mac is not fighting me on his homework. I feel I should do more onerous tasking because of this.

Timelies all!

I think I will do my onerous task(s) this weekend. I have no energy after getting home from work.

My onerous task is waiting the last hour and ten minutes before my vacation starts.

Update on the dogs rescued from Howard Street Beach:

These lucky pups have now been named Honey and Howard. They are boarding at Broadway Animal Hospital while they are spayed/neutered, updated on their vaccines, and any additional medical issues are addressed. Our main goal right now is getting them healthy. Once they are ready for adoption, they will go to our partner rescue, One Tail at a Time. At that point, all applications for adoption and/or foster-to-adopt will go through www.onetail.org.

The publicity brought in enough donations to pay for their medical care and boarding. They had been living in a crack house before being abandoned on the beach.

Poor puppies! I hope they get a great home after this, as all puppies should.

In my swim today, I discovered many things. Key are these two:

1) Do not leave your swim/gym bag in the car for 36 hours when the temperature is hovering around zero, for then your shampoo will freeze solid. (Discovered when I tried to wash my hair after my swim.)

2) I have somehow, very bizarrely, become a motivational figure for both new friends and complete strangers when it comes to exercise! My new (just met her on January 3rd) friend is not only signed up at the pool, but she is swimming 12 laps, planning to add one per week, when her therapist told her that her goal for the end of February was 10.

After she finished her 12 today, the woman who replaced her in my lane was someone I met in the pool last Thursday. She and I took a small break at the same time about midway through, and I found out that she'd been swimming a few months, and has built herself up from 10 laps to 25 (which she does really fast, much faster than me). After we chatted a bit and I told her about my building my way up to the 33-lap mile, we got back to swimming. We ended up getting done with our swim at the same time, and she told me that I had inspired her to do 30 laps instead of her original intended 18 for today (she was tired after work).

When the hell did that happen???

Kathy, that is awesome. Also, while I don't swim, reading what you post about it has been very motivating when it comes to my own exercise program.

Seriously, I think it is something about the nature of swimming. It's a solo activity, but you're there in this big bath with others barely clothed. You've heard my crazy tales. Actually, I think it is true of a lot of solo activities performed in a group situation. When I walk around the lake, people are always cheering each other on, commenting on stuff like that. And that's runners and walkers and bikers and skaters and dogwalkers. Seeing others strive and enjoy makes others want to be like that. Plus endorphins are happymaking!

When I used to go to laundromats, I'd keep my detergent in the car. First winter in B'more, I had to go buy more detergent after my new bottle froze solid.

Actually, I think it is true of a lot of solo activities performed in a group situation.

Yeah, I see some of that in the weight room.

I had the same problem with my liquid Tide when I was using the laundromat about 13 years ago.

And you're right about the solo activity/group situation! It's nice when people are being supportive of exercise, instead of mocking you for getting out and moving.

Speaking of, I really should be adding walking to my exercise routine. The swimming is great, and the weight is coming off, but I have to start building up how long I can walk before having to take a break. I keep meaning to go for a short walk on the days I don't swim, but I keep blowing it off. The current excuse is that it's too cold, but I can always go downstairs to the treadmill at work, or at home, I can just walk up and down the stairwell, so that excuse won't work.

Yeah, I haven't been around the lake since it got cold and dark early. It's something I try to do at least once a week in better weather. It's a mile to the lake, then each circuit is 1.5 miles or so, thus a decent distance even if I just do one lap.