Army 249th Birthday Run

Thursday

I got up at 7:30, not having slept well because of the burning sensation in my hands. I felt bad all over, probably because of working out yesterday. But I got up, got dressed, and drove to the parking lot across from the post office. From there I walked to the parade field.

Everyone was standing stock still. I couldn't hear, but I guess the chaplain was saying a prayer. Then two rows of people unfurled a really large flag which got run up the flag pole. After a few words, Soldiers and runners headed out, then the walkers. I joined the walkers. When we passed house #2, I turned on the water to the pear tree. I had to run to join the last walker. She had a cane. We talked all the way back to the parade field.

Then there was a cake-cutting ceremony and singing the Army song. Then picture-taking. I joined the two rows of people folding the giant flag to put it away. Apparently it is so big that if the wind blows it, it will take the flag pole with it. The original flag was put back up.

I walked back to my car and went home. I watered all my plants at home, then went to the garden to water those plants. Then I went cleaning for 90 minutes. I came home for lunch and to watch The Highwire. I wrapped my hands in an icy gel pack.

I put a rooted celery plant in a small pot of soil for Jenni. I looked for my tool belt that we made in sewing class, but did not find it.

I went cleaning for another 1.5 hours. I came home for supper. I unlocked the swap shop and picked up the mail, then ran over to turn off the water to the pear tree. I came home, had time to read some e-mail. Then I went to the garden to check if the irrigation system was coming on and to deliver a book of baritone music to Bethany. The irrigation system was not on. At 7:16 I reset the start time to 7:18. In two minutes the water came on and filled the seeping tubes. So why didn't it do that at the previous start time?

On the way back, I locked the swap shop. I came home, had a drink, and watered flower beds. I worked on my blog. I made tea. We watched two episodes of WTR. I used the icy gel pack on my hands again. Chris went to bed. I stayed up to read e-mail, and then to listen to a sleep meditation. I did not fall asleep. After an hour, I got up and went to bed.