Home Pilates

A couple (few?) weeks ago I hit my 25 lbs lost mark. (YAY!) Since then I have gone up and down a couple lbs. So, I have to add in more exercise.

I put in my Windsor Pilates DVD last night. A quick 20 minute workout. Most "moves" were simple enough and I could tell I could gain strength from them. However, a few were a bit more challenging...

Doing back rolls: basically I'm curled into a ball balancing on my butt. Fairly easy enough. Then we roll back and then up again without letting your feet touch the floor. This is to "massage the spine". Back and up, back and up. When I was done doing the six rolls I found that I had completely turned around and was facing away from the TV. Hmmm... gotta work on the control part.

Then there's this "scissor kick" move where you're laying on your side, and you lift both legs about six inches off the floor and kick them back and forth. 1-2-3-4-5-... but wait I'm still on 1!

All this while breathing in and out of your nose for five counts each. Mostly I just held my breath until the instructor said, "Breathe in..."

I've got a lot of work to do...

The college girl

My sister moved onto campus this weekend. This is her first time on her own, in her own apartment. She's living with someone she'd never met. She's on campus with a ton of other students, away from the comforts of her home of 18 1/2 years (although, only a 20 minute drive away).

I spend several hours with her on Friday night, her first night. She was anxious but she was strong. It was the first glimpse of vulnerability I saw from this girl since she was eight. She often times went from laughing to a look of panic. Everything was too new and happening so fast. She brought her baby blanket, put it on a shelf in her closet and said, "Just in case".

But she's excited.

Sitting on the floor of her new bedroom, windows open with the laughter and conversation of distant students in the building next door, I looked at my sister while we played games of Slap Jack and War. I physically felt the realization that this little girl, is my adult sister. She has her own place, fulfilling her goals of going to school, learning so, so much.

I felt proud of her. I felt a new love for her. I hoped I would still like the adult sister. I hoped the adult sister would still like me.

How to gain 2.8 lbs in seven days

Eat like a little piggy.

I had pizza twice this past week.
I ate out twice for lunch.
I went out to dinner three times.
I had Dairy Queen once.
I had two Hershey candy bars.

Put it all together and what have you got? PMS.

I wish I were this funny

I completely love this. Especially the line, "This is all medical jargon, I don't expect you to follow". Seriously! How can you not laugh at that?

NNO

Our association had it's National Night Out gathering this evening. We didn't expect many people and rightly so, only about 20 people showed. We just ordered some pizzas and let people know they could bring something to share.

It's odd, sometimes, what people will bring. This evening we got:

Two pans of brownies
Two boxes of Little Debbie Hunny Buns
A already opened can of smoked almonds
A Baggie of leftover? tortilla chips with salsa
Rice Krispie bars
Beer & pop

Our last little potluck someone brought two single servings of potato salad and some turkey almond salad from a deli and an opened, half-eaten bag of blue tortilla chips.

Needless to say, this is why I have a hard time eating at potlucks with people I don't know.

Remembering

It was two years ago today that the 35W bridge collapse.
Without planning it and not realizing it until I approached it, I crossed the bridge this afternoon.
I was coming home from stopping at the cemetary where my grandma and grandpa are buried. This too was an unplanned visit. This is the first visit outside of Memorial Day weekend when my mom, uncle and I tend to the sites, planting the urn, etc. It's peaceful there as I lay on the grass and look at the sky and just remember.
When I'm there I realize a part of me is missing.