Monday, October 2, 2023

Housecleaning Is A Full-Body Workout

It finally stopped raining yesterday (NYC had a record-breaking deluge with flooded subways and roads with suburbs unable to access parkways due to the high water levels) and the sun came out. My headache went away and I felt less tired from my double vaccinations on Thursday. Which meant it was the perfect day to tackle the one big project I've been avoiding for weeks: scrubbing the bathroom. We only have one and I don't use the shower because the water pressure is so dim. But my kid had spent the past year or so, showering for hours at a time with steamy hot water to the point that the walls appeared to be sweating. Ugh. 

We live on wetlands anyway so everything is always damp regardless. Which means the mildew in the bathroom is everywhere and needs to be scrubbed off with a brush and bleach, disinfectant wipes for the ceiling, and bleach gel cleanser for the oversized tub. Because it's a jacuzzi-type tub, I wind up straddling the edge for a time, and other times, I'm laying on my stomach, perched on the side. The ceiling spots are another story: I can only reach the edge of the ceiling while standing on tip-toe on a two-step stool, but only if I steady myself against the wall. Spots over the toilet, the tub, or directly overhead in the center of the room are more problematic. I wind up using the Swiffer stick and roughly attaching a few pieces of disinfectant wipes (which aren't quite the right size for a proper sturdy fit). It's quite the shoulder workout with arms extended over my head pressing and sweeping.

I've got a flat non-abrasive scrubber with a plastic handle to muscle through the deepest grime and soap scum and I wear rubber gloves, which I hate because they make my hands stink no matter how often I wash them. After a few hours, the bathroom is 90% clean with just a few stubborn spots left for a good soak in bleach gel. I have trouble sleeping until I put on one of the many YouTube channels dedicated to relaxing, sleep-inducing sounds. I also found a brown noise, blueberry noise, and a black noise channel which I might try out later when I need to focus on my laptop.

I get to the gym a tad earlier than usual and I'm surprised at how crowded it is. Of course, it is Monday. And it's nice out. (So why are there so many people here?) I relieved to get my cardio done, although I do have doubts about pull-ups. I get 17 but the last 3-4 there's some kipping to get my nose up over the bar. I don't usually use kipping but I'm not usually this sore from doing housework! Even the push-ups feel a bit tenuous. And I skip the wall squats and think about spending some time on the step machine. Except there's a dude on one and suddenly I'm not interested in doing the stairs. Nope. Done. 


I need to shop for cough syrup to send another care package to my kid. The sore throat has become a bad cough with congestion. I ask if he wants face masks and he says yes so I pack the re-usable cloth ones I bought from Januu years ago, and a bunch of disposable surgical masks. I also include mentholated chest rub, a box of super soft tissues, plastic teaspoons, ibuprofen, and yes, there's room for cookies. The post office says it'll likely be delivered by Thursday. Well, so much for 2-day delivery...

If I put off finishing the bathroom, and spend more time wrestling with the rubber broom as I "brush" the embedded dog hair in the upstairs carpet, I might or might not do another push-up challenge and attempt to total 150 reps. Last week I got to 130, and other than mildly sore lats, I felt pretty good. Hopefully, this isn't affecting my glaucoma as there's no way for me to take my own IOPs. Consumer hand-held tonometers are becoming more available but are still really pricey.

2 October 2023 10:57-12:18
Sunny Warm Monday & I’m sore from scrubbing my bathroom

Precor elliptical #1
Program 1
Time: 30+5 (5596)
Distance: 2.84
Cal: 315
Avg Hr: 147, 178-85

HGPU 17 w/ some kipping last 3 reps

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
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

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