It really is about the chat and the meals!

Yesterday my husband and I were pondering why we didn't use grocery delivery systems. This morning, as I was getting ready to join the gang, he read out from an article in the morning paper that spoke to that very topic.

The article surmised that such services may be bad for many of us as they eliminate one small source of social interaction. The article quotes an expert as saying "Social isolation is the public health risk of our time".  It goes on to say there has been a study that found that, on the other hand, social integration is "at the top of a list of lifestyle factors that had a positive impact on longevity, beating out quitting smoking, getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight". 

Wow. Who knew that our collective joke that 'the real reason we walk is for the chat and the food' is, in fact, a good thing!

So what is my point? There may be times, for all of us, when health or circumstances mean we can't walk but let's keep coming out and encouraging each other to do so. That does not mean we shouldn't walk for as long as we can but it does mean our group is about  much more than that.

Looking forward to seeing most of you next week for our annual winter meeting  - and, of course, for chat and food.

2019 and counting....

Whether as a result of New Year's resolutions or the mild weather, we had an excellent turnout on Sat. - over 20 walking and 12 at breakfast.

As is our way, we walked and talked in fluid, changing groups - covering an enormous range of topics over the course of the walk and our meal. This is something that always delights and entertains me so I have tried, as I have done in past, to capture just some of the subjects covered. Here goes: does TPW have a policy on how we promote ourselves;  recent good movies seen (thumbs up to Vice and The Favourite);  the sad state of board governance for many non-profits and the need for relevant training; the on-going soap opera down south and whether we would want to take on a senior role in politics when we are 78 (not that we wouldn't do it brilliantly, but would we want to?); the foibles of the entrenched rich; whether or not to make  New Year's resolutions and much more.

It strikes me that women's conversations are rarely depicted as being so rich and varied in popular fiction - more work to be done there.

Wishing us all a happy and healthy 2019 - and remember that a good way to ensure both is to 'walk the distance' with TPW!

And don't forget to put Feb. 9 in your calendar for our winter meeting.  Start time 10ish so you can walk first. Location Diane's.

Random thoughts on a winter's walk...

Our shoes trample the brown remains of fall's bright leaves.

The barren trees say winter but a deceptive mildness lingers.

There is a coyote in this cemetery,

living wild amongst the quiet dead.

Once we saw a hawk here,

snacking on a squirrel.

We walk and talk

gloriously alive, when the others here are not.

Winter conquers summer but summer will rise again.

Is there something profound in this simple act of walking with friends on a winter's day?

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday at our annual winter's social where we will celebrate our 10th anniversary!

The pleasure in being idiotic...

It was raining Sat. morning but, I needed to walk, and  hoped it would dry up by the time I got to the Grenadier.  No such luck, but there were fellow TPW optimists (Linda and Carol) to greet me on arrival. We agreed to go once down the hill, through the zoo and back for breakfast - and that was exactly what we did. The rain had stopped by the time we got back but, having set a plan, we followed the plan. We talked briefly about how much distance walking is about 'mind over matter' and then enjoyed our breakfast and our conversation.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. I give thanks for the ability to walk with the group and enjoy the good company of you all!

A reminder that we have scheduled our fall meeting at our wonderful sponsor,  Harbord  House, for Tuesday,  Dec. 4.  It is TPW's 10th year - an occasion to celebrate!

Walking through an impressionist landscape...

Five of us headed east, entranced by the hazy fog that rested on the lake.  Ghost-like trees and masts of sailing boats emerged as we walked and talked. It was the best kind of communion with nature. 

And Mother N rewarded us with sightings of a gorgeous white heron, posed still as a statue, ready to strike should an unwary fish swim by and a preening swan, surrounded by errant down plucked out and floating in a wreath around her.

 Coming back through the market, we talked about how much we enjoyed our earlier picnic there and decided we needed to do it again.

So, with my social convener hat on, I hereby decree September 29th as our next Humber Bay Shores Farmer Market  'stop, shop and eat' day (the power is going to my head!). I looked it up (who knew it had an official name, eh?) and it is open until Oct. 6.

It is also time to think about our social in November and would suggest the week of the 19th if that works for the majority.

Happy Labour Day all.

The rewards of shaking it up...

Some of the group stuck with our usual High Park route and the joys of seeing feathers and sparkles in preparation for Caribana but a group of seven of us decided to try a new adventure. We met at the cemetery and headed through the ravines to the Brickworks. Fortunately Sherry was confident about the route so we wound our way under  arches of over-hanging trees directly there without a single mishap. To understate, it was a gorgeous walk.  Linda described it as 'green bathing'. I looked that up and it comes from the Japanese concept of 'forest bathing' which has been scientifically proven to lower your heart rate and blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, boost the immune system and improve overall feelings of wellbeing.

The walk, combined with a look at the spectacular Brickworks complex and a breakfast of scrumptious buttermilk biscuit with egg and cheddar, certainly improved my sense of well-being.

One of the things I love about the group is its openness to the new even though we revel in our tried and true routines.

Social Convener Alert!

Next week we are back at High Park, heading west. The week after (Aug. 18) we will head east and stop at Sunnyside Pavilion for a lakeside brunch (pack your money!).

Enjoy the long weekend.

Synchronize your calendars...

TPW Summer Social Convener Diane here. Get your calendars out and ready to synchronize.

July 14 -  Toronto Island

NOTE: next week (July 14) is the Honda Indy so we will NOT be going to High Park but  will be doing our annual  Island Walk instead.

Let's aim for the 7:30 ferry  to Ward's Island and plan to have breakfast at the cafe near the ferry.

July 21 -  Rorie's Pool Party/walking at the cemetery

A brisk walk around our favourite cemetery and then swimming, food and the delightful Olivia! Please let Rorie know directly if you are planning to come.

Aug. 4 -  Brunch on the lakeshore

We will head east and stop on the way back at the cafe at the Sunnyside Pavilion.

Oh and there are races too. Several of the gang, including me, are registered for the Beaches Jazz 10K on July 29 (Sun).

Lots going on as we continue to combine fitness and fun - hope you can join in.

TPW Summer 2018 Social Calendar

 It is looking like a busy and interesting summer. As your designated summer social calendar secretary, I have prepared a roster of upcoming events. The following are all on Saturdays unless otherwise indicated.

·         June 9   Garage Sale, Carol's house (to be set up by 8am), bring good stuff to sell to benefit a hospice for the homeless (more details coming from Phyllis)

·         June 16 Toronto Waterfront 10K (Start line at Osgoode Station but think our corral - Orange - will be at the back, finish at Exhibition Place. Walker start 7:55am).

·         June 30  We would like to make this TPW Market Day (it is the Canada Day long weekend). We will walk west and, on our return, stop at the farmer's market and have a picnic brunch. There are lots of delicious foods on offer. Bring money and a bag if you want to buy things for takeaway.

·         July 29 (Sun) Beaches Jazz Run 10K (NB Early Bird Special ends June 4) Starts and finishes on the Martin Goodman Trail at the foot of Lee Avenue. For this one let's think about public transit or car pooling.

Scheduling is still in the works for Rorie's famous  Pool Party and for a walk on the island plus brunch. Dates being explored are July 14, 21 or Aug. 4. And a bunch of us are considering signing up for the 10K Oasis ZooRun on Sept. 22 - technically not summer but something to consider.

So, if you have lives outside of TPW, forget about them - you don't have time!

Spring's beauty...

We were eleven walking

Under a sky that held promise of a heaven beyond the blue

and belied the raging winds of last night -

 the only evidence remaining being broke trees and downed traffic lights

Shed of winter layers, we headed west, our arms swinging free

Susan, Shelley, Lynn, Sherry, Danielle, Linda, Barb, Fiona, Philippa, Joanne,  and Diane (that's me).

The spring flowers, just daring to grow, have names too

but, like my walkers, I really know them by their beauty.

Wishing all who are in Sunday's race a good one. Finally feels  like spring is really here to stay.

April lament...

Okay, enough is enough! I am exercising my god-given right as a Canadian to complain about the weather. It is April 7 and there were snowflakes during our walk this morning!

Yes, the sun shone beautifully, we did warm up as we walked and talked and I did enjoy myself. But, come on everyone, let's concentrate for the next week on getting sunshine and warmth together at the same time, eh?

And just so you know what we should be aiming for, the average high in Toronto in April, based on data from 1981 to 2010, is plus 12. Now everyone focus.

While you are doing that, a reminder that the Sporting Life 10K is coming up on May 13th - hope many of you have registered. Also please consider the Toronto Waterfront 10K on June 16 - that is the one with the Lululemon shirt!

We will be moving to High Park on May 5th so let's enjoy our last weeks at the cemetery.

Walky-talky..

I recently learned about something called the Bechdel test which asks whether a work of fiction , including movies, features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man.

I was reminded of that on Saturday morning during our walk and the after-breakfast. I have written before about how much I enjoy the fluid and far-reaching nature of the conversations we walkers (both female and male) have over the course of a morning.  I tried to keep count of the topics and lost track at some point but here is some of what we covered: aging parents, jobs, the power dynamics of male vs female strippers and their audiences, races we plan to do, the joy of a sunny day,  the sorrow of dementia, politics from the municipal through the conservative leadership to brief mention (with moans) about 'you know who' south of us, what to consider when vetting a possible flatmate, why someone would vandalize our favourite breakfast spot, films we have seen, who Susan owes $5 to and heaven knows what else.

So I am thinking that Hollywood would be wise to recognize the complexities, breadth and humour that characterizes women's conversations - both with each other and with men.

Oh, and if you want to know more about the Bechdel test, (click the link).  Interesting and a bit depressing in terms of some of the analysis - but we will get there.

Short month, short blog...

Friends

Eager

Brave

Ready

United in our

Activity

Raring to walk the distance.

Yahoo!

Cold Weather Choices...

For the first time in a very long time, the weather was so cold (-34 with wind chill) that we decided to heed the warnings and not walk outside.  Some of us (those with discipline) headed to Yorkdale to walk  inside  and others (the less disciplined, me included) headed straight to Zelden's for breakfast.

When I first stepped outside on my way to the subway, I thought, wait a minute, this isn't so bad. The sun is shining, the sky is crisp blue. Sure it's cold, but if we bundled up we could have done it. We shouldn't have been so wimpy!

A minute later, as I crossed the street and the wind hit me, I did an abrupt about face. This is weather that kills. It stripped every ounce of body heat out of me in the three minute walk to the subway station. My face felt like it was being burnt,  my eyeballs hurt and my fingertips were numb.

So the warmth of the restaurant and the company of twelve like-minded TPWs was the absolute right choice. The moral of the story? She who wimps out on the advice of experts lives to walk another day!

Happy New Year to all (and, would you believe it, TPW turns 10 this year. WOW, eh?).  A  reminder - our winter meeting will be on February 10 at my house. We are going to do a book exchange as follows - everyone can bring up to 3 books with the understanding that, if no one takes them, you take them away with you. Thanks to Carol for suggesting.

Walking by ear...

The unrelenting beeping of the alarm awakens me. The cat's morning pat purr welcomes me to the day. The subway's clanka-clanka, swoosh-swoosh, beap-bop-beap gets me to where I need to go.  The group's cheerful banter  greets me at the cemetery.

The walk itself is a symphony of sounds - the subtle hush-scrape of our shoes, the rise and fall of voices, the muted backdrop of cars and city, bird tweets and the scrabble of squirrels in dry leaves  in the occasional silences.  And always, laughter, alternating with the hush of conversation on life's more serious side.

And, if walking is a symphony, breakfast is pure jazz - by times loud and raucous and then soft and sweet.

At home writing this, with just the sound of my computer keys clacking, I wish I were musical so I could compose a song that celebrates the group and what it means to me.

On another note: we have all been talking about how to best exchange info of common interest (e.g. recommendations on everything from books to plumbers).  Until we solve the 'how' (Barb is exploring a solution), I thought I would at least  start small by including the 'best book recommended at breakfast'. This morning it was The Break (Katherena Vermette, House of Anansi). Enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving

I did my last big training walk on Saturday  with the help of a small but mighty group - thanks Michael, Phyllis and Barb. I am both looking forward to the race - and looking forward to it being over!

It was pitch black coming into the park at just before 7 - actually a bit spooky until the sun rose. A forceful reminder that it is fall, even if the weather is still balmy.

As usual, the conversation was varied and wide ranging. Michael and I reflected on how grateful we were that we could do what we were doing.  And, on that note of gratitude, I wish all my fellow walkers a very Happy Thanksgiving.

A reminder that there is a lunch after the race on Oct. 22. Hope a lot of you will join at noon at the Duke of Richmond (Queen and Bay) - let Sue know if you plan to attend.

Ode to Our Shoes

You keep sitting when you shoulda been moving

You keep saying when you shoulda been doing

I just bought me a brand new pair of sneakers (YEAH)

And left a pair that's got your name right on 'em.

These shoes are made for walking

And walkin's what we do

One of these days these shoes are gonna walk to Timbuktu

Are you ready shoes? Start walkin' 

(with respect to Lee Hazlewood, who wrote the original, and Nancy Sinatra who sang it)

Walking thankfully...

It has been a bit of a stressful time for me with a number of family health issues that, thank heavens, have all turned out well.

It felt like a bit of a celebration to get out on Sat with a small but dedicated 7am group (Rorie and Phyllis). I am training for the Scotia Half so need to get some longer distance in. It was decidedly cool out to start but turned out to be perfect walking weather. I was going 16K and Rorie was going 18 with a time goal. We started out together and then Rorie took off like a shot. Phyllis graciously kept me company for the entire way and it was great to catch up and share our various stories.

We admired the cloud formations, commented on the additional mess the recent storm and choppy water had kicked up on the beach, pushed back on the blustery wind, breathed in the delicious aromas of Caribana food  and, all in all, had an excellent walk. We met the 8 o'clock gang on our way back and, of course, over breakfast for more chat.

As always, I am so grateful to have the group as an oasis in a busy life. Thank you all for your good wishes and support. I think the happy outcome is due, at least in some part, to all the positive thinking you aimed my way.

Walking safely...

Recently we have had a spate of accidents and health scares 'whilst walking'. So, although I think walking is one of the best and safest forms of exercise, I thought I would write about some simple precautions we can take just in case  things go wrong.

On regular group walks:

• ·         Carry some form of ID that provides your name and an emergency contact name and number
• ·         Carry a charged cell phone
• ·         Make sure you have the cell phone numbers of others in the group
• ·         Try and walk with someone else whenever possible

During races (thank you Barb for your tips):

• ·         Doubly important to carry that phone
• ·         Make sure you have the cell numbers of other TPW participants, particularly at least one person who can serve as your 'local emergency contact'
• ·         Arrange to meet or connect by text/phone at the end of a race
• ·         Carry your health card (or at least have the number written down)
• ·         Consider compiling a list of all TPWs in the race with their bib numbers and giving the list to all participants

We don't want to wrap ourselves in cotton batten but better safe than sorry!

And don't forget that next week we are going back to the cemetery and then to Barb's at 10 to talk about how to spend our training dollars and enjoy some refreshments.

Oops

Well, it finally happened. I totally forgot to write the blog (it was 'one of those weekends') - thank you Phyllis for the reminder.

I didn't walk with the group on Sat but did do the treadmill at my place. Not a bad thing to do on occasion as it forces you to sustain a steady, set pace - but it is deadly boring. One of the huge virtues of exercising outside, with others, is that it is always interesting in some way. You get to commune with nature (sometimes a bit uncomfortable but keeps you alert) and to talk to many different people about many different things.

Next week is the Sporting Life 10K on Sunday, which many of us consider the official start of training season (except for those wild and crazy people doing spring half marathons).  I hope to see a lot of the gang at that race and the after breakfast.  And the week after I look forward to getting back to High Park.

Walking among the dead....

I am writing this from the sanctuary of home, with the doors tightly locked.

This morning's walk started out like so many - a good cluster of walkers chatting comfortably at the cemetery gate, welcome to an new member, a group stretch, and off we went.

It was oddly quiet without the usual twitter of birds and rustle of squirrels. In the distance we heard what sounded like a scream, abruptly silenced. Uneasy but undeterred we continued. Near the mausoleum, we saw an odd figure lurching toward us.

As he (she/it?) got closer, I recognized something familiar in the disjointed shambling - and then I saw the glazed eyes, the dripping mouth, the reaching hands... My worst nightmare was coming true - it was a ZOMBIE ATTACK...

April Fools!

In reality we had a lovely walk, everyone survived to eat a hearty breakfast and to talk about our usual broad range of topics (and I think this blog proves how 'unintellectual' I am).

Congrats to Linda on her new granddaughter and best wishes to Laurel on her return to work. Have a great week everyone, enjoy life and avoid the undead.