Meanwhile

Obama is inaugurated (twice!). I forced the children to sit, not so rapt it must be admitted, in front of the first actual ceremony. M later commented that it was kind of an amazing feeling to know that we had just witnessed history.

Thanks to wonderful Nancy, I am once again struck by just how charismatic our new 44th president is. I mean, can he dance, or what?! There is nothing, absolutely nothing, like a slow, circling dance with someone you either have been or are going to go to bed with. 

I’m sorry, I know we are talking about the President here. But this all just makes him real. Human, fallible. And equally — full of joy, laughter. And everything physical and complex. Someone, moreover, who knows this about himself, and about all of us. No cut-out cardboard. 

Hallelujah.

Worse than I thought

Having blithely promised to keep you informed about the step by step world of not-writing-but-walking — I’m mortified to admit that even taking into account the first two hours of every day when I forget to put it on, and the fact that we’ve all been a bit ill and I’ve been more sedentary than usual…I’m still APPALLINGLY under my aim of 7,000 steps per day.

How about the fact that I haven’t even done that ALTOGETHER yet (two days in)?! Oh my lord.

I had thought that counting steps would be a relief from the insular world of ‘how’s the book coming on?’. I’m a fit person, after all, I get about, am full of life and energy…– but it seems that here too I am bound to under-achieve, my ambition outstretching reality. Etc etc.

Argh!

I am reminded of my grandparents’ mall-walking phase — you know, when you don sneakers and ‘walk the mall’, going around and around the perimeter for your daily exercise. Some malls even had (have?) lines to follow. Just so you know your way. Honestly. Of course you have to get in the car to go there….Oh dear. Last night, in a dark moment that went along the lines of I am rotting away, I actually tried to figure out where the nearest mall was. Seeing as it’s the palatial Bluewater, where if I went I would spend more money than could ever be justified, sanity — or lethargy — quickly took hold.

I live near the Crab & Winkle. I’m thinking about making that walk my mall. I’ve got to do something. Spring is springing. I’ve got to breathe deep. I’ve got two books to write.

First I need the right shoes though. Er..Bluewater?

Walking in circles

My dear friend Nancy gave me this for my birthday:

I’ve only just set it up this morning. So far have done 405 steps (back upstairs after taking this photo). How did that happen?! I’m still in my dressing gown!

Other blogs may do thousands of words into writing a novel. That appealing accumulation. Of which I have precious little at the moment.

So. I’ll do steps. Okay? Today so far, 10 am: 405.