2017 Summer July 3 Monday

74 degrees this morning, walk 34:08 minutes

Foggy this morning, made for a cool walk.  

Pace was 33 seconds faster than my goal, close to a record, and verification that I can meet the goal if I lower it by 30 seconds.  Maybe only when it is foggy and cool, but….

Like frequently happens, I didn’t even think about my pace during the walk.  Also, it is the longest distance that i walk on this route.

For some reason, my distance varies, about .08 of a mile.  If I am figuring right that is only about 42 feet, so it probably is easy for me to vary my route by 42 feet, even though it is basically the same route each morning.  Just take a cove a little shorter or longer etc.

Sitting out on the patio this morning, even with the fog.  I thought it may be too cool, but instead there is a freshness in the air.  Cool, but bearable.  

Psychological speaking, the summer is half over, although in reality the actual summer weather isn’t half over.  However, soon the sun will start setting noticeably sooner and the shorter days will set in.

The company who makes the water bottles we drink (the little 16 oz ones) must be under intense pressure to cut costs.  They now make a “case”  (of 40 bottles) without any bottom, just wrapped tightly in plastic.  

They also have found a way to make the  bottles very light and thin. 

I am sure this saves them millions of dollars in the costs of the cardboard bottom and shipping costs.  A little adds up when you sell probably millions of cases of water.  

There are consequences.  Many times we get a case where the tight  plastic and the the light plastic of the bottle changes the bottom of the bottle so it won’t stand up straight or at all!  I am on a case of them right now.  

I am all for conserving resources and recycling etc and saving on gas by reducing the weight of the wrapping etc. but….  Sometimes they need to consider the reduction in quality also.

Of course, I didn’t complain when they increased the case from 32 bottles to 40 bottles at the same price, so I guess I won’t complain now!  

“Desert Solitaire” mentions about the illusions of the desert air sometimes, and I think about that when I hear the train.

Not often, but the train is to my east and sometimes, and when I am outside in the early morning, it appears to be coming from the west.  Really strange but true.  I don’t  understand how the wind or terrain makes that happen, but it is really a strange feeling.  

Normally we don’t even hear the train, but sometimes it seems like it is right on us.  Fortunately we almost never hear it inside the house.  

Today is a work day for me, also the start of the “fiscal year”, which means there is a lot of procedures changing etc.  As usually happens, an increase in office paperwork without any increase provided in office time.  The inefficiency of big organizations.  (Business as well as government). 

Planned to write some thoughts on the latest newsletter I read about the state of the country (as usual, interesting, some I agree with, some I don’t), but I will need to do that another day.  I got off track.  

Tomorrow (July 4) is one of those rare days anymore, a holiday in the middle of the week.  I don’t might a bit, in fact I kind of like it.

That’s it for now, Monday, July 3, 2017.