Walking It Off

The problem with loving a sports team is that they are bound to let you down.  In sports there are winners and losers, or in the case of soccer, neither one.

We had a big Sounders match at the stadium at 5:00 yesterday.  After some heavy showers earlier, the sky cleared and it didn't rain!  That in itself was a victory of sorts, because 45 degree rain is not fun.

Our opponent was our great rival, the Portland Timbers.  The Sounders scored a goal early, in the 12th minute, and held off the aggressive Timbers until the 90th minute, when they scored to end the match in a tie.  It felt like a loss. All of us Sounders fans are bummed out today.

To add to that, standing on concrete for the march and the match annoyed my sciatica issue, which I had had under control. I was hoping it was gone.  I slept poorly last night.

But this morning the sun was shining, and while it was still cold and breezy, I announced to Tom that we were going for a walk together. It would not be an aerobic walk, but just a walk, someplace where there were things blooming. 

We chose a park nearby that was created in the clear zone under the flight path of SeaTac Airport.  There is a small botanical garden, and a small Japanese garden, both of which were created with plants and structures saved when the area was cleared of homes.  

North SeaTac Park has old streets, plants and shrubs that used to grow in front yards, and a paved walking trail around the complex that contains play fields and playgrounds.

As we strolled we passed kids playing soccer, rugby and baseball.  Other people were out strolling or walking their dogs.  It was a great way to walk off the blues and get the body moving again. And there were things blooming.  

 Catkins on the contorted filbert are flowers too.

 Remnants of last season still linger.

 Alder catkins may be the pollen producers that are causing some of us to start spring sneezing already.

Spring is starting to pop out all over now.  And Spring officially arrives on Wednesday!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Happy Spring!

And yes, walking it off did help, but I still nodded off for a few minutes in my recliner at 2:30 this afternoon.  With no energy for cooking, we're going out now for burgers.  

Maybe it's just spring fever.