Addictions

It has come to my attention, albeit slowly, that I am addicted to a couple of things.

On a lesser degree, I've become addicted to my walking. What is it about the walking? I love the aloneness, the expansivenss - is that a word?- of God's creation. (I know, I know, I should take some pictures so y'all can experience what I see when I walk, but pictures just never seem to do the vastness justice.) I talk to the animals I see...a coyote, a cat or two, the dog who lives a mile up the road, the horse who lives a bit further, and even the cows who turn their heads while chewing just to stare. I'm sure they are wondering what in the world I'm doing. While walking, I can pray, I can think, I can get winded, I can ache, but at the end, I feel good physically and emotionally. And yet I think "I want MORE!" So each day I would think about walking a little further and a little further. If walking 2 miles feels this good, then 3 miles must feel better.... But then reality screams back at me. You have too much to do, Noel. You may not take this much time to walk. There are young ones back there who need you. So I did build up to 2.5 miles, feeling as though I'd gotten away with something naughty. But now the cold weather is setting in, so I'm soon to be forced to walk on the treadmill. And somehow the treadmill just doesn't entice me in the same way :-) At least I get to read while on the treadmill...something I don't dare do while walking down the uneven gravel road.

And now, my other addiction.... knitting. ACK! I find a lovely yarn, a beautiful pattern. I knit one thing and find myself looking at 3 other things to knit. It's a lovely way to keep my hands occupied when I must sit still. I can knit and still visit with friends. I can knit while waiting on a laboring mom. I feel productive while sitting still. But oh my, the yarns out there are lovely. And soon I have my children and friends asking me for things. I've knit baby blankets, purses, hats (tons of baby hats!), adult hats, fingerless gloves, even a sweater that looks real. My big boys are asking me to knit things for them. Pretty neat, huh? My next goal is the socks. But I've heard they are addicting as well. I was blessed with a hefty gift certificate to the local nice yarn shop. I've bought that yarn that makes a pattern as you knit the sock. I'm excited to try this out. But I tell ya, hand-knitted socks are not cheap, so these will only be given to folks who will appreciate them. Hmmm, maybe I'll keep them for myself!

So, admitting to addictions....isn't that the first step. Or is the first step denial? Wait, I think admitting is the first step to recovery. Maybe I don't want to recover.....