May 6

I got tired of the "Day X" convention, so now this blog will update you on the dates that I train.

I am at a crossroads now - it's getting late in the spring and the weather is getting progressively more hot and humid.  The weather's been good for my herb garden - I have been harvesting basil (which seems to be one step removed from a sturdy weed, hard to kill) as well as my first two jalapenos, which I promptly pickled and stored in a glass jar in the fridge, where they glare at me every time I open the door, daring me to use them in something, and not promising that they won't set my mouth on fire.  I have lunchbox sweet peppers, thyme, rosemary, sage, and Italian parsley as well.

But the weather is going to make it harder for me to leave the house. I have a treadmill, but it's about thirty years old and needs some maintenance. Plus it's just hard to go for long in one place without feeling like a gerbil on a wheel.

That all said, the decks are clearing - I won a big case last week, which takes that off my docket, and I don't really have anything else coming down the pike. This means that my only priorities now are:

• Writing my book.
• Preparing for the World Series of Poker Main Event (I qualified for an entry last week).
• Getting fit.

I took a big step in that direction on Saturday when I "ran" a "5K" with Art and his daughter. I say "ran" because it was mostly walking, and I say "5K" because it took about a half-mile to get to the starting line and another half-mile to get back to the car, so we really went about 4.5 miles or so.

I felt good, no aches and pains - just the usual old age and heaviness keeping me firmly on the ground instead of gliding like I prefer. The company was GREAT - Art's daughter Everly was doing her first race ever, and I was honored to be a part of it. I told her stories about my dog, Penny, and we raced from point to point to keep her mind occupied, and she finished AHEAD OF ME. A four-year-old prodigy!

I am so proud of her, and a little bit proud of myself.

Onward!