Still working from home.  No word on when I will not be.

I also realized that my wifi works on my deck so I can do some work outdoors.  However, I cannot teach my webex training classes there since I need 2 monitors and quiet (Darn noisy birds!!)

Trying to get outdoors often.  Always looking for new and interesting places to run or walk and practice social distancing. I added SIX more places to my list.

And yes, it snowed a few weeks ago but this past week, the temps reached 90 degrees!!!!!!!!

Last Week –

• Monday – Three Day Weekend. The Best.

I started the day off with a hike.  I intended to go to Keleher Preserve but passed Hannacrox Ravine Preserve first and decided to go there instead. It was a lovely place to go. I stopped when I reached the creek rather than crossing it to do a loop because I needed to get home.

We hesitated going back up to the lake because it seemed cloudy and breezy.  Boy, am I glad we changed out minds. It was a lovely day. We docked at a new island (Long Island) and I was able to hike the length of it. We had lunch and I finished a book. For dinner, we did our first “dock n dine.” (You dock at the restaurant, they bring out your dinner and you eat on your boat. The new normal.)

• Tuesday – I decided last week on days that I don’t train first thing, I would get up earlier and walk or run before work.  So today I ran.  It was lovely.

So for my lunch walk, I took to the water line.

Then after work, since my run was already done, I could take off and explore. I headed back to Keleher Preserve where I planned to go on Monday.  There were many looped trails. I wanted to get to the overlook but not spend too much time. It was warm and muggy but not bad in the higher elevation and in the shade of the tall trees.

• Wednesday – I got up early but not to run since I would not have time to shower. But when I looked at the weather forecast for the day, I decided that sweaty or not, I should squeeze a pre-work run in my neighborhood.

At lunch, I drove to the park trail for different scenery.

The same as Tuesday – With my run and walk already done, hiking on a new trail was on my after work agenda. I hesitated going to Bennett Hill Preserve because many people posted that they saw snakes. (I HATE snakes.) But it was very warm and I knew like yesterday that the trees and the higher elevation would make it a perfect hike to choose.  I was right. Loved it.  NO SNAKES.  All uphill on the way out (but gradual), then a loop to see the view and then back down.

• Thursday – A busy work day so it called for just walking and no running.  That also meant staying in the neighborhood.

My morning walk was pretty short but at least I got it done.

My lunch walk had to be brief, as well.  This will be a low step day.

Thursday has been designated Tennis meet up day.  My friends play tennis and then I join them in the park for dinner.

Then I rushed home for a ZOOM chat with my running friends.  This week, we tried instead using a Facebook Room.

• Friday – The rain that was supposed to come yesterday still hadn’t arrived but boy was it humid!  I started the day with a quick neighborhood walk.

I had more time to walk at lunch so I drove to the nearby preserve. It’s amazing how much greener and drier it was than the last time I walked here.

I was hoping to get in one more hike this week. But we had a huge thunderstorm. I’ve never seen it rain so hard. I thought that I was done for the evening but it stopped. So I decided on a preserve that was a short loop and not too technical (since it would be muddy.)

And it didn’t rain again until later that evening.

• Saturday – Today was a little bittersweet. I was hoping to be running my favorite race for the 13th year in a row.  Instead I ran it virtually.

I ran it on the rail trail because I was meeting friends there later for a long run. The cool part of a virtual race was that I could run it with others that lived far away such as Debbie in VA, Kim in IA and Cari in NYC.

When I was done, my local running friends arrived. Some ran shorter, some walked and some ran 7 miles with me (6 ft apart) but still we were able to chat. And of course afterwards, we had our social distanced brunch together.

After some weeding in the garden, the weather was so perfect that I decided to go for another hike…my 4th this week.  I have a thing for waterfalls so that’s why I chose this one. The hike turned out longer because I took the wrong trail and since it has been so dry lately, the waterfalls were not as big as I hoped.  Still felt great to be outdoors. And I got back before the unexpected rain.

• Sunday – The rain seemed to cool things down. We had planned to go boating but it was only in the 50s. The hubby nixed that idea.

I had to stop by Nisky bike path to pick up a glass for running a virtual 5k.  There were two preserves not far so I decided why not.

The first one was a not marked (but obvious) short out and back trail. Still pretty and sans other hikers.

When I arrived at the second one, the parking lot was full. But it was a larger preserve with 3 different trails.  Yes, there were people there but they were friendly and I’m kinda over this social distancing thing.

I stopped on the way home to buy more plants and spent the rest of the day, planting and weeding. (Although I may take one more hike before dinner.)

This Coming Week – 

• Monday – run
• Tuesday –  rest day, college reunion ZOOM
• Wednesday – run
• Thursday – rest day, tennis friends dinner, running friends ZOOM
• Friday – rest day, mah jongg walk
• Saturday – LONG RUN 
• Sunday – rest day, boating

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I am linking up with Kim and Deborah for

I encourage you to do the same. Grab the graphic, drop your link on the host blogs and play along! Please be sure to always comment on the HOST’s blogs, as well as visit and comment on as many other blogs as you can.

Happy Running! How is your running going?  How is this virus affecting you and your family? Have you done any parking lot or driveway get togethers with friends or family? Please share.