It's been a good morning...

Two pretty cool things happened today..no, wait, make that three.  And it's only 7.55am! WHOOT.

 #1 Cool thing:

Mr. Elliptical used a machine close to me.  Problem was he came as i was finishing...however, pride and that fact that i've been moaning and whining that he's never close was reason enough for me to stay on the elliptical longer.  i had a great workout. But let me put this into perspective.  When i start, i got about 2.5 mph, then slowly increase to a steady 4.3 mph or so.  There are times when i peak around 6.4 mph or so, but the majority is the 4.3 mph.  Mr. E gets on and goes straight to about 6 or 7 mph....and that's why i wanted to be on a machine close to him, it pushes me to do more.  i'm a bit competitive that way but also motivated when i see someone better...cause it makes me what to do more.

#2 Cool thing

Because of #1 - i actually did a 30 min workout before hitting the weights.  It was awesome and i realized that i really can push my body harder...so Friday 30 min it is!

#3 Cool thing

This morning, i made the last payment on my refrigorator.  Finally.  It's mine, free and clear.  Finally.  And i know to some, that is not a big deal but if you only knew what i've gone through with fridges...then got this one and now..it's mine and still very new!

Stayed tuned cause tomorrow is a big day for me in a number of ways...

Who's your daddy now?

On Friday, as i was leaving work, i noticed that traffic had almost come to a stop.  i didn't see the reason until i got a little closer and realized that everyone had stopped so that a Canada goose family could cross the road.  It was a family outing for sure.  There were about 8 fluffy golden little ones who stayed close to the Mama and the Papa was a good two feet behind the family, walking very slowly making sure no one went the wrong way or was harmed.  That's what everyone was waiting for...the Papa goose to cross.  He was definitely struttin' his stuff.  As if to say, "Yeah, see all this?  It's MINE. See that hot Mama and those adorable kids?  Yeah, all Mine!"

i had to come back that way right before heading for home and as i did, i looked for that goose family.  They were all nibbling at the grass and dandelions and seemed perfectly content.  But the Papa goose?  He was standing up a bit - not right next to his family, his neck was straight up and he was keeping guard - you could read it in his goose body language.  "You wanna mess with me?  Yeah, i didn't think so...keep driving" was what he seemed to say.

It's very interesting to me to watch animal behaviour - i've never spent much time watching geese, though i know they both raise their broods and they mate for life - but that little glimpse really made my day!

 

Another week...

Wow, where did the week go?  i've had an incredibly busy one, with the exception of Monday and it doesn't look like it's going to get any slower anytime soon.  i guess that's ok but sheesh! life just moves too quickly sometimes.

Gym report:  Up to 25 min on the elliptical - getting there. i actually think i'm going to up the workouts to four times a week.  And the dude that does a really hard workout - yeah, at the other end of the machines this morning.  i seriously need to have a word with him.  If he could just be on one close enough so that it motivates me, that's all i need.  Problem is i'm too chicken to go up and say anything...boooooo me.

Gas report:  Seems that gas (petrol) went up 10 cents in about four hours yesterday and this morning, everyone and their brother was phoning the local radio stations complaining.  Yeah - me too - but how do you veto it?  How can you boycott it?  You can't and that's a problem.

Garden report:  Nothing's changed.

Lingerie report: Have nothing new here either, i just like writiing the word:  lingerie.

 

Saturday

It's Saturday!!  i've just come in from gardeing - or should i say dirting...cause i was only turning the dirt over, mixing last years mulch with the dirt that lay quiet during the winter, and i pulled some weed, and i pruned some stuff and i also moved some stuff and then i sat on the back porch steps for a few minutes and just breathed.

Breathed the slightly scented air from my neighbors spring flowers and the smell of freshly turned dirt.  Breathed the air that pulsed of squirrells running on the wires and birds chirping and that crazy bee that followed me all over the yard.  Breathed in the warm air, the spring, the pulse of life.

Soon i'll have to get ready for work where the breathing will be interspersed with working hard and dealing with cranky and not-so-cranky customers.  The air won't be as sweet, nor as peaceful..but hopefully the few minutes i took to just be still and breathe will carry me the rest of the day.

 

How will you vote?

Ok, i'm not just a little bit annoyed.  i just read an article in which it stated that there are women superdelegates (Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn to name one) who are being pressured to vote for Clinton because she is a woman.  i've also heard, first hand, some people of color say that they will vote for Obama because he is black.

ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME?????????

Dear God in Heaven, have we as a nation becomse so stuipd that we vote based on race, color or sex?  What about your conscience? Your beliefs?  The things that you would die for?  What about that?  Why not take some time and read, discuss and discern - for yourself- what each candidate is saying and promising and maybe even doing a little research to find out their track record and if you can whole-heartedly vote.  Or maybe you'll have to write in a name.  But for goodness sake, don't vote like the examples above.  That is so absolutely stupid and void of any wisdom in any possible way.

And ladies, if you're gonna vote for Clinton only because she is a woman - it would be far better if your voting rights were removed and only the Men were allowed to vote, because voting like that takes women's rights back about 1000 yrs.

So, emmasirish, how is the gym thang goin?

Well..i beat the treadmill and now have graduated to the elliptical machine for 20 min...20 awful-cursing-the-day-i-gained-weight-minutes. But 20 min nonetheless. And doesn't it feel good when i'm done???

And speaking of weight - i am now 10 lbs lighter and find that some of my clothes don't fit so well...WHOOT

i think i see a shopping trip in my near future.

:grin:

Is it Spring yet?

So seriously, is it Spring and will we see some sunnier, warmer days or perhaps might the grey just go on and on and on?  Hmmm???  Yeah, i thought so.  Grey.  Although there is a hint of green in my garden so perhaps it might just be Spring afterall.  Maybe it's Spring with an identity crisis.  Maybe Winter stole Spring's identity and made big bucks and now Winter is in the Bahamas resting and relaxing and Spring is confused because she didn't get the memo.

Saying Goodbye

i've tried to write this post a few times and nothing comes out right - and even today it might not, but i'm going to try.

When i was in France, the wife of the family for which i was an au pair grew up in the general location where we lived.  Her parents worked and lived in France for about 35 yrs or so and truly loved the country and people.  Her mother died on Friday and the funeral is tomorrow.  i wish i could go, but cannot because of work schedule, etc.  i wish i could go not only because i love the family but the woman "Grandma" was a special person, a good and godly woman, a woman who had a great sense of humor but also a sense of humility. 

And this is where i'm having trouble - how do you put into mere words all that someone is or was to you?  How do you honor them with your words when they were so much bigger? 

i don't know.  i know that she is no longer in pain, that she is with Jesus in Heaven, that she has left behind many who will remember her and love her and will miss her terribly.  Her husband will also suffer her loss, though i'm sure he's relieved that she is no longer suffering.

Proverbs 31 talks about such a lady as Grandma - and this phrase clarifies how i feel:

"Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."

Rest in peace, dear one.  You will be missed but you touched lives in ways that perhaps you could not imagine.

 

Dear Sir

Dear Sir or To Whom It May Concern - better known as Hey You There on the Treadmill in Front of Me:

It is 5.15am on a groggy Monday morning.  i am not happy to be up and pounding away at this treadmill and less happy that i've allowed my body to get to the point where this pounding away at said treadmill (which by the way is now only TREADmill...WHOOT!) is a struggle.  However, it is not helpful when you with your stellar calf muscles, great upper body and um...nice rear, only stays on the treadmill in front of me for 20 min.  You see, Mister, i need to watch you for inspiration.  i need to see that you, too, are sweating a mile a minute and that the agony on your face matches mine.  Because that?  That is like food to a starving one or water to um..well me.  Yes, that's right..you are my inspiration. No, no, don't think i am coming on to you, because quite frankly, i'm not.  Not interested in knowing your name or what you do for a living or that you have the cutest lil girlfriend in the world.  Nor am i interested in the colour of your eyes or what kind of car you drive.  Frankly, i couldn't care less.

i just need to watch your legs pounding away..just like i need to hear the slap, slap, slap of the woman beside me who is running on her treadmill.  So next time, if you notice me behind you (and i doubt you will unless you read this blog), please stay on your machine for at least 30 min more.

Thanks.