Thursday

We rode our bikes to the Frances Wilson Playhouse in Clearwater this morning to see how long it took to get there. We have tickets to see Noel Coward’s Private Lives soon, and it’s a matinee. We were thinking about riding our bikes to the play. It took us 40 minutes to ride 6.2 miles. Of course, we had to stop for a pit stop in downtown Dunedin.

We finally got to check out the marina and park below the playhouse. That’s the Clearwater causeway above.

Just a short ways to the south is the new outdoor amphitheater and park in downtown Clearwater. The theater is called “The Sound.” It’s shaped like a giant stingray when viewed from the water. 

Looking across the sound towards Caladesi Island 

The marina park

The Sand Key bridge connecting Clearwater Beach to Sand Key

The Pinellas Trail heading towards Clearwater 

Stevenson Creek heading back to Dunedin 

After lunch, I headed via bike to my annual check up at my doctor’s. Using the Pinellas Trail, it’s a 4.6 mile ride. I got there in less than 25 minutes.

I had a good check up, but there was a bit of drama at the beginning when the nurse took my blood pressure. When she finished, she looked at me and said, “Are you okay? Do you feel faint? Lightheaded? Can I get you some water?” My blood pressure was 80/48. There was a scramble out in the hallway even though I told her I was fine.

Later, when my doctor came in, she said she would check it again when I told her I had ridden my bike to Clearwater and to the appointment. I asked if it was too low? She said not for a preteen girl. We both laughed. She took it again and it was 90/60, about normal for me.

When I described my various aches and pains, she encouraged more yoga, alternating exercises by the day to give muscles rest, keeping a journal of my occasional headaches to look for causal patterns (not enough water, poor sleep, too much exercise, too much heat, stress), stay hydrated, keep eating lots of fruit and fiber, minimize red meat, eliminate fried foods, and eat lots of lean protein.

She ordered bloodwork and is hoping the thyroid medicine will lower my cholesterol, which can happen.

I noticed a broken spoke on my front wheel on the way home from the doctor’s appointment, so I pulled into Kafe Racer to have it repaired. It was such a lovely place to sit, watching bikers and walkers pass by on the Pinellas Trail. It was 81 degrees, but comfortable under the umbrella.

This has to be the coolest bike shop around.

The people are so nice.

He fixed my wheel while I waited. He said that once one breaks, the others will soon do the same, unfortunately.

We may have to adjust our bicycle replacement schedule.

After I got home, we took Toby to Highlander Park for a walk, only his second walk of the day. Tonight’s training class at Petsmart will likely be a disaster.

There was a 9 mph breeze all day, perfect for an 80 degree day.

Toby learned so much tonight in the Tricks class. He was reasonably well behaved. We didn’t practice much at all this past week. We told our trainer it was because it was cold. She wasn’t having it. She said, “But all these tricks are practiced INSIDE.” Our other two classmates were also slack on their homework. The trainer said, “But you are all four retired! I work full time and am house sitting for five dogs! How could you say you don’t have time?” She was laughing and we were all feeling sheepish. She’s sending our homework via email this week to keep us focused.

In the picture above, Toby is learning “Freeze,” which is the first step for another trick we’ll add later. The goal is to get him to balance a cookie on his head until we say, “Get it!”

Here, he is learning “Sitting Pretty,” with his front paws off the ground.

Perfect!

The next part of the trick is for him to rest his paws on your arm and then teach him to duck his head under your arm, as if he’s praying. When we put it all together  with one command “pray,” it should be very cute.

He also is learning to do a doggie push-up, which is a sit, down, sit combination. The goal is to get him to do all three movements with one verbal command.

At one point, John was demonstrating the push-up trick to the group in the middle of the training area. First, John said “Sit,” and Toby sat. Then John said “Down.” Toby got up and walked over to our corner of the training area where his bath mat was and got into a down. It was hysterical. Everyone was laughing. Toby’s the only one who won’t get into a down on concrete floors. He has to have his mat. Messes the trick up a bit. But it was funny.

We each got to demonstrate a trick at the front of the store with an audience. Toby did “Bow” on command without a treat. I was supposed to bow at the same time and stand up with a flourish. I tried, but I don’t do flourish.

As usual, we are exhausted from training. I’m sure that Toby’s brain is all mush. I know ours are.

Lilies blooming in the front yard.

Sunset from our front door 

Miles walked: 5

Miles biked: 22.25