2 Down...

As of Saturday, I have hiked all of the trails in 2 of the MetroParks. I've hiked them all in Inniswood Metro Gardens (a super-easy one, given) and now I've hiked them all in Three Creeks (another easy one).

I have one trail of less than 1.5 miles left to hike up at Blendon Woods, and one paved trail of about 2 miles to do at Walnut Woods and I will have those parks checked off the list.

There are still many, many miles to go, however. I'm so excited for consistently nice weather. The paved trails allow me to cheat at put the kid in the stroller, whereas putting her in the carrier lets me burn some extra calories. It's win-win.

I've been reading a lot again, and I'm grateful for every page. I just recently finished Stiff by Mary Roach, and The Midwife by Jennifer Worth. Next up, Bonk by Mary Roach and part 2 of Jennifer Worth's Memoirs.

I've also reactivated my account over on Find A Grave. I've already helped a couple of people track down stones for their research, and I'm hoping to get a lot more active with that now that the weather is nice and my kid walks. It's so much easier navigating a cemetery when your companion is capable of walking alongside you.

That's all I have today, a couple of quick, silly updates. If I ever have time again, I'll actually put together something of substance to share.

The MetroParks Project

I keep getting asked why I've decided to hike all of the public hiking trails in the MetroParks system (except the Greenway Trails). Honestly, I have no idea why. I have always really loved the MetroPark system, and being outside is my best form of exercise. Not to mention I have a little kid who loves outside and all it entails.

I guess that's my reason, then. I want to be outside, I want my kid to be outside, and I want to show appreciation for the system in some small way.

I'm around 20% done with the just shy of 100 miles of public hiking trails.

I haven't set a deadline for completion because I never know for sure when I'm going to get a chance to pop out and hike a trail. It'd be my luck I'd be one trail from completion and it'd flood out or my car would break down or some other force beyond my control would make me miss the deadline.

So this is a life goal. The sooner I complete it, the better, but there will always be more.

Earlier this week the Buckeye Trail at Walnut Woods opened. Land was recently purchased for a new park just off of 104 a little south of where I currently live. New parks mean New Trails.

I'm still trying to find out about Rocky Fork.

As part of this project I've put together a little binder. I have printed maps of each park with a trail list that I can check off as I finish, and a pocket for a copy of the official maps available at the parks. I'm trying to figure out what other sort of data I want to accumulate throughout this project. Maybe once Addy is older we'll add a flora/fauna checklist or similar. Suggestions are very welcome on that topic.

There you have it. I want to hike them because I can. I want to collect some sort of data while doing so, but I haven't decided what that will be. I want to teach my kid to appreciate nature from a young age.

Heading towards Normal

Slowly but surely, the weather around here has been improving, meaning we've been going outside as much as possible. It's been glorious!

We spent one afternoon knocking off an easy set of trails from the list (Inniswood) and as of earlier this week, the Buckeye Trail at Walnut Woods is opened, so that's next on our hit list. I have a special appreciation for the paved trails since I can cheat and toss the kid in the stroller for those.

A friend of mine recently turned me onto the show Call The Midwife. I'm hooked. Once I finish the book I'm current working on (Stiff by Mary Roach) I'll be reading the first of Jennifer Worth's memoirs, which are the basis for the show.

Overall, my life is a fairly steady routine.

The biggest thing is that this Saturday is Walk MS, and I'm woefully behind on my fundraising goal. If you wanna chip in towards a world free of MS as part of my fundraising effort, please, click here.

That's all I've got, really. Check out the MetroParks page to see the updated tally.

Sick Kids Wreck Days

It's been close to 10 days of sickness in the Keating household. Just as it seems like Addy is healing up, she relapses. Poor kid has been fighting a cold with a disappearing/reappearing fever for the better part of 10 days. Fortunately the fever has been gone for 7 of those days, but the runny nose and now cough from the post nasal drip just won't go away.

We've been cooped up in the house because of this, and I'm going insane. The weather is finally feeling good, so I'm desperate.

I did something silly that I've been procrastinating on for a very long time. I took my work bag from my last job and finally cleaned it out. I put all the papers from the old job into recycling, I threw away all the expired alcohol wipes, and even put the bag itself into the washer. Now I have a binder filled with page protectors and a pretty (but worn) tote bag that no longer has a job. 

There hasn't been much going on thanks to the sick kid. I started watching Call the Midwife, my Degrassi addiction is still in full force, and...yeah, that's it. I have several books on reserve at the library, so that's cool.

Eventually, I will sit down and make a list of interesting topics I could blog about. Actually, I'll say it's happening soon, but I'm reserving the right to use the Joe Peacock definition of "soon."