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The Economic Times

I was able to get and print 2 of the 3 things I need from our investment accounts this morning. As soon as I can get the third, we can bag up or tax stuff and take it to our CPA. I always feel so much better when my part of this is done for another year.

I have all appendages crossed that our weather cooperates with me so I can get my massage next week. We’re supposed to get rain Monday and Tuesday, with a possible ‘wintry mix’ Wednesday, just in time for my massage on Thursday. My body would really be grateful if we can keep that appointment.

I’m doing better with my yoga, though. I’m starting to loosen up again, although it will be awhile before I get back to where I was. Why do I have to prove to myself over and over again that this old woman really NEEDS these stretches? I could win a prize for ‘hardest head’ I think. I’m also doing better at keeping my mouth shut this week. I’ve lost 2.5 lbs and hope to continue this, earning gold stars on my calendar. :0)

We’ll leave for Lunch Bunch in about an hour. It was SOOOO good to finally have most of us there last week. I just got a text saying two of us won’t be there. :0( Hopefully, Kay will be there.

I hope you have a wonderful Friday.

A Bit at a Time

TeenVogue

I made it through the 3-minute dumbbell exercises with Denise Austin – barely. Then I rested for quite awhile and did other things. I have just finished another group of exercises with the weights, and plan to do one more group before I give myself a star on my calendar.

I will go and do my yoga stretches in a minute – as soon as I finish this post.

It would be NICE if I could learn to love exercising. It would be WONDERFUL if I had a rush of endorphins. It would be even better if my body had an easier time getting through this stuff. Best of all, I’ll be happy if my tape measure gives me some pats at the end of this month. It would be terrific if I end up stronger, more flexible, and feeling good.

For the moment, though, I’m just working for a star or three on my calendar for the day- a sign that I’m TRYING to take care of myself. I have a chance for 3 stars today –

Clip Art Library

• One for drinking 4 bottles of water today
• A second for my yoga practice
• And the third for my exercising with dumbbells

I’ll keep on keepin’ on

Stefano Furlani -Stone Art – designyoutrust.com

Getting Serious about Exercise

EattoPerform

I am finding that my yoga stretches are helping me more and more.

Each day where Mother Nature is cooperative, I’ve been trying to get outside and do at least a half hour of yard work, trying to neaten up the yard for the winter. I find that if I don’t do my yoga stretches, I get up from my chair later and feel really stiff and sore. If I DO a series of stretches, I don’t have near as much of a problem – PLUS I put a gold star on my desk calendar. :0)

Message from the Scales

Funny Jokes

The scales are sneering at me this morning, but I don’t care. I am thoroughly enjoying the splurge from Thanksgiving. We still have some deli potato salad and some deli baked beans. The rest is a fond memory.

I even made some chicken chunks over rice for last last night. This time I used small bowls, rather than the large pasta bowls I have used in the past, giving us each a nice portion. After we finished, I spread out the rest into eight individual servings in freezer containers and added them to the frozen meals we get from REAL FOOD and STU’S CLEAN COOKIN’ in Greenwood. I am hoping that this will allow us to enjoy the favorite meals we like in moderation from time to time without undoing our efforts to lose the lard.

I’m heading out to the garage soon to try to do 35 minutes on my elliptical trainer. I’m hoping to continue my resolve to keep good habits going with a 30 minute session of yoga stretches this afternoon. (Two gold stars for my desk calendar…)

Poofy

memesbams.com

This poofy lady has lost pound # 8 via South Beach – (37 pounds via various methods since my heaviest). I still have more to lose before I hit ‘new territory’ on my weight loss efforts, but I feel that I am on a roll now. I don’t care how long it takes for me to lose it. I feel good that my scale numbers are going in the right direction now.

My measuring tape is showing positive signs, too, as there is less of me now – 40 inches less – than when I was at my lardiest.

 

 

 

 

 

I am going for gold stars # 13 and 14 today for the week – for my elliptical exercising and my yoga practice. I am feeling less like a fool that I ‘exercise for stars’ as if I were a little kid. There are lots of ways I haven’t really grown up, and if this works – RUN IT! :0)

-ClipartLibrary

We are on Month #2 of South Beach. I will figure out on which days I will fix DIY dinners, lunches, breakfasts, and snacks (morning and afternoon) – 2 of each during the week.

Fingers crossed the progress continues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Muggy Monday

Attack of the Cute

My husband and I did a few errands this morning and then I got on my elliptical trainer for the first time in umpteen months. My trainer lives in the garage and it’s really hot out there. I managed 15 minutes this morning – better than nothing. I’ll try it again on Wednesday and see if I can do 20. I will, of course, do my 35+ minutes of yoga stretching and abdominal exercises this afternoon. (I gave myself a star for the elliptical and will earn another with the yoga this afternoon.) :0)

One of our errands this morning was refilling our sweet Molly’s prescriptions for antibiotics and pain/inflammation relief medicines. I’ve told you she has malignant cancer. It’s in one side of her jaw. She has quite a sizable, firm lump there that is growing. The vet and I talked frankly. Molly was 15 in February. We decided to try to keep her as comfortable as possible, giving her as many happy dog days as we can in the time she has left. She is still able to eat and drink, and enjoys demanding to go out, and then come in again – for a treat. I’m making sure we have PLENTY of the two treats she loves, and am VERY freely dispensing them. She has been with us since she was a small puppy. We are cherishing each day.

My husband is grinning because our grass is at the PERFECT stage, according to him – brown and crunchy! He wishes it would stay that way the rest of the summer. We are due for some rain this week, though, so he’ll have to enjoy it while he can. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday forecasts show a good chance of rain, plus a little bit of relief from the humidity.

I made Suzanne Ryan’s (Simply Keto) recipe for keto chili yesterday, and we ate a bowl last night. My husband sighed with pleasure. We will enjoy a bowl for the second DIY dinner, plus one of the DIY lunches this week.

I haven’t decided what my next clean up project will be. I’ll look around and decide priorities, planning on taking a donation to the Disabled Vets in Fort Smith by the end of NEXT week.

I hope that YOU are having a good day today.

 

Thoughts on a Saturday July 25, 2020

New Animalbook

• It’s frustrating when your child is across the world from you and hurting. Thankfully, we chatted today, and our son is doing much better after a doctor’s appointment. There is 12 hours difference between us, but we got to chat a bit before he headed for bed. I am relieved.
• I’m also relieved that my husband is doing much better after a stroke-type episode while we were at Lunch Bunch. He is also doing MUCH better this morning.
• Our Lunch Bunch friends are all healthy and happy. It’s wonderful to have good, understanding, caring friends.
• Our sweet dog, Molly, who has cancer, managed to eat half her breakfast this morning. She is resting comfortably now in her bed just behind me as I type.
• All is calm and quiet so far today – and for that I am truly grateful.
• Our lawn is turning brown and crunchy – my husband’s favorite – and our irrigation system is working to keep our veggies and flowers alive.
• Since it’s very hot, we are thankful for good air conditioning and the ability to stay indoors today. We will get the mail, but that’s it, I think.
• I’m working on updating important information spreadsheets today. If I finish that, I’ll work on bookkeeping.
• I will get my 6th gold star for the week for doing my daily yoga practice.
• I have lost 5 lbs.

I hope that your Saturday is a good one. Take care and stay safe.

Thoughts on a Wednesday 12-18-2019

Kanno Hisao

The gray, rainy days have finally stopped, giving way to sunshine! It really lifts my spirits.

I earned two gold stars yesterday – one for doing 35 minutes on my elliptical trainer and the other for doing about half an hour or so of my yoga stretches. I put the gold stars on my desk calendar as a motivation to get off my rear and actually DO the exercises, rather than simply thinking about them or talking about them. Will try for another 2 stars today.

This afternoon my husband has an appointment with our primary doctor – the first since he suffered the stroke and we saw everyone trying to do whatever was reasonable to keep him from having another. I’ll be interested to hear what she thinks about how he’s doing, if he needs to change any medicines, and what she thinks the prognosis is for the future.  From my perspective, seeing him every day, he’s almost completely back to normal now. He gets his words garbled every once in a while, and I type for him if he wants me to.

All is good as we prepare for a quiet Christmas. We will actually celebrate with our various friends between tomorrow and Christmas at different times, leaving only the meal Christmas Day. I’ll make another turkey for us. We’re together. We’re doing fine. That’s all the gift we need.

I hope that you are having a wonderful, sunshine-y day.

 

 

 

 

Thoughts on a Saturday 10-12-2019

Beautiful World

 

It’s 40 degrees F this morning and sunshine-y.

It’s too cool to have our doors open this morning, but I am REALLY enjoying the relief from our relentless summer here. It’s nice to NOT have a ‘heat index’. Somehow, knowing that makes me even hotter. I’m planning to work outside this afternoon, cleaning up around the tomato planters where I pulled out the plants a couple of days ago. I may have to throw on a sweatshirt!!!! Woo HOOOO!

It makes me a bit sad that in one week our son will be going back to Thailand. He came home at the end of July (27 hour trip with the flights and the layovers) to help us through the aftermath of my husband’s stroke.  There were lots of tests and decisions to be made. It was a super tense situation, but we finally got the information we needed and did what my husband would allow to avoid another stroke. The crisis is over. My husband is almost completely back to normal. It’s time for our son to get back to his life. I’m collecting lots of hugs (thank goodness he is super generous with them. We communicate almost daily when he’s halfway across the world. He set up a secure chat program we use, plus a conference call program we use from time to time so we can see each other. The only thing missing is his world class hugs. We are SO lucky.

 

I am still fighting with technology, but I’m happy to have two shops on Etsy now –

ArtworthyNoteCards –  hand-painted personalizable stationery, note cards, and greeting cards

TotablyYours  – hand-painted, one-of-a-kind tote bags

 

Amazon

 

I’ve admitted that I’m like a little kid when it comes to motivation to do things I would rather not. I’ve been giving myself gold stars on my desk calendar each day when I practice my yoga, do my elliptical trainer, or do a job in the yard that is drudgery, rather than fun. This week – if I stay on track today and tomorrow, will be a 15-star week!  It makes me happy to look at all the stars on the desk calendar, but I’m also FEELING better for the exercise – and that is really the point of it all.

If I can get my technical problems solved today, I’ll try to get up to my art room this afternoon. I have the BEST of all dilemmas – whether to experiment with my new crayon melting tools or experiment with my new Unicorn Spit stain/glaze kit my wonderful SIL sent me.  :0)

 

 

I hope that you are enjoying YOUR Saturday, whether it is with relaxation or fun.

 

Thoughts on a Monday – 10-7-2019

Jeff Jett

Our weather is perfect today – sun shining and 73 degrees F.  Just gorgeous!

We went shopping this morning. Ever since then I’ve been working to get my second Etsy shop opened. It isn’t completely finished yet. I’m back to the drawing board on banners. I don’t like the way any of the ones I made looked. But if you’d like to see it without the banner, the shop is called, Totably Yours.

Last week was a 12-Gold-Star week  (7 for yoga practice and 5 for elliptical.)  I’m now doing a new exercise regimen I started yesterday, doing 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer every morning and yoga practice for 35 minutes every afternoon. I’m thinking about adding either Annoying Leslie’s Walking Video or a Dance Video in the middle several days, but we’ll see. The cooler weather is making me want to move more, so I’m looking forward to a good week. :0)

I’m heading upstairs to work on a new banner now.

I hope that the weather is such where you are that YOU feel more energetic these days, too!

 

 

The Art of Folding Myself into a Paper Airplane

Seattle Yoga News

“Yoga is a light, which once lit will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter your flame.” — B.K.S. Iyengar

 

 

Petful

“Move your joints every day. You have to find your own tricks. Bury your mind deep in your heart, and watch the body move by itself.” — Sri Dharma Mittra

 

 

Seattle Yoga News

“The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.” — Sakyong Mipham

 

Vitamin-Ha

 

“The yoga pose you avoid the most you need the most.” — Anonymous

http://www.yogadogz.com

“Yoga. Because punching people is frowned upon.” — Anonymous

 

Today is Day 15 of my efforts to practice yoga every day. Because I’m a kid at heart and need the visual encouragement and acknowledgment, I’m giving myself a gold star on my desk calendar each time I complete a practice. The first week I started on a Tuesday, and so earned 6 stars. Last week I got 7! Today I’m going for the 2nd one for the week.

Aside from the gold star nonsense (but if It WORKS….) I AM feeling looser. I overdid one day last week, getting a little too enthusiastic for this old woman’s body, so I’ve been waking up with a sore back each day since. My husband is applying muscle gel with arnica, which is like Icy Hot and makes it feel better quickly. Then I continue my yoga practice, loosening, stretching and hopefully strengthening my muscles each day. My back is hurting less each day, so I think I’m doing a good thing for myself.

I’m 72, so I’m doing “Gentle Yoga” (A DVD put out by sixtyandme.com with the wonderful instructor Cat Kabira. Actually, I’m kind of doing my own thing at the moment, rather than trying to keep up with the DVD, just stretching in all directions s-l-o-w-l-y, CAREFULLY, B-R-E-A-T-H-I-N-G into the stretches, one area at a time.  Ahhhh!

If I DO find myself folded into a paper airplane, it’s my own fault.

I’m a Slug This Week

I FINALLY did some real exercise, doing 35 minutes on the elliptical trainer. I at least moved at a faster rate since the machine is in the garage and it’s 41 degrees F outside today. The garage did keep the wind off, but my nose feels frozen. :0)

I MEANT to do my new-normal routine of a different type of exercise each day for 5 days a week, but life got in the way and I’ll take any excuse I can get.

My husband decided that Monday was the perfect day to demolish our 2nd failed brick planter. We spent a couple of hours on each of two days getting the plants out, the potting soil shoveled out onto a tarp, the bricks knocked down with the use of a sledge hammer, and then hauled off using the wheelbarrow. Then we wrapped up the soil as well as we could and put a 2nd tarp on top with bricks holding everything together. It was a lot of work for us, and we were pooped, having gotten a lot of non-standard use of our backs and muscles, plus cardio and aerobic. It doesn’t really take the place of ‘exercise,’ though.

I’ve been a slug this week, resting and recuperating from our labor and then putting off doing anything more until today. So I only have ONE star for the week on my calendar. UGH.

Next week I’ll try to do better. Promise.

 

Motivation

http://www.pinterest.com

I’m feeling good that I got my exercise for the day accomplished. I received the gold stars (really!) that I ordered in the mail today and caught my calendar up with my activity, adding another one for today.

I feel a bit silly for “working for the gold star” each day – rather than working just for the loftier and more mature goals of better health, less pain, easier movement, better balance, and more – but there it is. I feel GOOD when I add another star to the calendar, and get up off my duff and exercise if I haven’t, so I don’t ruin my new record, now 5 days and 5-1/2 stars…

I’m still having to push myself to get to the 1 mile marker on the Annoying Leslie walking video, but I’m hoping by the end of next week I can at least START Mile 2. I’m doing half an hour of gentle yoga, stretching, twisting, and breathing. My husband even noticed I was touching my toes with my fingers after less stretching time today, plus ALMOST being able to bend forward in a sitting position, soles of my feet together and touching my head to my feet. (I hope this description makes sense. I don’t know any name for it. If it’s just a bunch of words, just picture me tying myself into a pretzel shape.) :0)

My ‘extra’ for the day today was an hour this morning weed whacking and leaf blowing to finish trimming the grass my husband mowed yesterday. I’ll try to do a bunch of bug spraying and weed spraying tomorrow.

Now I’m looking forward to taking my cup of coffee into the living room, stretching out in my recliner with my “Creation in Death” Eve Dallas book. I’m having such a good time re-reading the 45 books in the series by J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts before I read # 46 “Dark in Death” that came out recently in paperback. (Number 47 “Leverage in Death” will be out in paperback in December of this year. I’ve pre-ordered it. )