8/22/2013

Got up and did ab workout, listening to some Schumann piano solo stuff, which is ok.  Then I switched to the new Chris Thile, doing Bach on mandolin. Very beautiful.  Bach is just so logical.  Really love the Sonata in G minor,  BWV1000.  Near perfect.  Listened to it again.  I will listen to this new album, Bach: Sonatas and Partitas, Vol. 1, a lot.  Wow. It’s still playing as I type this.  Great stuff. 

Now shower and go meet person from second editing job, for the second time.  He’s supposed to bring me both the manuscript and money.  Here’s hoping. 

Frankie loves it when I’m outside on the back porch. Stays out here, beside me most of the time as I workout, and just wandering around.

Got the manuscript and money.  We meet again on Monday, sign a contract . Went very well.  I might be able to make this work.

8/23/2013

Got up, about to run, then it rained. Not hard, cleared up so I went and ran around 11, on the greenway down by Hanging Rock.  Ran 1.7 miles and back, so my usual, 3.4. It’s not marked as to mileage like on the Roanoke River greenway, but it says it’s 1.7 on the map, and it feels like it.  Very flat,pretty in places.  It’s great for running, because it’s not paved. It’s that tight little gravel, so very easy to run on.  Wouldn’t take my road bike on here, though.  It’s pretty short for that anyway.  I’ll do this more. 

There were several signs up giving info about the trail and area.  I read three of them. Let’s see what I can remember now.  The first was for the Valley Railroad.  After the Civil War, in 1866 someone wanted to build a railroad through the Shenandoah and on into southwest Virginia.  Started building the railroad but only got as far south as Lexington.  They cut the timber and cleared the path through Salem, but never got the railroad built. In part because of the crash of 1873.  Robert E. Lee was the second president of the railroad company, but he died before much happened.  So part of this greenway is the part they cleared for the railroad, about .3 mile I think it said. 

The second sign was for Kestler Mill. The greenway runs along Keslter Mill Road. In 1842, John Garst came there and built a mill across on the other side of the stream, to grind flour, meal, etc., for the people in the area.  The mill was working until 1922.  In 1906, Kestler bought it, hence the name.  The mill was the  meeting place for the people of the area. 

The third sign was for two ‘future’ presidents who led the Northern army through there in the Civil War, fighting battles all along.  Rutherford B. Hayes, born 1822, was a general, and of course became our (I think) 19^th president.  A young captain in that unit was William McKinley, who became the maybe 22^nd president, and was killed by an assassin. 

Actually, I read a 4^th sign, about the area where coal was unloaded from the train, for the people to take home and use.  Almost all personal heating, cooking, etc., was done by coal then.  As electricity came about, coal was used for power generation, not personal use, so there was no need for this facility anymore. 

Two more signs, but I’ll read them next time.

After I ran the greenway, I drove back home and ran up the first, steep part up towards Dragon’s Tooth.  5 min, steep uphill.  Very hard, then I was done.  Showered, went in to Starbucks for coffee and internet.  Came home and played guitar for several hours.  Very creative. Have two new parts for songs.  NEED LYRICS!  Wrote a new one the other day I don’t think I mentioned, I Still Love You.  Like it very much.  Lyrics and all. 

Had made pinto beans the other day, so I’ve been eating them with rice.  Very good.  Breakfasts have been the same (but no tomatoes!!  Buy some in Salem tomorrow!!).  All I drink this week is tea, either regular kind or Red Zinger.  Regular in day time, since it has caffeine, and RZ at nights.  And some water with lemon in it.  Want to weigh at Betsy’s tomorrow, Saturday. Only two beers all week.

Bought $20 worth of stuff in a Groupon like deal from Play It Again Sports, for $10.  Will go in tomorrow maybe to buy some used weights.  Need a 40 pound dumbbell, or dumbbell set.  Then I could do biceps out here.  Also check Craigslist. 

Get up tomorrow and go to yard sales!!!