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To make tonight's walk a little more interesting, I brought along one of the boys' soccer balls to kick around. It's amazing how much more of a workout it gave me. 30 minutes.

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Tonight's walk was only 20 minutes. I took both boys to a nearby school playground where BB ran around his own invented obstacle course while I walked laps with LB in the stroller

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I have the day off today, so after taking LB to the doctor and visiting the library, I took him to Hunter Park to walk the labyrinth. Labyrinths hold a special fascination for me. There was one on the grounds of my library school that I used to walk after classes in the evening, and they are one of my favorite things to doodle. 10 minutes in, 10 minutes out, and another 10 around the park.

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Since I began this diet change and course of exercise, I've noticed a clear reduction in my waist size. That's the measure that Dr. Oz encourages focus on, since it's a better indicator of overall health. Today, though, Kim asked if I'd checked my weight, so I hopped on the scale. Since college, my weight has fluctuated between 250 and 260#. At 1:30 this afternoon I was 224#!

My odyssey:

The diet book I've been following (You: On a Diet) suggests that, if one is a drinker, a single drink of alcohol at the end of the evening meal can promote reduction of HDL cholesterol. To that end, I've been planning to buy a bottle of something (probably gin) to have a sip of at the end of the day.

Last night I thought I'd kill two birds. I'd make the nearest liquor store my walking destination, pick up a bottle, head home, have a nip, and hit the hay. Unfortunately, though I'm not averse to alcohol, I don't often buy it, so I didn't know where the nearest liquor store might be. After a quick Google search, I learned there were two, so I set off to the one that seemed most convenient.

It wasn't long, though, before I started to question my decision. It was about a mile and a half away, and that would be a lot more walking than I really wanted to do. Also, I wasn't sure if the store would be open past 9pm. After a few blocks, my plan changed. I knew there were a few bars and clubs a lot closer to home, so I decided to stop at one of them, have my drink, and toddle on home afterward.

The closest establishment to where I was then was in the back of a strip mall. I walked around and discovered no vehicles in the parking lot. The place was closed. No problem, I thought, the Sheridan Lounge was on my way home (by one route, at least) and they'd been hopping the one time I went there before. As I approached the bar, though, I saw a lone pickup parked off to the side, and again, the place was locked up tight. Is there something about Wednesday nights that makes bars a no-no?

I looked across the street at the Elysium Gentleman's Club, but I really didn't feel like paying a cover charge on top of my beverage cost, and wasn't happy about the idea of adding lustful thoughts to my tally of sins for the evening. I was going to hit one of the Mexican restaurants and maybe get a Negro Modela or Dos Equis, but as I was rounding that corner, I spied about a dozen cars around the entrance of Fusion, a nightclub I've never been to.

I walked up to the Fusion doorway and noted that it was Ladies' Night, and there was no cover for gentlemen before 10:00. Good news. Then I saw the dress code sign. Everything seemed okay, except for one item: No Hoodies. I'd worn my work clothes: black chinos and a collared sport shirt, but I threw a hoodie on for warmth on my expected Liquor Trek. Aha! But I'd also brought along a small backpack. I quickly removed the hoodie, stuffed it in my pack, and walked in.

Now, I haven't been to a nightclub in many years. Since college, in fact. And that was in a relatively small Kansas town. I was ill prepared for the process I was asked to go through. Once I got the attention of the callow youth in the fauxhawk and Staff shirt, I was asked to:
Surrender my bag for a search.
Leave the bag at the desk (why'd they search it, then? Bombs?).
Show my I.D. (not unexpected).
Get patted down.
Get my hand stamped.

To show you how uninitiated I am, this was the first time I realized that there are hidden fluorescent watermarks on Oklahoma drivers' licenses. All this, and I walked into a huge room with three women, half a dozen guys, and about as many employees. I paid $3.75 for a bottle of Guinness, drank it, and left. Five minutes, including a trip to the men's room.

Seemed like an awful lot to go through for one drink. On my way home from my afternoon errand today, I stopped and bought a bottle of gin. From now on, I drink at home.

Oh, 45 minutes of walking, by the way.

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During BB's tae kwon do, LB and I walked around the school grounds to get in my last 10 minutes me the day. It was cool, but very humid, so I ended up sweaty anyway.

Today's walk was made much more pleasant by the brand-new sidewalk they just put in on 93rd street. It runs along the Jackie Cooper car dealership's property, so I'm giving them credit for it, though it also fronts on some of the library's land. It may be the city. Either way, it's a boon to us walkers!

My destination was the credit union again today, but I don't know whether it was the sidewalk or my fear of getting caught in the rain, but I walked faster than usual and only spent about 20 minutes on foot. I'll have to catch the other 10 later tonight.

30 minutes near the house again this afternoon. This time just me and Big Brother. He biked, I walked.

Tonight the whole family walked for 35 minutes around the neighborhood. Well, technically Big Brother biked. He still has training wheels, but he's getting a lot more confident!

Did my 30 in the neighborhood near the library this afternoon. Got to meet a very friendly young lady in a stroller who was quite excited to be taking the air on such a fine day.

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Opportunity knocks. I stepped outside tonight to put the recycling at the curb, and it had stopped raining! I siezed the moment and took a 20 minute spin around the neighborhood. The day wasn't wasted after all. Still need some rainy-day strategies, though.

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It's pouring rain again. I managed 10 minutes around the covered walkways at the school where Big Brother takes karate. Unfortunately, I also ate far too much at lunch today. I need to just chalk this day up as a setback and restart tomorrow. I also need a good strategy for rainy days. Any suggestions?

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I spent the afternoon with the boys and some friends at the zoo. It was about 3 hours of walking, though not at a steady pace.

Tonight all four of us went out and walked around the mall for half an hour. It was a good time.

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Took my walk to the credit union this afternoon, 30 minutes.

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With some time to kill following an afternoon meeting, I walked for half an hour through downtown Tulsa. The winds were brutal, but I got to see some beautiful buildings.