They're everywhere, they're everywhere!

So I went to the MS Walk on the Wild Side 3-5 mile walk today. 

 We walked the 3 rather than the 5.  We're pretending it's because the young child walking with me gave out!

I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.  Or later tonight if the insomnia returns.  But I just hafta share one thing with y'all.  You know how I was nervous  going to this thing alone?  Well the child with me was very slow getting up this morning and so even though we weren't late - we weren't as early as I would have liked as a cushion.  I had the driving directions but as I got to the road I thought I was supposed to be on I saw a sign that said "Event Parking" pointing a different direction.  

These are the sorts of stupid things that cause me way more stress than an intelligent adult should feel.  So I follow the signs and park.  I am very relieved that I'm in the correct lot since I arrived there via a different street than my directions said.  

I can see folks walking along the sidewalk.  In nice green t-shirts.  With big pink ribbons on them!  I'm serious.  Pink ribbons everywhere.  As I was walking in the direction I hoped was right I passed people wearing pink ribbons and pink boas.   

They looked like friendly enough people so I didn't really think it was the pink police coming after me for straying - but it was still odd.  

When I got closer to the edge of the parking lot I saw another group of women in pink ribbon t-shirts; 

asking directions from the guy in the MS t-shirt. 

Apparently there was a Breast Cancer event today for the American Cancer Society;  2.8 miles away!

I'm not going to make any bad jokes about the brain people being smarter than the breast people until I find out how many MS walkers found themselves at the BC walk!

Orange you glad. . . .

I'm glad!  I'm happy!  I'm scared.  Not really scared, just nervous.  Last month my husband signed us all up to walk in the 21st Annual Phoenix Walk on the Wild Side.  This event supports the MS society.  As you may have noticed I frequently mention MS here - in strict defiance to all that is Pink.  

I'm not nervous about the pink police finding out.  And I'm not nervous about the walk itself - we can choose the three mile or the five mile route.  I'm not even particularly nervous about  the crowd or the lack of restrooms.  What has me a wee bit anxious is that due to life conflicts my husband and older son  will not be attending.  And given that this is a team organized through his work and I don't know these people I have a fair amount of social anxiety going on here.

Our team is called the Aqua Ducks! 

 My husband works for the Central Arizona Project - which is a giant canal that runs through Central Arizona. (and by central, I mean the lower half - not necessarily the middle)    

And as you know - another word for big ol' canal is Aqueduct!  

Sadly, Central Arizona Project does not allow any duck racing in their canal.  Hmmpf!

Other places have duck races!  Deming New Mexico actually has Live Duck racing.  Next year will be their 30th year so if you're tired of shleping the family to the kingdom of the mouse you may want to consider it!  Deming Duck Races Here.

If CAP ever does allow Duck Racing here's the one I'm going to enter:

Aint it cool?

The other cool thing about duck racing is that the ducks do all the work and you get to sit on the riverbank (or canal bank if you have nice canal people!) and drink a cold beverage.  

Okay - Now that I've babbled on about ducks long enough I guess I should hit y'all up for donations.  That would be HERE and the money goes to the MS Society.  (No offense guys, but the word 'society' is probably not as useful as a word like 'foundation' or even 'association' when you're trying to raise money.)  It's tough enough working on a disease that most people cannot pronounce and nobody can spell.

Yes, I can spell MS!  I'm talking about Multiple Sclerosis!  I imagine the people involved in the 'society' can spell it.  And I imagine the people afflicted with MS can spell it - when they're not in the middle of a particularly nasty relapse!  We'll probably talk more about MS later.  And of course we will always return to the breasts.   

Did I mention the name of the event?   The 21st Annual Phoenix Walk on the Wild Side?  They call it that because it runs through the Zoo.  Not because they are necessarily Lou Reed fans.

Since y'all were so patient while I went on about the ducks I thought I would paste the "Walk on the Wild Side" lyrics here.  Since this is a family blog I cut out all the steamy and sexy and icky parts:

Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
(Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
(doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
(doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
(doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
(Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
(doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
(doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
(doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
(Doo)

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So Halloween is over.  The election is over.  Breast Cancer Awareness month is over.  (Although my local grocery stores still have shelves full of pink soup cans!)  Our ladies are almost done fundraising. 

 What else is left? 

 Hmmn?

Oh, of course.  

The walk!  

60 Miles.  

That is a loooong way. 

 That is approximately the distance from London (seen here looking pink)

To the White Cliffs of Dover (seen here looking pink)

Also the distance from Dover to Brighton!

Hmmmmn.  I may have the wrong Brighton there!  

The important thing is that it is pink!  

No, wait.  The important thing is that it is 60 miles.   Our Ladies have been training since March or April so they are very ready; but there is still a bit of aprehension here and there.  Well, you know - except from Wendy.  I love Wendy but that woman is strange!  She runs for relaxation.  

(I would assume from that that she has no idea how to REALLY relax - except she has five kids so obviously . . . .)  

Sorry, I got distracted thinking 'relaxing' thoughts.  We were talking about Wendy.  This is not one of my recycled blond jokes - this is true:  when Wendy signed up with Team H.O.P.E.  she asked if she could run the 60 miles instead of walking them.  

The answer is NO!  You're also not allowed to do a step aerobics class in the camp site at the end of the day!  (The first rule is for the safety of the walkers, the second rule is for your own safety. Three day walkers are generally sweet women but the sight of someone doing their Jane Fanda bit at the end of the day migh cause them to become violent!)

Just lookin at that picture makes me a bit violent!

There are other rules, some pesky and some common sense.  I did find this bit from the official site a wee bit odd:

Abusive behavior towards crew and staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Is that really a problem?  Sigh.

I'll be telling y'all more about the route and the cheering stations and whatnot later.  Until then you may be wondering about the fist picture uptop.  That is the book cover of "The Long Walk" by Richard Bachman.  (Who is really Stephen King - but that's not really the point)

If you have never read "The Long Walk" I highly recommend it.  Keep in mind that this book   was written years and years before reality shows started appearing on TV, as was The Running Man.  (And yet both were written after the 1973 story Rollerball Murder by William Harrison) 

 

We may have to exlore this topic in a bit more depth later.  But for now I suggest you get yourself to a library or used bookstore (or even a new bookstore) and read The Long Walk.  

On a completely unleated topic (yes - I am implying that everything else is related!) I have received a cute photo from many of my email friends.  I was trying to figure out when and how to best use it here.  Then I was reading an article this mornig about how  to convince people to read ones blog. 

There was good (if obvious) advice.  There was also some very sarcastic and borderline hateful comments about cute cat pictures and cute kid pictures.  I wish I could find the site so I could quote directly but trust me - the guy was rude!  

So naturally I must run the cute kid picture I've been saving.  And I went online and found a 'cute' cat picture.  Not that I really find cats cute. 

 If you like cats and would like to adopt one or more please drop us a line - Our  Tina has more than a few cats that she is trying to find homes for. They have been spade and/or nuetered.  

Time is Fleeting, Madness takes its toll. . . .

So I received an email from Miss Jeannie.  She claims I got the date wrong for the three day walk.  I said November 15th and the walk actually begins on the 14th, so I can understand why she mistakenly thought I was mistaken.  

Silly woman.  The walk lasts for three days - therefore the 15th is the median time of the walk.  Or maybe that would be the average?  

Actually it's both - which is not always the case with Medians and Averages.  

Can you imagine walking 20 miles a day for three days?  

I saw Jeannie and Kristine yesterday - walking naturally.  It was 96 degrees at the time.  The official high yesterday was 94;  but my thermometor was reading 96!

Did you kow that Arizona does not participate in Day Light Savings Time?  I like that about Arizona.

So have you noticed all the pretty calendars I've included here?

Why ancient calendars and not pics of modern rectangualr and/or digital calendars?

Because round calandars are rather breastlike.

And since breast cancer is still killing women - many feel an urgent need to find a cure.  Or a better treatment or a preventitive.  So these people raise money and participate in fundraising / awareness events.  Like the Breast Cancer 3-day walk that takes place on November 14th, 15th, and 16th.

Which brings us full circle - kinda like a calendar of old.

Wishing you enough time to do what you must and what you want.

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