Brisk Weather

The annual Sheep & Wool Festival was this past weekend an hour north of us at the Dutchess County Fair Grounds. We go every year, usually with our kid, but since he's at school we just sent him a few photos. It was windy and cold but better than the previous day when it was warmer because it was raining. We got to watch the Sheep Parade and learned a lot about each breed being displayed. I had no idea that hair sheep exist, i.e., sheep that don't produce wool, but instead shed hair. Like the White Dorp.

White Dorp hair sheep

Then we wandered through all the craft tents and the livestock pens. Sad to say the food we bought off the Wurst and Pierogie truck wasn't very good, but the roasted Brussels sprouts (different food stand) sprinkled with parmesan cheese was absolutely delicious, like no other roasted sprouts we've ever had before. Rumor is that they deep fry it but somehow the veggies are seasoned all the way through and don't taste greasy. Amazing. 

It's cold and windy at the Dog Park today but at least there are other dogs to play with and my pups are happy, although I have to bribe one to leave with two pieces of chicken jerky (treats for dogs) in quick succession. I also have a few errands to run before finally heading to the gym. I ordered new hoodies from Lands End but again, they're too tight in the arms so I'm returning them. 

There's no order form inside the shipment. Instead, online I'm told to take the items to GameStop with the QR code they've emailed me. Well, that's new. Since Sears doesn't exist anymore, there's no actual store to return LE items to, except for odd stores that don't have anything to do with LE. Like Sephora, another store I can go to, but that's even further away so I go to GameStop. 

I get to the gym around 11:30 and there's not a lot of members so I can hop right on the elliptical. I do better than I expect, and even pull-ups aren't too bad. I had been worried because the right forearm is sporadically twingey. It's hard to explain but it makes me nervous that the tendons are now more susceptible to injury. Luckily, my arms behave themselves for the rest of the workout.

Everything else is routine, except for the Dead Bugs. After months of doing 60 reps alternating arms and legs, I've been adding variety. Maybe 20 alternates, then 20 same side arms and legs, then back to 20 alternates. I find that switching from alternate to same side is easy. But same side to alternate always makes me hesitate. Today I add another set of 20 so that the alternates and same-sides are of equal rep amounts. Push-ups feel easy. Air squats are never as easy. And wall squats really have me squealing (in my head) by the time 75 seconds passes. Happy to make it to 90 without uttering a peep.

I'm game to do a second set of pull-ups but as I exit the Aerobics Room, I see the Grand Dame in the Stretch Cage. I think she's like 90 years old and always very pleasant, but I'm so totally non-confrontational that I just skip that second set. I'm not going to sit around waiting for the Stretch Cage and I have no idea how long she's going to be using it. There's also a dude draped over one of the Step Machines, so I'm not about to do 10 minutes there either. Nope. Time to shower and change and go home.

23 October 2023
Brisk Busy Monday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 30+5 (5662)
Distance: 2.86
Cal: 319
Avg Hr: 149, 194-85

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20/20/20/20 alt/ss = 80
20 Hip Bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga
Wall Squats 90s