Wow, November came and went and I realize now that I only posted once that whole month. Being short on words is so uncharacteristic, I have no idea what excuse to make. A quick run-down includes that Jojo's cheer team made it to the regional finals, but then came in third which meant no trip to Disney this year. Bo has started winter lacrosse, which consists of intense, specialized practices in small groups followed by high-energy indoor scrimmages. It's a no-game league, but he enjoys it. Lilo and Koko's karate schedule has smoothed out considerably now that the tournaments are over. They did very well, and still get a kick out of it all (couldn't resist!), thank goodness!
So, I enumerate all of those turns of events and realize where my time has gone. The good news is that I did start back with deep water aerobics (DWA) now that I have some time for self-improvement for the next couple of months. It's just as hysterical as when I started all those moons ago. This time, however, I know that I'll catch up in a couple weeks. No fear of drowning -- but I'm still prone to water-logged giggles.
Because I have a severe discomfort with malls, I tend to do my Christmas shopping all year long when I see items on sale that I know the kids or Chuck will enjoy. There are good things about this plan and bad things. For example, I'm usually finished by the first week in December, which is a good thing. On the other hand, I tend to forget some of my hiding places, so there are gifts lurking on dark places in my house that are yet to be discovered. Those, once found, will turn into birthday gifts...either for my kids, my nephews/niece, or kid-pals who are still having birthday parties. There have only been two times that I "found" a lost toy and couldn't come up with a recipient, and those went into the Toys for Tots barrel at the local library!
Bo is getting older, which means that his requests are getting more expensive. I have warned him that this will lead to a smaller pile than his sisters will get from Santa. So far, he says that there will be no problem, he's a reformed "gift counter." We'll see. I'll put it this way...where I usually wrap the annual undies/socks gift all together in one big box, this year I plan to split them up into two smaller boxes to increase the numbers in Bo's corner of the room. :)
Monday, December 5, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
A misty mountain hop...
It's Wednesday and I'm just starting to come down from the good, good high of last weekend. Slight work-related drama aside, I finally had the chance to get together with a couple of girlfriends and let my hair down. All of this accompanied by a spectacular soundtrack from my new favorite cover band, Get the Led Out!
In my usual fashion, I got an attack of nerves on Saturday morning and almost cancelled out on my "Girls Getaway with GTLO" plans. Luckily, I texted my doubts to my pal CeeCee who immediately put my mind at ease with kind words to the effect of : "Newflash, Bozo! We're all the same age and...we're the right age to really appreciate a Led Zepplin cover band, so get your ass up here!"
At this point, you guys know me -- I was embarrassed by my appearance, and that's what was holding me back from making a dash toward the Poconos. The days when I was young, thin and pretty are starting to be a WAY TOO DISTANT memory. Couple that with the fact that both of my friends, whom I have know since high school, by the way, look fabulous! and I always find myself looking for the nearest corner in which to hide. I'm so glad that CeeCee loves me enough to see give me a good kick to the posterior!
When I finally got to her mountain house (yeah, I got lost), CeeCee and Q had beverages and hot beef sandwiches at the ready. Yum! The giggling started immediately and did not let up all night. We had front row seats for the show (can't begin to explain just how AWESOME it was!) and stayed for the Meet and Greet because Q knew a few members of the band. I did have a momentary scare when I realized that I am acquaited with the bass player, who used to be in a band with a guy I dated back in my days of youth, thinness and beauty. But the folks in this band were so sweet that I put aside those butterflies and reminded Bill that we had met before. Guess what? He didn't burst into guffaws and begin rolling on the floor, he smiled and seemed to recognize me despite the added padding.
All in all, it was just the misty mountain hop that I needed.
In my usual fashion, I got an attack of nerves on Saturday morning and almost cancelled out on my "Girls Getaway with GTLO" plans. Luckily, I texted my doubts to my pal CeeCee who immediately put my mind at ease with kind words to the effect of : "Newflash, Bozo! We're all the same age and...we're the right age to really appreciate a Led Zepplin cover band, so get your ass up here!"
At this point, you guys know me -- I was embarrassed by my appearance, and that's what was holding me back from making a dash toward the Poconos. The days when I was young, thin and pretty are starting to be a WAY TOO DISTANT memory. Couple that with the fact that both of my friends, whom I have know since high school, by the way, look fabulous! and I always find myself looking for the nearest corner in which to hide. I'm so glad that CeeCee loves me enough to see give me a good kick to the posterior!
When I finally got to her mountain house (yeah, I got lost), CeeCee and Q had beverages and hot beef sandwiches at the ready. Yum! The giggling started immediately and did not let up all night. We had front row seats for the show (can't begin to explain just how AWESOME it was!) and stayed for the Meet and Greet because Q knew a few members of the band. I did have a momentary scare when I realized that I am acquaited with the bass player, who used to be in a band with a guy I dated back in my days of youth, thinness and beauty. But the folks in this band were so sweet that I put aside those butterflies and reminded Bill that we had met before. Guess what? He didn't burst into guffaws and begin rolling on the floor, he smiled and seemed to recognize me despite the added padding.
All in all, it was just the misty mountain hop that I needed.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
When there's nobody home...
I have avoided posting to this blog because my mood has been very sour lately. This is your fair warning that tonight's edition is not going to be a light-hearted romp through the day-to-day life of Mama Jumbo.
Let me begin with my complete disgust with all things political. That's not to say that I don't appreciate the form of government that was put in place by our Founding Fathers, because I absolutely do! In fact, I would love if some of our present leaders would go back and do their homework about what they're supposed to be doing in Washington D.C. and, more importantly, what they're NOT supposed to be doing.
Quite frankly, Congress and the Obama Administration seem in desperate need of an enema because they are all full of crap. There is absolutely no provision for a SUPER COMMITTEE charged with finding money fixes for the economy while the House of Reps panders to their Right-wing interest groups, the Senate bows at the alter of their Liberal interest groups and the President campaigns and fundraises for his re-election for the last 18 months of his present term. Instead of actually doing the job that these folks are elected to do -- for the entire 2, 4 or 6 years -- at the half-way point, the focus turns toward keeping those jobs and away from any actual duties of the position. If the provisions of the Constitution are so loosely followed that we can have a Super Committee of numbers crunchers put in charge and locked away in a smokey room, maybe the practice can also be put in place where members of Congress will have to take a year off between terms when they can focus solely on getting elected rather than prefunctorily on legislating. Similarly, most recently, the President (who is rarely in Washington, D.C. anymore) made a fundraising sweep through California, topped off by a late-night talkshow appearance. Mr. President, unemployment is over 9%, people are losing their homes and their hope and faith in the change you promised -- get off Leno's couch and get behind your desk in the Oval Office!
In the words of two great Americans, please let's go back to the days when this was the shining city on a hill where we asked not what our country could do for us, but rather, what we could do for our country!
Let me begin with my complete disgust with all things political. That's not to say that I don't appreciate the form of government that was put in place by our Founding Fathers, because I absolutely do! In fact, I would love if some of our present leaders would go back and do their homework about what they're supposed to be doing in Washington D.C. and, more importantly, what they're NOT supposed to be doing.
Quite frankly, Congress and the Obama Administration seem in desperate need of an enema because they are all full of crap. There is absolutely no provision for a SUPER COMMITTEE charged with finding money fixes for the economy while the House of Reps panders to their Right-wing interest groups, the Senate bows at the alter of their Liberal interest groups and the President campaigns and fundraises for his re-election for the last 18 months of his present term. Instead of actually doing the job that these folks are elected to do -- for the entire 2, 4 or 6 years -- at the half-way point, the focus turns toward keeping those jobs and away from any actual duties of the position. If the provisions of the Constitution are so loosely followed that we can have a Super Committee of numbers crunchers put in charge and locked away in a smokey room, maybe the practice can also be put in place where members of Congress will have to take a year off between terms when they can focus solely on getting elected rather than prefunctorily on legislating. Similarly, most recently, the President (who is rarely in Washington, D.C. anymore) made a fundraising sweep through California, topped off by a late-night talkshow appearance. Mr. President, unemployment is over 9%, people are losing their homes and their hope and faith in the change you promised -- get off Leno's couch and get behind your desk in the Oval Office!
In the words of two great Americans, please let's go back to the days when this was the shining city on a hill where we asked not what our country could do for us, but rather, what we could do for our country!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Strangers among us.
Here's our weekend:
Lastnight, I had a union function to attend. Jojo was invited for a slumber party and Bo was having some friends over to break in the new basement "man cave." Chuck was in charge of the homefront while I was pressing the flesh and hearing the union's take on all things political. When I got on the road, I called to say that I was coming home. I meant to ask if anyone wanted me to pick up sandwiches or anything, but before I could get the words out, Chuck hung up on me. Strange, but okay, I guess. By the time I got home, the little girls were asleep and the males in the house were playing poker in the "man cave." Poker is a favorite activity of my husband, but I have never seen him play with teenagers. Uh...strange, but okay, I guess.
Today, I was scheduled to sell "spirit wear" at the field before Jojo's game. I got to the field on time, but couldn't find a spirit wear table. I wandered around for a few minutes, before I ran into anyone who looked like they may know what was going on. We found the spirit wear, and wheeled the rolling racks out for sale. The other mom who was scheduled to help, got the money box and helped with the first couple of sales. But then she started talking to another cheer mom from a different squad, and the talk became intense. The other mom was really agitated and they moved aside, I guess, to get some privacy. I tried to respect their privacy and moved to the other side of the rolling racks and started to straighten the shirts, visors, car magnets, etc. Apparently, three was still a crowd, and they moved even further away. At first, I felt bad for the mom who was having apparent issues, and for the mom who was getting an earfull! But then, she never came back to the spirt wear sale.
Off in the distance, I could see the spirt wear mom was sitting at a picnic table eating something and laughing with some other folks. About 45 minutes later, she came by to tell me that I could put everything away and turn the money box in at the snack shack because there "...wasn't enough left to sell to anyone else." Huh? I had two rolling racks full of shirts, visors, car magnets, etc. What kind of rush was she expecting? And, frankly, how would she know what we had left since she had spent the vast majority of the spirit wear sale time privately talking, eating and laughing. Strange, but okay, I guess.
Tonight, we had the kids covered, and Chuck and I had a dinner date. We did this a couple months ago, and found that we really benefitted from taking some time to get reaquainted as a couple, rather than as simply partners in this gig called parenting. We decided on a local Italian restaurant and headed out.
When the waiter came over, he and Chuck struck up an instant rapport. It was kind of funny...at first. The waiter told Chuck about the dinner specials, made recommendations to Chuck, took Chuck's order first and asked Chuck how everything was after we had taken a couple of bites. When we were finished, the waiter asked Chuck if he had room for dessert, took Chuck to the pastry case in the front of the restaurant, made recommendations to Chuck, brought Chuck his dessert and espresso. I guess it was a good thing that I was chewing when he asked how everything was, and didn't save room for dessert. When I asked Chuck if he thought the waiter was acting weird, he was completely perplexed by my question. Now, I'm positive that this was strange...and not okay with me.
Consequently, Chuck headed to the "man cave" when we got home, and I took the opportunity to catch up on some reading. Eventually, he came up and said he was going to bed early. Also strange, and not okay.
Tomorrow, Chuck is driving to Baltimore for the little girls' karate tournament. It's an all-day event. I'm staying on the homefront to attend Family Fun Day with Jojo and Bo at the football field. Sigh!
Lastnight, I had a union function to attend. Jojo was invited for a slumber party and Bo was having some friends over to break in the new basement "man cave." Chuck was in charge of the homefront while I was pressing the flesh and hearing the union's take on all things political. When I got on the road, I called to say that I was coming home. I meant to ask if anyone wanted me to pick up sandwiches or anything, but before I could get the words out, Chuck hung up on me. Strange, but okay, I guess. By the time I got home, the little girls were asleep and the males in the house were playing poker in the "man cave." Poker is a favorite activity of my husband, but I have never seen him play with teenagers. Uh...strange, but okay, I guess.
Today, I was scheduled to sell "spirit wear" at the field before Jojo's game. I got to the field on time, but couldn't find a spirit wear table. I wandered around for a few minutes, before I ran into anyone who looked like they may know what was going on. We found the spirit wear, and wheeled the rolling racks out for sale. The other mom who was scheduled to help, got the money box and helped with the first couple of sales. But then she started talking to another cheer mom from a different squad, and the talk became intense. The other mom was really agitated and they moved aside, I guess, to get some privacy. I tried to respect their privacy and moved to the other side of the rolling racks and started to straighten the shirts, visors, car magnets, etc. Apparently, three was still a crowd, and they moved even further away. At first, I felt bad for the mom who was having apparent issues, and for the mom who was getting an earfull! But then, she never came back to the spirt wear sale.
Off in the distance, I could see the spirt wear mom was sitting at a picnic table eating something and laughing with some other folks. About 45 minutes later, she came by to tell me that I could put everything away and turn the money box in at the snack shack because there "...wasn't enough left to sell to anyone else." Huh? I had two rolling racks full of shirts, visors, car magnets, etc. What kind of rush was she expecting? And, frankly, how would she know what we had left since she had spent the vast majority of the spirit wear sale time privately talking, eating and laughing. Strange, but okay, I guess.
Tonight, we had the kids covered, and Chuck and I had a dinner date. We did this a couple months ago, and found that we really benefitted from taking some time to get reaquainted as a couple, rather than as simply partners in this gig called parenting. We decided on a local Italian restaurant and headed out.
When the waiter came over, he and Chuck struck up an instant rapport. It was kind of funny...at first. The waiter told Chuck about the dinner specials, made recommendations to Chuck, took Chuck's order first and asked Chuck how everything was after we had taken a couple of bites. When we were finished, the waiter asked Chuck if he had room for dessert, took Chuck to the pastry case in the front of the restaurant, made recommendations to Chuck, brought Chuck his dessert and espresso. I guess it was a good thing that I was chewing when he asked how everything was, and didn't save room for dessert. When I asked Chuck if he thought the waiter was acting weird, he was completely perplexed by my question. Now, I'm positive that this was strange...and not okay with me.
Consequently, Chuck headed to the "man cave" when we got home, and I took the opportunity to catch up on some reading. Eventually, he came up and said he was going to bed early. Also strange, and not okay.
Tomorrow, Chuck is driving to Baltimore for the little girls' karate tournament. It's an all-day event. I'm staying on the homefront to attend Family Fun Day with Jojo and Bo at the football field. Sigh!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Uh...thanks!
Now that SE Pennsylvania has become a sub-tropical rain forrest, my hair has been UNBELIEVABLE! We are talking, full on pyramid-shaped afro. Now, I freely admit that I am extremely deficient in hair styling ability. So, when I have to use multiple products to be able to fit through the bathroom doorway without having to duck or turn sidways, it's definitely time for a change.
So, I decided that tonight was the night. Jojo had yet another (!) cheerleading practice (pause), which meant that I had two hours to kill. I looked online to find the closest Hair Cuttery (no appointment required) and set out. When I walked in, I had no idea what I wanted other than a change. So, figuring that I would have time to browse magazines, I was feeling pretty confident. Within five minutes, they call my name. Uh...okay, here we go. The stylist brings me back to her chair and asks what I'm looking to do.
"Uh...I'm not sure...how about that!" I said, pointing at one of the wall posters of a beautiful young blond woman with a cute, funky short hairstyle.
"Great, come on back and we'll get you shampooed!" Her confidence was comforting and I felt great with my decision.
When it was all said and done, the cut looked great. Even the stylist said, "You're walking out of here a whole new person!" Uh...okay...really? On the way to the car, I regain the bounce in my step, however. I can't wait to surprise Jojo with my new look!
After parking back at the gym, I head toward the back area where the girls are practicing. One of the Cheer Moms who is standing outside on her cellphone does an obvious double-take and shouts across the parking lot, "Oh my God! You look great!" I, literally, looked behind me to see who she was talking about. I think we have exchanged all of 20 words since the beginning cheer on August 1. Nope, nobody is behind me. How sweet! I smiled and waved my thanks. Then I walked into the gym. Literally every Cheer Parent who was there gave me a compliment about my haircut. One woman even winked and gave a thumbs up. To tell the truth, I began to feel self-conscious and embarrassed that I must have looked like a complete mess for the entirety of the preceding 6 weeks.
Then my daughter came over, during a water break and said "What did you do to your hair?!" with a dubious expression on her little face. Ah, that's my girl! A much-needed, cold-water in the face, shot of reality from Jojo -- and down to Earth I came. Twenty minutes in that rarified air was about all I could take anyway. Thanks, baby!
So, I decided that tonight was the night. Jojo had yet another (!) cheerleading practice (pause), which meant that I had two hours to kill. I looked online to find the closest Hair Cuttery (no appointment required) and set out. When I walked in, I had no idea what I wanted other than a change. So, figuring that I would have time to browse magazines, I was feeling pretty confident. Within five minutes, they call my name. Uh...okay, here we go. The stylist brings me back to her chair and asks what I'm looking to do.
"Uh...I'm not sure...how about that!" I said, pointing at one of the wall posters of a beautiful young blond woman with a cute, funky short hairstyle.
"Great, come on back and we'll get you shampooed!" Her confidence was comforting and I felt great with my decision.
When it was all said and done, the cut looked great. Even the stylist said, "You're walking out of here a whole new person!" Uh...okay...really? On the way to the car, I regain the bounce in my step, however. I can't wait to surprise Jojo with my new look!
After parking back at the gym, I head toward the back area where the girls are practicing. One of the Cheer Moms who is standing outside on her cellphone does an obvious double-take and shouts across the parking lot, "Oh my God! You look great!" I, literally, looked behind me to see who she was talking about. I think we have exchanged all of 20 words since the beginning cheer on August 1. Nope, nobody is behind me. How sweet! I smiled and waved my thanks. Then I walked into the gym. Literally every Cheer Parent who was there gave me a compliment about my haircut. One woman even winked and gave a thumbs up. To tell the truth, I began to feel self-conscious and embarrassed that I must have looked like a complete mess for the entirety of the preceding 6 weeks.
Then my daughter came over, during a water break and said "What did you do to your hair?!" with a dubious expression on her little face. Ah, that's my girl! A much-needed, cold-water in the face, shot of reality from Jojo -- and down to Earth I came. Twenty minutes in that rarified air was about all I could take anyway. Thanks, baby!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Hung over from too much whine!
I have tried and tried to excuse away the selfishness of humanity for the vast majority of my adult life. Unfortunately, at this point I cannot escape the one question that has been burning in the back of my mind for all of that time: Why do some folks seem so incapable of getting out of their own skulls long enough to realize that they actually live on a planet with other people? Since I don't want to bore anyone to death -- although I know many, many people who wouldn't mind boring me to death with the totality of what is one their mind (usually themselves!) at any given time -- I will stick with this week for my examples.
Monday: My darling boy, Bo, has lost the cellphone that he harangued me to get him for a year, and which I told him that he would have to wait until he's a teenager, and then bought for him for his 13th birthday a mere 6 months ago! I immediately go into Sherlock Holmes mode, trying to take Bo, kicking and screaming, step-by-step through the days between the last time he knows he had the phone and when he finally admitted to losing it. He doesn't want to go through this exercise and I am met with the patented teenaged eye rolls/sloutchy pouts/repeated heavy sighs routine. (At one point, I asked Bo if he was in need of an inhaler since he seemed to be having trouble breathing normally...which garnered another heavy sigh. I couldn't resist!) Finally, we get around to calling friends with whom he had spent time between last having his phone and Admission Monday. Are the friends helpful? Not immediately, but they "will look around" and let him know. Uh, cool, can you do that right now? Apparently, not.
Tuesday: I have been in intestinal distress every time I eat for three days. By Day 3 of the Great Potty Race, I'm living on water and icecubes because I a) can't tolerate anything else, b) am afraid of dehydrating, especially since I've also been sweating like a racehorse. (Vogue material, I am not!), and c) have resorted to buying and using A&D ointment, despite my ban on the stuff in my home once Koko was out of diapers. Is my loving husband concerned for my well-being? Well, you tell me. Before going upstairs to bed at 8:45, because he's exhausted!, he asks me to sleep on the couch because it's impossible for him to get any sleep when I am constantly getting out of bed all night. After my head exploded, I fell sideways onto the couch for the remainder of the night. I assume his sleep went undisturbed.
Wednesday: My father has been experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. He's not very old, in his late 60's, but there is a hideous family history of heart disease on the paternal side of my family. My poor dad has been dealing with this for months, had a cardiac catherization and stent placement a few months back with initial relief, but recently started having problems again and worse than ever. So, he had a nuclear stress test, which came back as okay, and the doctor ordered more tests. The "big day" was scheduled for Wednesday (yesterday). So, it's 8:15 PM and I'm not feeling well, exhausted from getting little, to no, sleep on the couch the night before, annoyed at my husband, and overwhelmed by the information I had just received at Back to School Night for multiple children. I place a call to cry on my mom's shoulder and my dad answers. Do I ask my dad how he is feeling or how the appointment went? No, I just ask for my mom in order to get my complaint-fest rolling.
So...am I immune to Inward Focus Syndrome? Apparently not.
Monday: My darling boy, Bo, has lost the cellphone that he harangued me to get him for a year, and which I told him that he would have to wait until he's a teenager, and then bought for him for his 13th birthday a mere 6 months ago! I immediately go into Sherlock Holmes mode, trying to take Bo, kicking and screaming, step-by-step through the days between the last time he knows he had the phone and when he finally admitted to losing it. He doesn't want to go through this exercise and I am met with the patented teenaged eye rolls/sloutchy pouts/repeated heavy sighs routine. (At one point, I asked Bo if he was in need of an inhaler since he seemed to be having trouble breathing normally...which garnered another heavy sigh. I couldn't resist!) Finally, we get around to calling friends with whom he had spent time between last having his phone and Admission Monday. Are the friends helpful? Not immediately, but they "will look around" and let him know. Uh, cool, can you do that right now? Apparently, not.
Tuesday: I have been in intestinal distress every time I eat for three days. By Day 3 of the Great Potty Race, I'm living on water and icecubes because I a) can't tolerate anything else, b) am afraid of dehydrating, especially since I've also been sweating like a racehorse. (Vogue material, I am not!), and c) have resorted to buying and using A&D ointment, despite my ban on the stuff in my home once Koko was out of diapers. Is my loving husband concerned for my well-being? Well, you tell me. Before going upstairs to bed at 8:45, because he's exhausted!, he asks me to sleep on the couch because it's impossible for him to get any sleep when I am constantly getting out of bed all night. After my head exploded, I fell sideways onto the couch for the remainder of the night. I assume his sleep went undisturbed.
Wednesday: My father has been experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. He's not very old, in his late 60's, but there is a hideous family history of heart disease on the paternal side of my family. My poor dad has been dealing with this for months, had a cardiac catherization and stent placement a few months back with initial relief, but recently started having problems again and worse than ever. So, he had a nuclear stress test, which came back as okay, and the doctor ordered more tests. The "big day" was scheduled for Wednesday (yesterday). So, it's 8:15 PM and I'm not feeling well, exhausted from getting little, to no, sleep on the couch the night before, annoyed at my husband, and overwhelmed by the information I had just received at Back to School Night for multiple children. I place a call to cry on my mom's shoulder and my dad answers. Do I ask my dad how he is feeling or how the appointment went? No, I just ask for my mom in order to get my complaint-fest rolling.
So...am I immune to Inward Focus Syndrome? Apparently not.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Just Trying to Get Healthy...
I know I said I was ready for some football, but cheerleading craziness is truly something to behold. In desperation, I'm trying to keep up with some sort of fitness routine, but it has been a real pain in the neck (in every respect since I have not been able to turn my head to the left for two days now!). Take last week, for example. Monday, there was no cheerleading and, while we debated taking Jojo to taekwon do (something we're trying to keep up with since it has self-protective qualities -- always a good thing for a petite flower to know), but decided to let her chill out for a night. This gave me a chance to go back to the Y! I was thrilled by the idea of getting back in with the DWA Old Guard and trying to get back in the swim (couldn't resist!) while not drowning. Ugh! The classes don't start until 9/12 and I have a commitment that I can't miss. Grrrrr.... So, it was to the treadmill (making a large arch away from the eliptical trainer that nearly took my life back in July) and marching out a few miles. Boring, but enough to work up a froth. I felt good enough about myself after this bit of "me time" that I re-committed to sticking with a fitness routine.
The rest of the week was CONSUMED by cheerleading. I'm not kidding! But I wasn't going to let it interfere with my new commitment to myself. On Tuesday night, the girls are now "training" for two hours at a cheerleading/gymnastics gym located about a 1/2 hour away from home. Since it was like a sauna in the waiting area, I could have sweat off a few inches, but I chose to spare those around me and headed out for a mall walk, since it was raining pretty hard and I wanted to do something to raise my puserate. I remember the Old Guard had recommened mall walking, so I decided to check it out. Well, the mall was pretty deserted on a Tueday evening, so the walking was okay but I don't think I was wearing the right shoes (are there mall walking shoes?) since I wound up with pains in my shins pretty early on. I returned to the gym for the final 45 mintes of practice. Needless to say, when Jojo walked out and saw me sitting there sweating like a fiend and then limping over to help her with her cheer bag, she was a little concerned and a lot embarrassed. "Mom, what's going on? Why are you sweaty and limping? Did you go running?"
It's okay, honey, I'm just trying to get healthy.
Wednesday was another 2 hr. practice in the gym at one of the elementary schools. There was no room for parents to hang out, but I spied a track behind the school and decided to make the most of it. Since it has been raining for about 38 days and 38 nights, I walked the track while imagining the animals walking 2-by-2 along with me. Actually, the light rain made the walking seem almost too easy, so I decided to start the "speedwalking" routine that I saw demonstrated on Veria (a cable station geared toward masochistic, perimenopausal women who are desperate enough to turn to supplements and silly fitness trends like speedwalking, also known as "doing the duck.") With my keister, the duck walk was pretty easy, until the shin pains started again (are there speedwalking shoes?). I must have been a real sight! Anyway, after about 45 minutes, I headed out to run some errands, feeling good enough about my efforts on the track that I must not have noticed the strange looks that I'm sure I was receiving. When I went back to pick Jojo up from practice, she, again, looked at me with distress and said "What happened? You look like a racoon with an afro! Were you crying? Why are you limping?"
It's okay, honey, I'm just trying to get healthy.
At this point, I believe I have ruined her for "healthy living" for the rest of her life!
The rest of the week was CONSUMED by cheerleading. I'm not kidding! But I wasn't going to let it interfere with my new commitment to myself. On Tuesday night, the girls are now "training" for two hours at a cheerleading/gymnastics gym located about a 1/2 hour away from home. Since it was like a sauna in the waiting area, I could have sweat off a few inches, but I chose to spare those around me and headed out for a mall walk, since it was raining pretty hard and I wanted to do something to raise my puserate. I remember the Old Guard had recommened mall walking, so I decided to check it out. Well, the mall was pretty deserted on a Tueday evening, so the walking was okay but I don't think I was wearing the right shoes (are there mall walking shoes?) since I wound up with pains in my shins pretty early on. I returned to the gym for the final 45 mintes of practice. Needless to say, when Jojo walked out and saw me sitting there sweating like a fiend and then limping over to help her with her cheer bag, she was a little concerned and a lot embarrassed. "Mom, what's going on? Why are you sweaty and limping? Did you go running?"
It's okay, honey, I'm just trying to get healthy.
Wednesday was another 2 hr. practice in the gym at one of the elementary schools. There was no room for parents to hang out, but I spied a track behind the school and decided to make the most of it. Since it has been raining for about 38 days and 38 nights, I walked the track while imagining the animals walking 2-by-2 along with me. Actually, the light rain made the walking seem almost too easy, so I decided to start the "speedwalking" routine that I saw demonstrated on Veria (a cable station geared toward masochistic, perimenopausal women who are desperate enough to turn to supplements and silly fitness trends like speedwalking, also known as "doing the duck.") With my keister, the duck walk was pretty easy, until the shin pains started again (are there speedwalking shoes?). I must have been a real sight! Anyway, after about 45 minutes, I headed out to run some errands, feeling good enough about my efforts on the track that I must not have noticed the strange looks that I'm sure I was receiving. When I went back to pick Jojo up from practice, she, again, looked at me with distress and said "What happened? You look like a racoon with an afro! Were you crying? Why are you limping?"
It's okay, honey, I'm just trying to get healthy.
At this point, I believe I have ruined her for "healthy living" for the rest of her life!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Are we ready for some football?
Well, Jojo's squad is in the thick of cheerleading season. I say "cheerleading season" this year because Bo has decided not to play football this year. I must admit that I miss seeing him all padded up and headed out on the field. I understand his reasons, i.e., he's on the small side for his age, has fallen in love with LAX and wants to play as much of that as he can to try to earn a spot on the varsity team this spring, etc., etc. But, where my head understands, my heart still feels a little out of sorts.
It's not that I don't enjoy watching Jojo cheer. She's a tiny little thing (frankly, she turned out to be everything I would have picked off the "Make a Girl Baby" menu!), so she is one of the flyers on the team. That means she's front and center, and often about 10 feet in the air! She's good at it and really does like the whole thing: sport, comraderie, attention and admiration. (chuckle) She's a ham and a half! They are getting ready for their first competition in a few weeks, and the sideline cheering has been fun.
Which brings me back to those dang sidelines. So...I've been trying to enjoy watching the sons of other moms and dads out on the grid iron. Naturally, when the girls go into one of their cheers, I join in, shaking my "air pom-poms" and adding my own "woo hoos!" (Probably, much to the horror of my daughter.) In fact, I ran into a work friend on the sidelines at the latest game and found out that his son plays for same team that has Jojo's cheer squad! And now that I know that I have my own surrogate-Bo to root for from the stands, and my darling little girl on the sidelines, I can say: "Yes, I'm ready for some football!
It's not that I don't enjoy watching Jojo cheer. She's a tiny little thing (frankly, she turned out to be everything I would have picked off the "Make a Girl Baby" menu!), so she is one of the flyers on the team. That means she's front and center, and often about 10 feet in the air! She's good at it and really does like the whole thing: sport, comraderie, attention and admiration. (chuckle) She's a ham and a half! They are getting ready for their first competition in a few weeks, and the sideline cheering has been fun.
Which brings me back to those dang sidelines. So...I've been trying to enjoy watching the sons of other moms and dads out on the grid iron. Naturally, when the girls go into one of their cheers, I join in, shaking my "air pom-poms" and adding my own "woo hoos!" (Probably, much to the horror of my daughter.) In fact, I ran into a work friend on the sidelines at the latest game and found out that his son plays for same team that has Jojo's cheer squad! And now that I know that I have my own surrogate-Bo to root for from the stands, and my darling little girl on the sidelines, I can say: "Yes, I'm ready for some football!
Friday, August 26, 2011
Toppling Over...
I'm not quite sure what is going on with the weather in southeastern Pennsylvania in August 2011, except to say that it's starting to get a little scary and a lot weird! Usually we're in the "dog days" and I'm completely miserable because it's incredibly hot and humid with NO RAIN RELIEF anywhere in sight. This year is just the opposite. Well, we've had a couple of hot and humid days when I could feel my hair curling up throughout the day to the point where I leave school looking much different than when I walked in. (I'll put it this way, I NEVER purposely sport an afro!) Quite a few of these spontaneously rearranging hair events, however, have been started by rain rather than mere humidity.
Today, however, after many days of rain, a small earthquake and, before an impending Category 2 hurricane strike, a tree in our yard decided to uproot itself and take out wires on it's way to the ground. I heard something strange (to say the least) and looked out to see the ass end of one of our big, old trees, surrounded by sparks. My cellphone had been flashing a red battery icon at me repeatedly, and we had no telephone or electricty, so I went outside, turned on the car, plugged in the phone charger and called the electric company and the phone company to report downed wires. Of course, since it was actually raining (again!) this morning, I wasn't worried about fire. But, sitting in the car, in the rain, with the windows up, and waiting for the repairmen to appear did spark on of those aforementioned spontaneously rearranging hair events.
The "wire guys" appeared fairly quickly, but it took a long time to resolve the issue. The "tree guys" also came by quickly, and their work took even longer. I felt bad for them, working out in the rain in what must have been pretty dangerous conditions. Unfortunately, hysteria was overwhelming me, and my hair was (as mentioned) crazy, so I'm pretty sure that they all were much more afraid of the conditions in my home than those outside. Everytime I tried to ask a question, I dissolved into the giggles and had to make my excuses and walk away.
So...it cleared up later in the day and I decided to take Jojo to her cheer practice and walk the trail. It's been a couple of days and I really needed to get some exercise and to walk off some tension. Everything was going well; it was cool and refreshing (for August) and I wasn't huffing and puffing along like the little, red Engine that Could. So, I'm feeling good...until I trip over a branch that fell across the path.
"Timber!"
Today, however, after many days of rain, a small earthquake and, before an impending Category 2 hurricane strike, a tree in our yard decided to uproot itself and take out wires on it's way to the ground. I heard something strange (to say the least) and looked out to see the ass end of one of our big, old trees, surrounded by sparks. My cellphone had been flashing a red battery icon at me repeatedly, and we had no telephone or electricty, so I went outside, turned on the car, plugged in the phone charger and called the electric company and the phone company to report downed wires. Of course, since it was actually raining (again!) this morning, I wasn't worried about fire. But, sitting in the car, in the rain, with the windows up, and waiting for the repairmen to appear did spark on of those aforementioned spontaneously rearranging hair events.
The "wire guys" appeared fairly quickly, but it took a long time to resolve the issue. The "tree guys" also came by quickly, and their work took even longer. I felt bad for them, working out in the rain in what must have been pretty dangerous conditions. Unfortunately, hysteria was overwhelming me, and my hair was (as mentioned) crazy, so I'm pretty sure that they all were much more afraid of the conditions in my home than those outside. Everytime I tried to ask a question, I dissolved into the giggles and had to make my excuses and walk away.
So...it cleared up later in the day and I decided to take Jojo to her cheer practice and walk the trail. It's been a couple of days and I really needed to get some exercise and to walk off some tension. Everything was going well; it was cool and refreshing (for August) and I wasn't huffing and puffing along like the little, red Engine that Could. So, I'm feeling good...until I trip over a branch that fell across the path.
"Timber!"
Friday, August 19, 2011
Dreams in the Bounce House
It's been the rainiest August that I can remember -- all on the weekends, it seems -- so today I decided to check out the new bounce house play facility with the kids. They each got to bring a friends, so I wasn't too worried about having an appendage dragging me into a bounce house made for people under 100 pounds. (I'm always afraid that I will get into one of those and it will split -- not because of me -- but it will look like it was because I'm so heavy that the bounce house popped!) It was a good tactic, that worked for the whole time we were there.
While the kids were jumping and running like maniacs, I had a lot of time to take some stock of my life this summer. Major bummer that it is, my relationship with my ex-husband has gone from "eh" to "blech!" between Memorial Day weekend and what is now almost Labor Day weekend. He's got problems; they're not new. (There are a lot of reasons that B and I got divorced and, unfortunately, none of them have resolved.) That being said, I have worked very hard to try to have a cordial relationship with Bo and Jojo's father, for their sake and, frankly, to make my own life easier. Unfortunately, he has been completely unreliable, to say the least, as far as his custodial weekends go. A few weeks ago, I determined that we needed to have our custody arrangements put in writing so there are no lingering questions, and I told him about it, which he disputed, but then acquiesced. My attorney filed a petition for a custody conference that, frankly, does read rather harshly, but this is what she told me has to happen in order to get a conference quickly. Remember: he knew it was coming, and the goal is to have our arrangements committed to writing and filed as an agreement in the court.
Well, he went...ballistic, to say the least. I was in the bounce house-a-rama being screamed at by my ex about how he is going to destroy me with witnesses and a dossier that he has amassed on all the ways that I'm a terrible mother, etc. ,etc. While this is happening, I'm hearing "Look here, Mommy!" "Watch this!" and smiling and waving at the two children that have kept me tied to this maniac. So, I tuned his verbal abuse out long enough to dream about how things might have been if a) he was a more reasonable person, or b) I was a more self-assured person who didn't feel that I needed to marry this person to avoid the ridicule of my family over a broken engagement, or c) I would have listened to the minister who pulled out of officiating our wedding because she told me that she could not be a party of a wedding that she knew would never work. He screamed himself raw and hung up on me long before I realized that the cell phone went dead. Then, I heard "Hey, Mom, check it out!" and my son did a half-gainer off an inflatable platform into a ball pit and stood up with a flourish "TA DA!" Reality: I would never have Bo or Jojo if I didn't first have B. And my life dream of being a mom would have not come true when I was 32 and 36...that's the fact. All the bullshit is worth making that dream come true.
While the kids were jumping and running like maniacs, I had a lot of time to take some stock of my life this summer. Major bummer that it is, my relationship with my ex-husband has gone from "eh" to "blech!" between Memorial Day weekend and what is now almost Labor Day weekend. He's got problems; they're not new. (There are a lot of reasons that B and I got divorced and, unfortunately, none of them have resolved.) That being said, I have worked very hard to try to have a cordial relationship with Bo and Jojo's father, for their sake and, frankly, to make my own life easier. Unfortunately, he has been completely unreliable, to say the least, as far as his custodial weekends go. A few weeks ago, I determined that we needed to have our custody arrangements put in writing so there are no lingering questions, and I told him about it, which he disputed, but then acquiesced. My attorney filed a petition for a custody conference that, frankly, does read rather harshly, but this is what she told me has to happen in order to get a conference quickly. Remember: he knew it was coming, and the goal is to have our arrangements committed to writing and filed as an agreement in the court.
Well, he went...ballistic, to say the least. I was in the bounce house-a-rama being screamed at by my ex about how he is going to destroy me with witnesses and a dossier that he has amassed on all the ways that I'm a terrible mother, etc. ,etc. While this is happening, I'm hearing "Look here, Mommy!" "Watch this!" and smiling and waving at the two children that have kept me tied to this maniac. So, I tuned his verbal abuse out long enough to dream about how things might have been if a) he was a more reasonable person, or b) I was a more self-assured person who didn't feel that I needed to marry this person to avoid the ridicule of my family over a broken engagement, or c) I would have listened to the minister who pulled out of officiating our wedding because she told me that she could not be a party of a wedding that she knew would never work. He screamed himself raw and hung up on me long before I realized that the cell phone went dead. Then, I heard "Hey, Mom, check it out!" and my son did a half-gainer off an inflatable platform into a ball pit and stood up with a flourish "TA DA!" Reality: I would never have Bo or Jojo if I didn't first have B. And my life dream of being a mom would have not come true when I was 32 and 36...that's the fact. All the bullshit is worth making that dream come true.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Reconnecting
On a RARE child-free weekend, I spent most of Saturday reconnecting with some of my great girlfriends. There is nothing like spending some hours with folks who really know you -- I mean REALLY know you! It's liberating. No pretense needed. Check the uber-Mom apron, the Teacher-of-the-Year cloak, and the Dolly Dimples Goodneighbor shoes at the door. Some of these ladies knew me as a teenager, one as a college student, some of them knew me in my first disasterous marriage, some have only known me as a mom. But then, I knew them all then, too! The many faces of Tracy, all looking back at me from the same mirror. Interesting, a bit scary, and then fun, fun, fun!
Of course, I did some reconnecting with Chuck, too. Another thing that is necessary but, sadly, oh so rare. How easy it is to get caught up in Mom/Dad world and forget that before we were a family, we were a couple. His work has been booming lately, and my job is smack-dab in the crazy pre-semester period, so between those hats and then kid-obligations, we were truly spending way too many nights sitting next to one another while staring at a laptop screen, working before going to sleep, before getting up to go to work again. No interaction whatsoever! So, on Friday we had dinner at a Lebanese restaurant in Center City and then caught a Phillies game. Sure, the game was terrible -- I am officially the bad luck charm for this particular pitcher -- but I thoroughly enjoyed just being Tracy spending time with my husband, Chuck.
Unfortunately, Sunday was rainy which usually brings on the mega-aches and pains of MS. I swear I can feel every square inch of barometric pressure. Ugh! Then today, not only is it Monday, but it's STILL RAINING. Blah, blah, blah...who the hell likes Mondays anyway?
I'm just gonna close my eyes and think back on my awesome weekend..."Hello! My name is Tracy."
Of course, I did some reconnecting with Chuck, too. Another thing that is necessary but, sadly, oh so rare. How easy it is to get caught up in Mom/Dad world and forget that before we were a family, we were a couple. His work has been booming lately, and my job is smack-dab in the crazy pre-semester period, so between those hats and then kid-obligations, we were truly spending way too many nights sitting next to one another while staring at a laptop screen, working before going to sleep, before getting up to go to work again. No interaction whatsoever! So, on Friday we had dinner at a Lebanese restaurant in Center City and then caught a Phillies game. Sure, the game was terrible -- I am officially the bad luck charm for this particular pitcher -- but I thoroughly enjoyed just being Tracy spending time with my husband, Chuck.
Unfortunately, Sunday was rainy which usually brings on the mega-aches and pains of MS. I swear I can feel every square inch of barometric pressure. Ugh! Then today, not only is it Monday, but it's STILL RAINING. Blah, blah, blah...who the hell likes Mondays anyway?
I'm just gonna close my eyes and think back on my awesome weekend..."Hello! My name is Tracy."
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Too busy for DWA...walking trail!
Jojo's cheerleading season started last week and, in August, it's 4 nights/wk. This is reduced to 3 nights when school starts at the end of the month, but those night include Monday and Wednesday -- DWA nights. Yes, I'll say it: I miss the pool. But Jojo is a flyer, which means she spends the majority of the practices in the air, standing on the hands of other 9 and 10 year old girls, which makes me nervous about leaving the field. Heck, it makes me nervous about blinking my eyes, let alone leaving the field.
It's been one week, and I am feeling very slothful. I even made it to a DWA session last week, and I still feel lazy. It's probably in my head, but I'm also feeling shorter of breath than the week before last and could swear that I've gained a few pounds back. Could all the progress that I made be caput in one week? Is the universe really THAT unfair?
I think I found a solution today, however. While chewing my nails as my little girl flew through the air with the greatest of ease, I noticed that there is a walking trail that circles the park where the practices are being held. I asked one of the other Cheer Moms if she knew if the practice field was visible while walking the trail. She wasn't sure, but suggested that we take a "test run" while the girls were doing calisthenics and drills.
Great news! We were able to see the girls the whole time we walked the trail. It was nice to get to know her better, too, since Jojo is new to this team so I really don't know a lot of the moms. When we got back, one of the other moms said that she used to walk the trail during practices last season and asked if we would like to start doing that with her on Mondays and Wednesdays. I guess these are my designated exercise days! I'm not sure how long the trail is, but if we do a few circuits it's better than nothing.
So, I'm trading bathing suits for sneakers and hitting the trail. It's not mall walking, but the Old Guard in the pool would be proud.
It's been one week, and I am feeling very slothful. I even made it to a DWA session last week, and I still feel lazy. It's probably in my head, but I'm also feeling shorter of breath than the week before last and could swear that I've gained a few pounds back. Could all the progress that I made be caput in one week? Is the universe really THAT unfair?
I think I found a solution today, however. While chewing my nails as my little girl flew through the air with the greatest of ease, I noticed that there is a walking trail that circles the park where the practices are being held. I asked one of the other Cheer Moms if she knew if the practice field was visible while walking the trail. She wasn't sure, but suggested that we take a "test run" while the girls were doing calisthenics and drills.
Great news! We were able to see the girls the whole time we walked the trail. It was nice to get to know her better, too, since Jojo is new to this team so I really don't know a lot of the moms. When we got back, one of the other moms said that she used to walk the trail during practices last season and asked if we would like to start doing that with her on Mondays and Wednesdays. I guess these are my designated exercise days! I'm not sure how long the trail is, but if we do a few circuits it's better than nothing.
So, I'm trading bathing suits for sneakers and hitting the trail. It's not mall walking, but the Old Guard in the pool would be proud.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Lefts and Rights...
Did you ever have one of those days that starts out bad and just gets worse? I woke up with a completely "dead" right arm after sleeping awkwardly -- no pins and needles, there was nothing. Then, when I stepped out of bed to get some aspirin and turn on the shower (with the hand on my functional arm), I stepped on the cat and, to avoid killing her, threw myself backward but missed the bed, and landed on my butt on the floor. Good thing I'm so padded! I get up off the floor and drag myself to the shower. While in the shower, I dropped the razor, and when I bent down to pick it up, banged my head on the handle. OMG!
After all of the various self-inflicted wounds, I told my daughter to get dressed so we could go out school clothes shopping. She was thrilled, and that made my bruises not so sore, so I thought the day was on the upswing. We spent a long time picking out several cute outfits at that store with the talking manequins and I was excited to check out with my bonus savings as a card holder. Not so fast! As I was trying to use the charge card and bonus savings certificate, the check-out girl told me that the card was denied. What? I have made a habit of using this card and paying it off by electronic bank payment so often that, several time, they have sent me back a check because I had paid more than was due. Figuring that the card was demagnetized or something, I put the bonus savings certi back in my purse to use with one of the other kids and decided to call Customer Service on the way home. In the car = mistake!
Well, the customer service department has been outsourced to a call center in India and I had a terrible time trying to understand the poor guy on the other end of a shakey cellphone connection. When I called back after I got home, the news just got worse. Apparently the electronic payment that my bank sends out monthly did not go out in July! So I'm now a month behind and had to bring the account current using my debit card. Yike! Obviously, my next call was to my bank. Apparently there was a change in their authomatic payment procedure and a letter went out with instructions for setting up the new electronic payments going forward. Did I get the letter? To be honest, I probably did. Did I read the letter? Come on! Do I have to answer this question? Luckily, the rest of the payments went out before the change in procedure, so I didn't miss ALL of my July payments.
Feeling like a heel, it's time to take Jojo to a taekwon do party with the other girls at the dojang. Well, that's gotta be fun, right? Cellphone bomb from the ex puts a hold on my entering the dojang as I send Jojo in ahead of me in order to shield her from the salvo I'm preparing to launch. After Round Seven -Kajillion in the never-ending battle for timely child support payments, I enter the dojang to find a note on Jojo's attendance card stating that tuition is due. I couldn't help it. I began to laugh hysterically and had to walk back out and gather my wits just prior to having a total meltdown right in front of my mortified daughter and all of her TKD friends.
I had to drive her home, so I couldn't "head for the mountains," but I've always been told that exercise helps one clear one's head, so I headed for the walking trail closeby the dojang, rather than the corner bar. Hey, sweating to the Selena Gomez tunes that were on Lilo's MP3 player in the backseat, worked! I felt much calmer (and closer to sane) when I went back to pick Jojo up. Judging by the looks that I got from several of the other moms, dads, and dojang denizens, however, the power-walk with Selena didn't do much for my outward appearance. "I'm no beauty queen, I'm just beautiful me...." LOL!
After all of the various self-inflicted wounds, I told my daughter to get dressed so we could go out school clothes shopping. She was thrilled, and that made my bruises not so sore, so I thought the day was on the upswing. We spent a long time picking out several cute outfits at that store with the talking manequins and I was excited to check out with my bonus savings as a card holder. Not so fast! As I was trying to use the charge card and bonus savings certificate, the check-out girl told me that the card was denied. What? I have made a habit of using this card and paying it off by electronic bank payment so often that, several time, they have sent me back a check because I had paid more than was due. Figuring that the card was demagnetized or something, I put the bonus savings certi back in my purse to use with one of the other kids and decided to call Customer Service on the way home. In the car = mistake!
Well, the customer service department has been outsourced to a call center in India and I had a terrible time trying to understand the poor guy on the other end of a shakey cellphone connection. When I called back after I got home, the news just got worse. Apparently the electronic payment that my bank sends out monthly did not go out in July! So I'm now a month behind and had to bring the account current using my debit card. Yike! Obviously, my next call was to my bank. Apparently there was a change in their authomatic payment procedure and a letter went out with instructions for setting up the new electronic payments going forward. Did I get the letter? To be honest, I probably did. Did I read the letter? Come on! Do I have to answer this question? Luckily, the rest of the payments went out before the change in procedure, so I didn't miss ALL of my July payments.
Feeling like a heel, it's time to take Jojo to a taekwon do party with the other girls at the dojang. Well, that's gotta be fun, right? Cellphone bomb from the ex puts a hold on my entering the dojang as I send Jojo in ahead of me in order to shield her from the salvo I'm preparing to launch. After Round Seven -Kajillion in the never-ending battle for timely child support payments, I enter the dojang to find a note on Jojo's attendance card stating that tuition is due. I couldn't help it. I began to laugh hysterically and had to walk back out and gather my wits just prior to having a total meltdown right in front of my mortified daughter and all of her TKD friends.
I had to drive her home, so I couldn't "head for the mountains," but I've always been told that exercise helps one clear one's head, so I headed for the walking trail closeby the dojang, rather than the corner bar. Hey, sweating to the Selena Gomez tunes that were on Lilo's MP3 player in the backseat, worked! I felt much calmer (and closer to sane) when I went back to pick Jojo up. Judging by the looks that I got from several of the other moms, dads, and dojang denizens, however, the power-walk with Selena didn't do much for my outward appearance. "I'm no beauty queen, I'm just beautiful me...." LOL!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Change in Focus in on the Way
Today was the Open Field event for Jojo's cheerleading and it rapidly became apparently that a change in focus will be needed, starting tomorrow. My petitie flower (she just cracked the 50 pound ceiling!) is on one of the competition squads, which means that she'll have practices a-plenty. With Bo playing fall lacrosse, and Lilo and Koko's karate tournament season kicking off in October, fall is BUSY to say the least.
Now my challenge is how will I work my DWA/yoga/whatever fitness-regime-I-can-maintain dedication into all of this running aorund. It's times like these that I would REALLY like to stop working outside the home. Then I would have some time to do things for myself while the kids are in school, and my evenings and weekends could be dedicated to shuttling without conflicts and guilt. Unfortunatley, that's not in the cards. I'm going to have to get creative.
Here's the conflict, Jojo's practices are 4 nights/wk. from 6 - 8. DWA is 7 - 8, so how I'm going to have to find a way to jump from pool to practice field QUICK! Wednesday is really the only big problem because Chuck will be with Lilo and Koko at their standing dinner date/karate. I'm going to talk to Smiley and Legs' replacement to see if I can miss the "cool down" routine (my favorite part!) to quickly change into dry clothes and pick Jojo up. I can always shower at home.
Why do we women always put so much on our own plates? Now, ironically, trying to maintain a fitness regime is the indulgent ingredient. Ugh!
Now my challenge is how will I work my DWA/yoga/whatever fitness-regime-I-can-maintain dedication into all of this running aorund. It's times like these that I would REALLY like to stop working outside the home. Then I would have some time to do things for myself while the kids are in school, and my evenings and weekends could be dedicated to shuttling without conflicts and guilt. Unfortunatley, that's not in the cards. I'm going to have to get creative.
Here's the conflict, Jojo's practices are 4 nights/wk. from 6 - 8. DWA is 7 - 8, so how I'm going to have to find a way to jump from pool to practice field QUICK! Wednesday is really the only big problem because Chuck will be with Lilo and Koko at their standing dinner date/karate. I'm going to talk to Smiley and Legs' replacement to see if I can miss the "cool down" routine (my favorite part!) to quickly change into dry clothes and pick Jojo up. I can always shower at home.
Why do we women always put so much on our own plates? Now, ironically, trying to maintain a fitness regime is the indulgent ingredient. Ugh!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Good-bye Legs
Sad news at DWA on Wednesday! The Wednesday instructor, Legs, is going to be leaving in order to atend college. I really enjoy the Wednesday sessions with Legs, and will miss her routines. She is, obviously, a young women, and brought that to the sessions through the music and moves that we would perform. Since I work in the field of higher ed, I can't knock her decision to attend college. I'll just say that I wish she was attending a local school and could continue to act as the Wednesday DWA instructor.
On urging from some of the Wednesday Old Guard, I have decided to enroll in a yoga class that will begin in the fall. As you know, I was hesitant to try yoga again since my disasterous forray into "hot room" yoga. However, now that I know there is a difference, I will take the yoga lessons that ARE NOT held in a hot room. If I get half of the results of a former co-worker, Cupcake, I just may make my way to the hot room again in the future.
All in all, progress after 1 month of DWA/swimming laps/water walking and watching what I eat = 3 pounds lost and less shortness of breath on exertion.
On urging from some of the Wednesday Old Guard, I have decided to enroll in a yoga class that will begin in the fall. As you know, I was hesitant to try yoga again since my disasterous forray into "hot room" yoga. However, now that I know there is a difference, I will take the yoga lessons that ARE NOT held in a hot room. If I get half of the results of a former co-worker, Cupcake, I just may make my way to the hot room again in the future.
All in all, progress after 1 month of DWA/swimming laps/water walking and watching what I eat = 3 pounds lost and less shortness of breath on exertion.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Inordinately Proud
Wow! It was definitely HARD to drag my lazy butt off the couch and to the Y tonight. I am just recovering from another MS relapse and want to do nothing more than lay around and lick my wounds. Chuck took the kids to get haircuts and I stretched out on the couch. Oh so comfy! I'm really not usually a couch potato, so they were all shocked to come home and find me dozing. Of course, the kids wanted me to stay home and read, watch magic tricks, chit-chat, etc., etc. But Chuck was giving me that look that said, "You know you'll feel guilty!" and he was right. I would have stewed for a couple of hours, feeling bad about myself for not going to DWA. So...I heaved myself up, got into my suit and headed out.
Guess what? It was one of the best session yet. Maybe I should run late more often. I didn't even have time to think about anything because they were just getting started when I walked into the pool area. I grabbed a noodle and water weights and jumped right in, mid-routine. The Old Guard all asked how I was feeling, which was nice. Even Smiley, the Monday instructor, noticed that I slipped in the back row and gave me a thumbs up. Wow! It was nice to be missed, noticed and asked after. I used that good feeling to bounce and bop through the rest of the routines and kept up without a problem.
I'm super-glad that I went to DWA tonight. All in all, it was just what I needed to get back to the "land of the living." Yeah, it would have felt good to get some extra rest, but it felt better to get some exercise. Believe me, I'm the most suprised at this revelation. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?
Guess what? It was one of the best session yet. Maybe I should run late more often. I didn't even have time to think about anything because they were just getting started when I walked into the pool area. I grabbed a noodle and water weights and jumped right in, mid-routine. The Old Guard all asked how I was feeling, which was nice. Even Smiley, the Monday instructor, noticed that I slipped in the back row and gave me a thumbs up. Wow! It was nice to be missed, noticed and asked after. I used that good feeling to bounce and bop through the rest of the routines and kept up without a problem.
I'm super-glad that I went to DWA tonight. All in all, it was just what I needed to get back to the "land of the living." Yeah, it would have felt good to get some extra rest, but it felt better to get some exercise. Believe me, I'm the most suprised at this revelation. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Get real!
Maybe it's my mood today, but it just seems like I have awaken on Planet Dillusional!
First, the Sunday morning shows: John Boehner says that a deal was all but done, but the White House changed the goal lines...then he says the White House has never put a plan on the table. If that's the case, what "deal" was almost done? Debbie Wasserman-Schultz calls Allen West out in public on the floor of the Senate, and that is equated with a private email that he sent to her, (which she then turned around and gave to the press to make public) and nobody acknowledges the difference between making a public statement and sending a private email. Rather than have a migraine relapse, I decided to turn off the tv and go online...
...only to read the next bit of unbelievable nonsense: Bret Favre is comtemplating YET ANOTHER COME-BACK! Either he is tired of limiting his sexting messages to his current recipient list, or he has suffered one too many concussions. Or both! Give me a flipping break, Bret! At some point, one must acknowledge the chasm between what one wishes one COULD still do and what one CAN actually still do. Do I remember how much fun I used to have dancing the night away with my friends? You bet! Would I still like to dance the night away with my friends? Sure thing. Would it STILL actually be fun to dance the night away with my friends? Frankly, after an hour, it wouldn't be fun anymore because I would be exhausted. You made a great living at football, Bret, and accomplished truly wonderful feats...hang up the cleats before the laughing-stock quotient overshadows all that!
First, the Sunday morning shows: John Boehner says that a deal was all but done, but the White House changed the goal lines...then he says the White House has never put a plan on the table. If that's the case, what "deal" was almost done? Debbie Wasserman-Schultz calls Allen West out in public on the floor of the Senate, and that is equated with a private email that he sent to her, (which she then turned around and gave to the press to make public) and nobody acknowledges the difference between making a public statement and sending a private email. Rather than have a migraine relapse, I decided to turn off the tv and go online...
...only to read the next bit of unbelievable nonsense: Bret Favre is comtemplating YET ANOTHER COME-BACK! Either he is tired of limiting his sexting messages to his current recipient list, or he has suffered one too many concussions. Or both! Give me a flipping break, Bret! At some point, one must acknowledge the chasm between what one wishes one COULD still do and what one CAN actually still do. Do I remember how much fun I used to have dancing the night away with my friends? You bet! Would I still like to dance the night away with my friends? Sure thing. Would it STILL actually be fun to dance the night away with my friends? Frankly, after an hour, it wouldn't be fun anymore because I would be exhausted. You made a great living at football, Bret, and accomplished truly wonderful feats...hang up the cleats before the laughing-stock quotient overshadows all that!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Major Suck
Pardon my crass title, but it's the only thing I could come up with that accurately reflects how I feel tonight. True confession time, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 11 years ago. It's, thankfully, the relapsing-remitting type of MS which means that most of the time, nobody would ever know that I have the disease. There are those times, however, that it rears it's ugly head and today is one of them.
In fact, I had some muscle spasms and started to feel the fatigue part of MS a few days ago, but the eliptical debacle could be blamed for the muscle cramps and who isn't fatigued? When I'm having an episode, I experience problems with my gait, double-vision, delibitating fatigue, muscle spasms, all-over joint pain and some speech issues. Voila! Today I woke up with all of the above. Fun, huh? So, as you've probably figured out by now, DWA did not happen tonight.
Actually, I intended to go anyway. I have always read that exercise is good for muscle spasms, joint pain, etc. But the dang fatigue after a day of work did not abate after taking a power-nap, and as the clock kept ticking toward DWA-hour, I was less and less enthusiastic about dragging myself upstairs (gait and joint pain), changing, dragging myself downstairs, driving to the Y (double-vision), walking from the parking lot to the locker room, putting my stuff in the locker (muscle spasms), walking to the pool, getting in the water and actually doing the moves. I think you get my drift.
I'm disappointed in myself. I'm annoyed that I have this blasted disease. I'm sick of the incredible heatwave that most of the U.S. is experiencing -- always contributes as a trigger. I'm seething at my ex-husband who has been a total buster lately and added to my daily stress (another trigger). And, just as much as those emotions, I'm embarrassed that I have slipped on my resolution to participate in this class every Monday and Wednesday over the summer.
So, now you see why the title of this entry is so fitting!
In fact, I had some muscle spasms and started to feel the fatigue part of MS a few days ago, but the eliptical debacle could be blamed for the muscle cramps and who isn't fatigued? When I'm having an episode, I experience problems with my gait, double-vision, delibitating fatigue, muscle spasms, all-over joint pain and some speech issues. Voila! Today I woke up with all of the above. Fun, huh? So, as you've probably figured out by now, DWA did not happen tonight.
Actually, I intended to go anyway. I have always read that exercise is good for muscle spasms, joint pain, etc. But the dang fatigue after a day of work did not abate after taking a power-nap, and as the clock kept ticking toward DWA-hour, I was less and less enthusiastic about dragging myself upstairs (gait and joint pain), changing, dragging myself downstairs, driving to the Y (double-vision), walking from the parking lot to the locker room, putting my stuff in the locker (muscle spasms), walking to the pool, getting in the water and actually doing the moves. I think you get my drift.
I'm disappointed in myself. I'm annoyed that I have this blasted disease. I'm sick of the incredible heatwave that most of the U.S. is experiencing -- always contributes as a trigger. I'm seething at my ex-husband who has been a total buster lately and added to my daily stress (another trigger). And, just as much as those emotions, I'm embarrassed that I have slipped on my resolution to participate in this class every Monday and Wednesday over the summer.
So, now you see why the title of this entry is so fitting!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Just say no to the eliptical trainer!
In a moment of what can only be termed "temporary insanity," I had the brilliant idea that I could, on Tuesdays, use the eliptical trainer in the Y fitness center before picking the kids up from daycamp. Uh...yeah, that was decidedly NOT a good idea! If I felt uncoordinated and buffoonish during the first DWA sessions, this experience kicked it up to a whole new level. Remember Bill Murray in "Lost in Translation?" Uh-huh...you got it. I was sweating like a racehorse, chugging like a steam train and laughing like a hyena to the point where a trainer actually came by to help me dismount. OMG -- I don't know when I'll be showing my face anywhere near the fitness center again. In fact, I believe I will be donning a bag over my head when entering the Y anytime in the next few days.
Fresh from that humiliation, I picked the kids up only to have my son ask me what was wrong with me. He actually was concerned enough to ask if I needed help out to the car and took my arm. If I wasn't touched by the sweetness, I would have cuffed him acrossed the head! I though exercise was supposed to give one a healthy glow? Apparently, not in my case.
So, just as I was feeling good about my performance in yesterday's DWA and confident enough to try something new, reality brings me back to Earth with a thump. Grrrrr...
Fresh from that humiliation, I picked the kids up only to have my son ask me what was wrong with me. He actually was concerned enough to ask if I needed help out to the car and took my arm. If I wasn't touched by the sweetness, I would have cuffed him acrossed the head! I though exercise was supposed to give one a healthy glow? Apparently, not in my case.
So, just as I was feeling good about my performance in yesterday's DWA and confident enough to try something new, reality brings me back to Earth with a thump. Grrrrr...
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Weekend realizations and affirmations
My first week back to work/working out has come to an end, and it's time to enjoy the weekend. So, to kick off the fun, I decided that the gardens needed some serious attention. My daughters wanted to try one of those roll-out garden mats this year, so we rolled on out along both sides of the walkway to the front steps and door. Well, the verdict has been mixed. It appears that the Bachelor's Buttons contained in the seed mats were abundant, but that's about it as far as I can tell. They look nice, but a lot of weeds also came up and I have my suspiciouns that it's part and parcel with the seed mat. So, it was weed-a-rama all morning.
Jojo just came home from a week at Girl Scout camp and immediately had a birthday sleep-over party to attend. That's our little social butterfly. Lilo and Koko had a karate party and Bo just wanted to hang with his friends. While Chuck played chauffuer, I donned by Domestic Goddess toga and tackled the house. How in the world does it get so cluttered in a week's time. With a family our size, I should probably clean more than once a week, but that is not in the cards if I want to keep up with the DWA twice a week, which I do.
For years, I felt guilty about doing anything outside of the home that wasn't geared toward one of the kids, making a salary or the occasional lunch date with a friend (when the kids were in school and Chuck was at work). You know what? They were happy being the center of my universe, but I realized that I was not. I feel much more fulfilled having a couple of hours each week that are carved out for nobody else but me. So, I'll do the yardwork, the housework, the never-ending laundry, shuttle the kids around to various practices, games, parties, etc., and work outside of the home, but I also insist on "me time" and, for now, that's in the pool at the Y on Monday and Wednesday nights and in the Community lap pool (grrrrr.....) once during the weekend.
Jojo just came home from a week at Girl Scout camp and immediately had a birthday sleep-over party to attend. That's our little social butterfly. Lilo and Koko had a karate party and Bo just wanted to hang with his friends. While Chuck played chauffuer, I donned by Domestic Goddess toga and tackled the house. How in the world does it get so cluttered in a week's time. With a family our size, I should probably clean more than once a week, but that is not in the cards if I want to keep up with the DWA twice a week, which I do.
For years, I felt guilty about doing anything outside of the home that wasn't geared toward one of the kids, making a salary or the occasional lunch date with a friend (when the kids were in school and Chuck was at work). You know what? They were happy being the center of my universe, but I realized that I was not. I feel much more fulfilled having a couple of hours each week that are carved out for nobody else but me. So, I'll do the yardwork, the housework, the never-ending laundry, shuttle the kids around to various practices, games, parties, etc., and work outside of the home, but I also insist on "me time" and, for now, that's in the pool at the Y on Monday and Wednesday nights and in the Community lap pool (grrrrr.....) once during the weekend.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Feeling the Love Today!
7/13/2011
Well, today is my 46th birthday and I was prepared to leave it on the down-low until I opened Facebook and remembered that they post birthdays. This was shortly after a friend from work came by my desk and loudly wished me HAPPY BIRTHDAY!, followed by echoed sentiments around the room. I'm overwhelmed and completely gratified by the outpouring of friendship. Sometimes it's easy to get lost in the weeds of everyday life...the kids are driving me nuts, I'm having a spat with my hubby, bills-bills-bills...and it's nice to come into the clearing and realize how many folks are rooting for me. Thanks, everyone!
How am I celebrating the Big Day? DWA tonight, of course. Monday was my first night back from vacation and, believe me!, it was obvious that I had been gone for a week. We did a ton of walking around, hiking the nature trails, swimming in Lake Ontario, but I must have been working different muscles because I was sore on Tuesday. But, this time, it was sore in a good way because I have confirmation that the DWA is working. No, I haven't noticed any great weight or inches lost, but I'm a little less breathless when I walk from the parking lot to my office, etc. That and (this is the biggest surprise) I really like it! It's nice to get out of the house and spend 50 mins. doing something just for me. Maybe that makes me a little selfish, but I'll take it in my old age. Ha, ha!
Well, today is my 46th birthday and I was prepared to leave it on the down-low until I opened Facebook and remembered that they post birthdays. This was shortly after a friend from work came by my desk and loudly wished me HAPPY BIRTHDAY!, followed by echoed sentiments around the room. I'm overwhelmed and completely gratified by the outpouring of friendship. Sometimes it's easy to get lost in the weeds of everyday life...the kids are driving me nuts, I'm having a spat with my hubby, bills-bills-bills...and it's nice to come into the clearing and realize how many folks are rooting for me. Thanks, everyone!
How am I celebrating the Big Day? DWA tonight, of course. Monday was my first night back from vacation and, believe me!, it was obvious that I had been gone for a week. We did a ton of walking around, hiking the nature trails, swimming in Lake Ontario, but I must have been working different muscles because I was sore on Tuesday. But, this time, it was sore in a good way because I have confirmation that the DWA is working. No, I haven't noticed any great weight or inches lost, but I'm a little less breathless when I walk from the parking lot to my office, etc. That and (this is the biggest surprise) I really like it! It's nice to get out of the house and spend 50 mins. doing something just for me. Maybe that makes me a little selfish, but I'll take it in my old age. Ha, ha!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Fun in the Sun
7/9/2011
Lap pool, you mock me! Sitting there with your glistening water, just daring me to dive in. Ah, but what then? Then I'll have to actually swim laps rather than dip and dive under the water and have fun. Work? It's the second-to-last-day of my vacation week. I won't do it, I say, I won't.... Ha, ha, ha, ha....
And then, I woke up. I knew it wouldn't take long for the kids to remember the Community Pool once we got back in town. Surprisingly, they didn't start talking about it until we had unpacked and I was on load 3 of laundry yesterday. Equally surprising was my husband's and my enthusiasm to go back as well. Bo, our son, was off on a mountain adventure with his grandparents, so it was just the girls. We all suited up and headed over.
I've had to take an antibiotic in the last few days, so I had to watch out for the sun. Sunscreen with an SPF of 50 did the trick. My hubby is super-diligent in slathering it on himself (since he's a fair-skinned redhead) and the girls. Now, Jojo already has a base tan and I think it's because she's such a waterbug that any sunscreen is, inevitably, diluted. Lilo and Koko, however, share their dad's issues with the sun and we have to watch both of them carefully.
That being said, we all had a ball. And, yes, I even got some exercise in the meantime.
Lap pool, you mock me! Sitting there with your glistening water, just daring me to dive in. Ah, but what then? Then I'll have to actually swim laps rather than dip and dive under the water and have fun. Work? It's the second-to-last-day of my vacation week. I won't do it, I say, I won't.... Ha, ha, ha, ha....
And then, I woke up. I knew it wouldn't take long for the kids to remember the Community Pool once we got back in town. Surprisingly, they didn't start talking about it until we had unpacked and I was on load 3 of laundry yesterday. Equally surprising was my husband's and my enthusiasm to go back as well. Bo, our son, was off on a mountain adventure with his grandparents, so it was just the girls. We all suited up and headed over.
I've had to take an antibiotic in the last few days, so I had to watch out for the sun. Sunscreen with an SPF of 50 did the trick. My hubby is super-diligent in slathering it on himself (since he's a fair-skinned redhead) and the girls. Now, Jojo already has a base tan and I think it's because she's such a waterbug that any sunscreen is, inevitably, diluted. Lilo and Koko, however, share their dad's issues with the sun and we have to watch both of them carefully.
That being said, we all had a ball. And, yes, I even got some exercise in the meantime.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Back to Reality...
7/8/2011
The Niagara Falls 2011 Family Vacation is officially over. I am sitting in my living room about to dive into the mountains of laundry that need folding, but wanted to write a few lines since I was negligent while on vacation. I will admit that I wasn't as dilligent on the diet front as I could have/should have been, but I did exercise each day so it's a trade off. I will get on the scale tomorrow morning with fingers crossed that I haven't gained any weigh this past week. Afterall, gaining weight is my special talent in life.
A few observations:
1. We did all of the tourisy things at Niagara Falls, most of which with little to no lines. I highly recommend the Discovery Pass that gets you into 5 attractions and a day on the trolley! However, when we were in the only line that we encountered, for the Cave of the Winds, there was a very heavy woman a few people back from us who was laughing and joking and seemed to be having a ball. I caught several people giving her dirty looks and one young, rude woman rolled her eyes and asked her friends "What's she so happy about, did the buffet just open up?" which was met with chuckles from her equally young and rude friends. I took a closer look at the laughing woman and noticed that all of the people around her -- her companions, and the folks in front of them -- were also smiling and laughing. Then I looked at the rude woman and noticed that she and all of her friends looked fairly miserable, arms folded and many heavy sighs about having to wait in line. I wonder what happened in these young, pretty women's day that would make them so rude to someone they don't know and who isn't bothering anyone? Is laughing and joking with your companions and folks in line so obnoxious a behavior that a stranger should feel free to say hurtful things about you?
2. When did it become okay to have a school-aged kid in a stroller? We were walking the trails another day in Niagara Falls State Park and I noticed a set of parents pushing two strollers of kids who looked to be school aged -- I'd estimate between 5 - 8. I thought that the kids must have some sort of handicap. My daugher, who was carping about being tired and her feet hurting, looked at the kids and immediatley howled about how unfair it was that THEY DON'T HAVE TO WALK! I pulled her aside and began the lecture about being more sensistive and that sometimes people have handicaps that require special assitance, etc. The next thing I know, the Stroller Kids leap out of the strollers and run over to the ice cream stand to get some Dippin' Dots while their parents set up a blanket and settle in for the fireworks. Gulp! My daughter looked up at me with her arms crossed over her chest and all I could do was start digging in my wallet for ice cream. Hey, I get that dealing with slower, lagging, complaining kids is no fun -- trust me! -- but, stollers? Really?
3. While on the beach at Lake Ontario, I was sitting on a towel to dry off when I noticed a mom and a baby walking along to join their family consisting of a dad and two other young kids who were already frolicking in the shallows. When she walked past me, I was greeted by a full-on view of about 3" of butt-crack. I wasn't even looking for it, so anyone who was behind her must have had quite a show for, at least, a couple minutes. She seemed nonplussed, walking along with her son with nary a tug at the shorts. I looked over at my husband to see if he was enjoying the view but he was laying down with his eyes closed and missed it. The woman plopped down on their beach blanket and began to change the little guy into a swim diaper and I started to scold myself for being such a prude. Then she stood up and, I swear, her entire bare butt was hanging out of her shorts. No undies, no thong, no bikini bottom, nothing. She carried the baby down to her hubby, handed him over, and THEN noticed that she was mooning the whole beach. Hey, I have a gaggle of kids myself, so I understand being distracted but how overwhelmed must one be to walk around without noticing that your ass is hanging out in broad daylight? Weird!
All in all, it was a great week. Some scolding and threatening of the kids for acting like wild animals, a bunch of sight-seeing and tons of smiles, laughter and fun memories!
The Niagara Falls 2011 Family Vacation is officially over. I am sitting in my living room about to dive into the mountains of laundry that need folding, but wanted to write a few lines since I was negligent while on vacation. I will admit that I wasn't as dilligent on the diet front as I could have/should have been, but I did exercise each day so it's a trade off. I will get on the scale tomorrow morning with fingers crossed that I haven't gained any weigh this past week. Afterall, gaining weight is my special talent in life.
A few observations:
1. We did all of the tourisy things at Niagara Falls, most of which with little to no lines. I highly recommend the Discovery Pass that gets you into 5 attractions and a day on the trolley! However, when we were in the only line that we encountered, for the Cave of the Winds, there was a very heavy woman a few people back from us who was laughing and joking and seemed to be having a ball. I caught several people giving her dirty looks and one young, rude woman rolled her eyes and asked her friends "What's she so happy about, did the buffet just open up?" which was met with chuckles from her equally young and rude friends. I took a closer look at the laughing woman and noticed that all of the people around her -- her companions, and the folks in front of them -- were also smiling and laughing. Then I looked at the rude woman and noticed that she and all of her friends looked fairly miserable, arms folded and many heavy sighs about having to wait in line. I wonder what happened in these young, pretty women's day that would make them so rude to someone they don't know and who isn't bothering anyone? Is laughing and joking with your companions and folks in line so obnoxious a behavior that a stranger should feel free to say hurtful things about you?
2. When did it become okay to have a school-aged kid in a stroller? We were walking the trails another day in Niagara Falls State Park and I noticed a set of parents pushing two strollers of kids who looked to be school aged -- I'd estimate between 5 - 8. I thought that the kids must have some sort of handicap. My daugher, who was carping about being tired and her feet hurting, looked at the kids and immediatley howled about how unfair it was that THEY DON'T HAVE TO WALK! I pulled her aside and began the lecture about being more sensistive and that sometimes people have handicaps that require special assitance, etc. The next thing I know, the Stroller Kids leap out of the strollers and run over to the ice cream stand to get some Dippin' Dots while their parents set up a blanket and settle in for the fireworks. Gulp! My daughter looked up at me with her arms crossed over her chest and all I could do was start digging in my wallet for ice cream. Hey, I get that dealing with slower, lagging, complaining kids is no fun -- trust me! -- but, stollers? Really?
3. While on the beach at Lake Ontario, I was sitting on a towel to dry off when I noticed a mom and a baby walking along to join their family consisting of a dad and two other young kids who were already frolicking in the shallows. When she walked past me, I was greeted by a full-on view of about 3" of butt-crack. I wasn't even looking for it, so anyone who was behind her must have had quite a show for, at least, a couple minutes. She seemed nonplussed, walking along with her son with nary a tug at the shorts. I looked over at my husband to see if he was enjoying the view but he was laying down with his eyes closed and missed it. The woman plopped down on their beach blanket and began to change the little guy into a swim diaper and I started to scold myself for being such a prude. Then she stood up and, I swear, her entire bare butt was hanging out of her shorts. No undies, no thong, no bikini bottom, nothing. She carried the baby down to her hubby, handed him over, and THEN noticed that she was mooning the whole beach. Hey, I have a gaggle of kids myself, so I understand being distracted but how overwhelmed must one be to walk around without noticing that your ass is hanging out in broad daylight? Weird!
All in all, it was a great week. Some scolding and threatening of the kids for acting like wild animals, a bunch of sight-seeing and tons of smiles, laughter and fun memories!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Happy Independence (from fat) Day!
7/3-4/2011
7/3/2011 - We're on vacation on the shores of Lake Ontario, right next to a fantastic NY state park with a hiking trail to die for! I took the kids to the beach last evening (mostly to give my hubby a break) and couldn't resist the waves. Yeah, the water was a little chilly, but it's a natural lake so it's to be expected. The kids were having a great time in the shallow part (with life guard) and I decided to go a bit further out and swim for a little while. It was awesome! I managed to swim along the shoreline for about 15 mins. Then, of course, the kids started screaming, splashing each other and otherwise acting like maniacs, so my "me time" was effectively over.
7/4/2011 - I plan to make great use of the park today, first with a hike and then on the beach. The hiking trail is 1.5 miles around and goes through open areas as well as the wooded areas. The scenery while walking is remarkable! I never realized how close Toronoto is to Lake Ontario, but we could actually see the city skyline from the walking trail. This, of course, is additionally thrilling to my girls who are complete Justin Bieber fanatics and that is, apparently, his hometown. LOL! After hiking the trail, the plan is to head back to the beach. More watery bliss! The kids seem to be able to get along for a longer period of time while frolicking, which will give Chuck and I some time to converse on the sand. Then, I'll head out to do the shoreline swim again. I'll take the bow and feel good about myself for getting the exercise in while on vacation.
Tonight, I'll try to resist the hotdogs and mac salad for lighter picnic fare...and enjoy the fireworks. Happy Birthday USA!
7/3/2011 - We're on vacation on the shores of Lake Ontario, right next to a fantastic NY state park with a hiking trail to die for! I took the kids to the beach last evening (mostly to give my hubby a break) and couldn't resist the waves. Yeah, the water was a little chilly, but it's a natural lake so it's to be expected. The kids were having a great time in the shallow part (with life guard) and I decided to go a bit further out and swim for a little while. It was awesome! I managed to swim along the shoreline for about 15 mins. Then, of course, the kids started screaming, splashing each other and otherwise acting like maniacs, so my "me time" was effectively over.
7/4/2011 - I plan to make great use of the park today, first with a hike and then on the beach. The hiking trail is 1.5 miles around and goes through open areas as well as the wooded areas. The scenery while walking is remarkable! I never realized how close Toronoto is to Lake Ontario, but we could actually see the city skyline from the walking trail. This, of course, is additionally thrilling to my girls who are complete Justin Bieber fanatics and that is, apparently, his hometown. LOL! After hiking the trail, the plan is to head back to the beach. More watery bliss! The kids seem to be able to get along for a longer period of time while frolicking, which will give Chuck and I some time to converse on the sand. Then, I'll head out to do the shoreline swim again. I'll take the bow and feel good about myself for getting the exercise in while on vacation.
Tonight, I'll try to resist the hotdogs and mac salad for lighter picnic fare...and enjoy the fireworks. Happy Birthday USA!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Fun in Niagara Falls
7/2/2011
It's officially family vacation time. We headed out this morning and drove for seven hours with only one stop for lunch. My husband is a trooper -- he knows that I don't like to drive and that sustained driving tires me out so he took on the task and never asked for me to spell him! The cottage that we rented is adorable and we're really lookig forward to enjoying the area.
Have no fear, however, the quest for fitness knows no vacation. We are within walking distance to the public beach on Lake Ontario and there is a great hiking trail nearby through a NY State park that I'm going to explore. We're also planning on doing the usual sightseeing in the area and I'm especially looking forward to Old Fort Niagara. Have I mentioned that I"m a bit of a history geek?
I'll be checking in with various fun, but maybe not nightly this week. I hear some fireworks and am going to take a walk to try to find them!
It's officially family vacation time. We headed out this morning and drove for seven hours with only one stop for lunch. My husband is a trooper -- he knows that I don't like to drive and that sustained driving tires me out so he took on the task and never asked for me to spell him! The cottage that we rented is adorable and we're really lookig forward to enjoying the area.
Have no fear, however, the quest for fitness knows no vacation. We are within walking distance to the public beach on Lake Ontario and there is a great hiking trail nearby through a NY State park that I'm going to explore. We're also planning on doing the usual sightseeing in the area and I'm especially looking forward to Old Fort Niagara. Have I mentioned that I"m a bit of a history geek?
I'll be checking in with various fun, but maybe not nightly this week. I hear some fireworks and am going to take a walk to try to find them!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Water Walking
6/30/11
Since I took the day off from the exercise regime yesterday to celebrate Koko's birthday, I knew I had to get some sort of physical activity in today or I would get off track. My knee is still kind of sore which made walking around the block or taking a bike ride pretty unappealing. I don't work until the afternoon on Thursdays, and the kids were driving me batty by 10:30 AM, so I decided to put the lap pool to a different purpose.
I had read an article about something call water walking. Pretty self-explanatory stuff, i.e., you walk around the perimeter of a pool in water from waist-deep to shoulder-deep. At one point, I was even thinking about taking a water walking class at the Y, but the times weren't convenient and I chose DWA instead. Well, now that I've tried it, you would be surprised how much energy/effort it takes to put in more than a couple of circuits! I told myself that I would do at least six circuits and, by the final go 'round, I was getting pretty slow. Apparently it's not as important that you maintain consistent speed as it is to be in perpetual motion, meaning no stopping!
The lifeguard at the lap pool seemed to be getting a kick out of the fact that I was walking around the pool. I noticed that she was smiling each time I walked by. When I was finished and toweling off, I asked her if I was the only one to use the lap pool as a track. She admitted that there are a few folks who use the lap pool for water walking. She had even read a couple of articles about it and was thinking about trying it herself. As she added that last fact, I took a good look at her young, lithe figure. Um, okay, I'll choose to believe that she is REALLY looking into water walking. But, maybe she's just a polite young girl being kind to a middle aged lady who needs encouragement. Either way...I'll take it!
Since I took the day off from the exercise regime yesterday to celebrate Koko's birthday, I knew I had to get some sort of physical activity in today or I would get off track. My knee is still kind of sore which made walking around the block or taking a bike ride pretty unappealing. I don't work until the afternoon on Thursdays, and the kids were driving me batty by 10:30 AM, so I decided to put the lap pool to a different purpose.
I had read an article about something call water walking. Pretty self-explanatory stuff, i.e., you walk around the perimeter of a pool in water from waist-deep to shoulder-deep. At one point, I was even thinking about taking a water walking class at the Y, but the times weren't convenient and I chose DWA instead. Well, now that I've tried it, you would be surprised how much energy/effort it takes to put in more than a couple of circuits! I told myself that I would do at least six circuits and, by the final go 'round, I was getting pretty slow. Apparently it's not as important that you maintain consistent speed as it is to be in perpetual motion, meaning no stopping!
The lifeguard at the lap pool seemed to be getting a kick out of the fact that I was walking around the pool. I noticed that she was smiling each time I walked by. When I was finished and toweling off, I asked her if I was the only one to use the lap pool as a track. She admitted that there are a few folks who use the lap pool for water walking. She had even read a couple of articles about it and was thinking about trying it herself. As she added that last fact, I took a good look at her young, lithe figure. Um, okay, I'll choose to believe that she is REALLY looking into water walking. But, maybe she's just a polite young girl being kind to a middle aged lady who needs encouragement. Either way...I'll take it!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
How I Curse the Lap Pool!
6/28/11
Why, why, why does the lap pool seem so daunting? I'm not so sure. Okay, I'll admit that I did not go with my family to the Community Pool tonight. Yeah, yeah -- my knee is hurting (again!), but swimming in the weightless environment that water provides is one of the RECOMMENDED exercises for those with aching joints. Blast! I hate the fact that I am too honest to even lie to myself. Grrrr....
So, maybe I'm licking my wounds a little bit. Yesterday was decidedly NOT fun and we were busy at work, etc., etc. Whine, whine, whine. I can hear you all collectively yelling at me to GET OVER IT! Okay, message received. Tomorrow we're celebrating our youngest daughter, Koko's, 6th birthday and then...nose back to grindstone.
Why, why, why does the lap pool seem so daunting? I'm not so sure. Okay, I'll admit that I did not go with my family to the Community Pool tonight. Yeah, yeah -- my knee is hurting (again!), but swimming in the weightless environment that water provides is one of the RECOMMENDED exercises for those with aching joints. Blast! I hate the fact that I am too honest to even lie to myself. Grrrr....
So, maybe I'm licking my wounds a little bit. Yesterday was decidedly NOT fun and we were busy at work, etc., etc. Whine, whine, whine. I can hear you all collectively yelling at me to GET OVER IT! Okay, message received. Tomorrow we're celebrating our youngest daughter, Koko's, 6th birthday and then...nose back to grindstone.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wowee Zowee!
6/27/11 - DWA #3
I am pleased and proud to annouce that I was able to keep up with the routines (for the most part) tonight! Of course, I am speaking of the ones that we have done twice before. However, there were two new routines that brought out the laughing hyena in me. One of the Old Guard started laughing with me and told me that she gets a kick out of how much I'm enjoying myself. I'm not so sure if I'm enjoying myself, or just laughing at myself, but whatever it is...I'll take it.
With the uber-unejoyable first half of my day, DWA was exactly what I needed. I spent several hours dealing with a sticky personal issue that was festering and finally needed lancing. Yep, that's how painful it was. I'm surprised to admit that, by lunchtime, I started looking forward to DWA. Of course, picking the kids up from camp and spending time with them over dinner was good, too. But I am starting to understand the release that physical exercise can give after a tough day. Hmmmmmm....
Tomorrow night it's laps at the Community Pool. We're celebrating our youngest cub's birthday on Wednesday and going on vacation next week, so I will have to come up with exercise alternatives. Laps for the rest of this week and I'm lookig forward to hikes and bike rides in Niagara. I wonder how rusty I'm going to be when I can get back to DWA?
I am pleased and proud to annouce that I was able to keep up with the routines (for the most part) tonight! Of course, I am speaking of the ones that we have done twice before. However, there were two new routines that brought out the laughing hyena in me. One of the Old Guard started laughing with me and told me that she gets a kick out of how much I'm enjoying myself. I'm not so sure if I'm enjoying myself, or just laughing at myself, but whatever it is...I'll take it.
With the uber-unejoyable first half of my day, DWA was exactly what I needed. I spent several hours dealing with a sticky personal issue that was festering and finally needed lancing. Yep, that's how painful it was. I'm surprised to admit that, by lunchtime, I started looking forward to DWA. Of course, picking the kids up from camp and spending time with them over dinner was good, too. But I am starting to understand the release that physical exercise can give after a tough day. Hmmmmmm....
Tomorrow night it's laps at the Community Pool. We're celebrating our youngest cub's birthday on Wednesday and going on vacation next week, so I will have to come up with exercise alternatives. Laps for the rest of this week and I'm lookig forward to hikes and bike rides in Niagara. I wonder how rusty I'm going to be when I can get back to DWA?
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Weekend of family fun...
6/25-26/2011
We spent a lot of time at the Community Pool, as expected. The lap pool that my daughter so adorably pointed out is, indeed, adults-only. Dang! I had absolutely no excuse NOT to dive in and do a few, right? All I can say is: oh my goodness, I was winded by four laps! Okay, so they told me it was a "competition sized" pool, whatever that means. Four laps doesn't seem like enough to turn me into a gasping wall-hanger. But, alas, it was. So, now laps are on the menu for this summer.
So, now the bad part. I have to admit that I slipped on the diet part of my quest for fitness. We went to a Phillies game on Saturday. Hey, what's a baseball game without a hotdog and a beer? I know I shouldn't have done it, but my hubby got the tix before I began this journey and...well, I'm weak. I was able to avoid the crabby fires with cheese sauce though, so there's that.
All in all, sunburn and guilt over the baseball goodies...so worth it! Tomorrow = Day 3 of DWA hillarity.
We spent a lot of time at the Community Pool, as expected. The lap pool that my daughter so adorably pointed out is, indeed, adults-only. Dang! I had absolutely no excuse NOT to dive in and do a few, right? All I can say is: oh my goodness, I was winded by four laps! Okay, so they told me it was a "competition sized" pool, whatever that means. Four laps doesn't seem like enough to turn me into a gasping wall-hanger. But, alas, it was. So, now laps are on the menu for this summer.
So, now the bad part. I have to admit that I slipped on the diet part of my quest for fitness. We went to a Phillies game on Saturday. Hey, what's a baseball game without a hotdog and a beer? I know I shouldn't have done it, but my hubby got the tix before I began this journey and...well, I'm weak. I was able to avoid the crabby fires with cheese sauce though, so there's that.
All in all, sunburn and guilt over the baseball goodies...so worth it! Tomorrow = Day 3 of DWA hillarity.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Braving the great outdoors
6/24/2011 We FINALLY try out the new and improved Community Pool.
It was a long, hot summer in 2010 when our local Community Pool was shut down for renovations! My kids are total water rats. We would go right after lunch, upon entering the pool area, they would all fan out, and I would have to drag their blue-lipped and pruned up bodies out of there to go home and fix dinner. So...the announcement that the Pool was going to be closed for renovations was upsetting -- it became more so while suffering through one of the hottest summers on record.
Well, the renovations are finished, better late than never, and we renewed our membership. I work during the week, but not on Fridays so, as you can imagine, the kids began the "Pool, pool, pool, pool" chant pretty much upon waking. I was able to put them off until we had lunch; after that, with these Creatures of Habit, all bets were off. So, despite the gathering dark clouds, we geared up and headed over.
Kid Nirvana! New water slides, a Splash Zone, diving board, and Snack Shack offering all those "gotta-have-it" poolside faves, like sno-cones, popcorn and soft pretzels. Remember: we go after eating lunch -- where do these kids put it? After clearing the gate, they each head in a different direction and I stake our claim to a corner of grass for our towels. I think one week of DWA embarassment has given me some confidence because it only took me 15 minutes to remove my cover up and another 10 to get in the pool.
As all parents know, getting in the pool stimulates some spider-sense in kids because they appeared around me almost instantly with squeels of "Watch this!", "Catch me!", and my son's personal favorite, "Cannonball!" It was all fun and games until the rain began to fall. As we ran for the towels and quickly headed for the gates my daugher Jojo tugged on my cover-up, pointed and said, "Hey, what's that one?"
Gasp! The adults-only lap pool...
It was a long, hot summer in 2010 when our local Community Pool was shut down for renovations! My kids are total water rats. We would go right after lunch, upon entering the pool area, they would all fan out, and I would have to drag their blue-lipped and pruned up bodies out of there to go home and fix dinner. So...the announcement that the Pool was going to be closed for renovations was upsetting -- it became more so while suffering through one of the hottest summers on record.
Well, the renovations are finished, better late than never, and we renewed our membership. I work during the week, but not on Fridays so, as you can imagine, the kids began the "Pool, pool, pool, pool" chant pretty much upon waking. I was able to put them off until we had lunch; after that, with these Creatures of Habit, all bets were off. So, despite the gathering dark clouds, we geared up and headed over.
Kid Nirvana! New water slides, a Splash Zone, diving board, and Snack Shack offering all those "gotta-have-it" poolside faves, like sno-cones, popcorn and soft pretzels. Remember: we go after eating lunch -- where do these kids put it? After clearing the gate, they each head in a different direction and I stake our claim to a corner of grass for our towels. I think one week of DWA embarassment has given me some confidence because it only took me 15 minutes to remove my cover up and another 10 to get in the pool.
As all parents know, getting in the pool stimulates some spider-sense in kids because they appeared around me almost instantly with squeels of "Watch this!", "Catch me!", and my son's personal favorite, "Cannonball!" It was all fun and games until the rain began to fall. As we ran for the towels and quickly headed for the gates my daugher Jojo tugged on my cover-up, pointed and said, "Hey, what's that one?"
Gasp! The adults-only lap pool...
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Other possible methods of torture?
There is something about getting out of the house for an hour a couple of nights a week! Chuck has been amazingly supportive this week -- even claiming to be proud of me for starting the DWA. So, thought I'm not really ready to join the Mall Walkers (sorry DWA Old Guard!), I have been scanning the other exercise classes that are being offered at the Y. Although I'm quite obviously not Esther Williams, I am fairly coordinated on dry land, so yoga may be something I can handle.
Truth be told, I took a yoga class about a year ago. About 4 lessons in, I found out that it was a form of yoga that was meant to be done in a very hot room (for whatever reason) called Bikram. I found this out after lesson four, or what I call Melt Down Day. In short, 3/4 of the way through class, I staggered out of the class to the locker room where I literally threw myself under a cool shower, clothes and all, panting like a dog and in desperate need of an IV of Ringers lactate. Is it any wonder that this put me off yoga?
However, I once worked with a young girl who became a yoga fanatic. The whole time I we worked together, Cupcake was always an attractive girl with a nice figure. Then she took up running and yoga and, what was once nice, went through the roof! Now, let's be honest -- getting hooked on running is NOT going to happen at this stage in the game -- but yoga done in a temperate climate may deserve another look...
Truth be told, I took a yoga class about a year ago. About 4 lessons in, I found out that it was a form of yoga that was meant to be done in a very hot room (for whatever reason) called Bikram. I found this out after lesson four, or what I call Melt Down Day. In short, 3/4 of the way through class, I staggered out of the class to the locker room where I literally threw myself under a cool shower, clothes and all, panting like a dog and in desperate need of an IV of Ringers lactate. Is it any wonder that this put me off yoga?
However, I once worked with a young girl who became a yoga fanatic. The whole time I we worked together, Cupcake was always an attractive girl with a nice figure. Then she took up running and yoga and, what was once nice, went through the roof! Now, let's be honest -- getting hooked on running is NOT going to happen at this stage in the game -- but yoga done in a temperate climate may deserve another look...
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
With all the grace of Frankenstein...
6/22/2011
Day 2 of Deep Water Aerobics was a disaster! I don't know how I became so uncoordinated yesterday, but I had more trouble keeping up tonight than I did on Day 1. How is that possible? I used to move and groove with the best of them: from the bump to the hustle, the bus stop to the freak, the running man to the cabbage patch. Tonight I nearly drowned trying to pull off a can-can kick routine in 4 feet of water. Hysterical! Frankly, I was getting a real kick out of myself...much to the distress of my classmates who thought I had completely lost my mind by the end of class.
The Wednesday night class was much less crowded than the Monday night. The other newbie did not come, but I hope she will be back on Monday. One of the Old Guard asked me if I was going to Mall Walkers this weekend. Uh, isn't Mall Walkers for the Silver Sneakers Club? As in Senior Citizens? I'm sure she was trying to be nice...or legally blind.... Whatever, it can't be that she thinks I'm a member of The Club.
Then another of the ladies squeeled "That's a great idea!" Down girl! But I am wondering if I should supplement the DWA with something over the weekend (I say now, while the endorphins are still flowing). Mall Walkers, huh? Is shopping involved?
Day 2 of Deep Water Aerobics was a disaster! I don't know how I became so uncoordinated yesterday, but I had more trouble keeping up tonight than I did on Day 1. How is that possible? I used to move and groove with the best of them: from the bump to the hustle, the bus stop to the freak, the running man to the cabbage patch. Tonight I nearly drowned trying to pull off a can-can kick routine in 4 feet of water. Hysterical! Frankly, I was getting a real kick out of myself...much to the distress of my classmates who thought I had completely lost my mind by the end of class.
The Wednesday night class was much less crowded than the Monday night. The other newbie did not come, but I hope she will be back on Monday. One of the Old Guard asked me if I was going to Mall Walkers this weekend. Uh, isn't Mall Walkers for the Silver Sneakers Club? As in Senior Citizens? I'm sure she was trying to be nice...or legally blind.... Whatever, it can't be that she thinks I'm a member of The Club.
Then another of the ladies squeeled "That's a great idea!" Down girl! But I am wondering if I should supplement the DWA with something over the weekend (I say now, while the endorphins are still flowing). Mall Walkers, huh? Is shopping involved?
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
How does one become sore after splashing around in a pool?
Who ever invented this "deep water aerobics" concept, anyway? Sadist! You took a fun activity like playing in the pool, and turned it into work. I was expecting to be tired when I got home lastnight -- and I was -- but soreness the next day? Completely unacceptable.
I must admit, however, that I'm proud of myself for starting this. I even posted on Facebook about the project and, to keep myself honest, started this blog. As any of my friends will tell you, I'm a chick who takes obligation seriously. So folks, this has become my way to force myself to stick with it. The class runs from lastnight to the end of August, two nights per week. Hopefully, by August, I'll be able to update my profile picture to a more trim version of me which will be incentive to stick with it in the fall. I know Rome wasn't built in a day (frankly, nor was my current body shape), but it's a start.
Now I'm dragging my sore, sorry butt up to a warm Epsom salts bath and bed. Tomorrow = Class 2.
I must admit, however, that I'm proud of myself for starting this. I even posted on Facebook about the project and, to keep myself honest, started this blog. As any of my friends will tell you, I'm a chick who takes obligation seriously. So folks, this has become my way to force myself to stick with it. The class runs from lastnight to the end of August, two nights per week. Hopefully, by August, I'll be able to update my profile picture to a more trim version of me which will be incentive to stick with it in the fall. I know Rome wasn't built in a day (frankly, nor was my current body shape), but it's a start.
Now I'm dragging my sore, sorry butt up to a warm Epsom salts bath and bed. Tomorrow = Class 2.
Can I really do this?
6/20/2011
I'm scared to death that I'm going to make a total fool of myself at this deep water aerobics class. True to form, I have spent hours researching deep water aerobics. Just HOW aerobic is the exercise? Am I going to flouder around in the pool until I sink to the bottom and drown? I'm a strong singer, but horrendously out of shape. Do I really have the nerve to join this class?
I forced myself to the Y Women's Locker Room and changed into my swim suit. I did this in a bathroom stall because I was too embarrassed to change in full view of the other ladies in the locker room. Or perhaps I'm too kind to expose them to the horror of seeing me naked? *wink* Thinking of no excuse that would give me an "out," I reluctantly pull myself from the locker room into the pool area. Great! Just as I feared, the class seems to be made of older women who all know each other. Okay, at least they don't know me so I can slip in unnoticed.
Horror! The instructor looks around and notices that I'm one of two faces that are unfamiliar. She calls the "newbies" to the front row so we can watch her demo each move and hear her commands. Ugh! Attention is NOT what I want and being front and center when I'm afraid of making a spectacle of myself is WAY counterproductive. But, I'm a good girl and I follow directions. I must be in the front row, as Bob Uecker used to say.
Okay, I'll admit that I was WAY READY for the class to be over by the time we hit the "cool down" routine. Some of the footwork was complicated -- for me -- and putting it together with the arm motions while trying to keep my back straight, shouders back, tight tummy.... Let's just say, I'm really glad nobody was taping this lesson! But, I made it through. I even felt good enough about myself that I walked from the pool back to the locker room with my towel draped over my shouders, and not wrapped around me like a cocoon.
I wonder how I'm gonna feel tomorrow?
I'm scared to death that I'm going to make a total fool of myself at this deep water aerobics class. True to form, I have spent hours researching deep water aerobics. Just HOW aerobic is the exercise? Am I going to flouder around in the pool until I sink to the bottom and drown? I'm a strong singer, but horrendously out of shape. Do I really have the nerve to join this class?
I forced myself to the Y Women's Locker Room and changed into my swim suit. I did this in a bathroom stall because I was too embarrassed to change in full view of the other ladies in the locker room. Or perhaps I'm too kind to expose them to the horror of seeing me naked? *wink* Thinking of no excuse that would give me an "out," I reluctantly pull myself from the locker room into the pool area. Great! Just as I feared, the class seems to be made of older women who all know each other. Okay, at least they don't know me so I can slip in unnoticed.
Horror! The instructor looks around and notices that I'm one of two faces that are unfamiliar. She calls the "newbies" to the front row so we can watch her demo each move and hear her commands. Ugh! Attention is NOT what I want and being front and center when I'm afraid of making a spectacle of myself is WAY counterproductive. But, I'm a good girl and I follow directions. I must be in the front row, as Bob Uecker used to say.
Okay, I'll admit that I was WAY READY for the class to be over by the time we hit the "cool down" routine. Some of the footwork was complicated -- for me -- and putting it together with the arm motions while trying to keep my back straight, shouders back, tight tummy.... Let's just say, I'm really glad nobody was taping this lesson! But, I made it through. I even felt good enough about myself that I walked from the pool back to the locker room with my towel draped over my shouders, and not wrapped around me like a cocoon.
I wonder how I'm gonna feel tomorrow?
Day One: What the Hell Happened?
6/19/2011
So...that little bit of chest pain and shortness of breath is not such a trivial thing afterall. Holy crap! With my family history of heart disease, how did I ever let myself get this out of shape? When did I get SO OLD?!
I'm an almost-46 year old married mom living a "normal" suburban life. My husband and I have the usual marital ups and downs -- my kids are active in sports and school activities -- I work part-time at a community college. Normal. Unexciting. I was once a young, fit, vibrant woman who enjoyed playing sports, instead of just watching them, and enjoyed a day on the beach, at the pool or hiking the trails. Ugh! Where did she go?
Did you ever remember your past and feel like you were recalling the chapters of a book that you once read, or a movie you saw long ago? It's really weird, disconcerting and a little bit scary. I was looking through old photographs -- trying to get organized -- and it hit me. I must get back in shape. This is ridiculous!
I'm not yet old enough to be able to slough off the fact that walking from the parking lot to my office makes me a little out of breath. So, with Chuck's help (my husband) and my kids' cooperation, I vowed to start immediately. I signed up for a deep water aerobics class that starts tomorrow at the local YMCA.
So...that little bit of chest pain and shortness of breath is not such a trivial thing afterall. Holy crap! With my family history of heart disease, how did I ever let myself get this out of shape? When did I get SO OLD?!
I'm an almost-46 year old married mom living a "normal" suburban life. My husband and I have the usual marital ups and downs -- my kids are active in sports and school activities -- I work part-time at a community college. Normal. Unexciting. I was once a young, fit, vibrant woman who enjoyed playing sports, instead of just watching them, and enjoyed a day on the beach, at the pool or hiking the trails. Ugh! Where did she go?
Did you ever remember your past and feel like you were recalling the chapters of a book that you once read, or a movie you saw long ago? It's really weird, disconcerting and a little bit scary. I was looking through old photographs -- trying to get organized -- and it hit me. I must get back in shape. This is ridiculous!
I'm not yet old enough to be able to slough off the fact that walking from the parking lot to my office makes me a little out of breath. So, with Chuck's help (my husband) and my kids' cooperation, I vowed to start immediately. I signed up for a deep water aerobics class that starts tomorrow at the local YMCA.
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