Thursday Tidbits
Posted on March 5, 2020 under Thursday Tidbits with no comments yet
It’s a working man I am.
“Tiptoe through the window,
By the window, that is where I’ll be,
Come tiptoe through the tulips with me.”
Tiptoe Through the Tulips. Tiny Tim
When was the last time you had a good look at your toes and toenails? My eating habits up north have been less than desirable so the question should be how many of us can even see our feet?
I know what you’re thinking. The isolation has finally gotten to poor Len and he is grasping at straws for something to write. In case you’re wondering, there are no shops in Kangiqsujuaq for manicures and pedicures. I did get a first-class haircut from our art teacher a few weeks ago which included a neck massage and a shot of Cuban rum… neat.
As seniors become less mobile, good foot care is essential. If I keep teaching, I’ll need counselling long before I’ll require foot care.
So why this toe fetish you might ask?
Long distance runners and long distance walkers know that one of the casualties of excessive abuse to the feet is toenail damage. I remember back in 2012 when I ran the Boston Marathon, I went to the Expo the day before the race. Runners could pick up all kinds of Marathon paraphernalia. There was one booth selling fridge magnets specifically targeted for the running crowd. Two caught my eye and I think they were the only two items I bought. One read “26.2 Miles. What could possibly go wrong?” The other said “Toenails are for sissies.” Up until that time, I had never had a serious issue with blackened toenails but when Charlene dragged my sorry ass across the finish line, I discovered that 9 of my toenails were jet black. Why the running gods spared the tenth remains a great mystery.
Last spring and summer I reckon I walked about 1500 kilometers. The two big walks were the Camino in Spain and my solo journey around the Cabot Trail to raise money for my good friend, Simone. I didn’t pay much attention at the time but two of my toenails suffered some fairly serious damage, so much so that neither has fully healed. I didn’t realize that toenails were such delicate objects.
Maybe I’ll treat myself to a pedicure when I get home. I know real men don’t eat quiche, but do they get pedicures?
The picture at the top of the page has zero relevance to my feet. I had a choice between a picture of one of the hundreds of roaming dogs in the village or a picture of me in my union t-shirt. Because I had a picture of a puppy the other day, I thought I would go with the “man in black” photo.
I started my serious work career in a teacher’s union in Alberta. I don’t consider mowing graves or pumping gas for $1.00 an hour as a teenager serious work. When I left the teaching fraternity, I ended up in positions of management and eventually owned my own business. And now, in the third period of my life (I’m praying for a double overtime!), I’m back in a teacher’s union once more. My union has begun negotiations with the provincial government on a new contract.
I’m fortunate to have been able to see both sides of labor and management.
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Have a great weekend.
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