Tummy

 

Yesterday, because it was both Palm Sunday and also a relative's birthday, I ended up eating a few high fat "party food" type items (a piece of pizza, a slice of cake, a cinnamon roll, a scoop of ice cream).  I did not over-indulge by any stretch of the imagination.  However, by early afternoon, seemingly the food had given me quite a strong stomach ache.  I felt quite nauseous until early evening.  By early evening, the feeling had dissipated a fair amount, so I ate a big salad and some mixed vegetables for a late dinner.  That actually also seemed to help my stomach as well. It was quite an unpleasant feeling during most of the afternoon.  

I am trying to stay positive in my outlook, which is not always easy to do.... but I can say that when I am successful in focusing on the "positive" when things are difficult... the end result is a whole helluva lot better than when I dwell on hardships.  This is of course, an obvious relationship, but it is damn hard to follow at times.  

I only ran 8.2 miles (13.2 km) this morning.  I was initially planning to run outside because it is getting closer and closer to being at least hazy in terms of light levels where I could venture out.  I still would be running for some of the time in the dark, but I think I could navigate safer footpaths in the dark and by the time I would reach the areas that NEED light, there would at least be a tiny sliver of light on the horizon to help guide my way.  I tend to think my rods and their opsin proteins are pretty sensitive for me, so even just the littlest glimmer of light is sufficient for me to see better.  But, the reason I did not run outside was that an unexpected (at least by me, as I did not see it on the Weather Channel App when I looked last night) and very intensive thunderstorm rolled in just as I was getting up this morning.  It was quite a downpour and the lightning and wind was rather violent.  So, I ended up going to the U and I got there later than I usually do to complete my normal miles..... hence the lower mileage today.  

Do you know what I have concluded about pipes and pipe tobaccos?  I can comfortably say I like/love every aspect of pipes and pipe tobaccos... except their potential risk of causing harm to health.  I was looking through my small box of lighters on Saturday.  During all my years of pipe smoking, I have used many different tools for ignition:

• Lots of matches have been used over the years.

• Zippo lighters (I have perhaps 5 Zippos.  Three are "regular" and two have a "pipe chamber" style wick arrangement.  My favorite is the one that was my Dad's and it is from the early 1950s and has etched into the case a scene of a man wearing a hat, smoking his pipe and fly-fishing.  The paint in the etching has fallen out over the years, but even with only the etching itself, it is beautiful.)  

• The ubiquitous (and boring and disposable) Bic lighter has been used occasionally over the years as well.

• But, the most entertaining of the lighters I have are the two lighters that are made by the (regrettable name) Nimrod Lighter Company.  I have one of these lighters that was my Dad's and I have one that I bought myself long, long ago.  What is especially interesting about these lighters (to me anyhow) is that they LOOK sort of like a bolt and nut that you might buy at a hardware store.  But when you slide it apart, it is basically an odd shaped "Zippo" type lighter that uses conventional lighter fluid.  I have put a picture of one of these lighters at the start of this entry.  While looking for this picture, I now have read that apparently Nimrod lighters are now considered "rare".  For me, they have always been simply an aesthetically pleasing and reliable tool.  

On Saturday, I decided to fill one of my Nimrod lighters with lighter fluid and a fresh flint, and have been carrying it around in my pants pocket ever since.  It has been a while since I have had a lighter in my pocket.  Perhaps next week I will do the same with one of my Zippos.