So, yesterday Finny and I walked again. My hips were feeling almost normal.

Sounds so mundane, doesn’t it? We walked. Maybe I should find a new word for it. “Trekked” isn’t quite right; to me it connotes an overland journey filled with obstacles, like tall hills to climb and malodorous swamps to wade through. While we did gain a few hundred feet in altitude on the outward walk up the trail, it was all downhill and swamp-less on the way back. A funny-Finny side story: Upon our return to the trailhead, I made a beeline to the Mosquito Station ladies’ room, one of those largish, tiled, single public restrooms equipped with a commode and sink. I’d no sooner sat down when Finny, wandering around, calmly lifted his leg in the corner.

“Finny! No!” I yelled. He looked sheepish.

Yes, I wiped it up. Sigh.

Anyway. Walking. Yes. Another word. How about “tramping?” That sounds a bit British; it makes me think of wild, rainy moorland, Wellies and stiles over which one must scramble. Not exactly what we were doing, considering the El Dorado Trail is nicely paved, stile-less and (yay!) it wasn’t raining. In fact, it was beautiful. Sunny and warm. I got sweaty.

March. Stroll. Peregrinate. Parade. Ramble. None of these work perfectly. You couldn’t call what I did yesterday “power walking” – I wasn’t walking very fast – but “strolling” isn’t what I did, either. Nor did we “parade.” But I did start “marching”  after 20 minutes or so; I was getting tired, and rather than dwell on it, I reverted back to my old-time trick, calling cadence beneath my breath so I could just cover ground without forever wondering when I was going to discover that small mile-marker painted on the pavement. HUP-two-three-four. LEFT, left, left-right-left. “The ants go marching one-by-one, hurrah, hurrah…” Oddly, Finny seemed to like my soft singing. He stopped pulling on his leash (my achy left hand thanks you, little guy!) and just trotted alongside me.

Then I saw the marker. Somehow I’d missed the one marking a mile. Instead, we’d shlepped a mile and a half. All uphill. Sheesh. No wonder I was getting tired.

I know, I know. That’s not much distance for those ridiculously fit people who jog daily or ride a bike for exercise. But for me, a mile and a half is pretty decent, particularly as I only started perambulating again recently.

“Good enough, Fin,” I said with relief, and we turned around. Actually, I’d planned only to do a mile out and back, thinking I’d give my cranky hips a break before trying for more distance again. But doing that unexpected extra half-mile made me feel sort of proud, too.

I sang “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” on the way back. And more left-right-left chanting. We encountered skateboarders, speeding bikers, a mom and her pigtailed little girl on a tandem bike, several inward-looking joggers with earbuds and iPods engaged, lots of other dogs and their people, and a very old couple who were literally inching along, hand-in-hand. It was good.

And by the time we made it back to the restroom and the car, we’d racked up three more miles, something over nine miles for the week thus far. Today, my daughter wants to go along. She hasn’t done any marching, strolling, trekking or striding for a long time, so we’re going to take it easy and do just two miles today. Still, when it’s done, I can say I walked nearly 12 miles since last Sunday. And a week from today, I’ll be doing the Sacramento Arthritis Walk — three miles at Land Park with a crowd of others, raising money to help find better treatments and a cure.

Now that’s not bad for a chubby, middle-aged woman with RA. I’m smiling.

Update: Breakfast/lunch today (I didn’t eat until 11:30 a.m.): Sandwich made of two slices wholegrain bread; half a Roma tomato; 1 slice Tillamook medium cheddar; a handful of spring mix lettuce; 1 tbsp. mayo. Half a Ruby Red grapefruit, in sections. 1 luscious square of Dove dark chocolate. 1 cup of coffee made with half decaf and half regular coffee, a spoon of Splenda and a tbsp. of condensed milk.

I’m full. And I’ve lost two pounds since Monday!  :o)

Update the second: The Finster and I walked (daughter got busy playing a video game and opted out) a mile, at which point my tail was seriously draggin’. So we turned around. I accomplished my two-mile mission. Now, dinner is started … we’re having broiled salmon filets and a salad made of roasted, cooled beets, grapefruit sections, goat cheese and spring salad greens. And then I’ll settle down and watch a movie. When I wake up, I’ll go to bed. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Update the third: I haven’t had my dinner yet because the !@#&*!! roasted beets took so long to roast and now they have to cool. And I’m grieving for my lost bathtub. I wanna long, hot soak in the tub. I neeeeed a long, hot soak in the tub! Oh well. I guess I’ll take a hot shower instead. The family will thank me. They’ve been waving lit sticks of incense after me when I pass. I guess I really did get sorta perspire-y today…