I can’t promise you much, but this ought to be enough tracks. ↓
End of Story ↑
[The self-portrait was accomplished by wedging my camera in a tree.]
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Kayaking
It took me years before listening to my gut feelings about boating, but better late than never! I finally purchased my first kayak and haven’t taken any photos of it yet. Since I found some good images online, they’ll do until I get around to taking my own pictures.
Some shops can sell this parafunalia for $330, but Gander Mountain happened to have a couple of Sound 9.4 Camo models by the brand Perception for $74 off its regular price of $370 this week:
Since I had to limit the cost of a kayak to under $300, doing intensive research before purchasing a kayak might have permanently deterred me from buying one. I was happy to learn from reading a couple of reviews written about Perception Sound Kayaks that they are a good value for the money. These 38 lb. 9½’ kayaks are capable of carrying a load up to 300 lbs.
Here is a video of this same kayak Chase placed on youtube:
I plan to do some fishing too now that I finally have a boat, but first I need to get my fishing license. Until that day arrives, I’ll be taking my dog Rascal for rides out on the kayak.¹ I know she will love it! Fortunate for me, I have some great creeks and rivers nearby to keep me happily paddling all day long! I love how I can throw my backpack full of goodies right behind my seat to be within easy reach for whenever I want to grab something.
With autumn soon coming, the fall foliage will be spectacular to enjoy while being dry and cozy inside this fun way to get outdoor exercise! Do I hear the mountain lakes calling my name?
It might sound unbelievable, but as much as computers have held me captive over the past several years, kayaking definitely will decrease the time I’m indoors! I was already weaning myself from the internet by returning back to regular bicycling, jogging, and swimming. I forgot how addictive building up physical strength is and the amount of time it can devour. I used to think an hour or two a day was a hefty diversion from being indoors. Seven hours go by like a lunch break when out on the water in a kayak!
¹Postscript added on 5.21.10 — I finally got around to taking Rascal with me on kayak rides. She does love it! I also now have pictures of her being on the water with me, but you’ll have to visit Kayaking With My Dog at my other blog to see them. 
There are more photos of her with me kayaking in some newer posts after that one too. Chi-Poo at Taylor Pond is scheduled to post at 11 a.m. (EST) on 7.10.2010.
Other new posts containing photos I took while kayaking may be seen by clicking on the tag “kayaking” that’s listed in my more casual blog, Sheila’s Posts.
Postscript added on 7.14.10 — Here’s my kayak I enjoy greatly:
Perceived Differently
Mail Can
Wooden Legs
Ghostly Vehicle
Just as there are haunted houses, here is a haunted truck that won’t go away:
Old Truck
Even Rascal, my Chi-Poo, doesn’t want to stick around.
Rascal Romp
Geepers, creepers, . . . we don’t want to be found!
See Seasons
Spring
~ Spring at the creek,
Bucket of Autumn
. . . but autumn is brighter and more colorful! ~
Interesting Yard
Yard
Could the odd things be a reflection of what’s inside?
Tired
I wonder what I can do with these items for fun?
Leaves
“Hey birds . . . here’s some nesting material for you!”
Trees
Not too much to mow here. Did the rake break yet?
Rake Break
I’m not sure if writing a post after having been awake already for a few hours without getting back to sleep is the best time to be making a come-back to my blog after being away for a week, but actually I don’t care. I’m going write because I can (it’s too early and dark to be doing much of anything else anyhow).
I’ve been doing yard work since Monday (I don’t remember what I did last weekend and I doubt it matters). Yes, it sounds like a ‘normal’ thing for a person do be doing in the spring. I don’t know about other Aspies, so I only speak for myself here when describing what yard work means to me.
I have monstrously huge Maple trees around my house, along with other varieties scattered not too far away. If I was to take the amount of leaves raked up so far this week and could pile it into one pile, that pile would probably be at least 10 feet high. Besides dead leaves, the trees are also slowly dieing. The amount of branches and sticks that were left on the ground from windstorms was staggering. To clean up means hauling countless wheelbarrow loads of leaves and branches up and down hills. This yard is 2½ acres. Nothing much unusual about that stuff. Where I guess the line gets crossed is closer to the surface of the ground.
Due to the weather being exceptionally dry lately, even the moss on the ground is becoming dried up. Maybe I’ll take some photos and put it on my blog to show what happens when one rakes around trees where moss normally would like to remain. After the moss gets stripped from the ground, then the rocks end up exposed. If those stones were small enough, then I’d mine them up to throw them out too. What triggers me to go so crazy at such things? I have my reasons:
Where I live, Lyme disease is rampant. The ticks that carry this disease like to hitch hike their way indoors. The best remedy besides keeping a lawn mowed¹ short is to not have dead leaves around. I don’t care one hoot about what dead leaves make my yard LOOK like, especially since my property looks like a junk yard and . . . well you’ve seen my house. However, I do care about the health of my family and pets.
Big branches obviously get in the way of lawn mowers, so no other explanation is needed for their removal. Sticks and rocks though can become dangerous, if small children are around, while a mower is going.
I’ve outgrown my allergy to Poison Ivy, but since those plants can get a bit out of control if let free to roam, they need to be eliminated.
Last, but not least, the most vital danger that lurks the grounds is what my dogs leave behind. Nothing infuriates some men more than if they step in a pile of poop, especially if that said excrement ends up in The Predator’s truck.
I was told that fresh air, hard work, and a hot bath is a good remedy for keeping one’s mind asleep once in bed. It works sometimes, but I’ve learned that I cannot depend on that. I just have to accept whatever comes moment by moment. If I sleep, I sleep. If not, then I need to find something else to do. Going with the flow in life is the key to longevity. Funny though, I don’t care about longevity either. To me, quality in the moment is what counts.
We were alive yesterday, may live through today, but we can’t live tomorrow until tomorrow comes. I don’t know what I’m doing today. I might rake some more, but if one of my rakes ‘bites’ me again, I’ll break down and go to the store to buy some more new rakes. Even though the rakes that I have are old and wobbly, I’m sure new ones will anger me. I love metal rakes, but I haven’t seen them anywhere for sale lately. Whose brilliant idea was it to go plastic with everything?!?! Whoever is to blame should be buried in a plastic coffin when s/he dies. I bet Rubbermaid (or Tupperware?) coffins would inexpensive (and light-weight to carry!). They could throw in some foam pillows and line it with polyester too while they’re at it.
I cannot believe anything can claw the ground cleaner than rakes with metal teeth!
¹I just remembered that the steering mechanism of my mower now slips, thereby making the tractor unable to steer at random intervals. If that’s not challenging enough, add to that → brakes that don’t work most of the time. Isn’t it all so funny given that the law requires lawn mowers to not be able to go in reverse at any reasonable speed for safety reasons?!?! I used to just stick the thing in neutral when backing up and let it roll backwards. It wasn’t too dangerous even though holes, thorn bushes, and/or bees could be backed into accidentally. But how does one avoid such things when one might have no steering and/or brakes? Ahhh… an interesting summer looms ahead.
