Hey Jesse! This is for you!
It is Thursday night. July 2. I am finally updating! I have lots of stuff in the hopper. Seriously!
I even have an outdated MJ/Farrah/Billy Mays tribute post. I don’t want to overload an already overloaded internet-web-blog-memory-post-world, but I’m afraid I must. If only to tell the story my sister Amanda doesn’t want anyone to know! Please stay tuned.
I have actually been…busy. For any and all who might actually follow this thing, I had to concentrate on school and some house chores. My kids left for vacation with their grandma, but the BF is off this week too! So we did boyfriend/girlfriend things and family things and exercise things…
WARRIOR DASH! Only 2 weeks away. I have a 15 pound weight loss/fitness regime to get back on track before my kids get home next week.
5.8 pounds already gone, if you care! The secret is:
Workout like mad. Don’t eat crap. Drink water.
Sorry. Sad but true. No gimmicks, no tricks, no pills, no shortcuts. Follow my above plan and you will look and feel better in one week!
The BF is actually out tonight with his buds, catching up with some old friends by means of food and beer, the usual. So here I am. I have all night. I have chapters to read, CPR notes to go over, laundry to wash and dry and fold (blah), and YOU to talk with!
I got pictures and videos and music and maybe a little drink…(very little…in training AND alone). Go get yourself something to drink along with me and keep checking back. Let’s make Thursday the new Friday! At least for this week! Get ready. Get set.
POST!
Warrior Dash Training!!
This is EXACTLY the same kind of training I have been doing for the Warrior Dash! I throw in a little extra running out on the trail, but this is pretty much it! I’m only sorry that I’m not making a video. But you can get the idea from this. Good Luck fellow Warriors!! You are all going DOWN!!
Today is the day!
It’s Friday. It’s beautiful. The sun was shining through my children’s window in such a way that it makes you feel like everything will be ok.
Not to say that anything is bad…it’s just that kind of day. If you can’t take the sap this early, I understand. Check back later for the post about my Wednesday Church experience. No cheese included. That’s kind of weirdly ionic huh? Sun=Peace. Church=No peace.
Back to today:
I found a dime, walking the kids to school (separate post).
I took a shower, fresh shampoo, fresh soap, fresh fragrance…I feel really clean, like, squeaky clean, AND I used a new deodorant that smells like Florida! The good Florida. Beachy, sunny, oceany, sexy southern sultry, steam off the street…man I miss that place…
Anyway, I’m posting a bit, catching up. Update the daily life and what I’m doing. I’ve been busy with actual out-of-the-house stuff. Had to get more school related paperwork, make 10 different appointments for body checks, myself and the kiddies, run to the drug store for cards and snacks and special lunch for my daughter who has 5th grade picnic, take the boyfriends mom to the doc, pick up prescriptions, take the mom back to the doc, talk to my mom, my sis, my niece, my ex, my exes ex….you know, just stuff.
One school year ends, another begins. My son is going into 6th grade! Jr. High! So exciting. He’s visiting the school today to see how it looks, get a feel for lockers, and changing classes, and being a teenager. Then he gets to have Basketball Pizza Party after school. Still no trophies though. He says Tuesday. I haven’t forgotten. I have the post all ready, just need to throw in the pictures. I know every single one of you is dying to see those Bowling and Basketball trophies. Stay tuned!
I have one more doc trip with the BF mom’s today at noonish, then I can hit the trail and wait for my daughter to get home.
I have to run, even though I’m plodding out there like a hippo in the heat. It’s pathetic. It feels pathetic. Every step, I just want to stop. But now I have to go to the doc’s this Monday and I don’t want to weigh too much. If you are still following my, “Lose 20 lbs. by Warrior Dash” extravaganza, here’s the update: I have to lose 2 pounds just to get down to the original weight I wanted to lose 20 from. So I’m working on that, but nature is battling against me. It’s like the perfect storm of weight gain. Natures gift wreaking havoc, bad dinners, late nights, early mornings…It sucks. I have to stop eating and try to live on coffee and breath mints until Monday for my “fake weight” at the doc’s, and then work on the real thing next week. I know, I know, It’s not healthy, it’s not a good example, but who cares. Those medical records follow you around FOREVER! I can’t be overweight every single time! It’s soul crushing! The good thing is that I am actually about 20+ lbs. down from the last time I was there, so it still looks good, but for my personal self and all you people—still too heavy. Plus, I can’t be running around an obstacle course with flabby arms and a weak belly. I want to look all cut and sexy covered in mud and sweat and swamp water. Wouldn’t you?
Now that I’ve really sidetracked…let’s see…the BF is playing Poker with the buds later, so dinner is all me and the kids. So how many people out there think it’s going to be chicken breast and brown rice. Uh huh. More like Taco Bell and Baskin Robbins…see what I’m up against? I guess I’ll just eat and throw up. Not. Please check the following post about that BAD IDEA. I just tell myself, don’t eat THAT much. Am I a F…ing idiot??? Sometimes.
I’m so far behind here. Let me wrap this up. School, Exercise, Posting, Dinner, Weekend Parties, Movies, Popcorn, Ice Cream…that sound about right.
Church post, Flower post, Money post, Mason New Toy Post, Cool Word, Quote, and Music List.
No trophies, no weight loss.
Pictures WILL be included.
Chicago is sunny and 70. It really is a beautiful day.
Check back here later for a laugh or two, but get outside if you can.
Later gators!
Thinking about…
Being good…
Monday morning and the weekend is over. Kids are at school and BF is at work. It’s pretty here in the big city and I have been up since 4:30 a.m. thinking about the future. And the past. And the right now. Got a big cup of coffee, checked some e-mail, and wasted as much time as I could until…
6 a.m. when I worked out with Jillian for 45. Circuit training. I am so bad at this type of exercise. I think that I am so strong until I have to prove it with various exercise positions using weights and bending and lifting, and then I realize I am weak and kinda lazy. Plus, my heart is beating out of control, I’m sweaty, my arms and legs hurt, I can barely drink my coffee and I think…yeah right…this just is a lot of WORK!
I, far and away, prefer running. It’s easy and I can go slow or fast. I choose the lazy level. I mean, I prefer it, but I’d rather do neither. I wish I was one of those naturally tall, skinny people that eat french fries and say, “Oh I’m so hungry; I forget to eat all the time; I just get so thin if I don’t eat at least 8 meals a day…blah blah blah.”
But at least I am healthy-er…and I do feel like a bad-ass after I lift those weights. I like seeing the bicep muscle. Round and cut like a little scoop of ice cream sitting on the top of my upper arm. I like the round shoulder and the tight back; Unfortunately sitting on the couch just doesn’t develop the look I want. And speaking of the look….
Let’s go WILD! Run Wild! It’s over. The day started, raining, at 6 a.m. when we left the house. By the time we got to the start line at 8 it was warming up, rain stopped, and the sun even came out. My sister and I finished at the exact same time. One minute faster than our last 5K in December. Took us 33 minutes. That probably doesn’t sound super fast for 3 miles, and it’s not. It’s actually slow. It’s mid way through the usual pack that signs up. But I’m not racing to win, maybe next year…it’s alot of time to shave off and train for speed. I can run a fast mile, but not 3 in a row! But the Zoo was awesome, the animals were out, and the people were friendly and happy to have us.
The only thing I was wrong about was the ease of the actual running. I thought it would be a breeze because we were running in the zoo. Like it wouldn’t be like running at all. “Wooh-hoo we’re in the zoo!! I’m just running and looking at the animals!!–Oh! is the race over already?? Didn’t even feel like 3 miles!”
No, not quite. The zoo is cool, but running three miles is still running three miles. Doesn’t matter where you’re at, you still have to MOVE.
So next up…Warrior Dash! This is the reason why I got my lazy butt up and out of bed at ungodly hours to do exercise and why, hopefully, I will get up all week and do more of this “circuit training” and keep running in the afternoons. The Dash is about 4 miles, plus obstacle course work; so I’m going to need a little more in the trunk to haul it up and over cars and buildings and stuff. And I need to step up on the diet front. I have been eating far too much junk. I even feel kind of sick from it all. So it’s back on a combo of Extreme Fat Smash (click on it for a review) See the Book, HERE, and Body For Life. (Site) It’s all low-fat, lower cal, protein and carb balance type eating. I like to mix them up and find the perfect mix of healthy and weight loss. I want to drop about 20 more pounds before I tackle the Dash. It’ll be alot easier to throw myself over things if there is less of me to lift up. Better on my legs too, and I’ll look really ripped! Ha. Pre-first-marriage weight here I come. Gotta have something to aim for! I’ll keep a little running list for you’re amusement. Right now: Pounds lost: ZERO (0). Haha. 9 (full) weeks to go! Wish me Luck! (And my sissy too! –and her hubby–she’s doing it with me. It’s how we’re spending her birthday! It’s not all just exercise–there’s beer at the end and a cool hat!)
Anyway, after that we’ll be doing the Scenic 5 (five mile run) in the town I live in. It used to be 10 miles, but the town changed it for some reason or another, and now it’s 5 miles. Either way, it’s in September, Labor Day Weekend, so we will have an event a month to keep us in training for the fall. (And that’s how we’ll be spending MY birthday! Aren’t we a fun family?!?) I’ve done the 10 miles and it’s hard. I figure five has got to be a little better and I’ll actually be fit this time around so I won’t feel like I’m dying! Next year we are planning on tackling the bigger races—the ones that use words like, marathon…and tri-athalon….and insane distances….
Well, that’s enough I for now. I ate my first meal; Yogurt and a measured bit of granola. Now I must vacuum and get to the store for groceries and things for the week. Kids need lunches and the BF and I need our specific foods. The Body For Life and Extreme Fat Smash (click on it for another review) plans use regular food that we all eat, just modified for us. Eggs, milk, bread, chicken…it’s the same food, cooked leanly and with rice instead of potatoes. The kids eat it too, I just tweak it down (or up) in portion and fat content for the ones who need it. That was a diplomatic way of description. I’ll have to remember that for the future.
I made up a real nice playlist series too…being good, being bad…made me think of angels, devils, God and hell…But to combine them all gives you a 99 song playlist—which is fine–I like them long—but for typing sake I broke them up into categories for specific flavors. You can pick your best (or worst) or combine them all for yourself. The categories are these:
Posted below just because that’s how I do it. Strangely, there are few songs about God. He/She/It/They, might be mentioned in some, but it’s hardly the star subject. People seem to like Heaven and Angels and they like the Bad Guys, however you call them. Makes better music right?? And you can dance to it.
Ready, Set…Go!
Final Training Day
Sorry I haven’t posted anything for awhile, but I have been in intensive training mode since yesterday after my mom left my house. It’s Thursday night and let me re-cap my pre-race week:
Ran Tuesday afternoon: 3.6 miles.
Ok. That’s it. I ate like crap Tuesday night. I ate crap Wednesday. (It was pouring anyway, and I planned to skip the run so as not to fatigue myself or cause undo injury–fancy race talk). I even had Starbuck’s with my mom in sympathy for her ailments. (But, I did have it skinny with no whip–wimpy–I hate it when the healthy habit follows you around even when you don’t want it to)
Since the BF went out with friends and work people, I took the kids to McDonald’s, on the condition, by Stevie, that since Mason got to pick Wednesday, she could pick Thursday, which she picked Friday’s. And that worked out well for all of us and it makes a nice string-together sentence. Poetic. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday….
So you see the schedule I set for myself. Rigorous. So McD’s (dinner) is Big Mac, Fries, Sprite with a few nuggets for good measure. Then the Blues Brothers movie. Two hours of digestion. Then on to my playlists. I was working for you behind the scenes, as they say.
Thursday AM and I had every intention of getting up and exercising with my main girl Jillian Michaels. Don’t be fooled by the “beginning” aspect to this tape I have, my arms are getting rounder and cut and I do this workout much less than I want to. But the BF doesn’t have to go in to work until later today, so everybody sleeps until the last possible moment.
I did walk the kids to school—so I got that. However, I think I might have canceled that out, plus some, when I got in the car back home and drove to McDonald’s (again–but breakfast–notice the distinction) for some of those delicious Burrito’s for myself and a Sausage McMuffin sammy for the BF. Every good deed ya know??
So then after the BF left for work, I watched Regis and Kelly, as usual, and then 50 First Dates. I’m sorry, but I am a sucker for that movie. That KIND of movie. Funny, romantic, but not overly mushy, dramatic, unbelievable, blah blah blah. I know, but the time just ran away after that. Those movies on tv with commercials take like 3½ hours to watch. What was I supposed to do? Quit? I already committed. Love stinks.
So, I just did laundry and paid bills and goofed on the internet. Finished up another playlist—you all are so lucky. You could run for miles on what I got in the hopper. By this time, the BF was home. Short day.
So finally, one hour before the kids are due home, I got some of that… “exercise”, if I ain’t being too subtle. (That’s actually a borrowed phrase from the D-listed guy—love him!) But I did get in a workout. (Like a double work out, really, because the BF’s friend kept calling until he picked it up–start and stop–start and stop, etc…)
Kids are home now. Homework done. Off to Friday’s, as promised, on Thursday. I ordered the low-fat lettuce leaf with spritz of vinagrette and a lemon water….yeah right. I had some new Cosmo Margarita that trendy place came up with, and paid TEN dollars for it. NOT worth it! It’s basically a weak-ass Margarita with cranberry juice. They bring it out in a giant Cocktail shaker–packed with ice and pink liquid and let you pour it yourself. I got 2 “drinks” out of the Tumbler thing, into my smaller glass, HALF rimmed with salt…but whatever…Lesson learned. Stick to straight shots in the car before going inside and you’ll do a lot better.
My food was Mac N’ Cheese. Ultimate Showdown Style. I like Guy Fieri, and the whole Friday’s concept, I’m even a Give Me More Stripes member…I don’t know what I get, but I include it every time I pay, and I get e-mails every now and then. Maybe you have to go every week or something to really reap the benefits…I’ll never know. Anyway, the only reason I ordered Mac N’ Cheese is because I saw Sunny Whats-Her-Name make her best Mac n Cheese EVER on her Food Network show. So I already had that in my head when I saw it on the menu. Not great. Sunny’s looked better. Oh well, the little Spicy Pumpkin Mini Muffins were good. I shoved them in my mouth and dinner was over.
Tomorrow looks to be more of the same. I can’t run because I am chaperoning a field trip for my daughter. Eli’s Cheesecake Factory! Part of the final lesson on Economics and the Business Fair. A tour of a real, successful business! And we get lunch and cheesecake…so what am I to do? I have to go and participate. Haha.
Actually, we’ve known about this for awhile and I am glad I get to go. I was worried that with my unknown school schedule I would have to miss it, but luckily that madness starts NEXT week!! I am bursting for real!!
So back to now, it’s 10 pm. I’ll just Run Wild on Saturday–no big deal–I’ve been running enough that 3 miles is hardly a sweat-breaker. I seriously never thought I would be able to say that in my whole life. To just be fit enough to run at will. That’s a good thing because the Warrior Dash is after that, and I do have to train a teensy bit more…so more extra buffness is in my future.
I’ve given my fingers a pre-typing warm up tonight with a few games of Bejeweled. The Gem Game. I love it. I used to love it until 3 in the morning. It’s actually what I used to do all night before I started doing this.
My BF reconfigured the code on the game so that he could get 1.3 million points in Action Mode by increasing the points you get with each gem line you make. Then he changed it back and I have been struggling ever since to beat him fair and square using my advanced gemming skills. And I did it tonight! One million six hundred thousand, plus, points! HA! No cheating! Just an eye for the colors and fast reflexes. It’s good to be the Queen.I should go put those fast fingers to use somewhere else…
Maybe later. I have things to throw on the internet. Cool Words, Quotes, Picture Dictionary, another Story from my son! An action one!
But first, a playlist. I’ve had it for a bit now. I created it for my daughter and her friends. Ten years old and just learning how to navigate the phone-call-answering-machine-voice-mail-conference-call thing.
Two of Stevie’s friends called here, together, using 3-way calling, when we weren’t home, and proceeded to leave six, (6), yes, six, long-ass messages on our answering machine. Apparently calling six times in a row is the way to get someone to pick up the phone even if they’re not there. It wouldn’t have been so bad if they just hung up, but they had conversations with each other while still hooked to our phone.
I’m actually surprised the answer machine tape, recorded all of the calls. It was like 20 minutes of talking. Her two friends talked about going to the library and where they were each at, with the occasional shout out to Stevie like, “Hey girl, are you there? Pick up the phone!” Then right back to their conversation. At one point, the first girl asked the second girl how long it had been since she actually CALLED Stevie on this number. And when the second girl said a few months, the first girl was like, “OH Dang–this might not even be her number!!” But do they hang up? No! They go on to tell us what numbers they are calling from and how they can be reached for the rest of the night.
It basically ended with the first girl telling the second girl, and I quote: “Khatana, you ain’t fly.” Then crazy, crazy laughter and finally, “Stevie call me.”
CLICK.
Thank God.
So, long story short, for all Stevie’s home girls that think they are cute, this is for you:
Khatana, You Ain’t Fly!
Running Wild & Crazy (Possibly in the Jungle)
1. Welcome To The Jungle / Guns N’ Roses
2. Crazy Train / Ozzy Osbourne
3. Crazy Bitch / Buckcherry (NC-17)
4. Crazy / Aerosmith
5. Crazy / Gnarls Barkley
6. Crazy In Love / Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z
7. Crazy / Patsy Cline
8. She Drives Me Crazy / Fine Young Cannibals
9. You’re Crazy / Guns N’ Roses
10. Crazy Little Thing Called Love / Dwight Yoakam
11. Crazy For You / Madonna
12. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend / Miranda Lambert
13. Crazy / Pat Benatar
14. Let’s Go Crazy / Prince
15. Crazy / Seal
16. Crazy / Simple Plan
17. I’ve Always Been Crazy / Stargunn
18. Crazy On You / Heart
19. Jungleland / Bruce Springsteen
20. Real Wild Child (Wild One) / Iggy Pop
21. Deuces Are Wild / Aerosmith
22. Wild Horses (Live) / Alicia Keys & Adam Levine
23. Wild World / Cat Stevens
24. Wild Night / Martha Reeves
25. Wild Heart / Stevie Nicks
26. Wildfire / Michael Murphey
27. All The Wild Horses / Ray LaMontagne
28. Wild Thing / Tone-Loc
29. Wild Horses / The Rolling Stones
30. Youth Gone Wild / Skid Row
31. Wild Wild Life / Talking Heads
32. The Girl’s Gone Wild / Travis Tritt
33. Wild Night / John Mellencamp
34. Born To Be Wild / Steppenwolf (but I have The Mooney Suzuki version)
35. Wild Thing / The Troggs
36. Jungle Love / Steve Miller Band
Oh and did I mention my awesome playlists?
I forgot to pat myself on the back for the awesome playlist that I was listening to while running today.
It’s one thing to make them up and imagine what they sound like in theory, but when you actually listen to them AND they help keep you motivated, I can’t help but want to pass that along.
Check these out for a little extra boost in the caboose when you are dragging out on the track of life….
Combine them for the longest, most effective play. I only split them because I thought it was too much for one post.
This is the list I used today. I was very impressed with me. Such modesty. Anyway, I try to put the lists in a good order; probably a little too much effort if you know what I mean; but feel free to mix them up. I listened to them on shuffle and it was still great.
If you totally think I’m full of it… please feel free to keep that to yourself! Thanks! Hardy har har…
Next Up…RUN WILD!
It’s a 5K at Brookfield Zoo, in Chicago. Only two weeks left not to embarrass myself. The run is awesome! We get to be in the Zoo before it opens and then run the race on the Zoo grounds and then hang out at the Zoo all day if we want! It is going to be so much fun! I won’t win or anything, I just participate as fast as I can.
So I went out running around my favorite outdoor track in the forest preserve. I swear those trails are the best thing the Park Districts/Counties have ever done. I love them. This particular one is perfect for me because it’s 3.6 miles so it covers me for everything. If I can make it around there I can make it….well, you know. After that is the Warrior Dash! 6K Plus. I’m just training to run—I’ll probably just wing it for the rest of it. How do you really train for crawling over cars, or thru the mud? I guess next time I’m at the Forest Preserve I could run through the little swampy areas and then start jumping over everybody’s cars parked in the lot…I’m sure I’d be VERY popular after that. “Hey! I’m training for the Warrior Dash!!” is what I’ll be shouting from the back of the police car. People just don’t understand!
It’s beautiful today. 72 and sunny in the burbs and I just couldn’t sit in the house at the computer, or on a treadmill at the gym. But I’m back now and posting up for the race and then some new scanned in things for another fun post!
We are still following Extreme Fat Smash but we keep getting derailed in the middle of the week. You would think it would be easy to eat pretty much nothing and move on with your life, but less food means more planning. But I’m not knocking it. I think it works really well. I am the same weight as I was last week, and I’ll admit that I cheated on the food and did not exercise to the book. Luckily, if you live pretty well, normally, you can deviate to the dark side somewhat and not throw the whole cart off the path. Another mini philosophy break.
Here’s a mini tip on yogurt eating:
I like to mix in granola, which technically is not on the list but if you work out extra hard and buy a good product with good ingredients, I think its worth the extra calories. Plus it really makes you feel like you are getting a good meal.
Anyway, I like to let it sit a bit to get the granola to a softer consistency, like cookie dough, but with bite. Today though, after I put the yogurt and granola together I got distracted with a phone call and the kids and it sat extra long. IT WAS EVEN BETTER! I mean, like really good. It was almost the texture of oatmeal with lumps. Tasty, delicious, granola lumps. Still firm enough to chew, but with none of the hard edges. Try it and see what you think. If it sounds gross, just try it anyway, you might be surprised!
And I also ate a hard boiled egg. I just love those too.
It’s supposed to be a good week so here’s to 4 more days of running the trails and eating smart. Hopefully I’ll go into this race at my lightest weight since before I had my children. A girl can dream.
Back on the Fat Wagon
And it feels so good…
No, not really. Well, not that bad. Extreme Fat Smash is an awesome plan. Dr. Ian K. Smith is pretty straightforward and the plan is easy to insert into your life. Food planning and exercise. If you don’t exercise already it might be difficult to start but once you do the payoff is tremendous! I’ve talked about it for awhile; Got thru the first 2 weeks but was sidelined by events and fast food. But now is a good time, no distractions until June or so….party wise anyway. Get the book from the library first, then check it out on Amazon where you can buy it for 3 bucks. Worth the money. Give it a go and let me know.
It’s raining here now, but it was nice earlier.
6 am: Stevie and I did an hour of Jillian Michaels (Biggest Loser Trainer) workout—for beginners—but it’s also good for those who can do a little more. You can modify it with weights and more advanced exercise positions. I’m aiming for her arms by July. Then in the spirit of more healthy lifestyle choices, I went out to the forest preserve and ran an easy 4.6 miles. Took less than hour in some pretty high winds. I love how when you get out into the open field areas you can barely move forward. More calories burned! And a double workout! Technically, tomorrow is double day, but what the heck…I was going to do it tomorrow too anyway.
I’m finishing up my coffee right now and trying not to think about all those snack chips we have left over from the business fair. Delicious Frito-Lay Chili Cheese Corn Chips. MMmmm. So tasty. You could say I am a little hungry…but I’m sure the brown rice and beans for dinner will be quite filling. Then I’ll just go to bed.
No. I can tough it out. It’s just food. I went out and bought batteries for the scale and then I crazily weighed myself today. It’s not good. The numbers are wrong or something. I think the scale needs like, a two week waiting period before it weighs correctly again after you put in fresh batteries. I’m pretty sure that’s what it said on the box.
I used my Warrior playlist. Part 1 Part 2 It’s still so good; Even if I have to say so myself. You can find it under Music Lists. Or use my handy calendar widget. It really is a cool little feature. (Click on April 6, 2009 ) But I need a new one for today. Thinking about the last few days and the thoughts I’ve committed to internet.., I’ve already done hungry and sunny and fighting and rainy. I was kind of thinking sad or death. I know that isn’t inspiring so much, but it was on my list of ideas and now seems like as good a time as any. Surprisingly, the songs themselves are not all that literally “depressing”. Sadness and death are two very different subjects.
No fanfare here. List Title: “Death Comes Down“
Sunday Night and I have been slacking off…
No cool words. No quotes. No poetry. No movies. No exercise. No healthy foods. Not even any money! Not even ONE stinking penny!
Although if you count yogurt mixed with granola as healthy then I did do that. I like to let it get kind of mushy and then eat it. It gets a strange doughy texture that I find quite appetizing with the cool, sweet yogurt taste…but whatever.
Everyone is asleep and I want to just re-cap the weekend and put up some words.
Saturday: Final week of bowling for the kids! Yeah! They got 4th place for team rank. Not bad for only having 3 bowlers out of five that actually show up, and only playing half the season! I forgot to take the pics of the trophies but I’ll do that tomorrow. They got free pizza and soda and played cosmic bowling for 1½ hours. What more could you want in a league??
After that we drove straight to their very best friends in the world where they were spending the night. Daycare buds from back in the day. Primary school. A brother-sister-sister combo. Picked mine up Sunday afternoon. We see them every few months. Switch off houses to spend the night. Every time they separate at the end of the weekend, it’s like a break-up.
For the adults left behind: myself and the boyfriend, this is what we did:
He went to play racquetball and eat sushi with his friends. I took the kids to bowling and their friends house.
He came home and put floor trim/ base board up around my kitchen! I watched! Finally. 10 years living in this house with the memory of trim…and it took like, 2 hours, tops. It looks so good. Tomorrow I’ll throw some paint on the angle cuts and kitchen complete! You know, for now. Still needs a counter top that fits correctly and new windows and new paint…but one decade at a time people!
Then we went out and got food.
Back home again and watched a movie.
Netflix is nice to have but those red envelopes are like small pieces of movie pressure. You want to get the most for your money–the most movie turnover per month, but you feel obligated to actually watch one to return one. And sometimes there just isn’t time. But that red envelope sits there, accusing, making you feel like you aren’t using your free time wisely enough. We tried to add movies to our list that we have missed over the past 30 years. Or even last year. Like good movies, not just comedy fluff or mindless entertainment. Serious movies. Drama.
But that means when they come in the mail you HAVE to watch them.
So, break out the alcohol. Vodka with Mike’s Pomegranate. Last one though, so I have to plan ahead. I take Stevie’s leftover Strawberry Fruitista Freeze (from Taco Bell) and some of her leftover popsicles from the business fair, out of the freezer. If I am going to add them to vodka they are going to have to melt a little. The strawberry is fine, but which pops to use? I settle on 2 pinks, a purple and a blue. That flavor combo shouldn’t be too gross. But what does that say about me? Problem, anyone?; that I would melt down a slush drink and popsicles because I don’t have anything else to mix with? Drinking straight vodka is just tacky.
Anyway. The movie is No Country For Old Men. Now I know people are going to disagree with me, but I thought the ending was sucky. Unfinished business. It was like Raising Arizona. Except Raising Arizona was good. That dreamy-dream-telling ending felt like the best solution in a discussion on how to end the movie because no one could figure out how to actually end the movie. I checked too. Both movies: Coen Brothers.
Now I’m sure I missed some symbolism or bigger message about life and all that, but still…the movie was intense and well done. I was holding my breath alot. I like the way everyone talked so easy, southern and country. Tommy Lee Jones is always good. Scary concept being chased by someone who will never stop and who will kill anybody in his path and your loved ones just to make a point. But the end. After Woody showed up I was getting a little nervous. Everybody dead in the end–presumably–except Javier and Tommy. Maybe. One walks off, one retires. Is it just a slice of a certain kind of life and that’s all it is? Smarter folks than me can argue that. Maybe I should get the book.
Next up: Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. Not sure when…soon. Got to get it back so we can get something lighthearted like Bolt!
After movie time, it was back to TV. Charlie Harper and family. Season 3. Got my vodka mixed with Fruitista and pink popsicle juice (not as disgusting as you would think) and it’s time to play: We drink when Charlie drinks! (See post last weekend–April 19) I am going to be so sad when we are all caught up on this series.
Watched a few episodes. Finished my vodpop. Found a Diet Coke in the back corner, bottom shelf of the fridge. Holy Harper! Back in Bizness. Luckily the boyfriend can drink straight rum so I don’t have to share. Pro. I like vodka though so…Poured it up with the Coke. Watched more. Drank more. Fell off the couch and into bed. An hour later I was asleep. I think I am in love with Charlie Harper. (I am also simultaneously in love with Denis Leary, but that’s a whole other series.)
Sunday: Boyfriend goes to play racquetball. I stay home and drink coffee. Shower. De-hair-ify. Need to stay smooth for the summer. 80+ on Saturday. 70+ today. Need to break out the short pants. Need to stay stubble free.
Boyfriend comes back home. We discuss my hair removal techniques up close and personal, then pack it in and go get the kids.
To distract from the extraction, we are taking them to the pet store to buy some feeder fish. That’s goldfish of varying sizes that you purchase with the express intent to feed them to other bigger fish. 24 smalls were purchased and let loose in a tank with 4 Oscars (had 2 tigers/ bought 2 albinos today to replace the deceased ones from a few weeks back). Time of release was approx. 5 pm.
Kids showered, got re-dressed, took them to Applebees, and came home. Goldfish left in tank upon arrival at 9:30 pm: exactly…one. By morning, probably none. Those Oscar bellies are fat. Just like my kids bellies. They ate everything. stuffed to the grill, so they say. This was our last night of out eating. Back to the strict program in the morning. Modified for them, Hell for us. I am going to be SO hungry. And I have to run too. Exercise anyway—something. I forgot I have a 5K in May. Then the Warrior Dash. And possibly the Half-Marathon. Possibly. I’m going to see if I can run every day for distance and decide later in the month. 13 minute pace MUST be maintained or you have to get off the track. Picked up by the truck that picks up the ones who can’t keep up. I don’t want it to be me. 13 minute miles sounds easy until you have to keep running them over and over again. And I am NOT a professional athlete. I just do it for fun and to fit in the cup. (See post on April 10/Good Morning Weekenders, for explanation).
So that’s it for tonight. Boyfriend just strolled thru to get some water and maybe I better go to sleep myself. I’ll have words and quotes and playlists galore in a few short hours. Back on track at 5am.
Sleep sweet.
just shy of pretty 