Right, so I'm still not running because of the whole moon boot thing but I'm doing plenty of other things to keep me in shape...and a few that undo everything. 

First, I got over this thing today:

That, my dear readers, is a six foot wall, the same kind that presented such a challenge when I was doing my P.A.T. for the police department. I got over it on the first try, despite my foot injury. How did I do it? I have no idea. I just did it. I didn't think about it. It was a slightly desperate situation and I managed to get myself over it. The gate belongs to one of my dog walking clients and it seems their front door latch had been damaged somehow. When I arrived today to walk the dogs (this adorable 200lbs of love and slobber Saint Bernard and destructo, Tasmanian Devil, beer keg of an English Bulldog - that's her handiwork on the armrest), 

I was unable to open the front door. After ten minutes, I was finally able to realign the latch so the door would open. I thought I had fixed it but upon my return with the Saint, I found the door to again be stuck. Luckily, I was walking the dogs separately, given the foot situation and subsequent inability to handle a 200lb dog a the same time as an unruly bulldog puppy, and had left the back sliding glass door open for the bully. The problem was twofold: what do I do with a massive dog and how do I get over the dreaded gate? Solution: attach the leash of The Beast to the most stable water spigot I could find and get myself over that gate, go around to the sliding door, go inside, and open the front door. The gate. THE SIX FOOT GATE. I wasn't able to get over one for the P.A.T., how the hell was I going to get over it now? Don't even think about it. Just do it. I removed the moon boot, found footing, and swung my leg over. 

I did it. I really, really did it! If only the police academy staff could see me now. I'll just focus that energy into my test for the Sheriff's Department because now, I know I can do it!

Feeling all warm and fuzzy over my accomplishment, I decided to go for a paddle around the bay after I walked my adorable pooches. I drove to the dock and dropped this bad boy

into the water. That's the tail end of a 12 foot paddleboard. And it was windy today. So windy that, at one point, I was paddling like mad but wasn't going anywhere. Being on a board makes one a high profile target and pushing through windy conditions is like trying to swim up a waterfall. A break in the wind came and I pushed past that point to get to a great little spot that's sheltered from the gale that popped up soon after I hit the water. I spent about an hour on the water and my arms, legs, and abs felt like Jello after all the work I'd just put them through but the workout was great. I got back to the dock just in time for the wind to pick up to 16 miles per hour, something no paddleboarder wants to deal with. Ideally, 5mph is the most I care to endure, as do most of my friends who enjoy this lovely activity. It was a good challenge, though, and I was happy to be out there on this beautiful afternoon.

A friend had planned to meet me for a night out but, unfortunately, had to reschedule. Another friend texted to let me know he was planning festivities for a holiday he deemed "Fuck It, It's Tuesday" and asked if I'd like to join him and his neighbor. There would be beer involved. Okay. I'm in. We ate oysters, drank beer and Mai Tais, and laughed about everything. We also got cotton candy when the server found out it was my birthday (it wasn't) my and my friend's anniversary (also not true), and the birthday of our 67 year old son (the neighbor and also really,REALLY not true). Hey, we got the cotton candy so that's all that matters. The added bonus of the evening is that my boys won (GO KINGS!!!) and are kept in the running for winning the Stanley Cup again. 

GO KINGS! (Did I say that already?)