A Blistering Hot May Day

It seems appropriate that today is blisteringly hot since it is Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of Mexican independence from French domination. It was definitely cold last week, and the temps will cool down as the days pass. Yesterday was pleasant enough for me to dig out my electric weed wacker to pulverize all the wild garlic mustard and other weeds along my driveway. I also started a plan to trim those problematic driveway hedges, but that will take more than one day, and since my driveway dips but I'd like the hedges to look straight, some fluorescent pink surveyor tape to draw a line across the privets. This to guide my snippers since it's difficult to determine a horizon line if the ground keeps changing elevation. 

It would be easier if I stood in my neighbor's parking area since their ground is higher and actually level. Ugh. But I really hate the woman who lives there so we don't speak. I think she is a terrible person for adopting cats and then turning them loose to abbreviated lives as ferals without medical care. One died of a huge tumor in my basement. The other had kittens in my woodpile but the animal shelter wouldn't accept them and told me to leave them for mama cat. I'm sure that they didn't survive even after mama moved them. We have owls, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, bears... 

She has done this reckless release of cats several times but not lately. Still, there were at least 4-5 cats that started off in her house (I could see them in the window as I walked by with my dogs) and the next thing you know they're in my yard and she's banging a tin of cat food. And of course, No Habla Anglais. If she accidentally gets our mail, she tosses it on the ground. Someone comes by in the morning to pick her up for either shopping or work. She doesn't own the house as it's a rental. The fellow who used to share that space was very nice and hard working, but he died suddenly while sitting in his truck. He has not been replaced with a permanent new tenant. 

My forearms are a bit sore today from hacking back the wild roses that threaten to take over portions of my yard. We've had a lot of rain, the lakes and reservoirs all look very full so it's puzzling to get persistent warnings of an outdoor fire ban. Everything is wet. What exactly is catching fire? The lilac bush across the road wafts a fragrant perfume down my driveway. I see small milkweed plants popping up in an area of lawn that didn't have milkweeds before. But the area previously populated is barren of such seedlings. However, dandelions and carpet bugleweed keep the yard humming and buzzing. I can hear a catbird in the trees. 

Today, there are a lot of cars in the parking lot so I'm really surprised that the gym is mostly empty. People must be at the Mexican restaurant next door! I claim elliptical #1 and pedal program 3. Wind Breaker is already on machine #3, and the Inverted J fellow shows up after I've ascended the Stair Master. Pull-ups weren't quite as good as last week, and I blame my sore forearms and yard work. I notice a middle-aged guy standing next to the cable machine. He always looks lost, like he's hoping someone knowledgeable will rescue him, but it's not the first time he's been to the gym. 

It's much too hot today to do anything outside. The dogs went to the park, socialized a bit and mostly waited for squirrels in the trees. My pups are happiest when temps are in the high 30s to low 40s. I worry a bit about one of the dogs as he seems to be panting a lot, except when he's sleeping. Is this a sign of a heart or lung problem? They go for their annual exams in June but truly, they are so stressed that their hearts are racing and I don't know that a heart or lung defect can be detected. 

I cannot get my dogs to like the PetLab dog dental powder made from special seaweed and other exotic items, so the jar is mostly unused. It's a lot of powder that needs a better delivery system. Putting it on their food just means they won't eat their food. Wrapping it inside soft white bread and making a giant pill out of it can work, but honestly, that's a lot of work and I'd rather not be stuffing things down their throats every day. It's bad enough I have to do that with the monthly Simparico Trio (cuz it's not really a tasty chewable like HeartGuard). 

However, I can get the bigger dog, the one with the worst dental tartar, to eat a "snacky" dental chew from ProDen PlaqueOff. It purportedly contains the same magic seaweed to assist in minimizing dental plaque build up. Between that, the edible doggie toothgel after dinner, and the DentaLife chicken sticks after lunch, I'm hoping to see an improvement in their oral hygiene. 

Back at the gym, I also do 15 minutes on the step machine, and because I'm already "primed" I'm drenched when I step off. The free weight area was empty and that's always a temptation. I opted to do the Tricept BB routine with added DBs for shoulders and biceps. Not planning to be back at the gym until Friday so this should be okay. 

The gym starts to fill with kids and I'm ready to step into the Aerobics Room. Disappointed that it's not ice cold. Nope. Feels a bit like a greenhouse. Everything is routine, except for push-ups. I can't keep track of how many reps so I have to guess. Air Squats go better as I count aloud. Sometimes you need the sound of your physical voice in order to register the count. I'm sure not getting enough sleep is a large part of the problem... 

Inside the locker room, someone has left a backpack on the counter. I glance at it as I'm drying my hair after showering. It says Hogwarts. Oh my! I know there's a remake of the Harry Potter series that will be truer to the books. My kid and I read all the books. My kid's last day of final exams is next week, sooner than expected. I guess I should start planning where we will be stopping on the long drive to and from Buffalo.  

5 May 2026 12:51-3:12

Blazing Cinco de Mayo Tuesday

Heatwave post yard work

Precor elliptical #1 (1:29)

Program 3

Time: 30 + 5 (5282)

Distance: 2.74

Cal: 299

Precor HR: 151, 188 max

Fitbit: 51-135

HGPU 18

Matrix StairMaster (R) (1:43-1:58)

Manual timer 13 + 2:32

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29)

Steps 661

Floors 41

Cal: 100

Hr 152

Skull Crushers/RipSkulls (2:04-2:35)

30 lbs x 24 reps x 4

S/s with

DB Laterals w/u 10 lbs x 15 reps

15 x 15 x 3

S/s with

DB Alt Curls w/u 10 lbs x 12 ea

15 x 12 x 3

20 Piriformis/Hip flex (steamy!)

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (mild tingly foot)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (mild tingling)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25? completely lost count!

Air Squats 25

Supine lower bent knee twist 10

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

I'll Take Blisters

It's May 1st and I made sure to hit the gym today. A friend wasn't sure I'd make it only because I was out late yesterday, having trekked into the City to see a showing of Bat Out of Hell. I've wanted to see it ever since I read about the production a few years ago. Going into NYC is much more doable than driving to Kingston or other towns because the show is at night and I have trouble driving at night on unfamiliar roads, and I'm infinitely comfortable taking the train in after years of commuting, even though it's been over a decade. I got home well past midnight and the dogs acted like I'd been gone for days. Yes, I did walk them right before I left in the late afternoon so it's not as if they'd been alone for days... They're just drama queens. 

There's a brand new parking lot that's spacious, well-lit and very under-utilized. It's also a bit of a hike to the train station, but nothing horrible or dangerous. I had an inkling to buy a Jamaican beef patty once I got into Grand Central, but sadly, the cheap eats are all gone, replaced by very trendy and expensive bites. Nothing appeals to me or my budget. I had purchased a one-way Senior train ticket for $10.75, only because a round-trip option wasn't available. If I wanted an "all day" ticket, just good for the day but with unlimited stops, it'd cost $39. Instead, I just bought my return Senior ticket once I got off the train, knowing that I probably wouldn't have time to make a purchase after the show was over. The night trains run hourly and if you miss one, it's a long lonely wait for the next one. 

I was quite pleased that even the cheap seats in the nosebleed section had good views of the stage. The theater or the production made sure to fill the house by discounting remaining tickets on the last two days to just $39. Which meant a lot of seats were filled by students and actors hoping for callbacks. I know because I was seated between two groups of such people. I paid more than $39 but not a huge amount. These are some awesomely talented singers and dancers with amazing voices. 

I had a wonderful time. I also had to speed walk back to GCT because I didn't know when the next train home would be. As it was, I made it with just 4 minutes to spare. I also got blisters on the soles of my feet while wearing hiking boots with alpaca wool socks (the fit was good). It's just how I walk when I'm in a hurry! I got the same sort of blisters when I was a kid.

I'll take the blisters over sciatica, because my sciatica didn't bother me at all yesterday with the exception of some morning stiffness. Because I have lax ligaments and am mildly flat-footed, the blisters formed on the second and third metatarsal heads, or the ball of the foot. The right foot, the lead foot, the bunion foot has had its blister pop and drain, leaving deflated skin. The left foot just has a pink sore spot. I was thrilled that I had regained my ability to walk really quickly through NYC pedestrian traffic. This is how I grew up. I'm more than thrilled that my sciatica seems to have gone into remission. I just need to not aggravate it with hubris about my physical abilities. 

I was shocked to see Wind Breaker on machine #4. A big bald fellow was sizing up the rest of the machines and I was prepared to hop on the Stair Master if he chose machine #1. Instead, he clambered onto #3 and I was relieved. My blisters didn't bother me because pedaling means you don't lift your feet up and slam them down, like walking. I did develop a weird cramp in my left forearm though, and that worried me about pull-ups. But it was a silly worry because the pull-ups were fine. Actually, better than fine because I added two more reps from last time.  

Afterward, I was tempted to do time on the Stair Master, but the free weight area looked enticingly empty. I figured I'd done enough cardio so it was time to push some weights around. Granted, not a lot of weight. Not heavy weight. I need to be mindful of glaucoma limitations although I'm less careful about bending down (also a glaucoma no-no). 

I had a Visual Field Test at my glaucoma doc's office on Wednesday, and I felt as if I was seeing better, or rather, seeing more of those pinprick flashing lights. That made me feel more confident about my vision, although I can still see where I've lost upper quadrant vision in my right eye. There's no repairing that. Yet. I'm  hopeful that groundbreaking research will lead to improvements in vision restoration. 

The Aerobics Room was pleasantly cold and my routine was quite routine. Dead Bugs still makes my right foot mildly tingly and Bird Dog planks makes it a bit numb, but only temporarily. Push-ups are okay as long as I use a wide stance for both arms and legs to spare my elbows and sciatica. I shot a quick video just to see if the push-up looked decent cuz it's hard to tell when you're staring at the floor or wall. Form looks okay but the DB workout did make the last few reps a bit strenuous. (Difficult to post one's own vids on this format but try clicking here for the link. I had to toss it into YouTube but not sure if it'll be viewable.) I saw my head started drooping during the session. Always got to be vigilant about form, but keeping the head up is the hardest part for me. 

The weather's been beautiful with flowers everywhere. My yard is full of really big fuzzy bees buzzing about the dandelions, wild violets and carpet bugle. Lilacs are starting to bloom. I'm enjoying it before the heat of summer and biting insects arrive. 
 

1 May 2026 12:46-2:48

Sunny Friday post Bat Out of Hell show NYC

Just do everything

Precor elliptical #1 (1:24)

Program 2

Time: 30 + 5 (5448)

Distance: 2.79

Cal: 307

Precor HR: 153, 186-75

Fitbit: 44-131

HGPU 20 (sore left forearm)

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys (slow & EZ)

10 lbs x 25/15/25 (1:41)

15 lbs x 25/15/30 (1:49)

20/15/20 x 25/15/25 reps

Set 1 (1:57); Set 2 (2:06)

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (mild tingly foot)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (mild tingling)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Sooner or Later?

Stair Master

I tried very hard to get to the gym earlier, and still found elliptical #1 occupied by the odd new guy. He pedals slowly because he has it set to a full incline (level 13 is the steepest angle). I sigh and resign myself to other cardio machines and start with 15 minutes on the Stair Master. After a set of pull-ups, I glance at the row of cardio machines and he's still trudging on the Precor. Wind Breaker is on machine #3 and will be for the next several hours. I look around and see that there are 5 recumbent bikes available. Do I need to come even earlier, or later? (Suddenly I'm reminded of a song by The English Beat. I'll paste that below.)

It takes me a minute to readjust the seat and pedals and after 2 minutes, I see the odd elliptical guy walk past me with his water bottle. Which means he's done. If he had left his stuff on the equipment, like Wind Breaker does, I'd know he was merely taking a break. He's not old, maybe in his 20s but his head is bent forward as if he's already developed a dowager's hump or the disintegrating spine of a senior after a lifetime of being hunched over books or close work like watch repair. 

I grab all my gear and initiate Program #1 on the elliptical. Less than halfway through, I see my phone light up and it's the dog boarding place calling to confirm. Ugh. My earbuds disconnect from the iPod and sync with my phone so at least I'm not screaming at the caller. But it's interrupted my cardio routine. I'm glad I took the call though, because they have an internal communications problem and set up baths for the Monday that I'm actually coming to pick my dogs up early. That's not right. Baths rescheduled for Sunday. 

It all gets sorted but now I need to pause my program and grab my iPod out of my gear bag (on the ground next to the pedals) to resync my earbuds with the music. If I could figure out how to transfer all MY songs (songs that I own the CDs to and converted to MP3s to put on the iPod) to my phone, I'd do that. But I refuse to subscribe to Apple Music streaming services. Why would I want to rent music I own copies of? Yes, I am stubbornly old-fashioned and maybe in danger of becoming a Luddite. 

I get a second set of pull-ups done, and then, as the gym starts to fill up with kids, I saunter off to the Aerobics Room. It's not as cold as I'd like. Odd, considering that there was no Senior class there this morning. Temps have gotten warmer, but nothing like the blazing summer heat a few weeks ago. My sciatica has been very mild lately and I don't want to do anything to aggravate it. Still taking 400 mg of ibuprofen in the morning. 

I have a doc appointment to take a new Visual Field Test. I'm pretty sure I haven't regained any lost vision in my right eye. I'm not sure about my IOPs or the peculiar thing happening to my skin: patchy dry areas where it feels hard to the touch. It could just be how my IV (ichthyosis vulgaris) is aging. Or it's how my body is dealing with an allergic reaction to one or more of my eye drops? 

I'm reading about how the Shingles vaccine might serve as a protection against dementia and that tempts me. Every time I walk into the CVS, the pharmacy wants to know if I'm game for a vax for pneumonia or RSV. I'm not feeling the need for that just yet. I mean, yeah, I'm getting older, but damn, I don't really feel old. 

The wild lilacs on my property haven't bloomed yet, but I see other places with lilac trees in full flower. I haven't caught any of their fragrances on the breeze. There is a lovely Lily-of-the-Valley shrub (Japanese Andromeda) with cascading white flowers that perfumed the road for the past several weeks, but those blooms are done now. Wild turkeys gobbling in the woods at dusk have been silent the last two evenings, but the peepers are still trilling. And there are dandelions, wild violets and other purple flowers everywhere. It's lovely. 

 

 

 

28 April 2026 12:47-2:34

Didn’t Get Here Early Enough Tuesday

Basics w sciatica

Matrix StairMaster (R) (12:50-1:05)

Manual timer 13 + 2:32

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29)

Steps 681

Floors 42

Cal: 103

Hr 122

HGPU 19

Recumbent Bike #5 (right)

Program Manual L1

Time: 2 min

Distance: 0.

Cal:

Avg Hr:

Precor elliptical #1 (1:20)

Program 1

Interrupted by pet boarding call

Time: 30 + 5 (5214)

Distance: 2.735

Cal: 29

Precor HR: 145, 180-97

Fitbit: 42-144

(1:57)

HGPU 17

20 Piriformis/Hip flex (2:10)

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (no sciatica)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (foot tingling)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Just Do It All

I made a point of getting to the gym earlier just so I could access the Precor elliptical #1. I'm glad I did since later the gawky fellow who spends more than an hour painfully trudging showed up later and was on machine #4, right beside Wind Breaker on #3. I don't think it matters to him which machine he's using, so better for me to arrive early and use the one machine that accommodates my needs. I actually almost made it to 2.8 today. And I did feel sufficiently warmed up afterward. 

I hit the Stretch Cage twice, ostensibly for pull-ups. Although I did think about hanging from one arm the second go-round. But that felt so difficult that I wound just doing a bunch of quick pull-up reps. I also did 15 minutes on the Stair Master. It's Friday and very pleasant outside. The gym isn't very crowded. I'm game to push some weights so I find a flat bench, grab the 30 lb solid BB, and a pair of DBs. 

It starts to get crowded. I notice a loose bolt under the bench, but none appear to be missing from that piece of equipment. (I'll bring it to the front desk later cuz I'm pretty sure something is going to shake loose at an inopportune time.) Again, the first set of Rip Skulls/Skull Crushers makes my left elbow click and twinge. But the next three sets are fine. Must be that need for warm-ups. I'm always much better after a decent warm-up. 

And while I'm okay with DB Lateral Raises, the Seated Alt DB Curls makes my arms tired. I was worried when I enter the Aerobics Room that all this arm stuff would make me fall on my face when I did push-ups. So I was surprised when I could knock those out with no issues. I got a mild tingle in my right foot while doing Dead Bugs, and again during Bird Dog planks. Otherwise, everything felt okay, and I am not at all tempted to stretch more or add anything new. I'm still taken 400 mg of ibuprofen when I get up in the morning, but otherwise my sciatica appears to be appeased and mostly dormant. I'd like to keep it that way. 

Tomorrow I get to take a desk lamp with questionable wiring to the Repair Cafe, a group of retired folks who provide repair services for free every few months. So much better than trashing a perfectly serviceable item that just needs a bit of know-how. Sunday, my friend and I have tickets to see Temple Grandin speak. I read her books some years ago, and recently watched the Clare Danes movie. Yes, I have eclectic interests. 

Next week I have an appointment to have another Visual Field test to see if my glaucoma has progressed. It's much worse in my right eye. My left eye feels stable, but I can see what I don't see in my right eye. It's very disturbing. And the weirdly dry scaly skin surrounding my eyes signals to me that I'm still having an allergic reaction to one of my meds, probably the last one added... I wonder what other medications I can try cuz I'm going to avoid having an Ahmed shunt implanted as long as possible. It's likely that my body will create too much scar tissue to make it an effective solution to the eye fluid pressure problem...  

24 April 2026 12:52-3:25

Sunny Friday but…

Just do everything

Precor elliptical #1 (12:53)

Program 3

Time: 30 + 5 (5438)

Distance: 2.79

Cal: 307

Precor HR: 154, 115-200

Fitbit: (52-143)

HGPU 18

Matrix StairMaster (R) (1:45-2:00)

Manual timer 13 + 2:32

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29)

Steps 697

Floors 43

Cal: 105

Hr 108

Attempt 1 arm hang / unsuccessful

HGPU 15

Skull Crushers/RipSkulls (2:15-2:48)

30 lbs x 24 reps x 4

S/s with

DB Laterals w/u 10 lbs x 15 reps

15 x 15 x 3

S/s wit

DB Alt Curls w/u 10 lbs x 12 ea

15 x 12 x 3

Was not bothered at all by sciatica!

20 Piriformis/Hip flex (2:57)

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (tingly foot)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (mild tingling)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Cold Wet Earth Day

I had to talk myself into going to the gym today. I had already skipped Monday and Tuesday, and although I felt guilty about not having exercised for several days, the damp cold weather made me want to curl up under blankets for the rest of the day. I'd already spent close to 2 hours at the dog park so it's not like I hadn't ventured outside already. But, due to my procrastination, I got to the gym past 2 pm and subsequently, never had a chance to use the Precor elliptical machine. I'd be on a different cardio machine when the Precor would free up, but within a minute or two, it'd have a new occupant. Too bad the other Precor elliptical machines aren't worth pedaling. 

That machine (#1) is probably the only cardio equipment that lets me fully max out without any injury to my knees, ankles, shins or feet. My sciatica hasn't been horrible so I chose not to tempt fate with the Life Fitness cross-trainer. Instead, I played with the other equipment, spending 15 minutes on the Stair Master but never really working up a sweat. I took the Expresso Bike for a spin as well. Unfortunately, it now requires an account to access the programs. It does allow you to sample the different programs for a mere 3 minutes, so I did that twice while running the Dragon Island game, but 6 minute isn't enough time for much more than a quick taste. 

Then I ventured onto the Octane. I'm not thrilled with this type of machine due to the lateral movement. While it is adjustable and you don't necessarily need to use the moving handles (just like the cross-trainer), I worry about it aggravating my sciatica. Because it's not a natural movement, I don't fully exert myself so after 15 minutes, I'm just barely warm. 

I did get two sets of pull-ups, and decent push-ups in the Aerobics Room. Otherwise, I'd say I was a bit frustrated cardio-wise and contemplating going back tomorrow just to get some time on the Precor. I was watching a YouTube short by FactsAndFineLiners about apes and how strong they are swinging through trees. And I thought to myself, I'd like to try just hanging off the stretch cage and seeing if I could hang momentarily by one arm, and then the other. Cuz I've never done that but I've always wondered, and it's not like I'm getting younger, or stronger. 

Meanwhile, my kid's Nepenthes plant seems to be on the mend and forming new baby pitchers. And the hubs came home from the office with a wee potted succulent (echeveria) that was being distributed for Earth Day. Yes, today is Earth Day, and it is cold and wet but at least the snow didn't stick. There is also supposed to be comets in the sky after midnight, but of course, it's raining. So I'm not going to see anything. And I'm still suffering from allergic reactions to one or more of my eye drops, with oddly dry flaky skin on my upper and lower lids, and an annoying pin prick sensation on my face. 

Echeveria

My eyes feel swollen all the time but thank goodness they don't look as awful as they feel. I could stop using the newest eye drops but I worry that'll raise my IOPs a lot. I could use the steroid drops to alleviate the allergic symptoms, but that will definitely raise my IOPs. The last time I called my doc's office, they suggested a different eye drop, but it isn't covered at all by my insurance and there's no way I can spend $300/mos on a single glaucoma med when I still have to cover copays for two other drops as well. 

I am on the hunt for a lovely blood orange tea I had at the British tea shop. A friend had her cousins bail on her for the third time so she asked me to come to brunch with her over the weekend. While the tea was great, I was less impressed with the "eggs Benedict over salmon cakes." Poached eggs were delicious. The salmon cakes could use seasoning. Maybe it's a British thing? Just as their Coronation Chicken Salad spiced with South African curry seemed to be lacking any semblance of curry flavor. It's def a Brit thing. 

22 April 2026 2:12-3:43

Cold Wet Earth Day Wednesday

Basics w sciatica

Matrix StairMaster (L) (2:15-2:30)

Manual timer 13 + 2:32

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29)

Steps 671

Floors 41

Cal: 102

Hr 87

HGPU 18

Expressing Bike

Dragon Island Game 6 min

3 min per session w/o subscription

Octane #2 (right)

Program Manual 1 / 3 width

Time: 13+2 (strides 1670 / 27 flrs)

Distance: 0.88

Cal: 84

Avg Hr: 105, max 145

(3:10)

HGPU 16

20 Piriformis/Hip flex (3:21)

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Breakfast Interference

Pups don't care about TV

I stayed up much too late because I wanted to finally be done with Stranger Things and watched the last 3 episodes in a row. It's nice to have closure, but I was more pleased by the fact that the show played Sweet Jane by the Cowboy Junkies (yes, I have that CD). Yes, it's a Lou Reed song (I have that CD too) but there's a lot more Cowboy Junkies than there is Lou Reed. They also ended the series with Bowie's Heroes. And that's a great song. So, I didn't go to bed until 2:30 AM. 

It's been summer-time hot for days, and every night it's rained with thunder and lightning. The first two nights I had to dose one of my dogs with "calming chews" that contain melatonin, chamomile, tryptophan, ginger, passion flower and thiamine mononitrate. Basically, the same stuff humans take to chill out before bedtime, but formulated to be tasty for dogs. Of course, I haven't put away the winter stuff yet as there is a forecast for frosty weather next week. April is crazy. 

What's really crazy is that I made the mistake of actually eating breakfast before I went to the gym. Which meant instead of just eating half a banana with my morning vitamins, I put banana slices on top of toasted ciabatta bread smeared with peanut butter. It's been my staple breakfast for a few weeks now, but usually when I plan to skip the gym. It might've been the chunky peanut butter, but I felt a bit stodgy, as if I hadn't been able to fully digest the meal. Normally I use creamy peanut butter, but super chunk is what was in the cupboard. 

My routine was askew as well since there was an unknown person on elliptical #1 and Wind Breaker was of course on #3. Machines #2 and #4 aren't worth using. They're just spacers. Yes, they operate but don't display their info properly so they might not be programmable. I opted to do 13+ minutes on the Stair Master, then popped onto the vacated elliptical for 35 minutes. Pull-ups weren't great. I felt the heaviness of chunky peanut butter weighing me down in the pit of my tummy. Next time I'll just stick to half a banana and a cup of instant coffee. Yes, instant coffee does not contain those nasty LDL-raising diterpenes (cafestol and kahweol). 

Because it's Friday, I wanted to push some weights. The bench I like was available so I did most of the DB Shoulder routine, skipping the last set just as a cascade of kids flooded the free weight area. My cue to exit. Happily, the Aerobics Room was completely abandoned. It wasn't as cold as I wanted, probably because there had been a Senior class earlier. But what I did notice was that my sciatica wasn't being horrible today. I did take 600 mg of ibuprofen this morning, but other than my foot going numb during Bird Dog planks, that nerve bundle was fairly quiet today. Yaaay! 

I have learned my lesson though: no tempting fate by pushing the limits of my stretching abilities. I did get the name of a recommended acupuncturist but he's down in Chinatown in NYC. My brother's wife's cousin spoke quite highly about this doctor's treatment for chronic allergies, as well as sciatica. While I'm probably never going to venture to Chinatown for acupuncture, it's always good to keep options open. Just in case. 

The Merlin ID bird identification app on my phone has upgraded and is less clunky and loads more useful. I bought a few Hawaiian shirts from a Hawaiian outfitter, Hilo Hattie, and I'm apparently a boy's size M. They have some patterns I really like but the women's shirts are all cut for people not like me: too blousy or weirdly off the shoulder (completely uncomfortable and impractical). 

I read somewhere that middle-aged Asian women tend to dress like boys. Not just dress like them. I find myself barely unbuttoning my flannel shirt and just pulling the shirt along with the long-sleeve T underneath off all in one movement. Just like a 10 yr old would. Much less fussy, much more efficient. Much easier to put on that way too. And I'd probably wear the same shirt and pants the next day anyway... Perks of having super dry skin and not sweating very much. Unless it's blistering hot. 

The dogs think it's much too hot to run around outside, although the multitude of new smells keeps them occupied when we go for walks. Peeper frogs are trilling, and cicadas are much too early this year. I'm still not putting away my snow shovel just yet. 

17 April 2026 1:03-3:18

Sunny Friday but Late Night

Basics w sciatica & breakfast

Matrix StairMaster (R) (1:07-1:2)

Manual timer 12 + 2:24

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29)

Steps 610

Floors 38

Cal: 93

Hr n/a

Precor elliptical #1 (1:26-2:02

Program 2

Time: 30 + 5 (5394)

Distance: 2.77

Cal: 304

Precor HR: 151, 194

Fitbit: 45-144

HGPU 17 (not great)

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys 

10 lbs x 25/15/25 (2:20)

15 lbs x 25/15/30 (2:29)

20/15/20 x 25/15/25 reps

Set 1 (2:38); Set 2 (2:47)

20 Piriformis/Hip flex (2:53)

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (no sciatica!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (foot tingling)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Summer in April

A couple of YouTube weather channels have reported substantial temperature fluctuations in the next several days, courtesy of a very strong El Nino. Today my indoor/outdoor thermometer read 92F before I even got out the door to drive to the gym. It certainly was very warm, too warm at the dog park earlier in the day. Pups are happiest when temps hover in the brisk high 30s-low 40s. They are not going to be happy this blistering summer. 

The gym wasn't too crowded so I was able to hop on my preferred elliptical machine. I was worried that it would be too warm but only the Aerobics Room seemed under cooled. I was hoping to do better at pull-ups but the shoulder started twinging toward the last few reps. Still, it wasn't horrible. It's also amazing how easy push-ups feel when you haven't pre-exhausted your triceps with weight lifting. 

I got my steps in on the stair machine and then trudged off to do core and sciatic relief stretches. Popping three 200 mg tablets of ibuprofen each morning seems to work keeping the most egregious sciatic pain at bay. It worked Saturday morning when I convinced my husband to join me on the Salamander Stroll, which was more of a moderately strenuous hike through a model forest only a few minutes from where we live. 

It was a very large group of over 30 people, including toddlers (one riding dad's shoulders and another in a backpack carrier), an infant (in a chest carrier), several seniors with hiking sticks, teenagers and middle aged adults. The weather was brisk and sunny, and if we weren't overheated from scrambling up boulders, then we were chilled by breezes coming off wetlands and vernal pools. 

We were lucky enough to spy a few tiny salamanders under rocks and boards, where they normally hide. The woman with her infant strapped to her chest was the only person wearing leggings. But she was also wearing work boots. My FitBit says we racked up a lot of steps, but not quite as many as the day before, when I went to the gym and then did grocery shopping. Oh well... 

It's April. Spring peepers are trilling in all the wet swampy spots behind our house. Last night, other frogs were making their way across the roadways. It's always a treacherous time for them. The eye gnats are awake and flit around me at the dog park, which means I have to protect myself with sunglasses. There are also biting insects so of course I'm wearing my hooded, long-sleeve bug jacket, long pants and boots, and I have a small bottle of picaridin in my pocket. 

Meanwhile, I'm still having an allergic reaction to some of my eye drops. My eyes are teary and slightly swollen. OTC allergy drops aren't helping and I can only use steroid drops for a limited time as they have an adverse effect on glaucoma. One of the techs in my doc's office recommended switching to preservative-free latanoprost, but of course, my insurance company doesn't want to cover that. Which means they want to charge me close to $300/mos. Do you wonder why we cheer for Luigi Mangione?

14 April 2026 1:32-3:06

Blistering Heatwave Tuesday

Basics w sciatica & eye allergy

Precor elliptical #1 (2:09)

Program 1

Time: 30 + 5 (5410)

Distance: 2.78

Cal: 305

Precor HR: 147, 178

Fitbit: 47-131

HGPU 17 (rt shoulder)

Matrix StairMaster (L) (2:22-2:33)

Manual timer 11 + 2:12

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29)

Steps 576

Floors 36

Cal: 87

Hr 90 (?!)

20 Piriformis/Hip flex (2:43)

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!!!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20 (foot tingling)

Push-Ups 30 (lEZ cuz arms not tired)

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga