Please link to Carry On Gang "Walkn Photos"

Avocado 33 "Time for a New Pot

Outgrowing the Starter Pot

"I snipped the crown, so, hopefully the plant will grow stronger"

I checked. This process - of growing an avocado plant from a pit - started way way back on October 23, 2015. And what did I know about what i was doing at the time? Nada.

And what have I learned since? Pits eventually spring forth a stem The stem grows slowly. Eventually leaves appear. At a certain point one must cut the stem to foster new growth. Repeat. Repeat. When the plant looks like it is too big for the small pot, find a larger pot.

That's what I'm doing today. Tomorrow we shall see what we shall see.

"I feel it's time for a larger pot, and support stick"

Please link to Avocado 32 "Time for Tough Measures"

Photos GH

Carry On Gang "Walkn Photos"

More Photos From Along the Way

Yesterday's walk (Carry On Gang 52) took me to the Oxford Book Shop on Piccadilly Street, just east of Richmond. 40 minutes one way. A better name for the shop would be 'Near Oxford Bookstore'.

I bought three copies of Call Me Ma'am by local author Margaret LeBas Howe. $13.50 each and worth every penny so far. Just look at that lovely CWAC uniform she is wearing, from 1940s. I've read up to page 21 and would already "highly recommend" it to all students of WW2 and women's liberation.

"I'm on Richmond, looking NW to Oxford St. rail bridge and beyond"

"This photo is from my six-miler on Monday"

PS Margaret wrote the book at age 100 years. Well done, I say.

Please link to Carry On Gang 51 "About 32 Miles Per Week"

Carry On Gang 51 "About 32 Miles Per Week"

Can I Maintain the Average?

"Keep on walkn," I say

I ended last week with two days off out of four, due to a birdhouse sale I was involved in, deeply (up to my knees in birdhouses), and because I was chief cook and bottle washer for a few days.

That being said,  and though I finished the week with a total of  24 walking miles, my average for March is still about 32 miles per week. Not bad for this ol' geezer.

"I have started this new week with two six-milers. AOK"

By the Numbers:

Looks like I will complete the 60 walks in the 'Carry On Gang' set by the end of March or early April. So, my new walking goals will soon be set, related to making 'The GREAT Canadian Comeback' after a ten-year hiatus from long distance running and 13 marathons. I'll need to design a new walkn outfit too. My kilts and matching woollen caps - they stood up well against all wintery weather - are due for dry-cleaning and summer storage.

Now, whether this ol' geezer can handle even one mile of steady, fleet-of-foot running remains to be seen.

More miles to follow.

Photo Log - Birdhouses near the dog park on Terry Fox Pathway caught my eye yesterday:

"Solid birdhouses stand up well to wintry weather. But to squirrels?"

Please link to Carry On Gang 45 "Miles Add Up"

Avocado 32 "Time for Tough Measures"

This Baby is Thriving

I have been following pages upon pages of detailed instructions - yeh, to the letter - about growing an avocado plant (i.e., "get a pit, add water, snip it every once in awhile") and I think I've done very well. This plant is booming.

But, the stalk is getting pretty tall and spindly.... so, it's time for a snip. In this way I hope to encourage more growth in the leaves.

Time will tell. We shall see what we shall see.

Link to Avocado 31

Photos GH

Carry On Gang "Photos From Along the Way"

Walkn, Walkn, Walkn

 Seen from Terry Fox Pathway

 Walkn toward Blackfriars Bridge

 Painting on concrete, beside the Thames, under Oxford St.

Thames River, north of Blackfriars Bridge

Please link to Carry On Gang 45 "Miles Add Up"

Carry On Gang 45 "Miles Add Up"

And Every Mile Counts

"I finished the week with a 4.5-miler. Easy kap-easy"

I took a day off last week and still finished the week with seven walks that covered 32 miles total. Not bad for an old geezer making The GREAT Canadian Comeback.

"I am fond of the river route to UWO. Lively memories return"

I began this new week, March 13 - 19, with a seven-miler to the University of Western Ontario. I walked the 'river route' and relived some highlights of my May 2004 marathon, at the end of which I qualified for the Boston Marathon. That was a big BIG day in my running history, and good memories returned when I walked through Gibbons Park and past the swimming pool, the spot that was about 3 kilometres from the 2004 finish line.

"Come on, Gord. Get to the bridge (in view of University College, my old alma mater). You can do this," I said to myself.

And I knew that I could.

In 2004 I reached this spot, one km. from the finish, 3 - 4 minutes

ahead of schedule. I could've walked to the finish line. But I didn't.

Please link to Carry On Gang 41, "Gang-Busters"

Photos GH