Mar
17
It has been very sunny the last couple days after a long stint of grey flat skies and boy does that make a difference for me. I mean, wow this just in, good weather feels good no WAY, right? But it is such a big lift.
I went for a long walk on the river trail yesterday and it seemed like all of Eugene was out enjoying the sun. I saw so many people, kids, dogs, birds, a nutria! (I am Team Nutria forever, sure they may be damaging and invasive, but they have invaded my heart), and several turtles. I get particularly excited about the nutria and turtles because they are not an everyday sighting. I am also deeply charmed by all the ducks and geese, a teeny bit afraid of the Canadian geese of course because despite the politeness inherent in their name they can be hissy fuckers.
Although it is true I have never seen a Canadian goose be aggressive on this trail. They are obviously quite used to people and they will eyeball you warily if they’re crossing as you approach but generally they are very chill. Probably smug and secure in not being known as American Geese, how embarrassing.
If I choose the other direction for a walk, through my nearby neighborhoods, I see a lot less people and animals but I will almost always encounter a flock of turkeys. There is one group that patrols around with one pure-white (albino?) turkey in their midst. A weirdly thrilling sight! These local turkeys seem to share exactly one-quarter of a single brain cell and I find their nervous bumbling kind of charming.
The river walk is where it’s at in terms of things to see, and also feeling like … part of a community, I guess. Now, to be clear, I am just whizzing along with headphones on, I’m in my own inner world, but just seeing people out doing a thing they enjoy is bolstering. People often smile a quick greeting as we pass. If I’m feeling a little too hermitty, it’s a real healthy walk for me. I can be around people without the introvert drain of interaction.
It’s exactly what I’d hoped for when I was first buying this house, the idea that the nearby trail would be such a benefit, and it sure has been. A wonderfully walkable neighborhood in general with many options, and the river path is the gem of the bunch.
I don’t know how one actively wards off injury aside from avoiding extreme sports etc, but one of my biggest worries is getting in some sort of mobility-stopping accident and now not only do I have to figure out how to take care of myself while living alone (yikes yikes yikes how would that work yikes), but my walks are brought to a halt. Oh MAN. Just peering weepily out my front window at all the walkers/bikers/rollerbladers, while Billy takes advantage of the situation and steals my credit cards.
Well, what can you do. Can’t live in fear, I’ll just hope for more sunshine, unbroken bones, smiling humans, complacent geese, surprise ROUSes.
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