Killer Gymnastics

Well, I'm able to sit and type this posting which means that I survived another week of "Killer Gymnastics."  To be honest, I had to gather the courage to go back.  Not only was I sore, but I was very intimidated and hesitant to "get right back on the horse."  (Is that even the correct phrase?) 

Anyway, I reluctantly called a cab and headed to the fitness center.  To my surprise, this class was much better than last week.  My very creative use of the couch and pillow mountains (and I learned I'm not the only one who uses household items to practice gymnastics!) came in handy as I practiced bridges during the week...  well... I was somewhat able to practice.  Seems that everytime I flipped upside down, a 50 pound dog came and attacked my face...

Speaking of that 50 pound dog... I was looking through my phone and came across the following photo of Leo that I took on our ride home from Connecticut, right after his adoption...

Ugh!  They grow up so fast!  :)

We haven't had time to wear the homemade bandanas, but those will definitely be showcased this weekend during our long walks around the area!  I will let you know how they do generating funds!  I have some small flyers to hand out also, directing people to my Avon Walk website where they can make an online donation.

In other fundraising news, I received an offline $20 donation!  $395 and growing... just 94 days left!

To make a donation, please visit:

www.avonwalk.org/goto/scummins

Thank you for all of your support this far!

 

Crystal City, the Police & Fancy Bandanas

The weather has been getting nicer down here in the DC area.  I woke up today and it was already 60 degrees!  Unfortunately, the 10-day forecast shows the temperature dropping to the 40s by the end of this week.  Yuck. 

Leo & I took advantage of the weather on Saturday and headed out for a walk around the Crystal City area of Virginia.  Crystal City is a neat little area with lots of shops and restaurants.  (You can check it out at http://www.crystalcity.com/.)  Crystal City is similar to the area I live in, but I prefer my spot on the map!  (This is where I give a shout-out to Katie who found me my current apartment - thank you!)

So back to our walk... we met some people from Minnesota who walked with us for awhile until "nature called" and Leo had to stop.  Then, Leo and I decided (well, really, I decided) to take 23rd Street back home.  After crossing the street, I gave Leo a cookie, which of course he had to consume by planting his hiney on the ground until the entire treat was gone.  It was at this time that the local police drove up and parked next to us on the sidewalk...

Yes, it was at this point that my heart began beating rapidly.  I've had my fair share of unfortunate police encounters and while Leo & I weren't doing anything wrong, I was thinking, Oh shoot - here we go.  Leo isn't licensed in the county yet.  Lovely.  Now, mind you, I had my story all planned out in the event I was cuffed and sent to jail for this  - "No, Officer, I just moved here in November.  I have the paperwork (which I do!) and will be mailing it out shortly."  I'm sure you can imagine.  My face was turning red and I was completely frantic until the Officer said, "I love those dogs!  They are so great!" 

And my coloring returned to normal.

The conversation was brief (thank goodness) but let me tell you, I will be sending out the payment for Leo's dog license this week to avoid any future run-ins like this one.  Sheesh.

~~~*~~~

On Sunday (the weather wasn't as enjoyable) so I took a trip out to Columbia Heights.  I was on the lookout for some bandanas so that as Leo and I train, he has something to wear and help me promote the walk and maybe even raise some funds!

Thank goodness for CVS and a 3 pack of handkerchiefs for $1.  (Still can't believe people blow their noses in these and stick them back in their pockets...)  With some fabric paint and loads of patience, I created something that I hope will help me raise money for the walk!  Look below to see what I came up with!

I will let you know how these work!  I figure they are good conversation starters once Leo has reeled some people in!

Petsmart Graduate of 2010

Alright, I know you've all been on the edge of your seats waiting to hear if Leo passed

Puppy Education Class... and if you look below,

you will see a very happy graduate wearing his super cool graduation cap!

Leo was very excited for last night's "ceremony."  We have been practicing very important commands such as,

• Leave it
• Take it 
• Drop it
• Stay 
• Shake
• Don't pee on the floor  

Unfortunately, Leo was only able to follow some of these commands during graduation (the excitement of the event was just too overwhelming, I'm sure).  That's okay, though, he still received his Petsmart Diploma and had one last romp with his puppy class.

The eight weeks of Leo's puppy class seemed to fly.  Believe it or not, Leo is now 50 pounds (somehow he gained 7 pounds over the last 2 weeks).  He continues to bulk up - must be all that cat food he sneaks in when I'm not looking - and be an excellent walking buddy as I continue on my own "journey."

~~~

I have received 2 more donations!  Thank you to Aunt Diane, Uncle Pierre, Katie, Jacy & Elena.  Your support means so much.  I'm on my way to raising enough to participate in the walk and I'm very excited about this.

This upcoming weekend - as I continue to mentally and physically prepare for Killer Gymnastics on Tuesday - I will be taking my buddy out on some lengthy treks around Arlington.  There are plenty of trails around the area that have yet to be traveled and hopefully my pedometer will be working correctly by then.

The weather here in NoVA has been decent, although tonight we're getting rain and I'm almost, almost, almost ready to take out my non-winter jackets.  Yes, that's jackets in the plural form.  Within my family, it's known that it's not enough to just purchase "one" of something, you always need multiples "just in case."  (I love you, Aunt Diane!)

I ask you all to continue to spread the word about the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and visit my Avon Walk Website page to make an online donation:

www.avonwalk.org/goto/scummins

Thank you!

"Beginner" Gymnastics

Do you see the image of Shawn Johnson to my right?  Yeah.  Last night I figured out I'm not her. 

I signed myself up for an Adult Beginner Gymnastics class through a community education program in NoVA (NoVA is the fancy abbreviation for Northern Virginia).  Anyone who knows me knows that I've always wanted to learn how to do a back handspring.  When I saw the listing for Beginner Gymnastics I figured I'd start at the bottom and eventually get to where I could learn this supernatural human trick.  Is this making sense to everyone?

So, with handsprings in the way back of my mind, I paid the fee, took a taxi to class (I don't have a car anymore, remember?) and well...

Have you ever really wanted to learn how to do something that required training/assistance/special help?  Scuba diving for instance.  You should probably know how to swim before you attempt diving hundreds of feet into the ocean, right?  Basically, last night's gymnastics experience was comparable to being thrown into an ocean without knowing how to swim or use any of the gear. 

I'm alive.  That's the good news.  Gymnastics is no joke.  There are various mats and devices that assist these wannabe gymnast people (like myself) to do back walkovers, handsprings, front tucks, etc.  I just wasn't aware I'd be using them already.  I will continue to utilize homemade "Pillow Mountains" while practicing in the privacy of my own apartment...

While my gymastics classes aren't over (there are 9 left!), I do know that my quest to become the next Dominique Moceanu or Shawn Johnson is officially over.  Sorry.  You won't be seeing me in the Olympics anytime soon.  This, of course, means that I won't be asked to compete on Dancing with the Stars or any other reality TV shows either.  But maybe this means I'll be able to do a few miles of back handsprings during the Avon Walk... hmmm....

***

Speaking of the Avon Walk, I received a few donations already - from Leo's Godmother & Godfather, (Peggy & Ron) and Pam (thank you).  Leo & I traveled many miles on Sunday.  Many, many, many miles.  I have to be vague about the exact number because my new pedometer calculated that we walked about 13 miles in the hour and a half we were out.  (That doesn't exactly make sense, does it?  We are pretty amazing, but...)  Turns out I had to set the "stride" setting so that it can provide a more accurate count of my mileage.  Oops.

The rain kept us inside on Monday (no, I wasn't afraid we were going to melt!) but we needed a day to recoup and prepare for Killer Gymnastics. 

The link for online donations may be found below.  Remember,  I can't walk if I haven't raised $1800!! 

To make online donations, visit www.avonwalk.org/goto/scummins.   

Until next time!

It's Friday!

Ahhh, the sweet smell of a Friday morning... or at the very least, the sweet smell of my French Vanilla non-dairy Coffee-mate creamer with a little bit of coffee added. :)

***

I know, you're all dying to know about this morning's walk. Well, unfortunately, it just didn't happen. After a very busy week, I had trouble stopping myself from hitting the "snooze" button over and over and over... It was just too hard to resist. I am including a photo of Leo from his early puppy days, when naps & sleeping were the norm. (In my head I'm hearing, "They grow up so fast!!")


The good news is that this is a 3-day weekend and so Leo & I will have plenty of uninterrupted hours to walk around Arlington and he will have many opportunities to sniff the behinds of fellow canines we may encounter. The weather is supposed to be excellent on Saturday and again on Monday, so our 50 minute walks will certainly be extended to include a few extra miles.

I plan on taking a trip across the street to Gotta Run, a super fancy sneaker store. I've heard that these type of stores in the area watch you walk and run and fit the sneakers to your feet! Other purchases I'll be making to help me train include a pedometer. Does anyone have any recommentations? I had one and lost it (of course) but would like the display to provide me with miles traveled, also. At the meeting, we were told that our training should be similar to the day(s) of the walk, so treadmill training would be insufficient. And, of course, Cesar Millan hasn't been around to teach Leo how to use a treadmill so I guess that means we won't be hitting the gym together!

Here's some information that I think is particularly special... there is a service available to women with cancer that provides free housecleaning services. The nonprofit organization (Cleaning for a Reason Foundation) offers free professional housecleaning, and maid services to improve the lives of women undergoing treatment for cancer - any type of cancer. To find out additional information, visit: http://www.cleaningforareason.org/

Before I end this post, I want to include my Avon Walk website. I'll be including this website in each posting so if you would like to support me & the foundation, you can make an online donation. I actually received my first donation from Pam. Thank you :) Pam also mentioned to me that an online donation will generate an automatic receipt for tax purposes, for all of you who require that information.

To donate online: www.avonwalk.org/goto/scummins

Thank you for your support.

Puppy School & Avon Walk Page Information

Wednesday nights, for the past 7 weeks, have consisted of a taxi ride to Petsmart in Potomac Yard. Leo has been a student at Beginner Education Classes there in the hopes that his uncontrollable behavior would be tamed. (As I write this I'm chuckling to myself and thinking Yeah, right.)

Well, last night my "walking buddy" and I headed to Petsmart. The command of the evening was "heel" and fortunately for myself, this is one of Leo's strengths (as long as he is in the middle of a wide open field with zero distractions).

Actually, Leo had a good class. He can't sit & stay (as in a combo. task, he can sit-with the verbal and non-verbal command-YAY!) for the life of him, and I've been told that Leo thinks I'm a plaything. My status as a plaything makes training extremely difficult. Maybe it's my voice? My height? (Leo is almost as tall as me when he "stands" on his hind legs.) The main point is that the hound doesn't take me seriously and this is very frustrating! Next week is puppy graduation... so stay tuned to see if he graduates or not!

We also had a really great walk this morning. Out by 6:30, home at 7:20. This walk wasn't especially noteworthy, except towards the end when Leo decided a two foot long stick needed to be mouthed and carried back to the apartment. :)

***

In other news, I received my Avon Walk website which means I am openly accepting donations online - 108 days left to raise $1800!! Wish me luck and visit my page at www.avonwalk.org/goto/scummins

I am also in need of a walking partner or I'm going to be bunking with a random person during that evening in a 2-person tent (not safe). Many of you have expressed interest but I need a commitment (yes, I, Suzanne Cummins, need a commitment). Online registration information can be found at www.avonwalk.org/ooh. I paid $45 because I went to a meeting, however registration is usually $65. If you live in an area where they are doing a walk, attend a meeting and you'll save $20 but be able to walk with me here in DC!

My Walking Buddy

I wanted to introduce everyone to my walking buddy, aka Leo. Leo will be helping as I train for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. As some of you know, Leo is the most recent addition to my "animal" family. He was adopted in September during a trip to Connecticut. I had driven past the puppy store on my way to visit the cemetery where my mother rests, and said, "OH! I didn't realize there was a pet store in Danbury!" (Funny how on prior trips through the town this store was never pointed out - again, thanks DAD!) Well... taking note of the pet store was a bad/good idea - depending on how you look at it.

After visiting MaryAnne Corriveau (another person in the family who had a huge addiction to impulsive buying), I stopped at American Breeders and fell in love with Leo. There he was, sitting in a crate as calm as could be. I asked the woman if I could play with the little basset hound and she put us together in a little room. Of course, within minutes, he peed on me. As if that wasn't enough of a sign of what was to come...

According to multiple sources, basset hounds are rated as one of the dumbest dog breeds. Sad, I know. In all fairness, I was unaware of this ranking at the time I purchased Leo. Knowing this, though, might not have made a difference anyway. While Leo is still a puppy, he brings alot of joy (accompanied with alot of frustration) to my life and the lives of people that know him (Hi, Peggy!) Below is a picture of his lobster costume that he "wore" for Halloween followed by some of his very important stats. Hey, he is my walking buddy and you should know a little more about him, too!

Leo's Stats:

Species: Dog
Breed: Basset Hound
Color: Tri-color (black, brown & white)
Height: Approximately 16"
Weight: 45 pounds & growing
Best feature: Droopy eyes & super long ears
Strengths: Personality
Weaknesses: Nose
Favorite food: Anything on the ground
Favorite pastime(s): Chasing the cats, getting whacked in the face by the cats, peeing on the floor
Most missed human from NY: Peggy (his Godmother)
Favorite song: Hounddog by Elvis Presley

So far, our training regiment for the Avon Walk has included a morning walk (around 6:30). We've been trekking through Arlington, with Leo's occasional stop for sniffing random objects, using the potty, and often times eating the contents of whatever was created while using the potty. Yucky, but this is the truth nonetheless.

Today's walk was no different. We were up and out by 6:40 and home at 7:20. I figure this is about 2 miles - give or take. The training schedule the representative gave me suggested that I be walking 5 miles each day, with rest every few days. So, while I'm not up to 5 miles, the average person walks between 4 and 5 miles a day already and I'm hoping that this will help, too.

As promised, I'll keep you updated on website information and training. Until tomorrow...

I walk for my Aunt Pat.

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

So... I somehow managed to start this "blog" yesterday with no clear purpose in mind. However, now I have a reason to write and keep "readers" informed of what's going on in my life.

Yesterday I attended an Avon Walk for Breast Cancer meeting here in Washington, DC. I had seen advertisements on the Metro (yay for the DC Metro!) and was very interested in signing up, which at the end of the meeting, I did. :) Here's the website link, if you're interested: www.avonwalk.org/ooh

I have participated in the Relay for Life at UB with fellow co-workers from UBCCC. (Kelley, was it 2 years or 3?) That event-through the American Cancer Society-was an overnight walk in which one member from our team had to be walking (or running) on the track at all times. We raised over $1000 as a team each year (go us!) with the help of our families, friends, and some fundraising we did at the center.

This time, however, I'm on my own. To even be able to participate in the walk, I have to raise $1,800 as an individual walker. I'm hoping that I can get the word out, and through support of my family & friends can raise enough to walk on May 1st and 2nd, 2010 in this DC event.

When I called my dad I told him this was a 39 mile walk. His response? "That's really far... are you going to be able to do that?!" My answer to him was, "Why wouldn't I?" (Thanks, Dad!) Actually, walkers don't even have to walk that far, the mileage isn't predetermined and I could do as few as 26.1 miles (still alot, I know) but I plan to do the entire 39 mile walk over the course of two days (26.1 on Saturday, 13 on Sunday).

I have a training schedule (this is the big-time, folks) and an incredible basset hound who will be enduring lots of exercise while I "train" for this. I have decided to use this blog as a way to reach out and inform everyone as to how I'm doing with my training and walking.

I haven't received my Avon Walk website, but as soon as I do, I will post it on here. The website allows people to donate money online so that I can raise enough to walk.

Now that thats out of the way, are you interested in walking with me? If you are, email me @ scshorty83@gmail.com. I am very interested in starting a team. I don't know anyone who hasn't been affected (or is it effected, I can never get it right!) by this disease. And yes, guys can walk, too! (I checked since only females were at the meeting.)

For now, spread the word about this "blog" (hopefully I'll get better at this online writing stuff) and I'll keep you posted on my training for the event!

Walking for my Aunt Pat.