A Purposeful Walk in Capitola

For years I've had an alarm go off on my phone at 7:30 am. Then I pretend that I get to sleep in for another half hour, but I'm supposed to actually get up at the next one, at eight, when my phone sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". We never seem to get tired of the song, but since my last plane ride, I've been sick with a cough that has kept me up at night, so I figure that I can roll back over in my cozy bed. Sometimes it's 9:30 or ten when I finally stir, and I can't believe it! I'm ashamed of myself. Doug doesn't mind sleeping late. He looks so peaceful laying there propped up on a big grey pillow we call his Teddy Bear, with his hands folded on his chest, I try my best to be quiet.

Yesterday, I was surprised to feel more alert after the first alarm, and started right away to look at my phone, but I was determined not to get caught up in the internet. Time can fly by that way. I like to look at our email first, so I don't miss out on anything. Nothing there, so I went to FaceBook. I ran across an article about how many BlueZones folks spend their quiet mornings. These BZ people, found in certain areas of the world seem to live to over a hundred years "without even trying", it says. I've heard about it a lot, since the mobile park we live in in Palm Springs has been designated to be an official BlueZones neighborhood. I'm not sure if I even want to live to 100, but I would like to be healthy while I'm here, so I guess that's the idea.

So I read on, that folks usually start their mornings going outside to take in the sun. They walk a lot in their day, but it's usually because they walk to the store or to visit friends, or with friends, and they do their own gardening and household chores.

Those in Okinawa, one of these zones, drink green tea "like it's water" all day long. For breakfast, BZ advocates shun bacon and eggs or surgary cereal, and go for vegetabley things, like avocado toast or even a bowl of minestrone.

Encouraged, and full of more energy than I've had lately, I kissed Doug good-bye as he slept and whispered to him that I was going for a walk to the post office to mail a birthday card to our granddaughter, Ava. I had a purpose. I wasn't just walking to get exercise.

Outside in the sunshine at 8:45, everything looked so peaceful. It was the second day of fall, and there wasn't much to show for it, except that the top leaves of the plum tree outside our living room window were starting to turn orange. People were jogging past the house, so I set my Apple watch to MapMyWalk to measure my distance, and joined them, only walking . Some of them had earbuds on. I did too, listening to another Louise Penny Inspector Gamache mystery. I'll have to try doing without entertainment while I walk, so I can concentrate more on nature sounds, I suppose, but I like to be told stories.

Everything was pretty idyllic, until.... at the corner, a Hooligan was hurtling toward me on his e-bike, "popping a wheelie". I wasn't sure if he could see me, since his front wheel was obsuring his face, so I yelled out "Hey!!", stepped back and held out my hand. He swerved to the right, to go down a path, but I saw a woman and her little dog right in his line of fire, and yelled out "Watch out!!" Luckily her leash was long, and he went on both wheels now between the two of them. Then, his friend, rode speedily past my back and then passed her, with out any "Sorry" or anything.

"Close one!" I said to the long-haired, well-kempt woman, who was now holding her dog. "Sure was!' said she, and then she was on her way.

I walked down the park-like path that leads to the shopping center, much calmer now. Appreciating the crisp Fall air and the crunch of acorns under my feet. A squirrel ran up a tree near me to find some for his winter stash, I suppose. A man jogged by, and I saw a couple of women walking their dogs toward me, chatting away.

Then, Zoom! Another regular bicyclist swerved down the hill from behind me. He didn't even bother to say, "On your left", like we used to back in our skiing days. I looked at the women and they just shrugged.

After that, my walk was uneventful, except for noticing so many people that were more active than me. One woman put her shopping bags in the back of her car and then stopped to stretch her legs and back using her car as a ballet barre. I walked through the parking lot to the crosswalk and grabbed one of the new "see me" orange flags and waved it like a cheerleader as I crossed Bay street at the stop sign. A driver smiled.

The post office door was open, so I went inside to put the card in the slot. Maybe it'll get there faster.

On the way home, I backtracked, but stopped at what we call, "Snob Hill", really Knobb Hill Foods, and mindfully bought some green tea bags and fresh sushi for our lunch.

The path home is very steep, but there's a thoughtfully placed park bench facing Soquel Creek half way up the hill. Since I could feel my heart pounding, I sat down to watch the water and the birds and the squirrels in the trees for a couple of minutes.

Almost home. Nice walk, a whole mile. Think I'll make myself a nice cup of green tea.

By the way, our breakfast was avocado toast, grapes and tomatoes.