A place to put my epiphanies
[e·piph·a·ny - n. a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.]
Last night my paddle club, Likkewaan Canoe Club, got together to paddle on our stretch of the Vaal River under the full moon. We were on the water just after 19h00 and it was spectacular.
A gathering of paddlers with plastic Epic surfskis recently donated to the club. The young paddlers were quick to grab the surfskis to try them for the first time. Other paddlers were in K1s. Lots of colourful glow sticks were seen on the water. Such fun! Photo from Lee-Ann.
Warm, hardly a breath of wind and the only ripples on the water were those caused by our kayaks. The moonlight was bright enough to paddle without headlamps; its reflection off the water adding to the silvery glow.
What I did find 'disorientating' was getting on and off the kayak in the dark and onto the floating dock. A very strange sensation.
We had a good gathering of 21 paddlers for the flat water paddle - many of them our younger paddlers. There were also five white water paddlers who paddled from the clubhouse and downstream to the hang bridge. They got in two 'laps' between 7pm and 9pm. These guys all know the river really well so paddling through tricky channels by moonlight is a regular evening of fun for them.
I have barely paddled this winter season an having had such a good summer season, I'm looking forward to getting back on the water regularly.
We're really fortunate to have the club only a few kilometres from home and river all around us.
I watched a YouTube video the other night where comedian Steve Hughes rips political correctness, offending people and being offended.
On Monday, my husky friend Kiska howled almost non-stop from the moment his dad left for work. We'd had such a super weekend together that my heart ached for this poor dog and his sorrowful howls. His dad returned home much later that usual and I sent him a text message suggesting that he leave Kiska with me during Tuesday - dog sitting.
He dropped Kiska with me and although I wasn't home all day, our domestic worker was around. Kiska fared really well (no howling) and we wrapped up the afternoon with a run before I took him to his home, across the road.
I had a chat with his dad, who is a sweet chap.
He mentioned that he'd spoken to the lady next door to us (directly across from him) and his neighbours on either side. All three women told him that they were not bothered by the husky's howling during the day.
Are. You. Kidding. Me?
Kiska's howl is hardly a whisper. It is a full-bodied, deep-throated HOWL. And, to me, it is mournful and sad and lonely. Facing the street, I have double-glazed windows in my home office (I can see him from my seat) and our front doors are also double-glazed glass. We usually don't hear much.
My neighbours bordering on the back of our property hear him howling. Friends a block away can hear him too.
While I can tolerate the sound, his howls wrench my heart. It is just not right for a dog to be like this.
Apparently this behaviour is not new. Kiska's dad told me that in his previous home, he would howl when his dad left for work but would quieten down when the old man living next door came to give him a pat.
With Wednesday being a public holiday, Kiska had his dad's company but for Thursday, his dad said he would "see how things go" instead of taking me up on my dog sitting offer. See how things go? He is at work all day, not here. How can he see how things go?
As expected, poor Kiska howled a great deal on Thursday and even more on Friday.
When I got back from parkrun this morning my little friend was howling so I went to say hi. He bumped up against his gate, eager for touches and rubs and kisses. He talked to me and bounced and couldn't get enough loves. I rubbed his back and sides and chest and head and stroked his ears, talking to him the whole time. When I left, he continued howling for the next 90-minutes - until his dad returned.
His dad probably thinks I'm a fruit cake because the three neighbours told him the howling is 'no problem'. I think they're probably trying to be kind and understanding with their 'white lies'; they're trying not to offend Kiska's dad.
My mom has a good example of our aversion for offending others. Let's say you're waiting for the elevator. The doors open and inside is an unkempt man with a scary demeanour. He immediately sets off your alarm bells and all your natural instincts are screaming at you not to get inside. What do you do? You get inside - not wanting to offend the guy. And then you're attacked inside the lift or followed to your apartment... Is your safety less important than hurting the guy's feelings?
By not telling the truth, these neighbours are preventing Kiska's dad from taking me up on my dog-sitting offer, which would result in a much happier Kiska and a far quieter neighbourhood. He, in turn, is trying not to be intrusive to me or to take advantage of my offer.
I am distressed by the howling. I struggle to concentrate on my work because with every howl I look at this poor dog from my window and wish he was here - happy and content with some company. The noise is one thing, but I just cannot begin to understand how my neighbours apparently feel nothing for the dog, who is clearly distressed.
Until other neighbours start addressing this issue, Kiska will continue to stay home alone every day. And he'll continue to be sad and bored and lonely. He will howl. All day.
And all because some neighbours are too afraid to offend.
In my situation, honesty from the neighbours would result in a positive outcome for all - especially Kiska.
Through running and adventure sports I have met many incredible 'mature athletes'. The first of these amazing senior citizens was German legend Karl-Heinz Jost, who, at the age of 67, ran the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon with me in 2001. News just received from the event is that Karl-Heinz passed away last week after a long illness. Co-incidentally I was thinking of him yesterday. Karl-Heinz has never been far from my mind and I still get uncontrollable giggles when recounting how he 'turned turtle' after tripping and falling on the way up the Molopo River on the way to Riemvasmaak. He ended up with his head downhill and, with his weighted backpack underneath him, his arms and legs were flailing like that of a tortoise turned upsidedown. And he couldn't get up. I was paraletic with laughter so I wasn't much help. This is one of my fondest memories from my first KAEM where I spent quite a bit of time with Karl-Heinz. He left an impression on me that is still positive, inspiring and strong 15 years later.
"It is never too late to start. Everyone can start,
beginning with a little bit more. Soon it will begin to feel good and you desire
to get more of this good feeling the next time. You look happier, stronger,
younger, healthier… To make sport is a thing of the mind."
I wrote this article on Karl-Heinz in 2004 for Good Taste magazine (three and a half pages). It was my first feature article for a non-running publication. Karl-Heinz was an interesting and inspiring character who I was fortunate to have met.
Defending against trail grit and grass seeds by using AR Gaiters is good practice. Preparing your feet pre-event and keeping them in good condition is another must-do. This includes removing calluses, which is essential to good foot care (like trimming your toenails).
Foot-care guru John Vonhof, author of 'Fixing Your Feet', says that calluses indicate repeated pressure over time and are generally caused by poor fitting footwear.
"But the most important thing to know is that if or when you get a blister under a callus, it will be painful. No matter how small or how little fluid is inside the covered and hidden blister. You know it’s there. I know it’s there. But finding the exact location and depth of the blister in order to drain the fluid is very, very, very difficult. It can be painful too because it take a series of punctures with a needle to try and find the blister sac."
This article reviews callus removers and while we don't get most of these in SA, the points mentioned in the reviews will help you make a good purchasing decisions regardless of the type or brand. With thanks to John Vonhof for the link from his post, "What to do about calluses".
