just 10 more

Long day, again…

Usual breakfast

Had dau. to cross country practice for 7:30am again at that beautiful state park…this time I had a brainstorm and took my yoga mat, went down the wooden walkway to the deck above the swamp and there with the early sun filtering thru the trees had the most relaxing session of yoga I’ve ever had….lots and lots of butterflies and all sizes of dragonflies fliting all over, birds calling…not too hot or humid yet—honestly, it was heaven!!! 

snack: turkey, 1/2 yogert, 4 Large strawberries

Late Lunch: salad w/balsamic vinegar dsg., shepards pie, broccoli

Later: very small piece watermelon, several almonds and 1 cup hot chocolate w/whipped cream

We had our last summer club race tonight, I worked registration and food again….in the raffle I won tickets and parking for a college football game—I’m the LAST person in the world who would go to this….the only football game I’d ever imagine going to is IF the Cowboys brought Emmitt Smith back and they were playing here and the tickets were free……no, on second thought maybe I’d pay to see him!!  Anyway, I turned to the person next to me and handed them off…….why couldn’t I win the housecleaning service????  Or the facial????

Such is life……….g’nite!!!

Up at 5:00am

bfsk: grapenuts flakes w/skim, v8, decaf tea

Took dau. to h.s. cross country practice, held at a beautiful state park. I wandered down a wooden walkway with my binos, book, and chair and set up on a deck amid hanging moss, cedar knees, and swamp—quiet, peaceful, and just plain wonderful!!!!  My only complaint is that  their practice didn’t last long enough!!  Got in some stretches and yoga even.  Will do again tomorrow, wish I knew how to post a pic. of this place.  After that, on to ladies lite aerobics, home, shower, and to lunch with aforementioned women’s group.

Lunch at Red Lobster, had an awful time getting there, in fact I had to pull over for about 10 min. the rain was SOOO heavy…..I kind of did bad but it could have been much worse (there I go making excuses again): 2 cheese biscuits, cup of New England clam chowder, salad w/ o.o. + vinegar dsg., Cajun chicken w/ linguine in Parmesan cheese sauce (I know, I know—but I had only 1/3 and brought the rest home) and water, water, water….

Since then…..a handful of dry roasted peanuts, 5 of my dau. McD. french fries, and 4 cherries

Think I’m done with food for the day….g’nite!!!

Bfsk: grape nuts cereal w/ skim, v8 juice, blueberries, decaf tea

snack: 1 slice Alpine Lace Swiss, blackberries, handful of dry roasted peanuts

main meal: 4oz. well done hamburger patty, mixed greens salad w/ cherry tomatos and cuc. slices and balsemic vinegar dsg., black-eyed peas, 1 skinny cow fudge bar

other: 5 cherries, a few almonds, 2 sm pieces chocolate

spent day doing laundry, reading, mostly….and of course drinking water, water, water.

will be an early night, dau. has cross country practice at 7:30am tomorrow….g’nite!

Bfsk: grape nuts w/skim, v8, blueberries, decaf tea

lunch: sm. Wendy’s chile, side salad, water

snack: almonds

dinner: 1/2 sm. Greek salad, 1 piece pizza, water

Nothing special day….took dau. to grass mowing job, went to movie—that chef thing, usual story line with a kid thrown in for good measure and they all lived  happily ever after

In a strange mood tonight.  A couple days ago I was reading a blog of a woman who got lied to and treated badly by the son of her mom’s best friend….for some reason it’s stayed with me; I will never know this jerk and I am using all this energy hating him—I keep thinking of that Carrie Underwood song about how she destroys this guys vehicle when he cheated on her!!!….I know that women can lie and cheat too BUT being female I guess I just feel more anger on behalf of us when mistreated.  I suppose a BIG part of it is knowing that my dau. has all that BS ahead of her and I remember how much it all HURT sometimes…..I had a friend who got married  years ago; I was in her wedding.  She was smart and a professional but very overweight and not someone who would be considered “cute”; she told me she was getting married to this guy cause she wanted children and felt she couldn’t do any better than him.  I didn’t know what to say, so of course I muttered something supportive but I’ve always thought that was so sad. Wonder just how many of us settle like that.  BTW, they are still together, had a daughter….he worked about 1 month after the wedding and she’s been supporting them ever since……she got her kid and he got a life on the couch…….works for them, who am I to judge….

Enough!  g’nite

Food for rest of day:  4 slices deli thin sliced turkey, 1 nectarine, almonds, cherries, 2 squares of chocolate

We finally had some rain this evening; I sat out under the river birch and watched the storm approach, counted seconds between lightening and thunder like when I was little…..didn’t rain long enough to make a difference in our drought but dropped the temp from 90’s to low 80’s, which is fine by me.  Drove down to the tourist beach and picked up a t-shirt for a sister of a friend, now I have to remember to mail it tomorrow.  My cherry tomatos are on a bit of a hiatus at the moment; lots of green but no red.  Not to worry, my neighbor ran up to me as I was leaving for yoga this am (which was wonderful, btw) and loaded me up with cucs., large and cherry tomatos.  I love the fruits and veggies of summer; it just seems SOOOO much easier to eat healthy.

My husband was off work today, took dau. for a run….he did 3 mi., she did 4 and came back with a face as red as could be ( of course it WAS in the low 90’s and humid—just why they did this at 12 noon is beyond me, they wouldn’t even have taken water if I hadn’t insisted).  Mon. morning at 7:30am starts cross country practice and she has not been running hard and long for months.

The basenji is begging to go to bed so I’m outta here….g’nite

Ok, I’m getting food out of the way 1st: btw, down 1and 1/2  lb. after that work-out last night at the stables

Bfsk: grape nuts w/ skim, v8, decaf tea

snack: handful of dry roast peanuts and 1/2 blueberry yougrt

main meal: salad, shepherds pie (made as healthy as I could w/ ground turkey breast)  AND as usual, water, water, water

The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man….  Winston Churchill

Someone asked what theraputic riding is.  It is riding lessons for the mentally and/or physically disabled.  We work mostly with children and there’s always a waiting list.  The lessons improve confidence and concentration and balance.  Riding provides muscle stretching and strengthening, and helps with fine motor skills.  Students are given a feeling of freedom and independence not found in a wheelchair.  We have children of all ages with many, many disabilities including: Downs, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, ms, autism, seizure disorders, various levels of learning disabilities, accident and burn victims.  Although we know what their “disability” label is, the real fun is uncovering their abilities!

My dau., wanting horses in her life, and knowing very well that I have a full blown case of volunteeritis coupled with a fear of horses talked me into volunteering with her at the local stable dedicated to theraputic riding for the disabled.  In the beginning I agreed just cause I figured these would be the safest horses for her to be around. The deal was that I could do stuff that didn’t include actually interacting or going anywhere close to the horses.  Of course, most children need a horse leader and 2 sidewalkers and there just aren’t enough volunteers.  I was so swiftly sucked in I didn’t really have time to give in to my fears.  I will say that these horses are probably the sweetest and calmest in the world.  Now I’m qualified to both lead and be a sidewalker.  It’s fabulous exercise, wonderfully satisfying and I’d highly advise anyone to do this. I’ve come a long way and if I can do it ANYONE can!!!

dinner: turkey, rest of asparagas, piece of Alpine Lace cheese, 1/2 multi grain Wasa, blackberries

Did our volunteer stint at the theraputic stables tonight–3hrs.  Get there at 5pm, go out in the pasture and catch one of the horses being used and get a halter on it,  bring it to the barn, groom and tack up.  This takes about an hr. first lesson is 6-7, second is 7-8.  For the first lesson I worked with a sweet little girl, unfortunately she has almost zero ability to balance—believe me, it ain’t easy to walk around for an hr. in 90 degree heat holding a child upright on a moving horse.  Your arms are constantly above your head and holding and supporting a shifting weight….for the second lesson I made sure I wasn’t working with a child so profoundly affected…….so that’s a total of over 3 hrs. of constant moving (and sweating)—gotta count for something, right?

I am starving, don’t like to eat so late; it’s just after 9pm here but gonna add a Laughing Cow wedge of cheese, 1/2 Wasa and a cup of decaf tea to the daily talley…..g’nite!!!!

I saw the Goodyear blimp on Tues. night at the 4 miler.  It was landing at the airport which is next to where our club was running.  It was at low altitude and that thing is HUGE….you can’t imagine the strange feeling when it passes over real low….very strange and scary…it’s so silent and, like I said—HUGE!!!!  Anyway, I saw it flying over town today as I took my dau. to orchestra camp…..it was far away and I wasn’t sure it was the same one (what do I know, maybe they have blimp conventions) so, at the next red light, I pulled out the binos to get a better look and this guy in the truck next to us thought I was looking at him.  He ducked down in his seat and pulled up so as not to be in my field of vision……….this behaviour screams guilty about something to me!!!!  Toooofunny!!!  Whatever it is, I hope he gets caught.

My dau. is on very thin ice, having said “Shut up” in reply to my “I love you” when I dropped her off…..I know she’s 15 and “due” and turns nasty at this time….BUT, there WILL be a consequences for that comment.  I took her to my gyn. a few months ago for period discomfort and attitude hoping he would put her on a pill to regulate both mood and cycle—she’s generally a great kid but just horrid when due.  He gave her Ponstel for pain during and it seems to be working on the pain but I’m still getting the brunt of the pre-period attitude.  I truly hate to medicate myself or others BUT I’m afraid that one of these days this kid will do something or say something in her pre-period state that will have a negative effect on her life.

OK food: bfsk: grape nuts flakes w/skim, v-8 juice, decaf tea w/skim

lunch: rest of the hot and sour soup, asparagas, plum, skinny cow fudge bar, decaf tea

afternoon snack: cherries and almonds, few blackberries

ok blog….you are caught up ta, ta

Tues:….long day….usual bfsk…..took dau to orchestra camp…..came home and made a coffee cake with some of those delicious blueberries from yesterday’s picking…..snack was a piece of cheese and half a peach yogurt, several blackberries…..picked up dau…..ate turkey, mashed pot. w/ gravy.spinach, and cornbread muffin on the run @ Boston Market……took dau. to sports physical for cross country…….went to the 3rd race in our club’s summer race schedule……worked registration and food–set-up/ serving—ate 1 sm. piece of pizza, drank a Sprite…..200 runners again, warm but a nice breeze

 Wed.:  usual bfsk w/ small piece of blueberry coffeecake—ended up just giving almost all of this away, it was good and I love to bake BUT not the best thing I could be eating…..took dau. to orchestra camp….grocery shopping and a new goldfinch feeder……filled and hung……lunch: about 2oz. grilled steak, salad, and asparagas…..took dau. to volunteer job at historic house…..walked for most of the 2 hrs. she was there doing a children’s program, then took her for her run at a park, walked again, the lake is SOOOOO low, lower than I’ve ever seen it…..now, the semi-bad diet news..ate Chinese for dinner:  hot and sour soup, just a little Gen. Tso chicken, 3 Tble fried rice…..small amts, hope it doesn’t do too much damage…..had a few blackberries tonight and I may have a plum yet……weight this am was 126.5, heading up again, we’ll see what tomorrow brings…..

Lunch was rest of frittata from the other day, a couple slices thin sliced deli turkey and 5 cherry tomatos.

Went blueberry picking and got some blackberries too, gave some of both to neighbor, ate a bunch of the blackberries, and have rest in freezer and fridge.

Had chicken, the fruit from today and that was about it for the rest of the day.

Gotta go catch the repeat of “the Closer” at midnight…..