Friday, May 4, 2007

Day 71 - 05/02/2007

I'm getting behind in my posting. Do I need to do a diary-like entry every day? Or do I just punt on days where nothing out of the ordinary happens and just report the mundane in order to keep the daily posting format going?

This isn't really a big question, but more of where I want this to go. I think it would get pretty boring reading this if all it was was a recap of my daily events. Well, maybe not to those in the know (or not in the know, but in the know about the cast of characters). To those who just happen to stumble upon this and start reading, is it really that interesting? Should it be?

But if you really want to know what I did today, I'll share it with you: I know went to work. I worked (and ate lunch). And then I came home. Since it'd been a few days since my last run (and I've been trying to get a cardio session in on Wednesday), I decided to go for a run vs. 40 minutes on the bike at the gym. I was hoping to duplicate Saturday's effort of 3.1 miles (5k) in 25 minutes, but I started out too fast and was never able to slow it down. I was contemplating cutting it short when I ran through a swarm of gnats and swallowed about half of them. That made the decision for me as I couldn't get them out from my throat and it was bothering me to no end. I ended up doing about 2.5 miles, but walked the rest of the way to equal my time goal. Oh well, maybe Saturday. (The good news is that my knees didn't bother me much more than they usually did before my tendinitis! Am I truly on the road to recovery? Let's hope so!)

After returning home, I continued my chore of washing the deck. I forgot to close the laundry room door, though, and after I was finished, the house smelled like bleach. Fortunately I was able to air it out (somewhat) and it dissipated over the course of the evening. Only one more section is left to be done; hopefully I'll be able to finish that this week.

I'll finish this post with a story (after all, I did say I'd offer something along these lines when I introduced this blog)...

Captain Quackers landed on the water, his two feet out in front of him as he skied to a stop and settled into life on the water. He had been patrolling the skies above his home, looking for intruders and other malfeasants, but grew tired as it was getting late and he needed to get some dinner before knocking off for the night.

Paddling towards the shore, he saw Drake, his neighbor who lived in the reeds and went over to talk to him. Drake was a nice duck, as far as ducks go, but had a temper when the swans swam by and tried to feast on the grass growing in his water garden.

"Hey, Drake, how's it going?"

"Same as yesterday, Cap'n. My beak is acting up again and water's not going off my back like it used to do. I guess my age is catching up with me. One of these days, I'm going to head south for the winter and not return. Like them snowbirds I think they call them. Spend the rest of my days in sunny skies and not a care in the world."

"'Cept for alligators, of course," Captain Quackers inserted.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Drake responded, "Except for alligators."

"You ever seen one? Up close? They're big. And their teeth are about the size of your beak."

Drakes eyes opened wide and his beak opened a little wider.

"Yep." Captain Quackers paused before adding "...that big. You still thinking about becoming a snowbird?"

"Well, maybe I won't stay this year," Drake answered. "Do you think that's what happens? I mean, when they decide to become snowbirds; do they get eaten by alligators? Is that why they don't come back?"

"Can't say for sure. The last time I was down there, I saw plenty of alligators. They weren't very happy."

"Why weren't they happy?" Drake asked as Captain Quackers paused to think back on the days of his youth when he was but a cabin boy on the great schooners that sailed out of Flamingo Bay.
"Not sure. I never asked them. But they were always crying. Crocodile tears they call them. Why alligators cried crocodile tears I never understood, but that's what they called them."

"Oh. Maybe when I become a snowbird, I'll ask them."

"Don't forget about their teeth. They're as big as your beak."

"Yeah, yeah, I won't forget about the teeth. I wish we had teeth. They look fun." Drake attempted a smile, pretending he had a mouth full of shiny teeth, but flinched as his beak went beyond his comfort zone. "Well, maybe I'd smile with my beak shut anyway. Probably better anyway."

"But then you have to brush them. And floss."

"Do alligators floss do you think?"

"That I don't know. All I know is that their teeth are as big as your beak."

"Yeah, you said that already. Hey, here come those swans again. Could you help me run them off, they're always eating out of my water garden and never listen to me."

"Sure, but this time, why not add a please and not yell at them from the get go. Swans respond better when they think it's their idea to do something. Get them to think that and your battle's already won."

"Thanks, Cap'n, I'll give it a shot. I'm sure going to miss you when I become a snowbird."

"I'll miss you too, Drake. You're a good neighbor. Well, enjoy the evening...and good luck with the swans."

And with that, Captain Quackers and Drake parted ways. Captain Quackers kept and eye on his neighbor as he swam towards his nest in the reeds. He could see Drake speaking with the swans, but couldn't hear what he was saying. Whatever it was must've worked, though, as the swans all started bobbing their heads up and down and the next thing you know, they were swimming away.

Another crisis averted, Captain Quackers thought to himself as he snuggled his head under his wing and quickly fell asleep as the pond came to life with creatures of the night.

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