New post -- finally.

Sorry I have been gone so long.  This week has been a little frustrating.  Blisters which have rubbed into open wounds have been been a little debilitating.  I did not let it stop me from the hikes, but that was probably a bit of a downfall as well.  I love the hikes, and I would bandage and go; however, in the long run, it was keeping the areas rubbed raw.  Also made the decision to do pool classes, because running, etc. in the gym e.g. running around bouncing ball, dancing, etc. took its toll on my blisters too.  On Friday, I kind of lost it in the afternoon, and talked with the Mgr.  He decided I should not hike on Sat. morning, so I worked my bum of in the gym -- still doesn't even burn close to the number of calories that you burn on the hikes.

Hoping that a couple of days without a hike will help.  Granulation tissue is starting to grow in the wound areas so that is good news.  This place would drive me nuts without the hikes, so I just have to get back to that.  If push comes to shove, and I can't get them healed, I will opt for the hikes over running around in the gym, and just deal with the wounds when I get home.  I would love to get them healed so I can perform at 100%.  So mad that I let this happen.  After dying the first week, I felt great last week, except for my left foot.

Derek and Courtney sent me their walking sticks, and they are awesome.  They really do take some of  the pressure off your knees going downhill.  As hard as it is getting up the hills, the most painful thing on knees, ankles, (blisters) etc. is the downhill.

OK, I weighed today and lost 3.5 lb this week.  I had been warned it wouldn't be like the first week, but it was still a bit disappointing.  Still 11 pounds in two weeks.   Tomorrow starts another week!!  Begin again.

My friend Christy left today.  That was a tough goodbye.  We had such a connection from Day 1.  Actually we had been facebooking before we even met.   She is one strong, brillant, beautiful, young woman who just made me laugh a lot (and cry a little too).  I called her my sister-daughter :-) 

Another dear friend Dirk who is here with me until the end has been a lot of support.  He is a really neat guy who is smart as a whip and has a heart of gold.   He has two beautiful children, one of whom is disabled, and that little boy is very lucky to have been born to Dirk and his wife.

Another friend is a 21-year-old girl named Nichole who is quite a character.  She reminds of me one of my students, and I joke around with her very similarly to the way I treated my students.  She is just a hoot and has a really good heart as well.  The people who are in this journey with you make all of the difference.

I will post some pictures.  Went on an absolutely beautiful hike this week which was called Charmlee.  Came upon a rattlesnake who was not happy we were in his area.  The guides sort of chased him into the grass, but you could hear him rattling quite loudly.  A guide stood between the snake and the hikers until we passed.  You will see a pic Christy caught of him in the grasses.

Sorry for my absence, it is harder to blog in the evenings that I expected. 

That is not me on the top of that rock posing; however, I plan to do that before this is over (maybe) LOL