Category Archives: Health

Friday! Woohoo!

Posted on January 11, 2008 by Terri | Comments Off

No meeting with PT last night. Don’t know why I haven’t heard from her either. That seems to be how things are going for me lately. My manicurist, who has been a friend for 5+ years flaked on me too, and even though I’ve called her 4 times, no return call. I try to give people a 2nd chance, but I think this pretty much wraps up that relationship.

I don’t know why I didn’t just go ahead and hit the gym last night. I’m having a heck of a time getting my mojo back. Kahuna will be getting up bright and early to surf tomorrow morning so I’m putting in a ~~drag my lazy azz out of bed~~ wakeup call in with him to go in the morning.

It looks like I’m way ahead of schedule to finish the 4th page of French Alphabet Sampler (probably because I’m being lazy in the fitness department and have spent it stitching instead). In fact, I might even knock it out tonight, depending on what happens when I get home from work, if not definately this weekend. I’ve decided that since I met that stitching goal, I’ll go ahead and start a small something or other for the rest of the month.

I did start pulling DMC for A Parrot, A Leopard, A Lion last night. The blues are so vivid! I could not believe how many of the colors I didn’t have though. Looking for them forced me to spend some organizing time in my office as well and I’m half-way through converting my DMC over from plastic shoeboxes to the drawers I put in my stash cabinet. The time consuming part of that is making the little labels for the drawers.

I need to make a trip to Joann’s this weekend anyway since my bulb in my OTT finally burned itself out a couple of days ago. I cannot believe it lasted 5 years. I’m fortunate to have 2 floor lamps so I just switched the bulb out of the other one, but need to get it replaced before I forget. I’ll pick up the other DMC as well.

This week’s SBQ is an easy one for me.

What was your favorite finish of 2007? I only had 1 finish in 2007 and it was almost a 2006 finish. The Token. It’s the #1 item on my to-be-framed list and that will happen this year since I’m entering it in the county fair.

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Posted in Fitness, SBQ, Stitching

Stitching Stash

Posted on January 10, 2008 by Terri | Comments Off

The stash that I’ve ordered over the past couple of weeks has started trickling in. Over the past couple of days I have received Au Fil de Reves – Chatelaine Promenade a Bagatelle, Moira Blackburn – Friendship Sampler, and Scarlet Letter – A Parrot, A Leopard, A Lion.

While they all 3 are lovely, I sat and drooled over the Scarlet Letter design for an hour last night. The colors are absolutely beautiful and exactly what I want in our new bedroom. It’s stitched over 1 on 35 count, but I’m going to do it over 2 on 40 count. The cream colored background is also completely stitched, but I’m going to use a cream colored distressed linen instead and save myself all that stitching. I want to start it now, but first I need a trip to the string shop to by DMC. Naturally, the SL design also came with an update to their catalog which showed a picture of The Piping Shepherd, which I fell in love with too. He’ll have to wait awhile though.

Kahuna got a new toy last night. A hula girl lamp. I can’t quite decide if I like her or consider her really tacky, but she was assembled and hula-ing away while I was enjoying my pamphlet. I’ll have to snap a photo. He did give me a bit of a hard time about buying stash, saying something about how he thought I wasn’t going to buy anymore, but I just laughed and said that was last year’s resolution. This year’s resolution is to buy everything I missed out on last year! Just kidding…sort of.

I have an appointment tonight with the personal tonight that I’m looking forward to and dreading all at the same time. I also have an appointment with the bike. 🙂

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Posted in Stash, Training

Getting gazelle

Posted on January 6, 2008 by Terri | Comments Off

Somehow or other over the past 3 weeks I have lost my fitness focus. I know it’s a combination of things but it’s aggravating me all the same. I took this morning to figure out what has been going on and to decide what to do about it.

I have not been consistently journaling my food. I am always conscious of what I’m eating, but I will focus more on quantity.

My heel is still giving me grief. I am going to pass on running the 5k on Feb 3, but I will focus on other cardio exercises that will allow my heel to heal, and allow my body to continue becoming healthy.

I was very good about my weekly meal planning, etc., but somehow got off track. I will have my grocery list ready on Saturday night and go to the store immediately after my WW meeting on Sunday morning.

I will be more consistent in tracking my stats to see where I am during the journey and not be surprised at the end of the journey.

I will review every week.

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Posted in Fitness

My derriere is not made for cycling!

Posted on January 3, 2008 by Terri | Comments Off

I lasted about 5 minutes clipped into the saddle tonight. Owww 🙁

Looks like lots of toughening up time is ahead of me. New goal…..6 minutes tomorrow night. Sigh.

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Posted in Training

2007/2008

Posted on January 1, 2008 by Terri | Comments Off

Normally this time of year I’m looking back over my stitching accomplishments and setting my stitching goals for the next year; however, this year it’s a little bit different. I have replaced going to college with another time consuming something…getting fit.

Since I already had my 2007 stitching goals down, I’ll start with those:

2007 Clear out some WIPs

* Make Castle Sampler my get-together piece – I only went to 1 GTG and no stitching happened there! LOL
* Finishing PV – July Quilt for all Seasons – didn’t’ even pick it up.
* Continue to hunt for TSL – Peace – don’t think I ever looked for it beyond whatever I was currently rummaging around for.
* Continue on Dimples – Haiku – did a little bit, but not enough to talk about.
* Continue on Mirabilia – Fairy Moon – same as Haiku
* Continue on Quaker Needlework Treasures – With My Needle – nope!

New starts for 2007 – the year of large new starts!

* Le Marquoir de Justine – starting today – I got a LOT done on this beautiful design while recuperating from my surgery. I haven’t touched it though since returning to work in March (I think).
* Mother’s Tree – TIAG – didn’t start
* My Son – Indigo Rose – didn’t start
* French Alphabet Sampler – currently working on this project and loving every stitch.
* Spot RR – haven’t received my piece back yet – but it’s over.
* Houses of Hawk Run Hollow – Carriage House – maybe – still collecting fibers
* Village of Hawk Run Hollow – Carriage House – maybe – still collecting fibers

There are also several smaller designs I want to start. We’ll just see how the year goes.

Frame, frame, frame!

Shop in Paris!

Didn’t’ frame and didn’t shop in Paris. Still planning on going though 🙂

My stitching suffered a lot in 2007. I took a rather long hiatus. I don’t know if it was burnout, or what, but there was a period of time I considered selling it all. Then that tiny spark began to burn and I’m back to stitching as much as I can.

Another reason I sort of quit stitching was my new interest. Running, then swimming and now biking. 2007 saw me do something I never thought I would do. Complete a 5k race. I know I’ve talked about it before, but I never really ever thought I’d do it.

So, what do I foresee happening in 2008?

Stitching

Just stitch. I have so many beautiful things started and I’d love to get some of them finished and by finished I mean also framed, or made into whatever they should be made into. For so many years I’ve wanted a stitching wall but I’ve always put it off. 2008 will see me moving and I want my new home to have something on every wall, including stitching on a couple. I’ve said this everytime I’ve moved, but this time, I really mean it! 😉

There are also so many beautiful designs in my stash that I want to start, but I need to get some of the large WIPs completed to make room in my conscious for the new ones. I would like to start some smaller designs since all I seem to have are large ones, so I may go ahead and start some smaller designs.

I know there’s a new Hawk Run Hollow design coming out and I’ll need to add that to my collection. I am more than halfway through collecting the silks for the first 2 and will continue on until they’re all 3 collected for. I won’t wait to start the 1st though once all the fibers are collected since each square is like a small design all its own.

Me, me, me.

I failed to follow through on some obligations last year. I will be working very hard over the next month or so to get those taken care of and to mend whatever hard feelings were created because of that.

For the first time since I set this goal, I’m so close it’s exciting. I want off my blood-pressure meds. I have 3 more months of my prescription and I’m really hoping that I won’t have to have it renewed.

I have 2 5Ks planned for 2008. February 3 and April 6. I also have a Super Sprint Triathlon planned for May 4. Depending on how these 3 races go, I may register for a Sprint Triathlon in July.

I also plan from this moment through December 31, 2008, to lose 50 pounds; however, I’m not losing it for the number on the scale, but to feel good and let my doctor tell me when she’s happy with my health.

Spend as much time as possible with Kahuna.

Spoil the puppies!

I’m moving some time in April. It would have been sooner; however, Kahuna has a half-ironman at the end of March, that’s here, and we don’t want to move until that’s over since he has a ton of training to do. I want to have my stitching room squared away before that happens, so I’m not packing junk.

Withdraw my investment from its current place, to make it more accessible as a down payment on a house here.

Spend my parents’ 50th anniversary with them.

Enjoy life.

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Posted in Fitness, Goals, Stitching

Thursday, the new Friday!

Posted on December 6, 2007 by Terri | Comments Off

This may very well be the new day of the week that I look forward to. No training today.
All training currently being done indoors.

Swim

Bike

Run

Tuesday

Off

2 miles

Off

The meeting with the PT was a bust. It was all talk 🙁 Next Tuesday will be all work though, and I’m looking forward to seeing what she has me doing. I have some specific goals that are tri training specific. I want my shoulders stronger for the swim, since there’s no kicking, and I want my knees and hip flexors to withstand the cycling and running required. Everything else will be icing. Whatever I did to my abs seems to be clearing up. I haven’t tried to twist and stretch to that side yet, but I have noticed that it’s not bothering me at all when I do other things.
The 2-mile bike was a snap. I didn’t even break a sweat.

Swim

Bike

Run

Wednesday

Warm up
Freestyle 100 meters
Cool Down 50 meters

Off

Walk for 20 minutes

I felt really weak walking last night. I don’t know why but because of that I was dreading the swim. Whatever it was did not affect my swim, because I cut 4 minutes off Monday’s time. Rather disappointing to only be in the pool such a short time. I’m still not able to complete 100 meters, but I’m getting closer and closer.

I’ve decided to kick back into gear the job hunting. I’ve been driving everyday for a month now and I just cannot stand the frelling traffic. I’m probably going to have to go back to full-time, but I refuse to work anywhere again that requires me to leave my house before 7:30 to be to work before 9. Last Friday it took me an hour an a half to get home, in the rain, leaving the office at 3:00. I may have understood if I had been leaving at 5. Tuesday it took me an hour and a half to get to work. Now that we have the fitness center to train in, I’m not so worried about time for that, since it’s open 24 hours a day.

Going to look at a house this weekend that has a lap pool in the backyard. They’re asking more than we’re willing to pay, but it’s in a neighborhood we like and newer than what we’ve been looking at. The realtor wants us to look at it so she can find a happy medium. I really like that she’s working hard for us knowing that it’ll probably be as late as next fall before we actually buy; however, we have told her that if the right house comes along we’ll buy sooner.

More rain expected from tonight through the weekend. Sounds like snuggle and chili weather to me!

Harley continues to want in my lap with Bandit. I’m going to have to get the camera out so Kahuna can show the puppy pile with me at the bottom.

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Posted in House hunting, Training

Let the tri-training begin – ouch!

Posted on December 4, 2007 by Terri | Comments Off

Swim

Bike

Run

Monday

Warm up
Freestyle 100 yards
Cool Down 50 yards

Off

Walk for 20 minutes

50WU with pull buoy, 100 freestyle, 50CD (included backstroke); 20min fatburning program on treadmill, 4min CD

I need to figure out if the treadmill will pick up the signal from my HRM. Holding onto the sensors on the treadmill is killing my hands because I tend to get a deathgrip and then don’t let go until I feel the sweat.

I did mostly inclines on a moderate speed last night, which killed my butt so when I got in the pool my legs were dead so most of my swimming was done without kicking, which of course really worked out my shoulders and upper back.

This morning I felt like an old lady getting out of bed. I would have had Kahuna push me out to save me the effort, but I would have just fallen on my head. I need one of those trapeze things hanging overhead to pull my sorry self up.

Tonight is my first strength training with a personal trainer. I hope she’s gentle with me, because I also have to ride my bike for 2 miles.

Only 21 weeks and 4 days left to train!

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Posted in Training

December goals

Posted on December 3, 2007 by Terri | Comments Off

It’s been forever since I set down any goals in my blog. I’ll have to check what my goals were for stitching on my old blog before this month is out to see how dismally I failed at them. 😉

But, it’s December and I’m making monthly goals.

Fitness goal 1: I’m in a swim challenge right now. My goal is to swim 3,550 meters.

This is a small amount compared to some of my team members, but it’s what is scheduled for my training this month.

Fitness goal 2: stick with my training.

This is my first day, of my first month of triathlon training and it’s a bit daunting to look forward and see all that’s expected of me.

Stitching: Continue working on French Alphabet Sampler as often as possible.

It’s rather hard to stitch these days because of puppies! Bandit is so used to sitting next to me while I stitch, and Harley wants to be included. Twice last night I ended up setting my stitching aside because Harley would jump up in my lap and slooooowly slide off until she was sitting on Bandit’s head. He would get grumbly, so I’d put my stitching away so there would be more room in the chair. Then if I had to get up, like to check the laundry, I’d come back to find my fibers birdnested and an innocent looking Harley giving me a “what???” look. Stinker. Bandit used to do the same thing and I guess I need to be retrained to put my stuff very far away when I’m not using it. I’m trying not to discourage Harley from wanting to sit with us. She’s a bit of a growly girl and can be possessive, so the fact that she’s jumping into my lap while Bandit’s sitting there and not getting growly is a positive step for her. Patience.

We had a super busy weekend and it was nice. Kahuna hasn’t been able to surf because we had a major rainstorm on Friday. Saturday morning we hit the fitness center and then went to see a house. Gang members had broken in and tagged the inside. I feel really badly for the owners, but it’s obvious it’s been empty for awhile. The great thing about looking at it was that it allowed us to adjust what we’re willing to spend and the square footage we’re looking at. Afterwards we went to grab some lunch to go and headed home to watch the LSU game and Ironman. Sunday I left the house around 8:30. I made a quick stop back to drop off groceries, eat some sushi and Kahuna and I headed back out and didn’t get back home until 4. Productive day, though.

And now it’s Monday and I’m back in the office doing things I don’t want to do. My feet and hands are cold and even though I keep bumping up the heater it’s not helping. It’s causing me to drink more hot tea than I should in an attempt to keep warm. I wonder how well heated up Propel tastes?

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Posted in Fitness, Goals, LSU, Puppies, Stitching

It's beginning to look like

Posted on November 30, 2007 by Terri | Comments Off

the stitching bug has bitten! I bought stash today.

The only newsletter I did NOT unsub from was The Attic in Mesa, Arizona. There’s been several things in the newsletter that I considered, but until today, nothing that made me want to whip out that credit card and phone. I ordered both the November and December (A Christmas Sampler) samplers of the month. I’ve never used the fibers and am looking forward to the feel of a new silk. I guess I better get some more organizing done in my office!

On the fitness front I took Wednesday off, and last night just hit the treadmill. I also signed up for a personal trainer and will begin working with her next Tuesday for 6 weeks to see how that works out. She’s going to help me with my strength training and gear it toward triathlon training. Kahuna suggested to me this morning to see if there’s anyway I can hook up a HRM to the treadmill to do my running based on 50-75%. I know they have those handle things you can hold on to, but that’s kind of awkward to do that and run.

I’ve been clock watching all day today. I want out of here! Tonight is swimming only. Tomorrow I’m going to run and swim, Sunday I’m off and Monday begins my official triathlon training schedule.

This week I’ve had to put aside another pair of pants as being too big. I can’t remember the last time I wore them so they’ve probably been big a lot longer than a week. I did go ahead and take advantage of a sale and order some of the pants that are getting bigger on me in a smaller size. I hate being between sizes. I’m trying to keep the same pants in a couple of different colors for work. Since most of my weight is around my middle, I don’t shrink out of the tops as fast as the pants. Not that I’m complaining. The scale is not moving and I’m clueless right now as to what I’ll find at WI Sunday morning.

Not much going on this weekend and I hope to get to stitch for quite a bit. We are going to look at a house tomorrow morning. There’s probably no chance of making an offer, but we want to see if it’s what we’re looking for as far as square footage, etc. It’s in an okay neighborhood and happens to be across the street from one of Kahuna’s surfing buds.

And can someone help me find November? I seem to have misplaced it.

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Posted in Fitness, Stitching

Have I said, lately, that I'm tired?

Posted on November 28, 2007 by Terri | Comments Off

It’s amazing what 20 minutes extra sleep can do for a body. Unfortunately, not this body! I barely remember driving in to work this morning, my mind drifted so much. And believe me, there’s a lot on my mind lately. Buying a house. Being with the Marine Corps for 3 more years. Am I crazy for thinking I can do this.

I know they’re just tired thoughts.

I managed 3 minutes on the elliptical last night, followed by 15 on the treadmill and then my swim. Same routine (50 WU, 100 FS, 50 CD) but I cut almost 2 minutes off the time. I was beat when I got home….and cranky enough that I snapped at Kahuna and told him I did NOT want to hear how good this was for me. Of course, Kahuna told me as he was walking out the door this morning that he was tired, his lower back was bothering him, and he’d let me know later this afternoon whether or not he was going to swim. I just wanted to smack him. Instead I reminded him that this was good for him.

The fitness assessment last night was a joke. It consisted of me sitting in a chair with a personal trainer who kept telling me that I was doing everything right (on paper), except for my water intake (did you know the recommended minimum is up to 96 oz now?). I’m thinking of signing up for 6 weeks of “training” that’s being offered on special because of The Biggest Loser. It’s less than $10 a session, so it’s really a good deal. She also told me that if I bring in what my tri-training is she’ll work it in. She was really nice, but I think I need someone not so nice, KWIM?

I’m still trying to decide if I want to go the personal trainer route when Kahuna goes to Iraq. I think if I do that, it’ll keep me more on the straight and narrow to not miss any training. I have a lot of time to waffle back and forth on the decision.

It’s hard not being all gung ho and cutting back, and even tougher mentally when I think I haven’t even started the real training, which I still feel like will be going backwards. I don’t know if I can handle 10 weeks of slow! LOL I guess my new mantra will be base training, base training, base training.

No stitching again last night. By the time I got my training clothes rinsed and hung, and dinner taken care of it was time to hit the bed with the puppies and watch The Biggest Loser. Taking a night off training is sounding pretty good to me too, right now. And of course, I’m still thinking that I wouldn’t be this tired if I was a SAHW.