I Took the Plunge

After much deliberation and musing and hemming and hawing, I did it. I bought a year's worth of gym membership. This includes classes and pool too, though the classes are mostly geared toward those in much better shape than I am. And the big classes aren't offered when I need to be there anyway (which sucks). 

Next Tuesday I have an assessment appointment with a trainer to see where I am, where I want to be, and how best to get to get there. After that there are a few one-on-one trainer sessions that I paid for that will teach me how to use the weight machines since that is what I am seriously lacking, especially for my knees and Entire Upper body. All of it. But that comes after the assessment.

But. I did indeed take another plunge.

These are not my pasty white legs

Literally. In a pool. With old people. Some of whom could kick my butt. Then I added in the highest challenge of water barbells on my first time. Like those frail old people probably could, the class did indeed kick my butt. At least my arms got some serious workout, legs less so. The little bit of lap swimming helped as well. And I'm tired from it too. Meds are on board now for confused muscles. But I can only do those classes on rare occasions since it is at 8 am MWF and I am at work on Wednesday, and home Monday and Friday. But I know how to use the barbells now, and the lap swim is almost always available at the time I would be there.

And now I have plans to use the gym twice a week--something that will keep me from going out to eat as much as I do and that alone will pay for the membership. It ain't cheap (it isn't that expensive either), but it should be well worth it.

So now I get to make myself carry the gym bag in the car so I have no reason to skip out on necessary activity. I'll have to take it into the office with me on hot days, but it will be worth it! Wish me luck that I can keep up on this and make the use worth what I pay for.

Feast or Famine

Sometimes life tosses some serious feasting into your life. Read: The last week in September. Next up: Famine. Okay, so it is not exactly famine, but rather back to eating healthier. Feasting was the trip the week before last that landed me five pounds heavier AFTER allowing for water weight. Well, a week later of working on it and I have gotten rid of two of those pounds. My mental state is a little better knowing that I am making progress again. At the beginning of the year I was at my current weight--185. I made it all the way down to 173 in May and June and, thanks to a wonderful streak of exercise being brought to an end, it has all been uphill from there.

Back in the middle of the year my foot acted up enough that I was doing well to just walk across the parking lot, much less a mile or more. It landed me, ultimately, in an orthopedic walking boot for a couple weeks in September. After working my way back from that I am beginning to test the waters and trying to not make anything flare up again. I have been slow to put my toes in the water of exercise though. And my eating has been anything but healthy since June. 

I decided that it was my birthday month, I was the one who could do it, and it was time to fix the problem. I started to do that that this last week. Exercise didn't happen, but food control and portioning did. And that was enough to make a two-pound dent. Next up: continuing that and adding in exercise, even if only a little bit of it at a time. So back onto keto I go and I have my eyes on a new thing to try:

A gym membership that won't gather expensive dust.

This one would include a pool for when my joints are truly ticked and machines for a little bit of strength training. Maybe even, GASP!, a class or two since they are included in the monthly fee. That may even put in a bit of accountability to the whole thing. And my goal? Go once a week. Minimum, mind you, as more is encouraged. Just once a week instead of going out to eat. It should be just as good for my brainz as going out, but far healthier and cheaper. (Post-workout eating out damage is not included) On a secondary bonus there is a special going on for my birthday month...er...their anniversary of founding so the sign-on fee is pretty much waived. Happy Birthday to Me! My swimsuit set even still fits from the last time I was down at this weight (2018) so there is no outlay of time or money on the evil that is swimsuit shopping. (Having boobs may seem awesome, but apparel shopping is one area where they are most definitely a hindrance and not a feature.)

The Dark and Stormy Seas of Health

I can do this. I keep telling myself that I can and that I keep backsliding...except I haven't really. In 2020 I was 256.5 pounds and I have not seen that number since I started. Yes, there have been ups and downs, but most of those are due to physical ailments leading to mental ailments following closely behind. So I start once again. But not at 256.5. Not at 220. Or 200. 185.5 as of today. And how am I celebrating that? With a drink (a dark and stormy knockoff to be exact), carefully budgeted into my food for the day, knowing it will put me over where my calorie target is, but plenty near where I am comfortable with it being and knowing I have had the nutrition I need. And that's the key, moderation. And I am choosing to add rum into today's nutrition. Because I can. And if I don't splurge somewhere I will fall off the wagon in a hurry. So: rum.

Family Fun vs. Vacation

I just got back from roughly 2000 miles of driving over ten days. Went from Albuquerque, NM to Hill City, SD and back with lots of small trips into the city to see the grandparents. It meant that this was less of a vacation than my solo escapes, but it was worth it.

Grandma is 88, and Grandpa is 92 (I think. Grandma may be 87). Their health is rough, with Grandpa still mostly independent, especially for his age, with my Dad's help. Grandma is in and out of various healthcare homes and is...losing her mental capacities. We needed to go up and spend some time with them in a longer time than the normal five day whirlwinds. So Mom and I did. I still had one week of vacation left for my annual leave, and Mom had some of hers left as well.

The drive up was uneventful, as was the drive home, though we stopped overnight both directions instead of forcing all the way through in one 14 hour marathon. Which was good since I was mostly dead on the way home and Mom hadn't had sleep on the way down. Up meant that we could eat in our favorite spot on the way not once but Twice (and not be driving two-lane highway at night)! The place: Drover's in Brush, Colorado in the middle of nowhere at a livestock sales spot of all places. Best biscuits and gravy or country fried steak outside of Mom's place. Could we take mostly Interstate, yes, but it would involve going through Denver at rush hour(s) and miss the food stop for the same time spent on the road, without the added time in Denver.

The pretty house on an evil hill 

Up in South Dakota, Dad, Mom, and I (and the dog) spent a lot of time on the road since all of our spots to visit were far away from each other. Luckily, Dad did the driving for all that so I could rest in the back seat with the dog when he wasn't locked away at the house on hot days. Visits were kept mostly short since the grandparents needed rest frequently. Hell, after those visits I needed rest! I love them dearly, but it is difficult to have conversations sometimes, especially with Grandma. There will come a time when we can't even do that, so I will take it while I can get it.

It was nice being up there at the very end of tourist season since the roads were open and getting into restaurants was actually doable. The Black Hills is touron (tourist morons) hell during most of the summer. Most had vacated by the time we were out there. We also got to see the leaves turn almost overnight while we were there, which was really pretty. There were supposed to be Northern Lights, but I couldn't get a glimpse of them this trip. Pretty far south for them and I have seen plenty of them while I lived up in Alaska. Would have been nice though.

So eventually we made our way back home, tired of the road and dreading going back to work. Not too much to catch up on for me, but that didn't keep the dread from looming large last night. I'm counting the days (or hours) until I get the chance to go home and not be needed by anyone other than the dog. Just me, YouTube, Zelda, and the fridge. Maybe less of the fridge. I gained four pounds while I was out there, so it is time to get a hold on that whole thing. Eating out and overeating out every meal was killer on my waistline.

A common place for him to lay his head

And now it is time to wrap up and focus on not munching my way through the day. And for dog class tonight to see what is in store for us and the dogs surrounding Link to be snippy with. I hope he tries to be a pain in the ass so the trainer can catch him and help me keep it from happening again.

Back to School

That's right, we're going back to school. Dog training time. This not-so-little pest has been gradually getting more crotchety, and hard-headed over the years and it is time that we both deal with that. His hearing is going and not just in the 'selective hearing' style where he could hear the fridge open but not a command to 'come'.  Time to figure out how to deal with that too.

He has earned himself a muzzle during class because he has bitten another dog (long ago, but he still would do it today, and I know it) and been aggressive toward people, especially tall men. We have had two classes so far, one day after the other since we are going to miss next week's meeting, and he is ahead of the curve so far. It is a basic obedience class, so he has things like lie and sit down pat. Stay is even good. Heeling and coming with distractions? Weeeeellll... we're getting back to those as the weeks of class go on.

He also earned himself some repeated correction since he already tried to intimidate another dog in the class. THAT is why he is in the novice class. I want to be able to have him pass by any dog on the path without having him over-guard me. He has, of course, got the women who run the class all eating out of his fuzzy paw (Within reason. They still are the bosses.). I wish there was a male teacher in the course to desensitize the pooch, but no luck. I will just have to start taking him to PetCo and such. Muzzle included. But not yet.

All ready to go in his day-glow car harness

In other news, I am having trouble with not gaining weight again. I had a small surge of motivation and told myself that THIS time would be my starting point again. Then my brain got down in the dumps but good. On top of that, one of my meds makes me hungry--ravenous is more like it--and I need a higher dose of it. But it works. The combo of brainz and meds means that life is going to be...interesting...for the next week and a half.

Mom and I are going to South Dakota to visit the grandparents, driving up late tonight after Mom gets off of work. It's going to be a long drive--13 hours-ish. And there are going to be so many traps to fall into for munchies. My goal, such as it is, is to just not gain any more weight. I want all the carbs. Specifically bread in all its forms. Even more specifically, biscuits and gravy. In large amounts. I am not looking forward to all the eating out. The drive is easy: only have healthy things to eat along the road. Eating out with family? Less easy and it is going to happen frequently. I'll manage. I'll manage. Just don't gain.

 

Heart Attacks and Goals

I'm drained. I'm tired. I'm stressed. My stress level has been high as of late and nothing much I can do about it right now. I've been going to bed at a reasonable time. And I've been eating. Lots. I keep trying to lose weight again and am just met with a stagnant scale. Yes, I know that the scale is not the be-all end-all of health. But I also haven't been moving while I let that foot heal. I now have dispensation to get back to walking as usual but haven't managed to get my butt either on the treadmill or outside. So that ain't increased muscle weight! I thought I was doing so well as of last week where I was below 180. The last two days have been over 185. And I know why. Only I put the food in my mouth. I'm stressed. I hurt. I'm tired. I'm going off the deep end. Those all combine into a nasty mix of hunger for all things edible. Not a good thing.

I went for a week without my diet sodas with no problems and replaced them with tea (granted, I was sick the entire time, but I did make the swap). I am hoping that by continuing that absence I will have less sugar and general food cravings. Besides, I can spend the money I would have spent on soda toward good tea. So far, no change in cravings that I can tell, but I am willing to give it time and hope for the best. And if not, more tea money.

In other news, this little pain in the arse gave me a heart attack yesterday.

The Smug Ruler of His World

Bedtime rolled around and I told Link that it was time to go outside. He didn't move. I petted his belly. Nothing, but it felt cold. My heart stopped. I shoved his body back and forth and talked to him in a panic. The pest then opened one eye at me. He had been asleep. Still in a state of fear I checked him over as he got up, yawned, stretched, and sat by the door ready to go for his nightly duties. I was dumbfounded. He seemed unharmed. Just sleepy. Okay. Fine. Pardon me while I try to get my heart rate and emotions back to a steady state.

So I take him out on his leash, as usual. I check one side of the house for Mr. Le Pew and let Link off the leash to go do his duties. And get a whiff of eau de skunk. Dangit. I should have checked BOTH sides of the house before letting him loose. Luckily it was only a minor spray, but still skunked. I mixed up the peroxide (which may have been old so I might need another round tonight), Dawn, and baking soda and off we went to the shower. Not how I had planned on spending part of the night, but I'll take a skunk any day in comparison to how I thought the night was going to end. And I'm back in tears just thinking about how it very well could have ended. 

It was a long night. He's been waking me up several times at night lately to get up and do his business. At first I thought he was faking it (and sometimes he is--he's crafty like that) but after seeing his needs I stopped getting frustrated and just grumble as I get up to keep him from having accidents in the house. I'd rather get up needlessly than clean up excrement. He's becoming an old man. I love him. He'll turn 11 in January. I do indeed love that old man and I'll be happy to have him here as long as he wants to be here.  

And now I'm in tears again. Dang dog. Giving me a heart attack. The Nerve!

If I Don't Kill It One Way...

 ...then I can sure find another way. On accident. 

I have been weed whacking around what I thought was a sunflower since the beginning of the season. It was just a hunch, but I have grown them before so I had a pretty good idea of what it was. I kept working around it, very carefully making sure to leave it space. I came back to the house after vacation and did my whacking just like before. Buried in the weeds was this pretty baby.

As seen from its original state

After I had all the yard beaten into submission I went back over to take a couple photos of my pet plant. And promptly dropped the weed whacker onto the plant. Flat out smooshed it to the ground and broke the stem. There was some cussing. But then I thought better about it. Why leave it unappreciated outside when I can take it inside and enjoy it for the life of the blooms! So I now give you my pet in its second life.

Because I can

I spent the last week of vacation convalescing with a cold. It was actually a good time to do it since I couldn't go out hiking like I normally do on vacations and I don't like dealing with the people of downtown Ruidoso. I go on vacation to places without people. Specifically, I go to places with trees and without people. This last one and its creek was ideal. I spent much of the time when I felt okay just sitting out by the creek and putzing on my laptop or phone.  I hooked up my Switch to play Zelda on the tv. I didn't even read because my brain was having trouble reading text on a page. My book remains mostly uncracked, despite having been on vacation. Heck, it even rained a couple times so I could just listen to the drops on the roof and the trees while I did absolutely nothing.

My rental host was worried about me and checked in on me to see if he could be of help. He even brought down some grilled hamburgers and fixings for me one night so I didn't have to cook. We talked back and forth and swapped stories on occasion, but he wasn't intrusive, just a good guy. He was awesome. For the most part, I bounced between the creek and the sofa bench in the trailer, followed by the bed with a pile of pillows. I was still on my crutches for a short time over the week, but the enforced downtime meant that I have been healing up better than I would have if I was home so I am completely off of them. (And 'downtime' is saying something since I can really be a sloth at my house.) I spent the week healing, in so many ways.

Now that I am back in the land of normal life I am decompressing from vacation mode and back into a place where I can be useful and keep up with things that just need done, want to or not. Weeds whacked. House vacuumed. And I'm still exhausted and have the cough, but nowhere near how I was the last week. I'll continue to heal. Reintegrate into society again. If I have to. I guess.

River? Creek? All mine.

Today marks the first day out at vacation in South-ish East-ish New Mexico near Ruidoso. And boy am I completely pooped and out of spoons for the time being.

Yesterday was my first whole day without that CAM moonboot thing. I've been on and off of crutches since then, using them when my foot/knees act up and then ignoring them until I need them again. I way overdid myself yesterday and paid for it today, where I also overdid myself but not to the same extent. My grand intention of leaving early and heading out to a historic site was waylaid by the need for sleep and not moving. Which was fine since, as it turns out, most of the area is not open to dogs. So it all worked out well.

I headed out for the new spot and got here around 3. I was met by a couple interested pooches and a nice gentleman who is the owner of the property. All told there were four poochies. One giant round great Dane that is completely blind was quite the surprise. After a quick overview of he property and the bells and whistles we got to introduce Link to the others. The three females who had all their faculties went well. The big beast who investigates by leaning on things? Not acceptable to Link. I stopped their introduction at a raised lip from Link. He was wearing his prong collar today as well because I was putting up with none of this shite while on crutches, let alone when dealing with other animals.

Of which there are many.

A small flock of chickens, two burrows, one goat, five horses, a rehabilitating hawk, four dogs, and a turkey. Oh, and the two raccoons in a trap waiting to be transported Far From Here. Beats a skunk in the trap.

There's also a creek/river. It would be a creek most places not-here. But it does have quite a bit more water in it than the Rio Not-So-Grande that I passed over earlier today, so I dub it a river. It has a name and everything. Not that I remember the name, but it does have one. There's even a little seating area that the owner set up for me, all mowed and everything! Note that the image does not give a good picture of the water: About five feet wide bank to bank.

Creek? River?

The location is right on the edge of an area that got burned out via forest fire about nine years ago. Took out the owner's buildings, but left most of the area around the river and surrounding non-pine trees. It is under those trees that I am currently sprawled out on a couch and typing. It is a travel trailer of pretty good size with all the amenities of home minus a tub. And a teakettle, but I'll be remedying that later. Everything else is great. Nice people. He even took in all my bags and Link's kennel so I didn't have to deal with losing spoons there. There was even a brand new Link-sized dog bed laid out and ready. Link got to be the first one to use it and get his fur all over (though I did brush him yesterday to get some of the fuzz off).

So now I am recharging the body-batteries and listening to the fan and hummingbirds flitting about and chittering. Not too bad of a way to spend an evening. Though I really need to go get groceries tomorrow if I know what is good for me since I only brought enough for a couple days plus sundries. And I need to pick up a kettle since there is no good way of making tea here and that just won't do. The coffee maker just doesn't cut it. 

So what do you think? Does a 5 ft wide foot deep body of flowing water count as a creek or river?