In my earlier post I wrote about "A lovely way to start the day" and mentioned how the same city bus driver waves to my friend and I each morning as we do our walk at 5:30am. Sometimes I am quite far around the curve from when he gets to the spot we usually see him and he still honks his horn to let me know he is driving by.
Last Friday morning, my friend and I were crossing over Burke Centre Parkway (a good mile from where we usually see the bus) and on the street corner/intersection was the driver standing there not too far from his parked bus. It must've been a few minutes before his route was starting. He approached my friend and me as we were crossing the street.
Bus Driver (we find out his name is Anthony): Ladies, I want to come over and introduce myself. I'm driver who honks and waves at you each morning while you are walking.
Us: Hi!!!!
Anthony: I wanted to let you know today is my last day. They've given us new routes and this is the last time I will be doing this one.
Us: Oh, we will miss you. We always love knowing if something were to happen to us on our walks, the bus will stop and help us. You've been so friendly waving to us each morning.
Anthony: I also wanted to tell you that you are both famous back at the West Ox Road terminal. I was on vacation 2 weeks ago and a few other drivers took over my route. When I got back to work, they all wanted to know who the pretty ladies were that were waving to them each morning. And they wanted to know what I was up to getting them to wave like that.
Us (we didn't even know that the regular guy wasn't driving): Oh my gosh! That is too funny! You make our day honking and waving to us each morning. Thank you for letting us know this is your last day.
Anthony: I will see you in a few minutes...
And we ended our conversation with hug.
How hilarious is this!?!?! I've already heard from my friend that she has met the new bus driver while I was in NYC.
Showing posts with label walking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label walking. Show all posts
Friday, June 26, 2015
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Hijacking a 5k
Carpe diem...sometimes you just have to seize the day. Jump in with both feet and not think twice. Go for it. That's what my friend Dawn and I did this past Saturday morning. It turned out to be one of the most spontaneously fun mornings ever. Neither of us had any idea what we were in store for when we woke up that morning.
Our plan was to meet at 8:00am at Burke Lake Park and walk around the lake. It's 4.7 miles once around. Upon arrival, we find a 5k is about to start not too far from where we have parked our cars. I tell Dawn we should join them and do the 5k. Dawn is a little hesitant and needs a bit of convincing. She is certain that she won't be able to run it. No worries I tell her. Look at all the families doing this at the back of pack. They are walking it, so will we. It will be great! Then Dawn tells me, but they are all black. Hmmm, I didn't realize that part. You know what? She's right. They are all black. So what, I say. Come 'on, it will be fun.
Before I know it, Dawn and I are doing a quick jog to join the run. We find out from the walkers bringing up the rear what the cause is for. It's for the youth. "To empower young men to recognize they are in control of their destiny in life. Afford young men the opportunity to explore personal career interest; and not subject themselves to stereotypes." Sounds good to us! We quickly make friends with the back of pack. Everyone is super nice. No one has yet asked us what we are doing there. Nor have they told us to leave their race. They offer us water at the water station, they collect our cups from us. The man in charge is telling us the path to take. I don't think it is possible for them to be more welcoming.
While Dawn and I finish last, we also finish strong. Our new friends cheer us through the finish line. It was awesome! Dawn and I head back to our cars and decide to go to Spartans for breakfast. My car is the first to leave the parking lot area. I notice the group we were just with is about to take a team shot. I quickly get out of my car and join in. Dawn is about 30 seconds behind me in her car. She jumps out and does the same in joining ua. The guy in front of us has us go in front of him for the picture because we are on the shorter side. How sweet!
This was truly a morning to remember. We had such a great time. I put a donation in the mail to them with a note thanking the coordinator for letting us join in. We will be back next year. And we will register properly for it too.
Our plan was to meet at 8:00am at Burke Lake Park and walk around the lake. It's 4.7 miles once around. Upon arrival, we find a 5k is about to start not too far from where we have parked our cars. I tell Dawn we should join them and do the 5k. Dawn is a little hesitant and needs a bit of convincing. She is certain that she won't be able to run it. No worries I tell her. Look at all the families doing this at the back of pack. They are walking it, so will we. It will be great! Then Dawn tells me, but they are all black. Hmmm, I didn't realize that part. You know what? She's right. They are all black. So what, I say. Come 'on, it will be fun.
Before I know it, Dawn and I are doing a quick jog to join the run. We find out from the walkers bringing up the rear what the cause is for. It's for the youth. "To empower young men to recognize they are in control of their destiny in life. Afford young men the opportunity to explore personal career interest; and not subject themselves to stereotypes." Sounds good to us! We quickly make friends with the back of pack. Everyone is super nice. No one has yet asked us what we are doing there. Nor have they told us to leave their race. They offer us water at the water station, they collect our cups from us. The man in charge is telling us the path to take. I don't think it is possible for them to be more welcoming.
While Dawn and I finish last, we also finish strong. Our new friends cheer us through the finish line. It was awesome! Dawn and I head back to our cars and decide to go to Spartans for breakfast. My car is the first to leave the parking lot area. I notice the group we were just with is about to take a team shot. I quickly get out of my car and join in. Dawn is about 30 seconds behind me in her car. She jumps out and does the same in joining ua. The guy in front of us has us go in front of him for the picture because we are on the shorter side. How sweet!
This was truly a morning to remember. We had such a great time. I put a donation in the mail to them with a note thanking the coordinator for letting us join in. We will be back next year. And we will register properly for it too.
Friday, January 10, 2014
Spectacularly surreal
TIME: 11:15am to 1:45pm
WHEN: Wednesday, January 1, 2014 WHERE: Burke, VA, United States (Specifically on Burke Centre Parkway)
WHO: The Toppall Team (Jeff, Ian, Samantha and me)
We had New Year's day blissfully free of any place we needed to be. I proposed an idea to Jeff, "Let's walk to Cafe Rio for lunch and walk back." Despite the 35 degree weather outside, Jeff didn't find a reason to turn down my idea and it got presented to the kids. Ian and Sam were game as long as they could use their scooters. Heck ya!
Not once did we hear "How much longer?" Not once did we hear "Are we there yet?". No one complained about the cold, or being thirsty, or having to go to the bathroom, or their feet hurting, or being too hungry, or the path being too hilly, or the sun in their eyes.
For 1.85 miles in each direction we did it! It was 2.5 hours total of being part of a bigger plan. There was no quick escape or exit available. The kids and Jeff did a great job of hanging in there. I think the funniest moment came as we were walking into Cafe Rio and Sam realizes where we are about to eat lunch. She whines LOUDLY as we're walking through the door, "AW, NOT THIS PLACE! I DIDN'T WANT TO COME HERE TO EAT." Come'on, you can't tell me she didn't know where we were headed. Not only did we mention the name of the place several times as to where we were going, but she is fully aware geographically what is located in the direction we were moving. Her whining went ignored, her hunger kicked in and Sam ate her brother's chicken taco.
After lunch, Ian and Sam requested Sweet Frog (located at the end of the shopping center) for FroYo before heading back home. We got our frozen treat in freezing weather and then hit the trail back home.
I loved it! And was so proud of my family. To the casual pedestrian or car driving by, we looked like a normal family. One who enjoys being outside and getting fresh air. No one knew that inside I could hear a clock ticking (quite loudly) just waiting for someone (any one of us that bears the Toppall last name) to explode and ruin this fantasy. It never happened!!
As we had our house in sight, I threw out the idea that since this worked so well, we could do it all the time. I got a few glares back in return and felt I shouldn't press my luck. So I altered my thinking and said "Maybe we could just do this every New Year's day." At which point everyone agreed in 365 days they would be up for doing it again.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
My Zen place.
I've always enjoyed walking. But since the beginning of May, I've now been doing it with such consistency that I can honestly say it has become my thing. I average about 5 miles a day. I find it to be a great, natural stress reliever. I wake up each morning and figure out when I will be able to fit a walk in at some point that day. It's the thing I find myself looking forward to more and more. It's my "me" time. I crank up the music on my iPod and take off. One of my favorite locations to walk near my house is around this lake. It is very peaceful.
I have no desire to run anymore. I just am enjoying walking, taking in the scenery and letting my mind wander where it wants. I don't hear whining or the crazy demands of my 5 year old. I can just be. I can actually walk for miles and miles and miles if the conditions are right (a light breeze, not too hot, low humidity, plenty of water, a fully charged iPod, etc).
One of the best things about walking is that you can do it anywhere! On my girl's weekend, I did 5 miles each morning and on Saturday, we did an additional 3.5 miles in the evening. When I went to Orlando, I successfully started each day with a 4.5 mile walk (with the exception of Wednesday, when it rained most of the day). And in my trip to Annapolis with Jeff, I averaged between 7 and 12 miles daily. We parked the car at the hotel on Monday morning and didn't get back into it until Wednesday afternoon. How wonderful to use our two legs to get around town.
I love going for a walk, just because. Not because I am in training for anything or because I don't have another type of transportation. But simply, just because. It can turn my day completely around.
Some of the cooler things spotted during my walks:
I have no desire to run anymore. I just am enjoying walking, taking in the scenery and letting my mind wander where it wants. I don't hear whining or the crazy demands of my 5 year old. I can just be. I can actually walk for miles and miles and miles if the conditions are right (a light breeze, not too hot, low humidity, plenty of water, a fully charged iPod, etc).
One of the best things about walking is that you can do it anywhere! On my girl's weekend, I did 5 miles each morning and on Saturday, we did an additional 3.5 miles in the evening. When I went to Orlando, I successfully started each day with a 4.5 mile walk (with the exception of Wednesday, when it rained most of the day). And in my trip to Annapolis with Jeff, I averaged between 7 and 12 miles daily. We parked the car at the hotel on Monday morning and didn't get back into it until Wednesday afternoon. How wonderful to use our two legs to get around town.
I love going for a walk, just because. Not because I am in training for anything or because I don't have another type of transportation. But simply, just because. It can turn my day completely around.
Some of the cooler things spotted during my walks:
 |
| These little guys were cute. |
 |
| When I started my walk one morning at my mom's, I counted 11 hot air balloon launching. So pretty! |
 |
| Watching the sunrise over the water in Annapolis. How beautiful! |
Friday, October 16, 2009
And, she's off...
At Sam's 15 month well-baby appointment, the dr said if she hadn't started walking in 6 weeks, to call her and she would refer us for physical therapy. Most babies take their first steps around 12 months of age, but have until 18 months before they are considered developmentally delayed. Knowing how long it takes to get in the system, have the evaluation and be recommended for PT, we needed to get the process started. When I spoke to the contact and told her how Sam would take one step, maybe two and then instantly go to crawling, she said it sounded like a confidence problem. How could this be? I tell Samantha how great she is all the time!!
If anyone asks Sam when she really first started walking, she can proudly answer it was in a bowling alley. One of my favorite hang-outs with Ian, we spent the perfect rainy day afternoon at what has got to be the most kid-friendly, sparkling clean bowling alley known to man. As reported back in July "A girl on the go", Sam has been intrigued by the game and does her best to get as close to the action as she can.
Yesterday she proved she can move. Every time I put her down, she would waddle as fast as her legs would take her and make her way to the ball return machine. When she realized I was hot on her tail, she would pick up the speed even more and attempt to go down the alley. Fortunately there was only one other family playing so it was ok for her to feel her oats and see how far she could get. She got a big kick out of it every time I scooped her up and had her start over again. This never-ending cycle must've gone on for over an hour. Not sure who got more exercise, me or her going back and forth, over and over again.
Our appointment with the service coordinator to get Samantha's evaluation is scheduled for November 10th. I have a feeling that in the next week or so, I'll happily be calling Carol and telling her we no longer need their help. Sam has proven in the past 16 months that she is doing everything in her own sweet time, on her own schedule. She needs to be motivated to want to do something, before she will practice the skill. Once she gets the idea planted in her brain, her determination kicks in high gear. While it is refreshing that she is her own person and plays by her own rules, I just wish she wouldn't push it so close to the edge of what is considered 'normal'. Although, I have a feeling that this is the beginning of many worries to come with her. After all, she is a girl.
If anyone asks Sam when she really first started walking, she can proudly answer it was in a bowling alley. One of my favorite hang-outs with Ian, we spent the perfect rainy day afternoon at what has got to be the most kid-friendly, sparkling clean bowling alley known to man. As reported back in July "A girl on the go", Sam has been intrigued by the game and does her best to get as close to the action as she can.
Yesterday she proved she can move. Every time I put her down, she would waddle as fast as her legs would take her and make her way to the ball return machine. When she realized I was hot on her tail, she would pick up the speed even more and attempt to go down the alley. Fortunately there was only one other family playing so it was ok for her to feel her oats and see how far she could get. She got a big kick out of it every time I scooped her up and had her start over again. This never-ending cycle must've gone on for over an hour. Not sure who got more exercise, me or her going back and forth, over and over again.
Our appointment with the service coordinator to get Samantha's evaluation is scheduled for November 10th. I have a feeling that in the next week or so, I'll happily be calling Carol and telling her we no longer need their help. Sam has proven in the past 16 months that she is doing everything in her own sweet time, on her own schedule. She needs to be motivated to want to do something, before she will practice the skill. Once she gets the idea planted in her brain, her determination kicks in high gear. While it is refreshing that she is her own person and plays by her own rules, I just wish she wouldn't push it so close to the edge of what is considered 'normal'. Although, I have a feeling that this is the beginning of many worries to come with her. After all, she is a girl.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Baby Steps
Every parent has a running list of things to worry about. Is my child getting enough vegetables in his diet? Is he behaving himself when he is at school? Are his writing skills where they should be? Why can't he throw a ball? And what is on one parent's list might never see the light of day on someone else's list. Furthermore, a mother's list might be very different than the father's list.
It doesn't matter the age of the child, the list of worries can easily transform to what is appropriately going on at that stage, specific to who the child is....Will my child get into a good college? Is he is drinking when he goes out with friends on the weekends? Is the girl he is dating good enough for him?
There are an infinite number of items on my worry list. Some days the items on the bottom of the list can find themselves in the top position of importance and other days, the list and what is on it doesn't seem so necessary to give two shits about.
Today my concern of Samantha never getting beyond the crawling stage of moving is no longer a worry. Slowly, but surely, Sam has learned to pull herself up to a standing position and actually took a step or two holding onto the couch to cruise this morning. It doesn't seem like a big thing to most people, but to me, my husband and her brother this was a very big deal. Given that most babies, on average, take their first steps unassisted on their first birthday, it seemed like Sam was never going to realize her role model for moving shouldn't be the dog on all fours.
After the excitement died down and we went back to our regular morning routine, I noticed Sam was following me out of the playroom. Lo and behold, my girl on the move started climbing up the steps after me. She made it up halfway and then decided to take a break by going into a sitting position. It doesn't take a brain scientist to realize that wouldn't have been a good idea. Before she was able to tumble backwards down 3 steps, I caught her. We have baby gates at the top of the steps to keep her from falling down them, now I guess we need to put another set of baby gates to keep her from falling up them!
Never one to keep the list of worries from getting shorter, Sam learning how to walk is now being replaced with "hoping she doesn't crack her head open or break her neck if I can't get there quick enough to catch her from falling."
It doesn't matter the age of the child, the list of worries can easily transform to what is appropriately going on at that stage, specific to who the child is....Will my child get into a good college? Is he is drinking when he goes out with friends on the weekends? Is the girl he is dating good enough for him?
There are an infinite number of items on my worry list. Some days the items on the bottom of the list can find themselves in the top position of importance and other days, the list and what is on it doesn't seem so necessary to give two shits about.
Today my concern of Samantha never getting beyond the crawling stage of moving is no longer a worry. Slowly, but surely, Sam has learned to pull herself up to a standing position and actually took a step or two holding onto the couch to cruise this morning. It doesn't seem like a big thing to most people, but to me, my husband and her brother this was a very big deal. Given that most babies, on average, take their first steps unassisted on their first birthday, it seemed like Sam was never going to realize her role model for moving shouldn't be the dog on all fours.
After the excitement died down and we went back to our regular morning routine, I noticed Sam was following me out of the playroom. Lo and behold, my girl on the move started climbing up the steps after me. She made it up halfway and then decided to take a break by going into a sitting position. It doesn't take a brain scientist to realize that wouldn't have been a good idea. Before she was able to tumble backwards down 3 steps, I caught her. We have baby gates at the top of the steps to keep her from falling down them, now I guess we need to put another set of baby gates to keep her from falling up them!
Never one to keep the list of worries from getting shorter, Sam learning how to walk is now being replaced with "hoping she doesn't crack her head open or break her neck if I can't get there quick enough to catch her from falling."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)