Steel-Toed Sneakers

In preparation for my trip home for Christmas, I visited the library today.  I dropped off my last batch of books and checked out some more audiobooks and hardcovers to take with me on the trip (plus three other books of my own, which I have been reading).  It was a nice walk, although dodging traffic was a problem.  Add people off work and shopping, students leaving the high school down the road, and a lack of pedestrian crossing signals (which have been removed as part of a four-months-yet-unfinished project at the intersection), and I was glad to get home.

I didn't stay home for long, though, as I also had to visit a "big box" electronics store to buy minutes for my mobile phone.  Sure, I could've waited until it was closer to my monthly renewal date, but I much preferred walking a couple blocks than waiting to visit a store in Albuquerque and having to deal with traffic and parking during shopping season.

I've been on my feet most of the week.  My crew was assigned to remove all the weedy trees and clear the fenceline for part of the facilities complex.  It was too close for me to consider wasting gas, so I walked back and forth from the work site to my office -- up to half a dozen round trips a day.  It's good that I'm getting exercise, but one pair of my work shoes is heavier and sturdier than the others, which is what I'm blaming the twinge in my left knee on.  (I'm darn sure not getting old!)

Now I just have to hope that the warmer forecasts I've seen are more accurate than the colder ones.  Just like at Thanksgiving, we're due some precipitation on my departure date.  This time, the forecasters can't decide if it will be rain or freezing rain.  Naturally, I'm hoping for the former.  You'd think that, being a Weather Wizard, I could make it rain (or sleet or snow) after I'm safely away from town.  I know!  I'll blame the poor weather on my employee who has gone hunting on the same weekends I intend to leave town!