Out With The New, In With The Old

I'm taking it easy today. I tried to hurt myself at the track yesterday, apparently. My knee and ankle were killing me last night. I broken open a packet of Icy Hot, I received it in a race goody bag and cut it in half for each ailment. Geez! I was trying out the pedometer Lee gave me. The stride is not set for jogging. Guess it doesn't adjust, like we thought it would. Now, we will be getting the wheel from Lee's office to see just how many laps it takes to get a mile in at the track. And to see how much punishment my left leg and ankle can take. I would have been fine, even though I pushed it jogging at least 15 laps trying to achieve 3 miles, but then my neighbor called to take me up on going to the track with me. Well, there is no way I was going to turn her down, when I am constantly trying to get someone to go with me. I knew I was in trouble when I began to walk down the hill leading from the parking lot to the track. I went ahead and walked 4, jogged two and walked one more. Foolish, but it was a still a great day. I can walk on it today and plan to piddle in the house so I hope to be fine for exercise tomorrow. Heading up stair to do some sewing. Didn't play up there yesterday and I missed it. Throwing on some laundry and going to soak some beef strips to make jerky for a hike this weekend, I hope. Got some black eye peas soaking. I love the smell of them soaking. Very fresh and earthy. Reminds me of being at Aunt Minnie's and Aunt Cora's house. Aunt Cora always had some peas or beans cooking. I swear they lived off of cornbread, buttermilk and peas. I enjoy looking my dried peas and beans. I gives me peace. Reminds me of hanging out with Mom-maw in her kitchen or on her front porch. We'd sit on the swing, and shell, and look, and swing. Usually when it was too hot to be in the kitchen. I remember anytime a breeze would come by, she'd consider it a blessing and thank Jesus for it. I like the choices Lee and I have made for the way we live. When we bought this place our goal was the simple life. The simple life is slow going. It's not take-out and frozen food very often. It's cooking most things in bulk for about 6 to 10 hours. Why? Because it's less expensive and it tastes so good. It keeps your grocery bill down below $100. It's some other things that aren't exactly done because it's cost efficient, just more about a feeling, like push mowing the grass some days instead of hopping on the riding mower. Hmm, the simple life is a lot of work, but it brings back warm memories.