The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

When I started casting around for a title for this post the only thing that seemed to fit was The good, the bad and the ugly.   I am horrible with titles, I know it!  If it wouldn't have made it too long I would have titled it "The good, the bad, the ugly, the summary, the plan".  And that is the order that his blog will be written in....

The Good

It's Monday, what else would the good be other than a fabulous weekend!  I worked on Saturday morning so we got a later start.  Saturday was low key for us...we hit up some stores in the afternoon and then relaxed in the evening.

Sunday we explored a big, old graveyard....on bikes.   We did not ride on the graves, when something caught our eye we would hop off and walk to investigate!!!

 

We stopped at an outdoor flea market and an indoor flea market.  On the way to the next stop an overhanging tree bumped into our bikes which were on the top of the car.   We stopped to check the bikes.  Jason got to check out an VW bus....can you see the lust  in his eyes??  He would buy one in a heartbeat if he found one and had the money!

 

Then it was on to the Hilltop.  The Hilltop Hotel is an old motel that was once probably quite grand.  It sat atop a hill with a fabulous view.....

 

The main building of the hotel has disintegrated into a terrible state of disrepair....I'm not sure it is salvageable at this point.   We are drawn to it....and stop to gawk look whenever we are in the area.   

 

 

Don't let these pictures fool you....the rest is literally crumbling.

I didn't take any pictures of the decay.  Today I couldn't find any pictures on the internet showing the current level of decay. So here is an older picture that gives an idea.

 

The really bad area has extended leftward and the whole side is exposed, you can see straight into rooms and the floors on that open section are now sagging quite a bit.   

From there we headed to the canal where we rode our bikes. We got off once or twice and looked for mushrooms.

 

On the way home we even had time to stop for a geocache!

 

It was another fabulous weekend!  Full of relaxation and yes, even though we were feeling lazy we were still pretty active!!!

The Bad

Yesterday somehow the subject of snoring came up between Jason and I.  I laughed and said 'I'm sure I snore'.  He laughed and agreed and then dropped a bomb on me. He asked if I had ever done a sleep study test.  I just looked at him in shock and said no.   Apparently the first time or two that he heard me he absolutely panicked.  He said that at times it sounds like I am gasping for air and it sounds just like his father did before he started using a sleep machine for sleep apenea!    To say I was blown away is an understatement.  He asked if my ex ever mentioned it.  'Uhhh no, well he did tell me that I snored but never that it sounded scary.....but then is that shocking my ex only cared about himself and wasn't at all concerned about my well being!'     Jason says it is a consistent problem and the worst right after I fall asleep.  He also says he will try to record it so that I can hear what it sounds like.  I know this doesn't mean I have a problem...and I'm not going to panic or say I have any issues. This is just an observation from a non medical person.  However it is someone that cares and someone that wants me to live a long time!  So not panicked but I am going to say that I'm concerned!  

The Ugly

And bear with me...this sounds whiny...but has to be said to get to the point I'm trying to make!!!

A few years ago (10 years or more) I left a job that paid pretty decently and took a much lower paying job.  I had hopes that it would help my failing marriage.  I did it to get away from working second shift and to be closer to home.  It worked for us in that  my paycheck was not our  only income and the insurance was pretty decent. ($150 deductible and then a 90/20 plan).     In the ensuing years things  changed.   The insurance deductible is now $3000.  And  while I always had good reviews and was given more responsibilities the pay never increased.  "No raises this year" , "there is a hiring freeze so even though we are moving you up to a higher level position you won't get the pay increase" and then "someone left and we aren't filling the position so we are divvying up the work....so we are adding this responsibility to you".  So my pay stayed low....abysmally low!   When my marriage ended I had to move in with my parents because, well it's not exactly easy/possible to survive on a job that is only a tick above minimum wage.   Yes, I look for work and apply.  Yes I have a college degree.  No, teaching is a closed door for me.  This isn't the post for why...but I have written about it on this blog.....  

So all of that to say that I work a full time job where extra money is something that is scraped from the leftover pennies.   The two major car repair bills in December and January crippled me financially.  Buying a pair of tennis shoes is a hardship....buying bras is a hardship (seriously good bras are so expensive...why??? I lucked out and found three on a sale rack a few months ago....not exactly what I wanted but they were my size and with a good percentage  off and at $10 a piece I took them!!  But I so desperately needed bras that those three bras get a lot of use and I need more!).  

To say that finances stress me out is an understatement.   I wake up in a panic thinking about my car that has over 200k miles on it. I worry a LOT about it!

So with money being tight....it's no shock to realize that the health insurance with that super high deductible is a health insurance that I can't afford to use.  

I am however grateful to have a job....even though I am dissatisfied with the pay, the insurance and a multitude of other things pertaining to this job.

And that is the ugly.....because even if I wanted to have this snoring/gasping for air thing checked.  I can't afford it!!!

The Summary

I may or may not have a problem.  I'm not going to worry myself sick over that also.   I can't.  It would only be counter productive.

I started to think about blogs I've followed, stories I've read and situations I've heard of.  Weight can very well affect sleep in a negative way.  

Heck maybe it is the spring pollen and Jason was just tired when he said it happens consistently!

A visit to the doctor is not going to happen at the moment!

Weight loss seems to be my option for attacking this possible issue. 

Wow, did I just get a huge motivator thrown into my lap???  Wasn't I just saying the other week that I was searching for something to continually motivate me?   I was looking for an event like a concert or a trip....

The Plan

The plan is this and its simple.   Lose weight!!!

I know how to do it.   Calories ingested versus calories spent.  Simple in theory.

Now I just need to do it!!!!!

Boat anchors

On Wednesday I got off work at noon.   It was a gorgeous spring day!   What did I do?   Hop on my bike of course!!!!

15.5 miles completed on the C&O Canal towpath.

I was riding by and something caught my eye...was it....

 

I got off my bike and moved closer.....

 

Yes, someone placed a gnome in the tree.  How fun!!!

I also walked quit a bit that day too! 

I went running this morning.  The first quarter of a mile was brutal!   The wind was blowing....hard!    I could tell from which direction it was blowing and knew that if I could just reach the  roads  that I had planned to run that the narrow, garage lined alleys would buffet me from the wind.  I was right.  Thank heavens.   

That didn't make the run at better though.  My legs were heavy!  Like boat anchor heavy!!!!  At about a mile and a half I started to feel a hot spot in the side of my foot. I bailed at one of my bail out points.    I finished up my run at about 2.25 miles.  I'd had enough!  

It's frustrating.  I am running slower than I have ever run before!   I know it's lack of consistency and the higher weight!   Two things that I can fix to make it a bit better.

While I was running this morning I was thinking about running.  I would love someday to say I am a great runner and be able to run amazingly paced miles.  But in reality, I don't see it happening (anytime soon at least).   First of all my current weight would prohibit it.  But secondly and most importantly I don't have the time and energy to focus solely on running.   I like to ride my bike....and so last Saturday when I COULD have run (which may have helped negate today's horrible run) I chose instead to ride my bike!   And guess what?   This weekend I may not run.  I may not even ride my bike.   Why?  We might be hiking!!!    Variety is really what I enjoy!!!!

So jack of all trades master of none!!!! And loving every minute of it!!!

The first week of April is just about done so I figured it was time to check in and see how I am doing on my monthly goals.

1. April mileage goal I have completed 67.16 miles.  (Bare minimum for the month is 166.5 but I am aiming for 191.5). In crushing this goal thus far!

2. Running goal.  I have only run 2.32 miles of the 20 I am aiming for.   I should have at least 5 by now.  But plenty of time left!

3. Lose weight.    I weighed myself in April first and then again on my official weigh in day.   It was exactly the same. So no change.

4.  I tracked every bite!   My cheat day was really high though!   Other than that I was within my goal range.

 

And with my exercise calories factored into my totals it looks even better.

 

So I'm still working it....tracking, running, biking, hiking and whatever else my heart desires!!!!

April showers bring.....

April showers bring......a cancelled run!

I woke up on Tuesday determined and ready for my run.  I looked out the window...rain!  Yucky rain!  (Ok I don't mind rain....I just don't like a cold rain when I'm wanting to run!!).    So I didn't run.  Ironically enough, it rained literally until the moment I got out of my car at work and then the skies opened and it was gorgeous!!!!

We did get out and walk both Monday and Tuesday nights.  So my step count /mileage wasn't totally in the gutter!  (But at 3 -4 miles I ate into the surplus I had after the first two days of the month !).  While we were out we saw some more sure signs of spring.

 

Why yes that goose is sitting on a nest of eggs!!!

And if that doesn't convince anyone.....

 

 

Aren't they adorable????  

Luckily for me today (Wednesday) is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous and I get off work at noon!   The plan?  I'm heading onto the canal on my bike!

So what did I do yesterday instead of run?????

I saw this post by Pink.   

 

Just another reason to like Pink!

I also read about the Barkley Marathon!   I watched a documentary about this intense race a few months back.  The movie is called "The Barkley Marathons: The Race that Eats its Young".    Yes it's that brutal to be worthy of the name!!!   The race was conceived in 1977 when there was an escape from a prison in the area where the race is held.  The prisoner made it 8 miles in 58 hours. (The terrain is that rugged!) an eccentric man made the comment that 'I could do 100 in that time frame....and the idea for a 100 mile race (give or take) up and down the mountains of TN was born.  The entry requirements are a bit sketchy....but it involves a registration fee of $1.60 and a written essay.  If accepted you receive a letter of condolence!   First year participants must then arrive with a license plate from their state.  If you have already attempted this race and are trying again you must arrive with something else that is designated by this eccentric race organizer.  (Socks, shirts, etc).  If you are a prior year winner rumor has it that your required item is a pack of Camel ciggarettes.    The course is a 20-25 mile loop and is totally unmarked!!!   There are two water stations set up (but I've read reports that on some years the water is frozen solid) and nothing else other than the runners own personal car/tent and crew parked at the beginning of the loop.    (There is a plan in place to insure that the runners actually complete the whole loop).

 The race is capped at 40 participants each year.  In the history of the race the full course has only been completed in the 60 hours  18 times ...by 15 different competitors (one guy won three years).   Isn't that nuts????

So anyway, last weekend was the 2017 Barkley Marathons. And we added a new winner to the books.  A man from D.C.  It was his third attempt.  There was another finisher...kinda....a man got lost and came in 12 seconds past the cut off!  I cried for him when I watched the video...can you imagine having a DNF because you were 12 seconds beyond he cut off after 60 hours of brutal conditions while running!!

I'm blown away by the fortitude and resilience of these runners.   Imagine the pain, the extreme fatigue and motivation to run pretty much 60 hours straight...getting lost in the woods....(yes happens a LOT apparently) through goodness knows what weather.  Apparently this year they encountered bitter cold, hail and snow!   The winner resorted to picking up trash, someone's discarded hat and a Walmart bag to wrap around himself to try to stay warm.   Wow...just wow!!!

So writing this I'm actually ashamed that I didn't run yesterday morning...in 40° temps....on paved surfaces....in the daylight....just because it was raining.  Our bodies can handle so much more than we demand from them.  And the Barkley Marathons prove that!!!

Maybe it's time to push myself a little harder!

Oh yeah....almost forgot...weigh in day. I FINALLY had a weigh in day that wasn't the boomerang weight  f 238.4!!!   I don't really know how because I haven't eaten well the last few days!   But today was 237!   I'll take it and I'm motivated to stay away from that

boomerang weight!!!

It's here!!!!

Spring is here!  I'm pretty sure!   Yes I've been saying it for weeks that I want spring to be here but this time I'm pretty sure it is here!  

Why do I say that????  Well let me talk about my weekend first and it will all be clear within time!

We knew it was to be gorgeous so we decided to take our bikes out!   On Saturday we rode our bikes on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal  near the Monocacy Aqueduct   

 

The weather was a bit cool but perfect for biking!   The canal was not busy too which made it extra nice.  For some reason this ride just did in my legs.  They were tired!!!   We turned earlier than we had planned (thank heavens) because Jason was also struggling but we knew why...his fancy-dancy shocks needed air and he said it was riding on a puffy marshmallow....so every rotation of his pedal he lost at lelast 50% of his effort into the bounce.  Hahaha. 

We explored a bit at the aqueduct after we got back and then called it a day.   While we were out we did see a few blue bells but we actually had a nice conversation about can't wait to see the turtles and the vibrant colors of flowers and such.  Basically we longed for all of the things that would scream to us telling us that spring was here!

On Sunday we awoke and had a leasurly morning and then an early lunch before heading back to the canal.  This time we headed just east of Great Falls .   We pulled our bikes off the car and prepared ourselves to ride.  

 

Once we were ready we hopped onto our bikes and headed eastward toward Georgetown/Washington D.C.     

Almost immediately I threw on the brakes and skidded to a halt!   Why?   I saw spring!!!!!    

 

Turtles everywhere!   They had come out from under where they were burrowed for the winter and they were enjoying the sun!   Hip hip hurray!!!!  

And bugs...they came out too!

We also saw a few kinds of flowers dotting edge of the path. What a treat!!!!

The ride was interesting.  The canal is always a neat place to ride!!!

 

 This trip however seemed full of fun and interesting features!   We passed a handful of locks and canal structures.  

 

We looked longingly at the numerous little trials off the towpath.  We explored a few but plan on coming back as they look like good beginner trails for me to go off road, thus maybe we can avoid another tumble !!  We checked out the pumping station, the dam and the rapidly moving river.

 

We noticed that one of the old houses along the canal was open so we went and checked it out.  

It was the Abner Cloud House.  Which is apparently one of the oldest houses in the area (they said only one other house is older).  It pre-dates the Chesapeake and Ohio canal and was there when George Washingtons Canal was in operation.  

 

So many things to see.... even an old marker for miles left to D.C. Or should I say 'miles to Washington's City'?

 

And when we got to Georgetown (the eastern end of the canal) we got off our bikes and explored a bit.  Ok, most of our time there was spent watching the hubbub going on around the Four Seasons Hotel....secret service agents were everywhere!!!

It was an awesome ride!!!!!

Eventually we got back to the car and we headed home.  We stopped to wash the bikes (and my car).  They needed it as we hadn't washed off the salt from last weeks beach trip! !  We still had a bit of time before it got dark so we went to the park and while we went to walk, we ended up sitting on a park bench and enjoying the evening, and the site of a sunken tugboat!

So the best part???? I ended the first two days of April with 33.12 miles!!!!!   I'm well on my way to my April mileage goal!!!

Food for the weekend....not so good.  But I can clean it up!  And I WILL!!!

Going out like a.....

March is almost over!   Where is time going??  The older I get the faster time seems to fly by!!!!  In some ways it's good but in some ways....wowzers!!!!

Since the month isn't over yet I really can't close out the month.....can I????  You know what...most of the numbers for the month won't change throughout the day so I'm going to roll with it.  

In march I set some goals for myself.  Going through them one at a time......

1.  I wanted to get every mile I needed for march.  I wasn't aiming to get ahead on my 2017 miles but I didn't want to fall further behind in March.   In numbers, that meant I needed 172 miles.

 I am happy to say that as of right now...I have 175.91 miles for the month of March.  I don't anticipate a high mileage day for today but that doesn't matter, I nailed this goal!!  

2.  I set a goal of 20 miles of running for the month. 

I did not make this goal. I was close....kinda.  I did better than January.  I did better than February.   I managed to complete 15.5 miles of running.  Goal not achieved but a victory none the less!!

3.  The third goal was to be below 230 pounds. 

I did not even come close to this goal!  I am hovering between 236 and 238. Total failure.   

That said, I'm going to say that I didn't gain....so that is a victory!!!

4.  Last but not least I made a hallenge to myself to keep my food intake within a certain caloric range.  The range was between 1200 and 1800 calories.  

I missed the mark on just a few days.  We are talking only 4 days for the whole month that I totally blew my calories!!!!   Not exactly hitting my goal but not exactly a failure either!!!

So for March I see progress...some successes but progress for sure.

So what are the goals for April??

If at first you don't succeed...try try again. So that tells you that am going to stick pretty close to the same goals from March.

Almost exactly the same with just a few minor changes.

1.  I want to complete the miles for April so that I do not fall behind, but I would like to cover at least 25 miles extra to start cutting into the deficit if mikes that I wracked up in January and February.   In March we rode 4 times and that was the factor that bumped me over the edge.   So honestly I just need to add two more bike rides!   It is very important to start working on that deficit because while it may be easier in the summer to meet my miles, I know that when it gets cold in November and December it will be difficult.  I want to roll into the fall months with a nice surplus of miles sitting in the hopper!!!

2.  I want to complete 20 miles of running!   My work schedule for the month of April gives me 9 good options for mornings to run.  So even without finagling different running times into my schedule I can manage to hit 20 miles by continuing to run my short loop that gives me about 2.15 miles.

3.  Lose weight!!  Of course I want to lose and I'm reinstating that below 230 goal.  I can do it!!!!!!!   At the very least I want to be away from the boomerang weight of 238.

4.  My plan is to continue to track everything and stay within the 1200-1800 calorie range.  Ideally I would like to be lower but I also know that more hiking , biking and running the more hungry I will be.  The caveat???   I am allowing myself one day a week to not worry...a cheat day per day!!!! Not planning on using it much...but I'm ok with it!  Because life happens!!!   So four days over 1800 allowed!!  

So pretty much the same!!!!!   The only difference?  I'm going to rock all of the goals in April!!!

Weigh in day

We thoroughly enjoyed our last day at the ocean.  I went back on my last post and added in a sunrise picture...but we enjoyed the sunrise and the sound of the waves crashing below our balcony and we slowly and lazily got moving to start our last day.

 

It was a joy so good food day.  We had Thrasher's fries and I picked up a ham and cheese sandwich.   We walked on the boardwalk and pier and we indulged in some deep fried Twinkies.  And of course rough home Fishers Popcorn.

We left there and headed to Assateague Island.  We grabbed the bikes off the car and pedaled over to the Rackcliffe Plantation.  It was closed so we couldn't go in...but we peered in the windows. 

 

  After that it was up and over the bridge and onto the island.   We explored the closed state park and campground first.   When we got to the far back section of the campground we pushed our bikes over the dunes and down to the beach. 

I couldn't resist a picture of our bikes at the ocean.

 

Then we decided to ride out bikes down the beach to the next crossover location on the dunes.  I knew that would put us into the national park portion of Assateague.  

 

It was crazy fun to ride on the edge of the surf....and a crazy good workout!!! 

 

After a mile or two we headed back over the dunes and into the national park (no fear...walkers and riders are free anyway so we weren't cheating the government by going in the 'backdoor' without paying).  We rode around and checked out several places in that park and then headed back to the car. And saw lots of wild horses.  We got back to the car at around 4....and after loading the bikes on the car we headed for home.

All in all with my weekend miles of walking and riding I managed to get all but 4.15 of my march miles completed!!!  4.15 shouldn't be any problem considering I still had 4 days left in march when I got back from the ocean!!

Tuesday morning I pushed myself to go for my run.  I was sore from the 'mad miles we put in over the weekend'. It was a sloooow and achy 2 miles but I'm satisfied that I did them. 

So I've been running with google music lately.  I have up until the last month always had a playlist on my phone and used that.  Google music is working for me.  I sometimes hit a song or a list that I don't particularly like but it's been good.   I hear new stuff and stuff I haven't heard for years while I'm running.   I just have to stop hitting the music icon to pull up my playlists when I start running (I currently have no playlists on my phone!).    

So the big question...how did this all affect my weight.  Yesterday I popped onto the scales and I was tickled to see that I was at 236.8.   That was where I was two weeks ago so I was happy. This morning I stepped onto the scales and I was back at that boomerang weight of 238.4.   In fairness it could be the deep fried Twinkie catching up....or the salty popcorn that I ate last night!!!!  

Just maybe

The other day I wrote that I had something like 56 miles to put on my body in order to cover the march miles I needed for my yearly goal and to meet my monthly goal of not adding to the deficit of miles..  I was worried about it for sure.....56 miles inn something like 7 days was a tough act!   But something happened and while I don't have the actual figures yet....I may be in good shape to make this month's miles.

What happened?   A wee itty bitty trip to the beach. 

 

Yes I'm actually still at the beach....and that is why I don't have my exact figures.

We brought our bikes to the beach and on the first day we rode for 2.5 a 3 hours......probably about 15 miles (I have to estimate because we didn't clock it....so I'm estimating low since we did stop to look at one or two things in that time!).   On top of that we walked about 5-6 miles too!   So around 20 miles on Saturday!    

 

It was overcast but we still got nice pink faces /sunburns in Saturday!  The weather was fabulous....teeshirt weather!!!! (Wish occasional bouts of needing a sweatshirt!)

Sunday temperatures were the polar opposite of Saturday....barely 40° degrees...windchill in the mid 30°'s ....windy...drizzly....not conducive to riding.  We were wearing winter coats.   We walked on the boardwalk(the original plan was to walk the length of the boardwalk) but quickly decided to give it up because it was so cold.  So we hit up the Lifesaving Museum....neither of us had ever been there.  It is in an old life saving station building that was beautifully restored and maintained and it has historic lifesaving artifacts and pieces of the history of the boardwalk.  I couldn't resist taking my picture with the creepy laughing lady that used to be in Jeater's funhouse in the early 1900's!

 

 

We were in North Ocean City for lunch so we drove by the Fenwick Lighthouse....closed for the season but apparently you can't go up in it anyway so we saw it and are markings it off of our 'been there together' list. 

 

We also drive over to Berlin, MD and hit up some antique stores. And walked through the visitor center at Assateague Island. We drove a bit on Assateague Island but only to the pay/entrance gates.   Of course we saw some of the wild horses.

 

 

We didn't pay to go in because it was getting late...it was cold....and most importantly we plan on going back today, our last day at the beach.

So I woke up this morning to a sunrise...the picture doesn't do it justice.

 

The plan is to hit the boardwalk once again for one or two little things (yeah,junk food...Thrasher's French fries (a boardwalk style fry) and some Fishers Popcorn.  And then we are heading back to Assateague with our bikes.  We will park at the visitor center (which is before you enter the island) and hop on hr bikes.  We plan on exploring the island on our bikes.  One because it's a fun way to explore but secondly because bicycle and foot traffic supposedly enter for free versus paying $20!   Why should we drive past the gate, pay $20 hop on our bikes and ride around in the park AND ride the trail  to the visitor center and back when we can park outside of the park, ride the visitor center trail in, explore and then ride it back.   Change the order of exploration and we save twenty bucks!!!    We have bike locks so we can spend some time on the beach...or we will simply take our bikes with us (we are planning on washing the bikes on the way home anyway to rid them of all the salt that probably accumulated due to the salty air!)

So all of this to say that I've probably knocked close to 25 miles off of the 50-some needed and I'm sure to get 10-20 more today!!!  By golly I'm gonna do it!!!

Oh...eating hasn't been horrid but it's not been stellar!   I haven't entered my food intake into MyFitnessPal...I'll catch up tomorrow when I'm home and back in my normal routine.  

Oh and tomorrow is a run day!   There are some more miles too!!!!

And when I finished the post the sunrise was gorgeous!!!

 

Duldrums

I went running today.   I cut it short...it was 37° and starting to rain.   Not a good combination.   I can handle one or the other..:not both.   Besides, time was running out.   It wasn't a spectacular run but it wasn't a bad one.

The biggest thing today is that I just feel blah. I don't know why.  I haven't felt this way in a very long time.  I don't like it!!

Even crazier?  Usually running throws me into a good 'high'

Oh well....

My 2017 in 2017 goal....and more specifically my goal for march to not run any deficit in my mileage update.

I am sitting at 119.07 miles (not including my 2.14 run miles from this morning).  That means I need 52.97 miles in 8 days.   That is 6.62 miles a day.   It's supposed to be nice this weekend and we are planning on having the bikes out....so maybe....just maybe!!!! It will be close I think!!!!

And looking at the march goal page we may as well talk about the other goals right now....

20 running miles.    The snow messed me up for sure!!  (Yes that's an excuse!). I am at 13.29 miles.   I have to run 6.71 miles to make that goal. Yeah next week there is only one day of the week that I can run on the morning....that could put a damper on meeting that 20 miles...because I am so not ready to run a 6.71 mile run!!!!!

The 1800 or less calories a day...there were a few days that I was right at 1800 calories and only 4 days I went totally over!!!!  Not a win but not a total loss!!!

Bad luck or no luck

Moving along chronologically....(weekly weigh results at the end of the post)....

If I didn't have bad luck....I'd have no luck at all!!!   After a large chunk of change spent on my car in December and January...and one or two other financial blows in January I struggled to pull myself out of the financial mess!  Last weekend  I made the comment that this paycheck SHOULD put me back on track...no savings left but no outstanding bills/debt!!!  Which meant let the savings begin!!!

On Monday night I was driving down the interstate and kabaam, loudest I've ever heard a rock hit....and of course my windshield now has not one...not two...not three...but four spots of damage!!  Yes I have comprehensive coverage but still...a deductible is still hard to cover when you make what I make (Peanuts would be an increase of pay. Let me just say...I live with my parents because I can't afford an apartment on my own!).  Grrrrr!

Then Tuesday morning I went to use my Aftershokz headphones (mine are not pink...I have plain black ones)

 

And they won't snyc with my phone.   Really?????   The last time I used them I noticed that one of the sides was floppy..that the plastic casing was cracked but they still worked.  In the interim of noticing that and Tuesday morning, I reset my phone back to factory settings and wiped everything clean.   After the reset, my Fitbit connected via Bluetooth just fine...but my headphones no longer will sync!    Grrrr. I don't have the money for new headphones!!!    I will research and see if there is anything else I can do (I've already done the basic things that they recommend!) but I fear with the crack/floppy arm that they have reached the end of their life.

So then.....

I woke up at 5am and I so didn't want to run.  (I wouldn't have gone out until 7 anyway) So I went back to sleep and woke up at 7.   I still didn't want to go but knew I needed to!   So I tried to find an excuse in the weather.  Because I was NOT running if the weather was miserable.  I even told myself I wouldn't run if it was under 40°.  And I even chuckled because I just knew it wouldn't be over 40°.   Boy was I wrong!  So I went out!   It wasn't a fast run....my head started hurting shortly into the run.....my foot ached...but I did it!!

So yes...I did run on Tuesday morning...with wired ear buds.   (Yuck...running with wires again after a few years of freedom....yuck!   And earbuds...those darn things never stay in my ears!!!! Yuck!)

So the foot ache?   My planters fasciitis has been kicking a bit lately....and also the tarsal nerve.   The plantar hurt while I ran...the tarsal nerve started when I got home.  

See...no luck at all!!

Course that's not true....I lucked out when I met Jason!  

On Tuesday night Jason and I walked outside after work. The weather was delightful...a sweatshirt was all we needed and even that seemed warm while we were out walking.

Wednesday morning?   Back to cold.  What's up with this weather!!!!!

I weighed in for my weekly official date with the scales.  238.0.   Grrrr. That's up 1.2 from last week but down .8 from two weeks ago. 

The monthly ick is hanging out this week so that could have affected my weigh in....but let's be honest....my eating hasn't been stellar or late!!!  So let's just say it wasn't a good weigh in...but yet I was relieved at my weight!

So onward and upward. Or rather downward on the scales!!!!!

Boomerang weight

So the other day I talked about my two meals of Chinese and the fact that it was ok as long as it was only one day!  My last few weeks have not been the greatest.  I was at the top end of my caloric range for the last umpteen days!  Not off the rails but definitely not where I should be to be losing!!!!!  Just too much and poor options.  

 

I haven't looked too much at my miles since last week....half of the weekend my Fitbit was uncharged....and my charger wasn't anywhere near.  Oops!

Exercise for last week and this weekend....nearly non-existent!    

 

The whole week was pretty much a crazy week of just skimming and doing nothing to get myself to my goals.

So I was really nervous about stepping onto the scales for my unofficial weigh in this morning.   Very nervous.  I had teetered at 238 pounds for weeks...and last week got down to 236.  I was afraid I had gone right past 238 into the 240's!   Luckily it wasn't that bad.   I'm like a boomerang that is returning to 238.....that must be my current boomerang weight!   Shucks!   But I did it to myself!!!

We had a relaxed weekend.  We did some shopping, explored an old chapel and graveyard,

 

Went to some antique stores and an old mill....

 

And just relaxed together.

I saw this bumper sticker at one of the shops we went to...

 

 

I used to sign emails and blog posts by finishing off with 'think thin'. And that is so true.....

And then at another one I saw this...

How perfect since that is after all part of my blog title!!!

They both simply reminded me of where I want to go and what I have to do to get there!!!

Friday wrap up

I don't have any wise words of wisdom or any great epiphanies today. 

It was a ho hum week.  Thusly, I will bullet point this post!  

***I am ready for the snow and ice to be gone off the roads and sidewalks.  I'm ready to run!!!!   Yeah I could probably still go but I don't want to have to worry about slipping on he ice that is still hanging out!  Not worth breaking anything.   

***I have been hungry for Chinese for WEEKS!.   Yesterday I ended up eating Chinese food for lunch AND dinner.  And I had ice cream after dinner.  Yeah my calories were way high.  I'm not panicked about it.  I am trying to live....I am trying to figure out how to balance normal life with a healthy eating and healthy lifestyle.   That means that some days will be high calorie days.  The trick is making it just ONE calorie day and not a week of high calorie days...or a month of high calorie days!!!  That means today I have to keep my eating spot on!!

***I surprisingly have gotten more steps then I thought I would get this week.   Without the running and nice warm evening walks with Jason my steps just don't happen!  I only reached my step count goal on Tuesday the day of the snow.  This week has pretty much eaten up my big credit of steps that I built up with my bike rides, runs  and long hike of last week.   Luckily I'm still running a credit balance of 6.7 miles....but I will lose that quickly if I don't step it up!!!

***We have gone to the park a few times since the snow to feed the ducks, geese and swans.  I know that they are fine and will not starve and in fact are NOT starving. But it's cold and snowy (the sidewalks are still mostly snow and ice covered at the park) and I know that they are not getting as many visitors to the park to feed them and we show up with food and within minutes we have hundreds of water fowl surrounding us.   They are so anxious to get their fair share of food (or more food then the others cuz they are greedy) that they are brushing up against us like dogs and cats.  They are stepping on our feet and squawking when we try to move them off of us!  One goose was literally goosing Jason the other day!   Sadly I didn't get a picture!   It has been fun!!!!  We are so inundated with animals on these days that even the ducks were trying to eat out of our hands and getting close!  (The mallards are typically very skittish and while they come out of the water they don't get close to us and the wood ducks usually don't come out of the water usually).  Let me tell you....$7 for 50 pounds of cracked corn is a cheap investment in lots of fun!!!!  (On Tuesday we dropped about 20 pounds of cracked corn...probably only 10 pounds yesterday.....normally on warmer days we go through a lot less!!!!). Oh and the side benefit of feeding the animals?   We are walking at the park!!!

*** My water consumption is spotty...some days I nail it, others I am lucky to finish one bottle.   I need to get on top of that!!

The weekend is just about here!  Hopefully the weather will be clear enough for a nice long hike!   And I am crossing my fingers that winter is on it's way out and that I can enjoy those nice summer night walks with Jason, balmy bike rides, and all the warmth!!!!!!

Weigh in day

For some reason I was dreading weighing myself today. I don't know why.   It's not as if I was horrible.   I didn't manage to keep myself at the low end of my caloric target (1200) but I managed to stay within the range, allbeit at the top end of that target range.  I hadn't drank near enough water though.....but I didn't think of that until after the facts. So I don't know why I was nervous...but I was!

Regardless, I stepped on the scales.   Woohoo.  236.8.  So that's two down from my official weigh in last week and 1 down from my weight every other day last week.   I'll take it!!

Running this week....not really happening.   I'm not risking life and limb to run on sidewalks, roads and alleys that are still snowy/icy.   

Yes we got snow yesterday...about 8 inches give or take.   I was out for about two hours shoveling, cleaning off cars and playing in the snow.  I was active the whole time but my Fitbit was only registering 4000 steps when I came in.  Uhhh after two constant hours of movement.    I think not!    So apparently shoveling and car cleaning falls into the realm of activities that my Fitbit doesn't detect enough movement.    Regardless....I moved the rest of the day and still registered over 11k steps. 

 

Yes...my snowman was wearing sunglasses and a bikini! 

I've been thinking a lot lately about excuses.  Some people have an excuse for everything in their life and they never accept responsibility for anything. Annoying as all get out!!).  These people complain all the time about their life and how horrible it is...but always have an excuse as to why they can't change.  They just wallow in their self pity and will never change for the better .  Some people take control of most things but just come up with excuses for the biggies.   These people can sometimes change but if they do it's by luck and/or takes forever.    And thirdly, there are people that say 'no excuses'.  They own up to their problems and roadblocks in life and if something is physically /emotionally/financially/ etc impossible they find a work around and complete the task anyway.   These people see change.   And can I dare I say happiness?

Success in this journey (and life) is taking no excuses.   Stop saying 'these are the cards I've been dealt' and kick this cards to the curb.   Medical conditions?   Nope not valid.  Not at all!!!  I've seen people with terrible mental disorders lead productive lives....I've seen people with horrible physical disformaties  compete in bike races .....medical conditions are  not valid!!!  Time constraints?   Unconvenience but definitely navigable!!  They are simply excuses.   If you want something bad enough you will find a way!!!!

I want to be thin.....it's time to find a way!!!!

Where is spring??

The snow of Friday never amounted to much.   A dusting in the ground and a bit of slush on the side roads.  It didn't delay or affect anything....obviously not my run.   I made the comment that 'ok we had a robin snow....spring is here'.  I guess I was wrong.

So. For my running.  This week  I should  run on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings (according to what works best with my work schedule).   I'm not quite sure that is going to happen though.   Why????

 

Yeah, that doesn't look good.  The arrow is where I live.  So it could be worse I guess."

So who knows what this will do to my runs and my mileage goals for the month and year!

The weekend was cold so we headed down into D.C. And visited Madame Toussauds Wax Museum.   

 

 

We also made wax hands.....

 

Which we played with at home later...

 

 

And we got even sillier as we texted pictures back and forth.

After we left the museum we headed across town for a walk.   You see, there was a store we wanted to visit so even though it was a few miles we decided to walk there!   We saw lots of pretty buildings and churches!!!

 

 

 And then we walked about another metro station and went home.   Lots of steps.

I'm not sure what the week will bring....

 

......but hey, if it's really snowy I will at least get a fair amount of exercise in with all the shoveling!!!!!