A Short Walk Across Town

This morning, Christine and our house guest, Peter, needed to drive out to the east end to buy coloured markers at the craft store. They were planning to spend the afternoon drawing on 16 mm clear leader. I went along with them and walked back home. It wasn’t a long walk–just 14 kilometres–but it was long enough to see if my broken toe has healed (it’s still quite swollen) and whether I’m still having trouble with blisters.

I’ve walked this way before, and I thought the afternoon would hold no surprises, but this time I realized that I could take a footpath to Assiniboine Avenue instead of walking along the sidewalk. A new route: it’s what passes for excitement on these training walks. Part of the path wasn’t paved, and it was lined with young (and struggling) burr oak trees. If they survive–and many of them haven’t–it’ll be an interesting place to walk, eventually.

Once I got to Assiniboine Avenue, I was on well-trodden territory: over the bridge across the highway, through the park by the university, under another bridge and along the shore of the lake past the Legislature. The only surprise was the number of goslings I saw; it seems rather early for them, but maybe the warm weather this month has been a factor in the reproductive success of the Canada geese.

I walked along the creek and over the footbridge–a path I rarely take–and then home. When I got my boots off, I checked my feet and found a new blister. I don’t think it’s serious but it’s still frustrating. And my broken toe hurts less than it did yesterday. I’ll keep taking ibuprofen and hoping that the swelling goes down.