Just because this starts a whole new year. One week late.
And because I get to combine all my favorite things. A chunk update. Another weather update. And pictures from my phone. Of the sky. At sunset. With a lot of skeleton trees. This is what 55 degrees in January at dusk looks like this year. It was warm today too. I don’t generally go for the no jacket thing just because it’s hotter than usual. I’m the first one to yell pneumonia. And we’re all being lured into poor health by good weather. But I’ll admit I was only wearing a zip-up hoodie and I was getting kind of hot outside. The sun was shining down so bright that I was getting crabby and drowsy. The warm sun just makes me want to lay down in it and take a nap. Like a snake I guess. Or a fat middle aged non exercising chunk of fun. Here comes the chunk part! It’s a tough week. I’m more tired than usual. Kind of achy and greasy. And I was particularly sick of feeling sad and depressed. So I spruced up this old carcass a bit with some new hair color (sorry Amanda…I know you are the only one who should be allowed to fix my hair but I swear I cannot drive for two hours, pay for gas and tolls and feel good about myself until I get a job…the box has to be the cure for now…it looks good by the way. The kids didn’t even notice. They thought something was different but couldn’t put their fingers on it until after I told them. My theory on home hair coloring, or anything really that you try to do yourself, is that if no one notices anything different it’s a good job. Only the glaring mistakes or radical change gets any attention) and some good hygiene and hair removal. However I also ate a bunch of crap that I shouldn’t because it was here and I had to get rid of it by next week when the real work on chipping away the fat cells begins. You will all be happy to know that I managed to eat, er, get rid of, all the chips and dip and most of the cheese/sausage/cracker stores. I also disposed of an entire box of Whitman’s Dark Chocolates, with my daughters help, who interestingly enough HATES dark chocolate but was able to power through and help me save our household for the greater good. I also drank the rest of the wine from the other night and am currently working on the final two bags of Ghirardelli chocolates while washing them down with Jack Daniels. I haven’t cooked in a week or worked out. In fact we have been staying up way too late watching the bad movies we love so much. The kids have to go back to school Monday and I should be working by the next week. (That’s very wishful thinking as I am making it my sole purpose in life–well besides eating all the food in the house—to have a job in another week or two.) I will have a full report on the snacks because I took pics of them. Really. For instance, I found this GIANT potato chip in the bag. I mean it was really big. I don’t think I have ever seen one this big. So of course I took it’s picture. With the dip container and the TV remote for scale. I also took pics of the sky and some more trees, big surprise. And I have a movie list if you’re interested! We watch BAD movies. Like B movie bad. With old stars like Debbie Gibson and Tiffany in them. Or Lorenzo Lamas. Remember him? And they usually are battling a giant crocodile or a sharktopus, you know a shark-octopus hybrid, or a giant squid against a giant snake. Some are better than others and some are just terrible. This is how we spend family time. As for tonight, I have to try and hurry this along, because the BF is on his way with another sack full of fast food from the local greasy spoon and we have a special night of, All New Releases!, to watch. They have to be back tomorrow so we have to plan our time carefully. I actually feel a little sick right now from the food I ate today. I know this is not something I should even say out loud, but I cannot wait until I get my dang period! (pardon my french). My appetite will disappear, I can get some energy back and hit the gym instead of the Dunkin Donuts, and burn off the winter weight. From about 10 winters but who’s really counting anymore. I only have about 10 pounds to lose (for each winter) so it’s pretty do-able! I’m excited. Oh! I almost forgot! I finished a book! A reading book. Not a school book. It was the Denis Leary one. You might have read about it here two years ago or so. Sadly, that’s how long it has taken me. I finished it last year. Made it just under the mark too. Like December 29th or something. I still recommend it for anyone who likes Denis Leary. It is funny and easy to read. Even my mom’s brain surgeon said, “that guy is something else…” and he chuckled. So there you have it, a brain surgeon endorsement! I’m just not good with the whole concentration thing in sentence and paragraph form without a lot of pictures to break up the words. Except for when I type. I can really string some letters together huh? I put a picture of the book below so I wouldn’t ruin my sunset shot. Oh! And I also found my first street money of the year. One penny and one dime. I will try and keep that up to date now. Just as soon as I tally up last year and post it under its proper heading. There’s just no excuses for letting all you loyal readers down. You want to know these silly mundane things that have no benefit to anyone. And I cant even keep up. And truthfully I am not doing much else besides sitting around and thinking about doing stuff. I’m lucky we have laundry. Alright, seriously, let me wrap this up. I know the BF will be here any minute and I want to catch up on my Words With Friends (evil evil evil—addiction in smart phone form) and BeJeweled (the other evil in the world of computers and high tech gaming–that was meant to be funny. BeJeweled is hardly high tech. It’s really no-tech. It’s pretty though. Match the gems for one minute. Try to score as many points as possible. Why, oh why, would that ever be addicting??) Ok, I think I hear a car in the driveway and my liquor glass is empty. Using the words from my son’s first book that he really liked…breathe and think…relax and run…om shanti shanti…Until later…
Weather Update!
Going with a blue theme. And continuing with the “people reflected in ornaments/windows/etc..” theme. That’s Stevie. I am still trying to take down the decorations, so I have to use up the rest of these holiday themed pictures. I figure I can push it another week and that’s really it. Also, I meant to update the weather yesterday because I know my cousins depend on me to fill this internet space, and their valuable time, with information they can easily get by walking outside. Plus it’s been real nice. Like unseasonably nice. So nice that there is talk now of: “THE HORRIBLE WEATHER TO COME!!” Dun dun dun. We love predicting blizzards and snowfall that will be higher than our houses. Eh. I say it’s fine. It’s not really a matter of, one month of nice equals 3 months of crappy. It all depends on the winds and the atmosphere and the isotopes and all that meteorological stuff. If the world wants to warm up and top off right about here, I’m good with it. I’ll take rain and wind over white-outs and sleet any day. Anyway, it was a balmy 45 in the daytime yesterday and dropped to about 33 or so by night. It was very windy but I thought it felt kind of good. So imagine my surprise this morning when it was snowing! And some even stuck to the grass! Right now, at 5 pm, Monday, it’s cold. Not ridiculous cold, 23 degrees, (which I guess is pretty cold actually), but it’s not snowing. And it’s not too windy so it feels ok. Besides, I hear 50 degrees is on the way again by the end of the week. Yay! Global warming!
So that’s my update for now. No phone calls for any jobs today but I’m sure they will tomorrow. This is the year of positive thinking, all day, every day. I’m also going to go to the store and buy myself another interview blouse. I love Stevie doing the laundry for me, but she washed and dried my already snug blouse, and now it’s a little too small for me to stuff my upper body into. You know that scene in Tommy Boy? Fat guy in a little coat? Picture sausage arms in a black fitted blouse. Three quarter sleeves are not sexy when they are so tight your forearms have fat rolls. And speaking of rolls…I also need to purchase a pair of jeans (or two). I’ve lost another pair of jeans to the “thigh rub hole”. That’s where your jeans wear and tear at the place where your legs touch at the upper thigh area. Not everyone has this problem. Some people actually have a space between their legs and the material never touches. I say good for them. I am jealous, but can’t seem to ever exercise enough to open that gap. I guess it’s a lipo thing. But back to me. I am not now, nor have I ever been, one of those people. I am a thigh toucher. A corduroy avoider. I cannot be making noises while wearing my clothes (swish swish swish) c’mon, some of you know what I’m talking about. Besides that, I have other stuff that needs to be done on the big transformative 2012. Like get skinny. Well, not skinny. I am aiming for pre-child weight. I’d say baby weight but it’s been 14 years so that’s kind of pushing it. It’s probably attainable as long as I stop welcoming the day with Krispy Kreme doughnuts. (So tasty though, and if you microwave them to just the right temp you can literally smoosh them into a small enough lump that can fit into your mouth whole! That seems healthy!)
OK this wasn’t supposed to be this long. This is my third paragraph of winding this up. My kids have left again to go have dinner with their dad, and the BF is on the way with Chinese food. We were supposed to go to the gym as part of the new year, new you, but since they left unexpectedly and it’s really still kind of sort of a holiday technically legally recognized based on the fact that all of the banks and libraries are closed and there was no mail as an excuse to continue the bad habits until tomorrow when the year officially begins, this is what I am doing for just one more day. Posting. Eating. And half-ass laundrying and undecorating. I did manage to throw alot of junk food away today and will send the rest packing with the BF to his office tomorrow. One thing done. I even cleaned out the garage a little bit and have much garbage prepared for the morning. Two things! And now I will really end this post so I can clear a space on our table so we can settle in and let the food shoveling begin.
PS. For Amanda: Guess what the BF was getting me today at work? Are you ready for a really really really really long winter of annoying posts?? Are you? P. 90. X. 2. Yep. TWO. T-W-O. The second version. Doesn’t matter if I can’t even finish the first set. I shall attempt 90 days of one and then 90 days of two. I will fail I am sure. BUT. I can annoy you with it for 6 months!!! Happy New Year my darling sister!!! XO XO XO, or should I put, P90 X-O (hee hee hee) Forevah!
Thank you unemployment for this Merry Christmas!!
Yep, still don’t have a job! Humiliating. Sad. Depressing. We finally got some snow today and all my decorations that I will bother to put up are up. It looks really cheerful despite my lack of employment outside my own house! I dread going anywhere that I might know someone because they always ask…Job?? And I have to say…No. And then they say…Ohhhhh, really? Well…don’t worry…blah blah blah…in that sad, feel sorry for me, but wonder what the hell is wrong with me, voice. I can’t take it anymore. Everyday I have to think of a new reason not to hang myself from the rafters. And then I remember, one, I don’t have any “rafters” and two, even if I did, my house isn’t big enough or built well enough for me to be successful at the hanging thing. My ceiling would probably just come down all around me and then I’d be alive but with a giant hole in my ceiling that I would have to clean up! Better just to stay alive and wait.
Anyhow, at least I got to put up decorations this year. I have been neglecting them because of school and what not. I even decorated the inside too. With all my stuff. That includes things like Christmas figurines, stockings, lights, candles, snowglobes…all the things that I never want to drag out and hang or put up because I will have to put it all away again. And speaking of snowglobes, we had a modern day tragedy this season. I stupidly put one of my snowglobes in the large, plastic, lidded (and taped) container I store all my decorations in, including the white tree we had last year (we only get a 4 foot table top one because our space is limited here), and then put the whole thing into the garage last winter. The garage that is outside. Away from the house. I imagine that snowglobe froze right away and then burst and leaked and dumped its water all inside the bin the minute the temperature let it go back to liquid. Then it sat there freezing and unfreezing all winter. As summer began, I see that bin just heating up and broiling and molding for months. We had rain, humidity, extremely high temps. My decorations didn’t stand a chance. When I dragged the container into the house, untaped the lid and pulled off the cover and saw that there was condensation on the underside, I knew it was too late. You would think the smell would have hit me first, but no. And it did stink. If you know what damp, musty, black spotted mold smells like, times that by 5 and unleash it in a 12 by 20 foot room. Yuk. I ALMOST cried. The white tree was totally ruined, brown and black and moldy. All our stockings. The tree skirt. Some frames with baby pictures swirled into colorful destruction. The star. Mason’s mini tree. Stuffed animals. Most of our hanging things. We had to start from scratch. I managed to save a wreath that was made for the kids and me many years ago, that I could not bear to get rid of despite the smell. And I saved the star Mason uses for his tree. Everything else is gone now. But I think it was fine in the end. Fitting really. New beginnings and all that.
I have been exercising too. Might as well right? I can’t get much fatter or I will have no pants to wear. My jeans are at maximum hold. My abdomen protests every day because of its loose, unelastic shape. I can’t even suck it in anymore without giving myself a cramp. But that still didn’t stop me from baking cookies! I really had no choice. Stevie starts these things and then loses interest, which is probably key to her “trouble” with recipes and getting her baked goods to come out tasty and delicious. (If you scroll down a few posts you can read all about her cookie adventures—pretty funny stuff actually) So I help but then end up having to help more and eventually just finish the whole process or have various bowls of flour mixes and melted butter and sugar granules all over the place. And we end up with cookies that look like dangerous weapons or dog droppings. (You really have to scroll down now don’t you?)
I don’t even like to post here anymore and my numbers have gone wayyyy down! I feel so disconnected! And so neglectful of my readers! After I spend hours filling out applications at various hospitals, I do not feel like typing one more thing. This happens every day. I check all my job apps, apply for any new ones, and then re-check later. Believe me, I should get paid for just doing that all day! It sure feels like a job!
But enough about that. I am not one to sit and mope for too long and I have new and exciting features to brag about and never actually follow through on!!
Birds of the Yard! I finally caught my hawk!! You know, the bird. I have been trying to get pics of it all summer. Success! And my cardinal. And the hummingbirds. And the woodpeckers! Blue ones (not sure what they are called) and the red-headed one!! Even got a yellow goldfinch…somewhat blurry, but so beautiful! I am too obsessed with getting pictures of birds. It drives me crazy. I finally downloaded all the pictures from the camera from the last few months (over 1000) and it was like re-living my whole year in picture form! I forgot we did half the stuff we did!
Which also leads me to ANOTHER new feature: Looking Up! Photo posts featuring the city of Chicago that will actually hurt your neck if you look at them all at one time. Apparently we took A LOT of pictures of the buildings looking up at them. And as I was going through them all, I really felt like I was looking up at them all over again. SO of course, I will share with you! My one or two still loyal fans. Or someone. Strangers probably. I manage to get about 3 hits a day now. Most likely random searches that come up when you are looking for something else. But I’ll take it. Zero is too heartbreaking.
So much more… I have football stuff and car stuff and pictures of the sky and trees. If it’s not a picture of a bird, it’s a picture of a tree. Or the sky behind the tree. Or a cloud. I really have too much time. Period. I MUST share! Really, you’ll thank me. My little site will give you nothing but fluff to ease you through the long winter. Who could ask for more?
Alright, I must now go out to the malls today with my kids. They got early X-mas gift cards that are burning holes in their pockets! Here is my tree below. I also have a really good picture of a wreath with lights. I mean, truly, a REALLY great picture. It was a fresh wreath that we adorned with lights because it looked so plain and boring. The picture was just a bonus and a credit to my awesome skills. The suspense! But for now, here’s that tree (ornament/decoration close-ups later!):
All Saints Day. Second in the Trifecta of creepy holidays in a row.
First, though, in my newest series of “skeletal trees against a sky background.” I’m not sure why I like taking pictures of the trees as they sit quietly in their places losing their leaves and turning their bark to a dark brown-black color, but I noticed that I have about 5 or 6 different pictures of various trees in various stages of dormancy, so what better time of the year to post them to a website that is mostly just for my amusement anyway?
In case you are scratching your head, like, what?, what other holiday is there besides Halloween this time of year?? Well, now that we have scared all the ghouls back into their rightful resting places, we want to make sure that they stay there.
So today, we have All Saints Day. A Christian/Catholic day to honor our Saints (and martyrs), known and unknown. The Catholics are real big on martyrdom, just ask any Catholic raised child with a Catholic mom…oh the sacrifices she has made for her children…with one hand to the forehead, and the other clutching at her heart…That’s why it’s a good idea to just hang out at the cemetery and throw goodwill all over the place, because you just never know who is sanctified and who isn’t. It’s the total Catholic way, better safe than sorry!
Then we have All Soul’s Day tomorrow. A much more exciting and morbid celebration of the dead. It even has an awesome title:
El Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Also Catholic, mostly celebrated as you have probably seen in Mexico, with the skulls and candles and colorful skeletons. In a nutshell, it is basically a day to go visit relatives/spirits in the cemetery and assure them that all is good and they should just stay where they are at and not bother rising up and creeping around all benevolent and zombie like. Technically it’s celebrated on the First and Second. I researched it and the children and babies that have passed get today for their festival and the adults get tomorrow. I like this particular holiday because it is so specific and it has very uniform traditions. The main components are sugar skulls and marigolds and the departed’s favorite foods and beverages. All brought to the grave and offered up like gifts as if the dead have any other choice but to stay where they are at. Some believe that the spirits are allowed to walk around for this one day after resting the whole year, so it needs to be a real celebration. But not too good. The world is crowded enough without the undead returning to the population.
Sugar skulls and marigolds. It sounds like a rock band. But I am impressed by the fact that they have very particular items in their prayer rituals. Classic sugar skulls, which are basically just a candy-type confection shaped like a skull. They can be sugar or chocolate, and can have your name on it. They are representative of someone alive and symbolize “eating your own death.” I’m not really sure about the marigolds. It may be because they are colorful, and the celebration itself is supposed to be upbeat and joyful, or it may be that they stink and they keep the spirits happy visually, but repel them from trying to take up any real residence back in the world.
That’s it for my educational information for today. I had started this post at 9 am this morning but I got sidetracked helping a real friend in need. Seriously. You can hardly ever say that you had to go help someone who truly needs it. But this girl did.
Then when I got home I actually exercised. Yes. I said exercise. Two days in a row. Goal accomplished!! I will now be setting all my goals in the extreme short term. So much more satisfying then stretched out hopes and long term failures. I may set the goal to exercise tomorrow too….but I don’t want to get all crazy with it now.
Besides, I seriously have got to finish my school paper/project that I have not even started on. The only thing do I have is an idea about what to write, and if I have learned anything from the last 9 weeks, it’s that I stink at putting fingers to keyboard and just finishing my damn homework. Sorry I had to use a cuss word. I frustrate myself to no end with all this procrastination and I either have to stay up all night now or frantically try and finish it tomorrow morning. I’m starting to get off track here and I’m feeling tense and stressy. I just need to post this already and get some dinner for my family. Another home cooked meal (from the pizza place down the street) coming right up! I stink at cooked-meals-in-a-row too.
So that’s it. Hopefully you remembered someone you loved today and wished them peace and maybe said a little prayer for yourself, if that’s your thing. If not, you can try again tomorrow. Go hang out at a cemetery if you can and feel the earthly vibe of walking over restless spirits. Bring a lunch and offer some up to the deceased around you. Toss out some compliments and take pictures. I don’t think you necessarily have to know the person to pay your respects and wish them a good rest. It’s just good manners for the living and the dead. If I get off this site and do my work, I’ll post the rest of the stuff I have for these few days. There will not be any more serious and thoughtful musings on life and whatnot. It will all be silly jokes and goofy pictures. You know. The usual. I think we have all learned enough for this week. Later.
Candy Collecting Sugar Skyline
It’s been a few hours and I think I am recovered now from my earlier attempt at pre-candy calorie control. I managed to crawl my shaky, sweaty body all the way to the couch and stare at the candy for about an hour. Then I got up, took a few puffs from my inhaler, drank some water, took a shower and put on a pair of tight jeans and a few t-shirts. It’s called “layering”. Good for fashion and for lump coverage. I walked around the house and outside, doing little chores and tasks that I like to do when I am avoiding my homework. I cleaned up the yard a bit, filled up the bird feeder, picked some dead flowers, and took some sky pics. The usual. I have resisted eating any of the candy. Hard work and shortness of breath can help you re-prioritze your original plan for the day. That was to get stupid sick on candy and alcohol while NOT doing my social norm assignment. Instead, I now choose to just walk around with my children, enjoying the dropping temperature and pretending to be excited for fun size Snicker bars. I don’t even like Snickers. Gets stuck in my teeth and causes deep dental pain. But that’s just me. The kids are home and getting ready to go. The village says we can only stay out until 6 pm. Halloween stinks on Monday. Most of our neighbors aren’t even home yet and won’t be until later. Usually after the time. I know I never got home until 7. Well, at least it’s not raining and my kids do have very cool costumes this year. If they let me, I’ll take their pics and post them later. MORE exercise! Here I come! I guess I can lay flat all day tomorrow then right? No. I have actually set a goal for myself regarding exercise. The goal is to do two days of exercise in a row. That’s it. TWO days of actual exercise. TWO days, IN A ROW. I get in once a week at best lately and that is not going to cut it if I plan on running that 10K again next May. I barely finished it last year and I cannot repeat that sad event. Freezing cold and hyperventilating, with just enough breath to keep me upright, and fifth from last, is not my idea of success. I need to be at least 20 to 30 people inside the tail end and sprinting, instead of hop-walk-shuffle-staggering to the time strip. Standards, people. I didn’t even get a post race snack because I was so late crossing the finish line. But hey, it wasn’t on the police cart, so, small victories. OK enough. The soldiers are restless and night is falling. To the streets we go. Later.
Back of the Bench because I know you want to see it
This is my favorite bench so far. I am pretty sure I haven’t put up even half of the bench pictures that I have in my files, but when I do, you will agree, this one is really cool.
I had to take a short 45 minute exercise break. Here’s a question…if an overweight middle aged lady collapses in her house all alone gasping for air, does she really make a sound?
Well I didn’t fall but I was making some unusual noises. Heavy footsteps, creaking limbs, pounding heart beats, throbbing head bangs, wheezing, moaning, and dry throated screaming. Not to mention the shaky limbs and dripping secretions. It really is like a haunted house over here. It’s a middle aged nightmare! Too bad it’s broad daylight and so damn sunny and temperate outside. Kind of takes away from the whole horror scene situation. Just makes it sad. It’s embarrassing how out of shape I am. Especially with all this free time I’ve been having. I should not be struggling to breathe and laying near the door with the phone half dialed to 9-1-1. Wait. I think I forgot to unlock the deadbolt. Crap. Death AND a broken door. Tricks on me. Boo.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Home all day edition!
Well, I seriously thought I would have a job by now! This stinks! BUT…I am still “being actively considered” (thank goodness for that at least) by several hospitals, so I guess I just have to wait. Now that’s a trick! Scary too. I have never been unemployed this long in my whole life! Anyhomeeverydayway….
I spend most of my time on the computer filling out apps, checking sites and reapplying where ever I can. It takes a long time believe it or not, and some of these hospitals have a really complicated application process. We should get points just for filling them out all the way to the end. After staring at the computer screen all day and trying to come up with new ways to write a cover letter or explain (beg) why I want this particular position, I am burnt out and not interested in posting about my failures.
But today is a brand new week. And a brand new month is about to strike. Besides tomorrow is the really scary day. All Saints Day. The spirits get restless and try to walk around. That’s the day to go hang out in the cemetery. Nothing like swirling demons and the undead to occupy your mind and time. Bring them some of that candy, light a candle, say a few words for peace and staying in the grave and carry on. If I’m up top it’s already a good day. So, anyway, I have pictures and other fun stuff like that, that I have been doing when I am not actually sitting on this hard ass bench desperately searching for a way out of my ever increasing depression! Cheery!
Obviously today is Halloween, so that means free candy! My kids are going to suck it up one more year and do the ho stroll for tricks and treats. So in addition to the exercise I am about to go do so I can eat all that candy without guilt, I will be getting additional exercise later walking around gathering more with the children. They are old enough to go on their own and I don’t think they’ll get kidnapped or sex offended but they like for me to go too. And since I have discovered the joy of walking around with a holiday “beverage”, I am happier, the trip is easier, and I stay warmer longer! Winning!
Well I have lots more pictures I will just throw up every few minutes or hours depending on what else I do today. The above picture is from the “Benches” collection that I gather over the summer. They did a special one for Halloween so I captured all the angles and the accompanying decorations in the surrounding area. I will post more in about an hour or so. I have to go do that cardio I was talking about or I can’t eat any more junk. And that would make me even sadder. And we can’t have that. No suicide attempts on Halloween! That sounds like a good book title! Or at least a good headline for my next post. Later.
Are you sick of looking at that gaudy duck too?!?
Our weather has taken a turn for the better these last few days. It’s our last blitz before the horrible cold and (according to the weather predictors) record breaking freezes and snow inches. Yay. The only good thing about the snap in temperature is that it ends any allergic sneezing and runny eyes and noses. Annoying. The cold sucks though. I don’t know why I stay here where it’s all “seasonal”. Oh wait. I know why. Family. No job. Can’t sell the house. Can’t buy a new one. Etcetera.
Anyhow this nice weather really causes me to procrastinate on the schoolwork. But it does inspire me to get off my fat butt and exercise. Which I desperately need. How long can I keep pushing the 40+ envelope before I get some medical problem that I will actually have to go to a doctor for?? Let me tell you, you creeping, increasing, scary pounds on the scale…not much longer. After my initial health kick earlier this autumn where I shed a pants-applicable 5 pounds. I have managed to hold steady without a lot of effort. That means little to no exercise but no eating either. I’m squeezing the clothes on, but it is not pretty. There are lumps and bumps where there should be none.
So here I am again. Finding myself having to go run and eat healthy. If only I could keep it up for longer than a week or a jean size. Now, at least, I have the added inspiration of trying to outrun my daughter. Since she started cross country (it’s over now—but she did really good) I tried to help her with practice runs, but I am far too slow. These damn kids are fast. And they make it look pretty easy. I was practically having a seizure on the trail. I was counting down in my head by hundreths of a quarter mile just to make it two miles without stopping. I felt pathetic, old and out of shape, but there was no one around to hear me count and watch me dry heave and it did give me something else to think about besides my collapsing lungs.
And I did finish that two miles. 26 minutes. As usual. Every single time I start “running” again, that’s my go-to time. (Let’s not forget I broke a foot this summer so back off!! It’s a miracle I can run at all!! Let’s go with that excuse ok??) Anyway. It’s only been two days of avoiding crap food. Processed, sodium infused, alcohol infused, fried, etc., and I have to say I think I feel a bit better. I can breathe and my head doesn’t hurt too bad. The key is to drink alot of water. Something I have also been neglecting. I can tell that right away though. Because my eyes get all loopy and I feel dizzy. I also tend to go for the dramatic flair and claim that my throat feels like it is closing and I can’t sleep. I actually went to bed last night feeling hungry. My stomach was protesting the fact that I didn’t stuff it so full of food it could try and trick me into sleeping flat so it could give me massive heartburn and laugh in my ear, “HA HA, you have to sleep sitting in a chair!” Spoiled American.
I have heard of this anti-inflammatory diet (which is very similiar to a blood pressure diet or sodium restricted diet) and I guess that’s the one I will have to settle into. It seems to be credible and addresses quite a few of the problems I have been having as a woman aging in this world. It’s so hard to make the right changes even when you know you should. I give myself until 45. That’s the outer limits of my neglect and disregard. After that I think my ability to skate by like a paunchy middle aged lady will totally catch up to me. And I would hate to wait that long and be forced to change. Fun stuff huh??
I wanted to do more than just this post today. But typing on the computer for hours on end makes me really really REALLY crabby. I’m not sure why. But I am feeling the irritation building. I was able to finish my paper. With 7 hours to spare! And I applied for more jobs today. I think that’s what sets me over the crabby edge. The internet is awesome for job hunting and applying but it can be super tedious and repetitive at the same time. Now I am here. Getting ready for school tonight and trying to post something worth reading.
I’ll do some lighter, fun stuff later. No need to keep it so serious. Here’s a picture I took of Stevie’s cross country conference race. These are the 7th grade girls lined up and ready for the whistle. I like the way it looks. Kind of fishbowled out with the coaches behind them. It looks like something exciting is about to happen. These kids are awesome! Track is in the spring so we need to get training! It gives us something to look forward to during the long winter and a goal to shoot for. Skinny and fast. Fall back. Spring forward. All right.
Running is NOT an option
I was behind this Jeep on the way home from school one day. Pretty cool I thought. And now I have a place to put it! I’m going to just have to face the fact that I cannot use my foot the way I want to. Since I broke that toe (or two) three weeks ago, the swelling and bruising have gone away but the pain remains. I’ve been walking on it and doing various other dumb things, like trying to bowl, droppingamotorcycleonit, and even trying to run. Fail. I hobbled out one fourth of a mile. Being generous. My son was walking faster than I could run. And the next day, forget it. I couldn’t even put my shoe back on and the top of my whole foot was kind of fat and swelly.
This is the first time in my life that running can not be my main form of exercise. Walking is really pushing it. One more reminder that I will not live forever. Suh-uh-ucks!
So I have to find a way to do cardio type, but stationary, working out. Preferably with no shoes. I have some Yoga X and some Kenpo I can do from the P90X workout system. And I have to say, Jillian Michaels Beginner dvd’s are pretty good. It’s something new I added to my page, What We Have In The House Right Now. (I’m trying to do this fabulous site and update all this old information.) Anyway, like I said a few days ago, we are trying to accomplish alot this summer. Body and Brains. Now that daily school is over, exercise needs to be the only option along with healthy eating. The weight is creeping up and so is my B/P. We weigh again tomorrow to see if any of our small changes this week have knocked out an ounce or pound or two. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy big. Remember, if you are doing it too this summer, anything the same or less is good as long as you are moving every day and trying to make the better choices.
Speaking of which. I need to get some water. It’s HOT over here! 96 degrees. I guess the heat is here to stay for awhile. I’m going to take that water and sit out in it for a bit. Sweat some of the gunk out.
Oh wait a second, Two and a Half Men is about to come on the TV. That reminds me of my favorite kind of water made by Skyy. Yes, I have seen them all, but that doesn’t make them any less funny or easier to watch with a big glass of. Of. Ummm. Liquid.
Later.
More “work” today
So. My town is doing pipe work on our water system, which is very old and crappy. We are a 70 (or so) year old town, with 70-year old pipe systems underground. You break one, you break them all, back to the source. And I guess that is what happened. Work on a side street (one block over) you end up working on the through streets when you break the main.
My neighbor called to tell us the good news. We may not have ANY water until the next day. Which is today. Fun! So we left the house to go get water and food that doesn’t need to be cooked with water or washed with water and doesn’t need dishes to clean up after. It’s just a big mess at the end of the block and we get re-routed in the other direction. When we got back at about 5:30, work seemed to be over but a hydrant was open, pouring water into the street towards my block. Oh well. We planned for a waterless night anyway, so no big deal.
But the fates were shining on us, because we had water! It was orange and rusty and full of debris, but you have never seen three people take showers faster in case they turned it off again. We didn’t even have hot water because I had turned the gas off to the heater when I found out it may be off all night. But who cares. We could flush the toilet! It’s like some survival stuff. For one whole day. Not even. Like, 8 hours. We are marshmallow people for sure. But, since this is not an end-of-the-world problem, I won’t go on about it.
Happily, they are back today. More trucks going by, lots of beeping noises and heavy equipment clanging and banging down. I expect in about an hour the water will be off again. Whatever. It’s a good reason to go exercise and study some test material. So you know what that means…I will be posting throughout the day!! Stay tuned!
And FYI for those who need to know…weather is awesome! Perfect. Sunny, clear, warm. And my foot still hurts! Later!
