Sing A Song

Here's all of the song titles and bands/singers to my blog entries over the past month, PLUS credit to those who played along with "Name that singer/band/group." Thanks for playing along.

7/30/06 Reunited - Peaches & Herb

7/28/06 Hot Stuff - Donna Summers

7/26/06 You Raised Me up - Josh Groban - Zooman

7/24/2006 Black Dog - Led Zepplin - Tom

7/23/2006 Picture - Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow

7/21/2006 What A Difference A Day Makes - Bobby Darin, or Aretha Franklin, or The Temptations, or Dinah Washington, or....

7/20/2006 Short Skirt/Long Jacket - Cake - Tom

7/19/2006 Middle of the Road - The Pretenders

7/18/2006 Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby - Dottie Evans or Ronnie Milsap, or...

7/17/2006 Surfin' USA - Beach Boys

7/16/2006 Color My World - Chicago - Tom


7/15/2006 Octopus's Garden - Beatles

7/14/2006 Garden of Eden - Guns N Roses

7/13/2006 Summertime - Porgy & Bess - Gershwin - Cathy

7/12/2006 You Dropped A Bomb On Me - The Gap Band - Katiefeldmom

7/11/2006 Running On Faith - Eric Clapton

7/10/2006 Tuesday Afternoon - Moody Blues

Peace

Reunited

We made it to Michael's 30th high school reunion... His best buddies also attended, so that made for a great evening. One of them kept saying "Who are all these old people?" The picture of us isn't the greatest, but it was the best one from the evening. Towards the end of the evening, one really drunk woman came up to me and said, with very slurred words, "I don't know who you are but you have the prettiest dress here." Then she gave me a hug... The food at the reunion was just okay. It was probably the most expensive meal I ever had, considering it was just a couple of "food stations" with quesadillas, another with mashed potatoes and stuff to go on top, 2 bars (which was not included), a coffee station, and later a dessert station that didn't offer more than chunks of white cake, strawberries, mellon, chocolate sauce and whipped cream... Michael came home hungry... For me, it was easy to eat clean, but they didn't have much anyway...

This next week wraps up my Pink Dumbbell July challenge, which I actually stuck to 95% of the time, so I feel good about that. I didn't meet my goal weight but that's okay. I'm on a regular workout routine and sticking with it, even though it is altered. I'm still at 126 and will probably maintain that weight until I am able to begin running and get into the hard core cardio I am accustomed to. Now I need to think about August and half marathon training.

Peace

Hot Stuff

This past week has been consumed with "new" house issues. Everything is rolling along to bring the electrical and parts of the plumbing up to "code," so we're ready to install new appliances. Here's the range I've chosen. I've wanted this kind of range since we've moved into the house we currently live in, but (at the time) only came in electric... I prefer to cook and bake with gas. Now it comes in gas. The reason why I wanted this particular range is because it has dual ovens.
Here's the dishwasher. It's pretty much the same as what I have now, but this one has a stainless steel door. The inside is their basic model. I didn't think I needed special adjustable racks which jacked up the price quite a bit. So far, all of the appliances are Maytag. Not sure on the fridge yet since there's a gazillion refrigerators out there and we just need to look at the features we like. I'd love to have a gigantic Sub Zero custom fridge/freezer but that's so not in our budget... A nice bonus to the appliances, is that they have rebates, and there's few rebates between the store, the manufacturer, and the city, so I'm estimating that we saved about $300 with all the rebates.

Working out has been lack-luster. I'm doing my thing but it has been rather blah. I'm sure it has to do with the weather. Nutrition this week has been decent. I saw my chiropractor on Tuesday and he worked on my feet. (ahhhhhhhhhhh!) I did have my free meal on Wednesday night out with Michael, which was interesting because a group of car salesmen were getting plastered at the bar, and as we were leaving, a few of them were in the parking lot -- one of them said to Michael (while referring to me) "You're one lucky bald dude!" I guess that's a compliment?

And the weather... It sucks. It's somewhat humid, not quite Brazil humid, but enough to feel sticky. I wish it would rain already and get it over with.... I know, I'm spoiled with fantastic weather 85% of the time. I really shouldn't complain. I'm blessed, right?

Peace


EDIT
I'm not sure what's up, but both of the sites I enter my workout info into are down. I did circuits for upper body, high reps/low weigths, but only 3 rounds. I also fit in leg extensions and leg curls, also high reps/low weights, however I did 6 rounds of those.

You Raised Me Up

RANT and checking in...

Due to my lack of cardio, I went walking, but this was purely unintentional walking while shopping. I did several errands this morning and figured that I could find a strapless bra that goes a little lower in the back instead of straight across, perhaps a bustier type. First of all, shopping does not float my boat, and second, bra shopping is something I would rather do on line, just because customer service at most stores is horrible anymore. I also used to work retail, and that cured me of getting a shopping rush. I parked far away from where I wanted to park because they were resurfacing that side of the mall's parking lot, so I had a ways to walk. I first went to Victoria's Secret but the store was closed due to the possibility of black outs, with the temps being too hot... They had the store closed between 12 and 2. I was there at 1:00 pm... Then I hoofed it over Nordstroms. The sales person was actually very nice, and I did find a bra I liked BUT it did not come in my size at all in that style... She did try to find another type but I needed strapless with a low back. I checked out Macy's, Robinson's May, and Fredricks, but nada. Macy's had the least helpful sales people. Robinson's May's sales staff were non-existent. Fredericks staff were okay but because they didn't have what I wanted, they didn't offer an alternative. By this time an hour had passed and VS was open. The "greeter" at the front door directed me to someone who could help me, who turned out to be no help because she was clueless... It can't be THAT hard to find this sort of bra because they make dresses that do go low in the back. I ended up at a completely different mall at a formal dress store. They didn't exactly have what I was looking for but they did help me with an alternative. It's a strapless bra that adheres to your sides. I purchased it and I pray that it works! The dress I need this bra for is a multi colored, asymmetrical hemmed, silk dress with beads for straps. I purchased this dress a long time ago and thought a standard strapless bra would work, but it doesn't. If that sticky bra doesn't work I may end up using duct-tape...


Oh, and several stores did not have their escalators turned on, due to possible power shortages... So I got some real stair climbing in. My feet are tired but doing okay... Maybe this means I can go running next week?

End of rant. Sorry. I just had to get that off my chest, no pun intended.

Nutrition today has been very, VERY clean. Tonight is date night with hubby, and that's usually a free meal, but not always.

One up thing about shopping today, as much as the dressing room mirrors always seem to accentuate my flaws, my back and arms surprised me. They're more toned than I thought they were... That made the shopping trip better...

Peace

Black Dog

It has been ridiculously hot here in Southern California. Saturday we had record breaking heat, and in my neighborhood it was around 114 degrees. The dog was panting excessively and this worried my husband... "What's wrong with the dog?" "She looks like she's having breathing problems!!!" I reminded him that she's hot, and she's a dog, and dogs do that (pant) when they're hot because they don't sweat like humans do. The dog did have plenty of water and planted herself in front of the air conditioner. She's fine.

We also had a birthday party for our grandson that same day, so we spent the first half in the house right near the little wall air conditioner, once it cooled down to about 95 degrees, we went outiside in the shade... Plenty of cold beverages were consumed and a good time was had by all... Oh, and our grandson now has a huge colletion of Matchbox and Hotwheels cars. He's besides himself with all those cars.

Saturday was also chalked up to a free day, but it didn't really have any bearing on my progress or lack thereof. I didn't eat all that poorly, I did make a veggie tray, but my main "freebies" were Smirnoff Twisted V cooler type drinks and cake. No real workout on Saturday but all of the prep before the height of the heat made it feel like I had worked out.

I never made it to Comic-Con. It was just too hot and my Jack Sparrow buddy didn't feel like wearing all of his garb in the heat. It's just as well.

Sunday was clean up and recouping. We did trek out to Home Depot for an over the range microwave oven/exhaust fan unit for the "new" old house.


Today it is much cooler, thank goodness! I will be back on my Bowflex cranking out leg curls and leg extensions, once I move all the stuff that DS threw on top of it prior to the party.

That's it. Nothing too exciting but it's Monday.

Peace

Picture

I got this off of Maggie's blog via Meez.com:



Sure, I have other things to do, but I'm still recouping from yesterday's party, and, um, it's hot outside (yeah, that's it)...

I'm animated!

Peace

What A Difference A Day Makes

I stole this from Not Soccer Mom...

Here's what you do:

1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. In the Search box, type your birth month and day (but not year).

Then, either in the comments or on your blog:

3. List three events that happened on your birthday.
4. List two important birthdays and one interesting death.
5. List one holiday or observance (if any).
6. Tell everyone you know to do it.

Let us know in comments if you've left it on your blog so we can all go check it out!

Here's mine: June 9

Three events that happened on my birthday:
1)1909 - Alice Huyler Ramsey, a 22-year-old housewife and mother from Hackensack, New Jersey, became the first woman to drive across the United States. With three female companions, none of whom could drive a car, for fifty-nine days she drove a Maxwell automobile the 3,800 miles from Manhattan, New York to San Francisco, California.
2)1934 - Donald Duck debuts in The Wise Little Hen.
3)1983 - Margaret Thatcher wins a second term by a landslide in the British General Election with a majority of 144 for her Conservative Party. Tony Blair is elected for the first time to Parliament.

Two important birthdays:
1)1915 - Les Paul, influential American guitarist
2)1963 - Johnny Depp, American actor


One Death:
1870 - Charles Dickens, English author (b. 1812)

Holiday observance:
Roman Empire paganism - third day of the Vestalia in honor of the goddess Vesta

Okay everyone! If you want to do this, go right ahead!

Peace

Short Skirt/Long Jacket

Morning weigh in 126. It's stable, I suppose that's a good thing. I know it would drop to my goal weight of 120 if I could get in some decent cardio...
Yesterday I did leg curls and leg extensions, high reps/low weights again... Yesterday's eats were squeaky clean. Cucumbers and yellow squash from the garden helped!

Today is my UBW circuits, also high reps low weights.

Other stuff:
Comic-Con is running this week. My pirate buddy wants to go (in full Jack Sparrow costume) and is trying to get free passes so I can take photos of him with the masses. My daughter has a pass for the entire duration of Comic-Con and has already come home with tons of free stuff. I keep telling her she should get a job at Comic-Con when they're in town, since she goes almost every year...

That's my Thursday so far!

Peace

Middle of the Road

Hump day!


Talked to my bro on the phone this morning. He's good to go for the half marathon in October.... Once my foot is better I'll be good to go, too. I hope I heal up in time to get some decent training in. I'd like to run a half marathon in under 2:26, which was exactly my half marathon time at BOTH marathons. However, at this moment, if it takes the entire 4 hour time limit for me to do the half marathon walking, I would take it.

Normally, today would be a cardio day, but I need to figure in something else. Not sure what, though since mostly everything cardio uses the muscles in the foot. I'll come up with something...

Last night my hubbie brought home a machaca burrito... It probably had an entire day's caloric intake in that burrito. I inhaled it. So, it's clean eats today...

Peace

Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby

The baby in this picture:



Is now three!


Today is my grandson's third birthday. Renee wants to take him to see the movie "Cars" after he gets home is one he can sit through. We have a party planned for Saturday.

Workout-wise....
Today I did my UBW, circuits. I managed to go a little heavier on all exercises, so that was a bonus, even though the weights are still relatively light.


Yesterday my LBW wasn't as I would have liked it to be. The foot just started bugging me, so I had to stop. I only fit in three sets.



Peace

Surfin' USA

It's pretty quiet here on the western front today.

Still doing high reps, low weights for leg curls and leg extensions until the foot is completely pain free.

Nutrition is clean.

Yesterday Michael decided to take me boogie boarding at La Jolla Shores. We got there around 5pm and were boogie boarding until the sun set. I really should learn how to surf, though. There's a group out here called "Surf Divas." It's an all female surfing group that gives lessons and has board rentals, plus all the stuff that can make a gal look like a "surf diva." Now, surfing is on my "to do" list.

Peace

Color My World

I hope, someday, to be able to design my own blog template that will utilize colors, graphics and pictures I like, instead of a pre-designed template. I really like how Pamela's blog looks, and maybe I'll try and come up with something of my own that has the same feel. I also realize this self designed blog template could take weeks, months, even years, unless the Learning Annex offers a class in blog design... For now, this template is okay. I kind of like the way the black background blog templates first appear, but I soon realized that it was a strain (for me) to look at... It's an age thing, I'm sure, as my eyes are now going in the opposite direction as I'm now needing readers... WELL, one day I WILL conquer the computer and blog templates.... For now, I have to use whatever I can get for free.

Today is a kick-back day. It's not as hot as it was yesterday, so I'm spending a quiet day at home doing some laundry. I may go for a walk, later, with my hubbie. I am super itchy to run, but the foot is not completely pain free yet. I still have a little soreness but I no longer need analgesics. I STILL need to hold off of running, biking and swimming for at least another two weeks. I just need to be patient. Nutrition is clean.

Peace

Octopus's Garden

These are my zinnias from the "new" old house. I forgot to bring my camera with me to the house, AGAIN, so I cut a dozen stems and brought them home with me. Now I need to find a companion flower that also has long stems, that is as easy to grow as zinnias.

As with just about every where else right now, it's toasty. It hit the 100's inland, where I now live, and in the low to mid 90's near the coast, where the "new" old house is. It was too hot to spend more than an hour outside doing yardwork, so we took a lunch break in the shade of the patio. Yard work was my workout today. It wasn't plucking a few weeds with tweezers and my pinky finger extended out... It was using shovels and moving large quantities of dirt. GRRRRRRRRR! I really got into it.... Just me and the dirt. It was a "Zen" moment...

Last night's dinner was, um, okay. It could have been better, but I suppose it could have been worse. The person who planned everything, which included making reservations, dropped the ball. We arrived at the restaurant only to find out that the reservations hadn't been made yet, and when the reservations were made, it was for 2 1/2 hours later... I went back home and returned later.... The food was medicore and my meal was messed up, but I guess it was all about getting everyone together for my FIL's birthday, and that's what's important. I felt bad because my FIL isn't doing well and it's hard for him to be out anywhere more than an hour, and the service was slow. He did get his cake and ice cream, which he LOVES, and we did sing "Happy Birthday."

We're taking it easy tonight. We're going to kick back with a couple of DVD's and a couple of some ice cold somethings...

Peace

Garden of Eden

Since we haven't spent the past few weekends at the "new' old house, the garden needed a lot of tending to. How is it that weeds always take on a life of their own? I spent a couple of hours digging, pulling weeds, and harvesting more carrots, squash and cucumbers. The corn is now about 6 ft tall, but the "tassles" haven't dropped yet. I wished I had my camera with me today... The zinnias are gorgeous and they attract a wide variety of butterflies. Beautiful.

Workout:
One area of the garden didin't turn out. Either the birds got to the seeds or the batch wasn't good. So, no bell peppers. I ended up turning the soil over with just a shovel. I always get a good workout doing heavy duty yardwork

Nutrition:
Breakfast was clean. I normally do 5 to 6 meals a day, but that didn't work out. I made a free meal out of my lunch today and had a Jack In The Box burger and onion rings... Dinner today will be out somewhere. Today is my FIL's 84th birthday... There's some argument (not with me) about where to go eat. I'm not too keen on their choices, just because those particular places do nothing for me, but I'll just go with the flow.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Peace