Tired, Tonight

Yawn! When Willy Dog got home from work, we went out to the lake and did two miles. It felt good to get out and walk on the trails. The last time we were out there was Christmas Day. There were only a few others out there, I was expecting the trails to be busier, since it was a perfect afternoon for a walk. Sunny, breezy and sixty-five degrees.

I was walking along the lower tail of Normal Trail and found myself longing to run so I allowed myself to run a little. I still can't go very fast and and can't go very long, but I ran a little and when I felt like dropping back to a walk, I pushed myself to run just a little farther before resuming my walk pace. A part of me really, really wants to run. And run and run. I know that it is unlikely I will ever be able to run for any real distance, due to my hips and knees but a little now and then might be good for me. I am going to try to run a little every time I go out to the trails.

Food was much. much better, today. 1220 calories and I almost got all of my water, too. So, yeah... Better.

Yes, I will post pictures when I do finally get a chance to go have my hair done. :D

Earned My Christmas Dinner, Today

Hello dearlings. I hope that you are having/had a fabulous Christmas.

Mine was nice, tho busy. Housework, tons of laundry, Willy Dog did a little repair work on the TV stand and hooked the DVD player back up, I cooked dinner. Pookey cleaned up and loaded the dishwasher. 

I decided that I needed to get some exercise and earn my Christmas dinner so I insisted that we go for a nice walk, today. After the housework was done and the dinner was in the oven, we all laced on our walking shoes and piled in the Jeep and went out to the lake and took a good, hard three mile walk on Kickass Trail. Amey, I thought about you, while we were out there. :) It felt good to get out there and really work the old legs. There were a lot of people out there, people alone and in pairs on bicycles, walking dogs, walking kids, large group families walking dogs and kids. I guess a lot of people had the same idea... Work off or earn some of that Christmas dinner. :D It was a gorgeous day for a walk, warm enough for short sleeves with a breeze to keep one from getting overheated. Lovely. I am not even all that mad that it didn't snow.

I ran a little bit, today. Granted, it was on a down slope  and only for about a minute, but I did it. It felt good and I did much better than I did last Summer when I made an attempt. I wasn't shuffling, barely lifting my feet, barely moving forward. This time I actually put on a little speed, got my feet up and really moving. Unfortunately it hurt my poor hip. I still need to get more bulk off my frame before I am going to be able to run, again. But I know that I can. And I feel really proud of myself for trying it, again and actually doing it. :D

I am sitting at just over 1200 calories, including dinner for the day. I may have a  sugar free cocoa, later and maybe a sugar free pudding or some popcorn.  We'll see what I am in the mood for. Right now, I am still stuffed from dinner. I have just one more big tumbler to get my full four quarts of water down, not counting the 16 ounce bottle I took with me when I went to the lake.

Okay, I have to pee like a racehorse and check on the laundry. You know.. I don't think I am ever going to finish. I am waiting for Willy Dog to take his shower so that I can do up the last load of whites. *sigh* I wish he would get up off the sofa and do that. Dangit! I want to just get it done so that I don't have to hassle with it for a few days. It isn't as if he hasn't seen Home Alone 2 before. Fifty thousand times, before. :P

Three Words:

Fuck the Lake!

Seriously.

Husband and I decided to walk in the mornings, since getting out in the evenings is a logistical nightmare. And, figuring that the nasty clouds of bugs wouldn't be present in the A.M., we hit the trails. It was lovely and cool, and the air was clear of tiny, annoying winged creatures. Until the frakking sun came up. Then the bugs did, too.

Clouds of swirling, flying, nasty, horrible, fucking bugs. The walk to the end of Normal Trail was lovely.

The walk back to the car was a nightmare. A mile has never felt so long, in my entire life. I walked as fast as I could, arms flapping wildly in front of my face. I actually considered trying to run, just to get back to the car a little faster.

Ugh! Misery! The lake is out of the question until a good freeze settles the flying hoards.

It's a hell of a thing, having to choose to inhale bugs or car exhaust. I'll take the exhaust. It is more toxic than bugs, but far less unpleasant to walk through. 

I like walking in the morning. I don't have to sit around all day, stewing about it, It is done. And so is my housework and I am on to laundry. I have had my first cup of Joe and am ready for number two and my brekkie.

And I need to get another load in the washer.

I want to thank all of you for your kind comments, words, commiseration and hints. *huge cyber hugs to all of you!!!!* This is why we need this community. When we hit a low, we have so many lovely people to flock to us, lift us up and help us through a dark patch. I for one, couldn't be doing this without all of you.

I had my freakout, yesterday, ate badly, pouted and sulked and basically acted like a brat. I am fine, today. Back on track, back to walking and renewed in mind and body. And ready to go forward. I know... I have been saying that a lot, lately. Guess it has been a bit of a rough patch. *rolling my eyes* A part of me is beyond jazzed that I have lost 75 pounds, so far. The other part is like, in a huge sulk because I still have so far to go. And I suppose one side was warring with the other, messing up my head and I was letting it happen, for my own, silly, yet unsussedout reasons.

Whatever. I am over that shit, now. :D And ready for the next 25 to get me under that big 300. That is my immediate goal, at present. Under 300.

Okay, I need to go put the first load in the dryer, get the next load in and make some eggs. I am in need of protein, this morning.

I'll talk to all of you loverly people and read your updates in a while.

Later, gators! :D

Just a Quickie, Tonight

Hello all. :D

I am just doing a quick entry to document a good day. Food is nicely on track and we went and did two miles on Normal Trail. The walk was nice, but the evening wasn't as heavenly as last night. The bugs were back. And a tarantula popped out on the trail, right in front of Son as he walked along. Son freaked out, jumped back and flapped his hands. (It really is the funniest thing...lololol) and Husband stood there, staring at the thing as if it were about to eat him. With some remark about the two being a couple of pussies, I walked on around the thing and finally, my two big, strong men managed to make their way around the spider and quickly pass me, all fast and macho, once again.

The tarantula, smiling smugly, his job done, turned and headed back off the trail in the same direction he had come.

The sun is setting a lot earlier, now. The sky was a deep grey, with just a hint of yellow and gold and lavender in the West as we finished up our walk. The creatures who inhabit the lake were settling in for the night. Groups of water birds, extended in graceful flight were circling, looking for the perfect spot to crash until morning and frogs were ribbiting all around the shore.

I am tired, tonight. I think I might sleep really well, tonight.

This Chica is Going

I got in another two miles out at the lake, tonight, We decided to walk Kickass Trail instead of Normal Trail. Kickass has a long, steady, gradual climb on the way out, then a long, steep, windy downhill all the way to the bridge. We went nearly to the bridge and turned around. We wanted to go farther but it was getting dark and we had to skedaddle back to the Jeep.

I walked a fast pace, for me and I kept it up, even on the climbs. The climb out wasn't as difficult, since it is more gradual, but when we turned and went back up that long, steep, winding hill, I am ashamed to admit I had to stop for a moment. I started having trouble breathing and I was wheezing really bad. I slowed my pace slightly and made it to the top, then was able to recover as I humped it down the long downhill back to the car. I got a good workout on that walk and I felt great, when it was done. I think that we need to walk that trail more often. I really enjoy the challenge and I am a little cock a hoop that I can keep such a brisk pace while walking it.

The weather tonight was perfect for walking. Low seventies, a brisk breeze, low humidity and, blessing on top of blessings, no bugs!!!  :D No gnats, no mosquitoes, no tarantulas. Why can't it be like that every time we go out there? lol

We met up with a few people, a younger gal with her little boy and a dog. She had on black capris and across her generously rounded booty was the words "rock star". Now, I ask you, why do people run around in pants with lettering across their ass? lol We met up with Lance and Lancette Wannabe on their bicycles, riding far too fast on trails shared with foot traffic. We saw the gal with the long dark ponytail that always jogs and another walker. A man about our age, walking in the same direction we were. He must have been parked down at Heritage Park.

I am very nicely on track. In fact my calories are a little low. I have room for a snack, if I so desire.

Well, my little chickadees, I am out of stuff to talk abut, right now. So. I'll natter at you all later.

Have a great night. :D

Damn! I Needed That!

A solid two miles out on the trails. It has been four days off from walking and I felt it, today. lol

It was really lovely today. A little windy... We had to push against the gusts. Gusts that were hard enough to blow up under my glasses and bend my eyelashes down so I couldn't see. How freaky is that? The wind did serve to keep us cooler, tho. Even though it is only in the seventies, the sun was high and shining directly down on us and the wind kept us cool and comfortable. No heat exhaustion, today.

It was so pretty out at the lake. The water level is up, the water was a dark steel blue, ruffled by the wind and reflecting the vault of sky above it. The sky was a great bowl of blue, nearly cobalt at the top, shading to cerulean and then to turquoise. Great rafts of huge, fluffy clouds in gradations of bright white to steel grey moved with matronly dignity across the sky, refusing to allow the brisk wind to hurry them on their way. All of the plant life was very green, fresh and deeply watered thanks to the recent storms.

The final quarter mile or so of Normal Trail was pretty chewed up. Shoulders washed away, the trail roughed, in lower spots much of the packed dirt carried right away, culvert pipes exposed to the light of day. Along the tail of the trail, the ground was still damp, attesting to the high water level. Fences were down, debris caught in long, filthy streamers in the barbed wire. And among the garbage and dead plant material, a green plastic Adirondack chair, upside down and coated with mud.

The trails, even in the chewed up areas were still in decent condition, attesting to the good quality work that goes into constructing and maintaining them. They were level, for the most part and easy and safe to walk on. The City has it's work cut out for it, tho to repair those areas.

After our walk we decided to pop down to Sonic for Happy Hour drinks. The males got fruit slushies and I had a small diet cherry limeade. My standard Sonic slurp. We sat in the car, slurped out drinks and listened to music and chatted for a bit. Sadly, our enjoyment was brought to an end when a woman pulled up next to us, rolled down her windows and lit up a cigarette and let the wind carry the smoke directly into our car. She didn't get the hint when we started hacking and coughing, so we split. Look, I know that she has every right to what she wants in her own car but it would have been nice if she had remembered or even cared that smoke travels on the wind and that not everyone enjoys breathing it.

Well, my little fingers are typed out, my friends. I think I will go read blogs and so forth. :D

Defy the Storm Gods

And walk. At least, that is what I wanted to do. By the time we got out to the lake, today the sky over the Eastern sky was a deep, ominous grey-black. Lightening flashed and danced in the clouds and streaked to the ground, thunder rumbled quietly, powerfully in the distance. As we walked down Normal Trail, a rainbow moved at the fore of the storm, marking it's progress.

As we passed the first half mile post, the wind was cooling rapidly and had picked up to a brisk blow. Rain was on it's way and as we looked to the end of the trail where we normally turn around, it was dark down there. Husband decided that he really wanted to turn around. I wanted to go on. He was determined to avoid the storm and I wanted to walk into the teeth of it. I don't fear storms. I probably should. I know very well the power they hold and unleash upon the Earth. But I am not afraid of them. I never have been. I don't worry about being struck by lightening. Stupid, I know. But there it is. Had I been alone, I would have gone on. And I would have accepted and reveled in whatever came my way.

We turned around and got back to where the Jeep was parked and decided to walk a little way up Kickass Trail to get some more distance before the storm reached us. Thing is, that sucker was moving faster than we thought it was and just a few minutes later, we turned around and started back to the car as the sky turned suddenly black and the light went yellow. A few big, fat raindrops hit us on the way back to the car but we didn't get poured on.

I tried something today. I tried to jog a little. I just wanted to see if I was physically capable of it. I was. I walked faster and faster then suddenly just allowed my gait to lift to a jog of sorts. Granted, it wasn't pretty to look at, sad, shambling, flat footed, heavy parody that it was. And it didn't last very long. But I felt strangely pleased with myself, all the same.

 My hip isn't at all pleased with me, tonight. lol The increased force, just from that pathetic little attempt has it hollering at me, tonight. I won't attempt it again for a long time. I don't dare, if I want to be able to walk, at all.

I have heartburn... Too much Tabasco in my soup, perhaps?  *burp* Anyone have some Tums? lol

Return to Willow Lake

A day of rest was just what I needed. I felt much better tonight and we hit the trails and did our customary two miles on Normal Trail. I feel as if my overall condition is improving slightly, I am able to walk at a brisk pace for a while I even kept up with the Speedy Ones for a while. Then I allowed myself to fall back. I walked to the end of Normal Trail, had a quick drink and reapplied lip balm and turned around and walked it back again without pause, even at the top of Little Hell Hill even tho I was really breathing hard. I just walked a little slower for a bit until I recovered.

I am still planning to do extra distance during at least one more walk, this week. I hope that my bod is up to it and I can.

I didn't do my BYOC weight challenge, today. I didn't want to do my weights with Husband home so I decided to do it tomorrow, instead. I feel like an idiot, saying I was going to do that today, forgetting that Husband was off. :p

I am nicely on track with food. Just over 1200, so far. I have a few calories to play with. I think that some watermelon is in my immediate future. :D

It's BYOFC, the Late Edition

With your host, Ice Queen.

Good evening everyone. I hope that you all had a great day. Mine was good. I got housework done, my new grill cleaned up all nice and shiny, marinated chicken, made a big, fresh salad, prepped potatoes for the micro. I wanted to have everything ready to go when we got home from the lake, tonight.

We went out for our usual two miles. Since the humidity went bye-bye, it was a little cooler, today. There was a lovely, soft wind and the dry air made it easier for me to breathe. No wheezies and rattles. :D We went out a little later than usual and it was lovely. And the trails were pretty quiet. We say one man down by the lake taking photos, the older guy with his Aussie/Rottie sweetheart of a dog, a couple of runners and a family up on one of the side trails, taking pictures of each other in the golden light of a dying sunset. The wind was gently warm and felt like a silk scarf on my skin as I walked the last part of the trail.

And tonight, I only stopped once. At the end of Normal Trail, at the one mile point to have a quick breather, drink a little water and apply a bit more lip balm then it was right back and no stopping, again. Not even on or at the top of Little Hell Hill. I was really pleased with myself. And, I have learned that a couple of Advil about an hour before we take off keeps my hips from singing Ave Maria, too. Good stuff. :D

I grilled our chicken for dinner on my new grill tonight. Boy, was it yummy! Tender, juicy and full of that good, grilled flavour. I am so happy to have a good grill, again. The Foreman grill can stay in the cabinet to be used if it is just too nasty out to use my gas grill. :D

Okay, on to BYOFC.

1. Since this is a patriotic holiday of sorts, I thought of this one: Where were you on September 11th 2001?

I was at home. It was early in the morning and I was up freakishly early, for me. I had just gotten out of the shower and wandered into my living room and flipped on the tube and tuned in to CNN, expecting to see yet more yada, yada about Chandra Levy. Instead, Aaron Brown was on and one of the buildings of the World Trade Center was on fire. I called my husband to come out to the living room to see it and then watched in horror as the second plane came in. Like most of the rest of the country, I remained glued to my TV for the rest of the day, hardly wanting to even leave my TV long enough to go to the bathroom.

2. What is your idea of fun? If you could skip work/life for one day, what would you do? (Assuming you were alone.)

Oh, wow! The possibilities! There are a lot of things I would like to do... Go shopping or take a long drive or just pop a big bowl of popcorn, load my DVDs of Pride and Prejudice into my DVD player and watch it all the way through, with no interruptions, no phone ringing, no dog to go out, no husband or son wanting something, no housework hanging over me.

3. Suggestion from a follower: Some blog questions.

How many blogs do you follow?  A lot.

Do you read them all or just your faves?  I read all that come up on my blogroll with new entries.

Do you comment a little/a lot on all?  I am a sporadic commenter. I have explained why, before. I also tend to go through mad commenting phases, I am all over the place, commenting like a madwoman then I clam up, for a while. Yepper... I am seriously cracked and my commenting style proves it. lol

Have you unfollowed someone because of something they said or because you didn't like their blog?  I unfollowed a blog and removed it from my blogroll because the author seriously misuses the word "retard" in a really nasty, hurtful manner on a regular basis and is also prone to writing nasty digs about fat people. I don't need that kind of negative, hurtful shit in my bloggy life.

Do you routinely unfollow and why?  I do not. Tho there are a few blogs at the bottom of my blogroll that have received no love for a long time and the thought has crossed my mind to set them adrift. They aren't bugging me and I still want to think about it a while longer. I guess I keep hoping that one day, I will see them post, again.

4. Repeat question. Pick just one thing you will do for just one day.

Okay, I am going to up my ante on my weights workouts and do Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In addition, (providing I am not in pain and my body allows it,) I will go a ways up Kickass Trail after I finish my two miles on Normal Trail during one of my walks, next week. I can't promise a full extra mile, but I will do the best I possibly can.

5. Repeat question: Make someone a superstar. Whose blog or comment really stuck with you, this week?

Well, I have a few, actually. Lyn, even in the midst of a rotten week from hell found optimism, strength and grace in adversity and carried on in fine form. Drazil having the strength to share her very personal tragedy. Amy W taking big steps on her journey of self discovery. Loretta and Chris writing posts that resonate for me and inspire me to carry on and move ever forward. (Sorry I didn't provide links. It is late and I am half brain dead.) I could go on and on because to be perfectly honest, everyone I read and stalk... Follow!... ;) touches me in one way or another and lifts me up and carries me along on this odyssey of mine.

I think I am going to dump my husband and take my grill to Vegas and marry it.

Holy shit! This entry is long! Goodnight, all. Loves and sweet dreams.

Ow Ow Ow Ow!

Well, tonight I am hurting. lol

We went out to Willow Lake and we turned left. Yowza! That trail kicked my ass. It was easy and level and fun... For a while. Then we got a lot of uphill and downhill and repeat. A lot. lol

The last half mile I kept playing Jillian yelling, "Unless you faint, puke or die, keep walking!" over and over in my head. And I did. I made it. I dragged serious ass the last half mile. But I am glad that I did it and I do feel good. (Under the sore muscles... lol) Yes, I am sore tonight and tired out, too. I should sleep well. Especially after I take a couple of Advil PM.

I think I am going to stick to the easier trails, for a while. I need to challenge myself but I don't want to end up lying in a heap out in the middle of the Willow Lake trail system. It would be hard to move me out of there... ;) lol

Okay. I am wiped and falling asleep while typing this so I am going to sign off and hit the sack.

If the above post made any sense at all, I will be shocked.

Seriously.

I am brain dead, right now. lol

I Feel Good!

Da na na na na na na.

Like I knew that I would, now.

Da na na na na na na .

I feeel good!

Da na na na na na na na na.

Like I knew that I would...

Da na na na na na na.

So good! So good!  OoooWWW!

I walked two miles!

Da duh du duh da!

(That song running in an endless loop through your gourd, yet? ^^)

This evening we jumped in the Jeep and drove the few minutes to Willow Lake and walked on one of the many tails that surround it. I have been wanting to go out there and walk for a long time and I finally convinced Husband that we should go. It was a lovely walk. The lake is surrounded by many miles of smooth, maintained trails that you can walk, run, ride a bike or a horse on. And there are markers at half mile points so that you know how far you have gone.

We started out on Willow Lake Road and hit the trail and walked along the lakeside. The plant life was so lush and full, flowers were blooming everywhere. As we walked along, thousands of tiny, iridescent dragonflies rose from the greenery and flew along with us for a pace or two, then settled back into their plants. A ways off the trail, a rattling sound drew my attention. (Rattling sounds in this state can mean trouble... lol) It was this big, honking big mama-jama dragonfly. It looked to be the diameter of a small salad plate. It was stunning.

As we progressed we came to a spot where huge glacial boulders had formed a natural narrow spot, soft with sand and shaded by the huge rock formations and some big trees. There is a bench for those who would like to sit and enjoy their surroundings or contemplate their navels for a little while. As we passed the bench, a few annoying bugs started to buzz my ears. My ponytail came in handy at that point. A quick switch of my head and no more bugs. :S

We continued past there and soon saw the first half mile marker. Then we walked along, in the shadow of Glassford Hill and enjoyed the beauty and the swiftly setting sun. A ways further on, the trail took a sharp downhill and then leveled out and crossed a bridge. A little while later and we were at the "official" trail head where there were signs telling you what you could or couldn't do, a doggy doo-doo bag dispenser and a map. At this point we were a mile from the car.

I really, really wanted to go on. I was enjoying myself so much but I was already beginning to flag a little and I knew that the smartest thing to do would be to head on back. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak. lol The walk back was a little harder, but I was still enjoying it and able to talk as I walked. The only difficult part was that one hill. I just took it at my own pace, stopped when my body told me to, gathered a new reserve and kept on. We walked at a pretty good pace, but I freely admit that I was dragging some pretty serious ass the last half mile. lol

But I made it! All 358 pounds of me made that two miles in decent time and feeling mighty fine, if a little breathy, by the time we got to the Jeep. I drank water during and after my walk and I am amazed at how fast my breathing returned to normal and my heart rate went back to resting. My body felt light and my blood was singing. I had worked up a nice little sweat. Nothing like our Drazil did, today but respectable, none the less. Boy, did I ever have a lovely time. :D

I love the trails at Willow Lake. They are wide enough for two to three people to walk abreast, they are quite smooth and well maintained. And they are fairly level. There are just enough up and downhills to gently but steadily challenge me, but not too steep, except for that one hill that they are too much for me. It really is the perfect place for walking. And we are planning to go every night that we can.

The temp was nice for walking. Warm, but not hot and a lovely, steady breeze keeping us comfortable and happy. As we headed abck to the car, the breeze blowing across the lake gave us the softest, cool little kisses on our faces. Lovely.

I didn't enjoy having to carry that danged water bottle. Time to haul out the old knitting needles and a ball of acrylic yarn and run up a bottle bag with a nice, long strap that I can sling cross body. That way I can have my hydration and free hands, too. :D Sweet Son of mine carried my water bottle back for me. And came back and gave it to me, every now and again so I could drink a little then continue. What a great guy he is. <3

Other than that, my eating is right on track. I haven't been having binge urges and I am feeling pretty level, at present. I am a bit hungrier than usual. That walk sharpened my appetite a bit. But I am not starving. I do think I need a little pre walk fuel up. Tomorow, before we head out, I'll grab a yoghurt or something. A little protein, a little carb. A little energy and verve for my exercise.

Ooof! Mama needs some Advil. lol