No Mosquitoes Yet

Hand Warmers

It's been unusually warm for December in New York. Today it peaked at 55F and tomorrow it's gonna drop 20 degrees. Well, at least I haven't seen any mosquitoes. My husband got me some nifty electronic hand warmers that are USB cable rechargeable. Isn't everything these days? They get really toasty in a few seconds, and although there are ostensibly three settings, even just setting 1 which is the lowest, gets really hot. 

The only downside is that, although they are small and fit in the palm of my hand inside a glove, they are solid. Which, with my short fingers, means I can't actually do anything with my hands while they're inside my gloves. That's not the case with the little packets of chemical hand warmers (Hot Hands) which are malleable. Since it's still winter and the Polar Express is on course to swoop down in a few weeks, I can see putting the electric hand warmers in my coat pocket when I go to the dog park.

The gym is steamy inside. And crowded. The gym owner isn't going to spend money on a/c when he can prop open the back door. It brought back memories of working out in the 80s at a hardcore basement bodybuilding gym in Brooklyn (5th Avenue Gym). Fun times! I reminisce about having bigger muscles and less body fat. Oh well. Growing old is hard. 

I've been really tired lately. But so has everyone is my household. I fell asleep on the sofa with one of the dogs on Saturday. This is most likely because I'm not clocking the recommended 8 hours of shut-eye. I'm lucky if I get close to 7. My problem is that I'm a night owl and have always been this way. If I could sleep until 9 AM, I'd probably fulfill my sleep requirements, but I try to get the dogs to the park before 9. And the older I get, the more steps get added to my morning routine. 

I'm pleased to only need 3 eye drops now instead of 4. Not sure if the Durysta is actually doing anything. Follow up appointment in January. The dermatologist says use sunscreen everyday. And other things. Need to slather petrolatum on my thighs to keep those pesky hives at bay. Seems to be working. But my heels and fingers have developed fissures from the dry cold. Petrolatum is my friend and I use a lot of it. Still, cuts are forming at the finger joints, and the skin around my nails is hard, dry and brittle.

I get on elliptical #3 and pedal program #1. I have my earbuds in but I can still hear all the people around me. I only start to feel more energetic during the last 10 minutes. Figures. Pull-ups aren't great, but not horrible. I'm still able to get three sets, even if not quite the reps I'd like. The Step Machine has a mind of its own, so I actually do better than last time, because the machine had a slightly more energetic pace. I have no control over it. 

The LifeFitness cross-trainer is better and worse than the Precor elliptical. Better in that it has an arm option. Worse in that my toes and the ball of my feet eventually go numb if I use it too long. Today I felt my feet, even though they never lifted off the pedals, impact on the down stroke of the circular glide motion. I don't feel that on the Precor. Somehow, the pedal trajectory drops my foot down and my weight transfers for a moment to that singular point. (The Precor's glide motion doesn't create any impact stress.) Weird that I just noticed it today after years of wondering. Maybe I am getting more sleep?

I barely make 14 reps at my last round of pull-ups. Well, at least it's more than 12. That's my arbitrary criteria for doing a good routine. I'm happy the Aerobics Room has the a/c blasting. No doubt there was a Senior class earlier. My sciatica was bothering me all weekend, but after hip thrusts and piriformis stretches, it feels pretty good. There's only a slight tingle during Bird Dogs and none with push-ups. Even Air Squats felt okay. 

I skip the Wall Sits. Maybe Thursday cuz tomorrow I take my kid to a morning dermatologist appointment. His acne is rather persistent, and the most effective treatment is a 5-month course of Accutane but he's never home for that long. So he's been using topicals that need to be reviewed and renewed, because health insurance is an ogre.

30 Dec 2024 12:18-2:11

Monday — All Cardio

Balmy between holidays

Precor elliptical #3

Program 1

Time: 30 + 5 (5416)

Distance: 2.78

Cal: 306

Avg Hr: 144, 190-111

New FB: 52-139

(12:55)

HGPU 15.5

Matrix StairMaster (R)

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Minimum 5 minutes

Speed 5 (48-50) / 2 (33) / 1 (31?!)

Steps 448

Floors 27

Cal 66

Hr 145

HGPU 16

Life Fitness X-Trainer #3

Program Manual L1

Time: 10 (+3 min cool down) = 13

Distance: 1.31

Cal: 103

Avg Hr: 130-127

HGPU 14

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (slight tingle)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga

Boxing Day at the Gym

I never knew the significance of the day after Christmas, except that it was celebrated in the UK as Boxing Day. I'd always had thoughts of pugilists whacking each other over gifts. Memes make light of cats and their obsession with empty bags and boxes. Google the term and we learn that it's the day the upper class box up leftovers and small gifts to hand down to their staff. Well, I guess it's better than calling it Leftover Day. 

What it is is really crowded at the gym, with kids out of school and people on holiday between Christmas and New Year's. I've never seen five out of six cross-trainers in use at one time until today. Thankfully, only Wind Breaker was on one of four ellipticals. I can use machine #3 with it's wonky heart rate console display. Today it tells me that my max heart rate was 232. I think I would've noticed that. And if it were truly that high, I probably would've experienced panic, breathlessness and other unpleasantries. 

This is the main reason that half the programs in these type of machines are useless: they insist you keep your heart rate within a certain range, but their ability to monitor that rate accurately is suspect. I've pedaled at a constant rate only to watch the monitor rocket sky high for no discernible reason. Ostensibly, the only way to bring the rate down would be to stop pedaling. Not a great practice, highly impractical, and extremely imprecise. So, rather pointless. I only utilize the programs that don't rely on heart rates. Interestingly, I glanced at an article in LifeHacker about determining your max HRs just as I'm sitting down to type this. Click here to read it.

Cardio starts out okay, but I get uncharacteristically tired toward the end of the session. Well, that's what happens during the holidays, isn't it? I do okay with pull-ups so that makes me feel better. I'm wearing my new "in your face" tank. It doesn't fit as well as most of my workout tanks since it's cotton (not nylon), and it's cut a big snugger than I'd like. A size M would be too big. No one says anything to me. Just as well, since I'd probably bite their head off. Unless they wanted to know where they could get one too. That'd be okay.

I do better on the step machine, and the cross-trainer. Which means I'm kind of tired by the time I get to the Aerobics Room. I get through everything in the routine but skip the Wall Sits. I'll save that for tomorrow. Maybe I'll even do Walking Lunges. While my sciatica still bothers me during Hip Bridges, it's silent through all my push-up reps and barely noticeable during Bird Dogs. That's an improvement! It's only been five months! It really helps that we didn't have to do the long drive to Buffalo in December and probably won't for my kid's return to school in January. I'm glad he and his friends have discovered the Amtrak. We won't have to do that drive until May when we bring him home for summer!

26 Dec 2024 12:17-2:09

Thursday — All Cardio

Blustery Cold Crowded post-holiday

Precor elliptical #3

Program 3

Time: 30 + 5 (5378)

Distance: 2.78

Cal: 305

Avg Hr: 164, 232!? lol!

New FB: 52-154

HGPU 17

Matrix StairMaster (R)

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Minimum 5 minutes

Speed 5 (48-45) / 2 (38) / 1 (29)

Steps 423

Floors 26

Cal 64

Hr 125

HGPU 15

Life Fitness X-Trainer #3

(1:24-1:37)

Program Manual L1

Time: 10 (+3 min cool down) = 13

Distance: 1.30

Cal: 102

Avg Hr: 119-126

HGPU 13+2/2

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (slight tingle)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga

Trade Offs

Temps dropped down to 3F last night and weren't much higher when the alarm sounded this morning. I waited until we were in double digits before taking pups to the park. They don't seem to get cold, but I don't want to chance frostbite on their pids. Plus my toes go numb in the deep cold after 20-30 minutes. All this delaying means I don't get to the gym until well past noon. Closer to 1 actually.

Because it's winter break, the parking lot is full. The local cinema, normally closed on Monday, is open today. The gym is crowded as well since school is out until the New Year. I have a lot of errands to do so I cut out the last third of cardio just to fit in the core workout I skipped last Friday. The problem with skipping core and hip stretching is that sciatica starts to wake from its mild dormant state. 

I forgot to charge my earbuds over the weekend. The AirPod case flashed green so I thought they were good to go, but once I got to the gym, they were dead. Ugh. No tunes. I can listen to the ambient gym music, which wouldn't be bad if not for the raucous noise emanating from everyone screaming and shouting at each other. I have a decent workout, but it's by no means great.

Temps start to rise the later it gets in the day. The Winter Solstice was Saturday, so days should be getting a skosh longer. By nightfall, temps have risen into the 20s. Snow and rain in the forecast for Christmas Eve but I'm still hoping to make it to the park in the morning and the gym later on... I guess it'll depend on how much of the white stuff we actually get. I finally got the tank I ordered. It still needs to be washed before I can wear it to workout...

23 Dec 2024 12:43-2:26

Monday — All Cardio

Late & Cold — Abbreviated

Precor elliptical #3

Program 2

Time: 30 + 5 (5364)

Distance: 2.78

Cal: 305

Avg Hr: 157, 185-?

New FB: 45-125

HGPU 17

Matrix StairMaster (R) 1:30-1:40

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Minimum 5 minutes

Speed 5 (48-50) / 2 (38) / 1 (29)

Steps 450

Floors 28

Cal 67

Hr 105 (1:13)

HGPU 13.5

20 Hip Bridges (1:55)

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (tingle)

Push-Ups 25 (minimal tingle)

Arm rotations 20

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga

Wall Squat 120 sec

Friday Before the Solstice

I had an abbreviated workout today, but at least I got some cardio and a bunch of pull-ups done. That's what happens when your kid comes back from college and you need to schedule all sorts of appointments before he goes back for the next term. But the pull-ups went better, so at least there's that. No time to do core or any sort of hip/glute stretching. On the other hand, we also did not have to do the 6 hr drive to and from Buffalo so my sciatica feels okay...

20 Dec 2024

Friday — All Cardio
Blustery Cold — Rushed schedule

Precor elliptical #3

Program 1

Time: 30 + 5 (5444)

Distance: 2.79

Cal: 308

Avg Hr: 155, 201-?

New FB: 45-150

HGPU 17

Matrix StairMaster (L)

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Minimum 5 minutes

Speed 5 (48-50) / 2 (33) / 1 (29)

Steps 428

Floors 26

Cal 6

Hr 126

HGPU 15

Life Fitness X-Trainer #5

Program Manual L1

Time: 10 (+3 min cool down) = 13

Distance: 1.16

Cal: 99

Avg Hr: 127-130

Shoveling Wet Snow Makes Me Tired

When Monday's forecast for an inch of ice and rain (and no accumulation) actualized into 6 inches of heavy snow with temps hovering in the low 30s, my fantasy of not shoveling my car out disappeared. Luckily my husband was home to help clear the driveway while I shoveled the walkway. The snow lingered all of yesterday until it rained last night and temps rose up 20 degrees. Barely any snow today, and I'd like to think the drought watch is over. But I'm not actually sure. 

I took the dogs to the park. We go every day. Trudging through wet, slippery snow is quite the cardio endeavor. Not as bad as actually shoveling though. With a mammogram appointment at 2:20, I didn't feel comfortable rushing to the gym to squeeze in a workout. Yep, finally got the dreaded boob squish test done at the local hospital, which is conveniently located much closer than the prior testing place.

Dogs went to the park this morning and no one was there. I've been getting up later and hitting the park later ever since I learned that one of my dog's arch nemesis no longer comes. Apparently that dog suffered some medical mishap and is not allowed to run loose, so no park time for him, just leash walks. Yippeee for us, but of course, as much as I dislike the dog and his owner, I still feel bad for him. I think my dogs would be heartbroken if they had to stop running in the park once a morning... 

I got to the gym super late and 2 out of 4 elliptical machines were in use. It's Tuesday and it's crowded. There's no proper cup holder for #2 and #4 makes an awful clunk. So I rearranged the order of my routine and started with the cross-trainer. Except I added additional time to equal 20 minutes total instead of 15. Pull-ups kind of sucked. But then, they stayed that way, as in I didn't lose any reps. The step machine was the same. Finally, Precor elliptical #3 was free. I got on for 25 minutes instead of 35. While I was pedaling, Wind Breaker got off and left. I've never seen him actually be done before!

After the last set of pull-ups, I march off to the Aerobics Room, which is surprisingly cool. Temps have risen to the mid-50s, the sun is blazing and people are wandering into the gym wearing nothing but shorts and t-shirts like it's summer. The routine proceeds routinely. Even push-ups and air squats feel okay today. I skip Walking Lunges and Wall Sits though. Maybe I'll get to them tomorrow?

I had the second Durysta implanted in my left eye on Friday. For two days, my eye watered uncontrollably and I felt like there was a bit of sand under the lid. By Sunday, however, it was less watery. And by Monday, I didn't feel it at all, which is good considering that shoveling snow is its own discomfort. My IOPs are still at 16, which is okay but not great. They've been lower in the past, and hopefully they will be lower. My docs have always wanted them below 10 but that's never happened ever.

Because I hate surprises, I asked my glaucoma doc to tell me what the next step would be if the Durysta isn't effective. She said it would be a surgical option: an Ahmed valve. Then she showed me a tiny little model she had which helped explain it much better than words ever could. I can't even imagine not feeling that device. And I don't know how that might affect my ability to exercise. But Gym Rats find a way, right? Preparing for the worst makes me feel better, as if I have some control, even if I don't have any.

17 Dec 2024 12:24-2:20

Tuesday— All Cardio

Unseasonably Warm — post Durysta

New FB: 45-181 (?!)

Life Fitness X-Trainer #3

Program Manual L1

Time: 17 (+3 min cool down) = 20

Distance: 2.11

Cal: 159

Avg Hr: 118-146

HGPU 15

Matrix StairMaster (R) (1:00)

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Minimum 5 minutes

Speed 5 (45) / 2 (33) / 1 (33)

Steps 432

Floors 27

Cal 65

Hr 125

HGPU 15.5

Precor elliptical #3

Program 3

Time: 20 + 5 (3706)

Distance: 1.94

Cal: 211

Avg Hr: 137, 181-84

HGPU 15

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (tingle)

Push-Ups 25 (minimal tingle)

Arm rotations 20

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga

Temp Drop

There was ice on the car windows so much that I couldn't lower the back one that the dogs like to look out of as we drive to the park. Of course, it was sunny but there were no dog friends. We did hear some barking somewhere in the park, but no one to play with. I even made it to the gym today, albeit, later than I'd like. Remarkably, there were few people inside, although a regular (not Wind Breaker), was pedaling elliptical #1. I got on #3. Wind Breaker showed up after 12:30 and after eyeing #4, decided he'd make do with #2. He was still pedaling when I left.

I'm pleased that I did better today than yesterday, but it was hard and I struggled with fatigue during the 5-minute cool down. I'm sure if I could be more consistent (like in the past), I'd see improvements in my "mileage." (I remember making it past 2.9 at one point, before I started taking a known beta blocker for my glaucoma.) At least my pull-ups were better. Until they weren't, but that was the very last set. Step machine was better but only because the machine moved a tad faster. The Life Fitness cross-trainer was slightly better too. So, while it didn't feel great, I actually did better today than I did Monday.

Temps will drop into the high teens tonight so tomorrow will also be quite cold. I'll be at my glaucoma appointment later, and expect to have the same simple but time-consuming procedure done on my left eye. I can't really say that anything has changed since the first procedure, except that I have to remind myself not to put that last drop into my right eye. It's remarkably hard to break a habit, especially if it's something you've done in pairs for quite a long time, and now should only do for one eye, but only for one drop. Meaning that you still apply the other 3 drops to both eyes. Twice a day. Spaced a minimum of 5 minutes apart. 

I still have a vague headache so I skip the second half of the core workout. Which means no pushups or air squats or wall sits. I've noticed that my head throbs a bit after pushups and I don't know if that's just sinuses, or if that impacts my IOPs. Pushups used to be my go-to for upper body and arms. I still remember being able to get to a 100 reps. Certainly within the past decade. I never expected that it might be contraindicated due to glaucoma. Working around limitations has been challenging. I'm sure it's not actually going to get easier. Ugh.

12 Dec 2024 12:13-2:05

Thursday — All Cardio

Blustery Cold — Durysta left eye tomorrow

Precor elliptical #3

Program 2

Time: 30 + 5 (5520)

Distance: 2.82

Cal: 312

Avg Hr: 160, 194-128

New FB: 45-150

HGPU 16

Matrix StairMaster (R)

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Minimum 5 minutes

Speed 5 (45) / 2 (33-36) / 1 (29-33)

Steps 433

Floors 27

Cal 65

Hr 135

HGPU 15.5

Life Fitness X-Trainer #3

Program Manual L1

Time: 12 (+3 min cool down) = 15

Distance: 1.41

Cal: 115

Avg Hr: 125-129

HGPU 13+2/2

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (tingle)

Arm rotations 20

Neck stretch / Eye yoga

Knuckle Cracking Inside Your Head

It was raining when I got up this morning, and since I knew no one else was coming to the dog park, I took my time getting dressed, making coffee, putting out the bird feeders, and finally, getting the dogs ready to go. There is a NYS Wiper Law, but of course, even with heavy fog limiting visibility, only two thirds of drivers seem aware of this and drive blithely along. White cars are nearly invisible in the morning fog. There's no one at the park and we stay for 40 minutes.

I have a few phone calls to make before getting myself ready for the gym. I skipped yesterday so I could drive nearly to Danbury CT to retrieve my medial records from an office that is slated to close. Today it's warmer, and wetter. I get to the gym about half past noon. (My kid has no idea what that phrase means because he's a child of the digital era, although he can actually read an analog clock.)

Wind Breaker is pedaling elliptical #1. I grab the cup holder out of the bracket on #2 and plop it into #3 to start my program. A very tall blonde woman claims #2 halfway through, and she has a giant thermos cup with a straw that fits nicely inside the bracket. I guess it might be one of those infamous 40 oz Stanley cups. 

I have a vague headache that I believe is due to the barometric changes rainy weather brings. The earbud in my right ear is in perpetual danger of falling out: thank goodness I have tethers on them. It pops out twice during my exercise routine. Normally, it doesn't go anywhere! Today, I can hear a popping sound (like cracking your knuckles) inside my head, because the temporomandibular joint is somehow askew, probably because I rolled over onto my side for a few minutes while lying in bed this morning. Is that why the right ear bud doesn't fit as snug as it should? The ear canal is now misshapen and the earbud doesn't fit correctly. Maybe it'll fit tomorrow if I lay on the other side for a few minutes... 

Normally, I try to sleep on my back for the entire night. An hour before my alarm sounded, I woke up because half my hand and two fingers had gone numb. It was due to my nightgown sleeve pulling up against the armhole and putting a slight amount of pressure on the nerves in that arm. Ugh. I'm so ridiculously sensitive to pressure and touch that sometimes I get sore spots and abrasions from chafing seams inside my clothes. 

I have brain fog and the weather isn't helping. Cardio felt very difficult today, although I did a skosh better on the elliptical. Luckily I'm not doing pull-ups until tomorrow. And I got through all my sets for the DB Shoulder program without dropping any DBs on me or anyone else. That's a win. The free weight area is crowded but the whole gym is even more crowded when I leave. 

I have to force myself to run through the core routine in the Aerobics Room even though I have the space all to myself. I can't even force myself to do Wall Sits. I just want to shower and go home. It's pouring outside and although temps are unseasonably warm for December in NY State, I still hate being cold and wet. I plan to do a Cardio Workout tomorrow because suddenly I have plans for Friday. Ugh.

My ophthalmologist called yesterday to reschedule the next Durysta implant for THIS Friday. Yes, Friday the 13th. The office had scheduled the procedure for a day after Christmas, which I had questioned since everyone goes on Holiday between Christmas and New Years. It turns out I was right. Of course, I feel a bit rushed. But so far I've had no side effects in the right eye, and I"m hoping that my IOPs will go down a bit. Fingers crossed.

11 Dec 2024 12:34-2:19

Wednesday — Odd Mix

Still Not Enough Rain To End the Drought

Precor elliptical #3

Program 1

Time: 30 + 5 (5400)

Distance: 2.78

Cal: 305

Avg Hr: 152, 196-117

New FB: 43-135

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

10 lbs x 25/15/25

15 lbs x 25/15/25 (1:28)

29/15/20 x 25/15/25 x 3 sets

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (tingle)

Push-Ups 25 (minimal tingle)

Arm rotations 20

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga 

Delayed Turkey Gratification

I'm back at the gym today after 4 days. Last Friday I had the first Durysta drug delivery device implanted in my right eye. There was a lot of waiting around although the procedure itself was quite quick. The doc used a brassy eye speculum to keep my eye open while she injected the tiny object. The speculum reminded me of my mother's eyelash curler from the 60s, as if any of us ever had long enough eyelashes to be curled. We didn't, but there was the magic of mascara. 

Although my eye had been numbed, I felt a pinch on the side of my face because she needed to keep my head from bobbing so she positioned tweezers to hold my face in place. Ophthalmic antibiotics were applied, to be used for the next 3 days. There's been no side effects, except my eyeball is a bit tender. Otherwise, I don't feel it at all. I'm still administering the 4 different eye drops to my left eye, and just 3 for the right. The other eye is scheduled for the end of the month. But at least I'm a lot less nervous about it now.

The free turkey I got from the supermarket Thanksgiving give-away was finally defrosted enough to roast this weekend. It was on the smaller size since the only choices had been about 10-12 lbs or 20-23 lbs. That meant it just fit inside one of my baking pans, even with a turkey bag. I stuffed the turkey with half a sweet onion, a dozen peeled garlic heads and several springs of rosemary. Splashing the skin with soy sauce and a drizzle of olive oil meant the bird browned even inside a roasting bag. 

Recipes called for 13 minutes a pound so not quite 3 hours and it was done. Actually, the thermometer made me think I'd overcooked the bird because the reading shot up well past 200F inside the thigh! But the bag ensured that the turkey was moist and aromatic, even if the skin wasn't crispy. I have plenty of leftovers for the week. 

Instead of stuffing, I used leftover brown/black rice cooked with onions, chestnuts and breakfast sausage. (I'm happy to report that the pre-cooked chestnuts had an expiration date of 2013 on the mylar packaging, but were still perfectly fine when opened.) Nuked kale added much needed greenery. I like canned cranberry sauce but the husband does not. So he didn't get any. Although I had more than enough drippings for gravy, I had run out of time and stove burners and just put that away for a later time. Dogs got chopped boiled giblets on their kibble for supper. Everyone was happy!

I'm wearing my Hokas Rincon 4 to the gym today and I finally realized that I like the other style (Solimar) better. First, this shoe's soles are super slick and my feet slide back whenever the pedals are at an angle. I nearly slip off the Stretch Cage as well! I didn't have that problem with the Solimars. Also, I can feel the pattern inside the shoe and that's disturbing. Maybe I just have sensitive feet? The Solimar seems wider at the ball of the foot, and hence, more comfortable. Too late now to return them though since I've worn them twice, although only inside the gym. By the end of my workout, my left foot is achy right at the base of the first metatarsal, right where I have a bunion. Hmmm...

I spent the morning on the phone (after taking the dogs to the park) trying to figure out whether I had a mammogram appointment or not. The provider who had done this for the past decade decided that they would reschedule me to their Danbury CT office, which I protested. I'm not traveling out of state for a stupid annual screening test. I'm 10 minutes from the local hospital. Online says they have a breast center that you can schedule an appt for. All online. Except, after filling out all of the prompts, nothing happens. No one answers their phone. No confirmation call or email comes. 

I call my doc's office and they transfer me to their radiology dept who is not in fact in the hospital, even though the doc's office is. They give me a new phone number and then transfer me to the hospital radiology dept who is able to set up an appt. except their system tells them my health insurance is inactive. WTF? I call my insurance company to verify my insurance (hell, I just saw my ophthalmologist on Friday!) and they put me on hold so that they can call the radiology dept. 

Eventually, my insurance company tells me that they told the radiology dept to push the issue with their billing dept, because the problem is on their end. Yep, this isn't the first time either. Because this is a screening exam, it should be completely covered for cost.

Meanwhile, I'm tired and it shows in my workout: all my cardio results are less. All my pull-ups are also less. But at least I got it all done. Tomorrow I have a lot of errands, including picking up my old mammogram records so that I can deliver them to the new facility when I go for my appointment. At least it won't be raining tomorrow. It's been rainy and cool today, but it's not enough rain to end the drought we're in... I hate being cold and wet.

9 Dec 2024 11:51-1:50

Monday — All Cardio

Finally made that free turkey

Rainy & Cold — Durysta right eye

Precor elliptical #3

Program 3

Time: 30 + 5 (5372)

Distance: 2.77

Cal: 304

Avg Hr: 151, 175

New FB: 44-135

HGPU 15 (Hokas too slippery!)

Matrix StairMaster (R) (12:40-12:51)

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Minimum 5 minutes

Speed 5 (45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29-33)

Steps 423

Floors 26

Cal 64

Hr 126

HGPU 14

Life Fitness X-Trainer #5

Program Manual L1

Time: 12 (+3 min cool down) = 15

Distance: 1.37

Cal: 114

Avg Hr: 125-130

HGPU 14.5

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (tingle)

Push-Ups 25 (minimal tingle)

Arm rotations 20

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga

Even the Gym was Cold

I skipped the gym yesterday, preferring to get my exercise hauling firewood across the yard and finally, into the house. I had burned the last piece Monday night, and it was well worth the wait, having sat beside the wood stove for the better part of a year. It was a big piece with a few knots, but just slender enough to fit through the wood stove door. And because it had been aging inside the house for months, it lit up immediately as soon as I put it on the pile of embers. Because it was a big piece, it also burned for several hours. And then there was no more wood to burn. I like building fires inside the stove, and a personal point of pride for myself is to only use one match. That probably hearkens back to when my kid was in Boy Scouts... You can't use up all your dang matches to light one fire. And once it's lit, it had better stay lit until you decide to put it out.

I've turned the thermostat up a notch, to 63F, but it's still chilly inside. The dogs prefer it cooler. I broke out my alpaca hooded tunic to wear between layers. I have plenty of wood in the house now, but it's an assortment of different qualities. Some wood is years old but has been haphazardly exposed to the elements, so maybe not the driest wood. Other wood was split just a few months ago, albeit from logs that were cut over two years ago. Does that make them aged or not? We're expecting snow tonight, and a bigger dip in temps due to the infamous Alberta Clipper and moisture from the Great Lakes Erie and Ontario. While our tiny county is renowned for its lakes and waterways, we have been in a drought of late.

I also had a periodontist appointment yesterday, and of course, my health insurance's dental component probably doesn't cover that aspect of dental health. Figures. Because it's United Healthcare, which is in the news now due to the assassination of its CEO, Brian Thompson. I wonder if it's someone whose coverage got denied. Or if it was personal, as in the case of the Cash App founder, Bob Lee. So, now I have a procedure scheduled for mid-February that will include sedation and oral surgery. Ugh. But, this might cure my gum and teeth issues. And of course, this is going to cost mucho dineros.

I woke up tired this morning, saw the bags under my eyes and wished I could sleep in. I still took the dogs to the park though. No one else there but the dogs got to run about, sniff a lot of smells in the half acre of trees, rocks, bushes, leaf litter, and dirt. With all the odors of previous visitors. One of the dogs got zoomies, got bored, tossed and chased chips of ice smacked out of the metal water bowl. I bring water to pour into the heated bowl and then plug that in. When I leave, I pour the remaining water into the metal bowl for the next canine visitors. The heated bowl gets unplugged and placed back inside the shed.

I get to the gym a bit past noon. It's not too crowded. Wind Breaker was on elliptical #1, and I see that the cup holder is still on machine #3, so that's the one I use. I barely squeak past 2.8 (whew!) and I'm glad I'm not doing pull-ups today. Since I have an eye implant procedure Friday morning, I'll have to skip the gym that day. And with questionable weather in the forecast, I might or might not make it to the gym tomorrow. I'm hoping I won't have to shovel! And that the roads will be good enough to get my pups to the park. 

The free weight area is busy with kids and regulars. I locate one of the two Nautilus benches and drag it out from a squat/bench cage. Some lazy mo-fo left a pair of 75s on the rack space designated for the 20s. The 75s go on the rack below. That's truly annoying. Later, when I go to rerack the 20s, I find that someone has put the 75s where they belong, and I feel better about my fellow gym members. There are a few HS kids and some other regulars. Even the Odd Couple is there although he looks older now for some reason. Weird, right? 

I'm testing out a pair of Hoka solimars I bought online from Zappos. It fits well enough although the heel is ever so slightly loose. I'm not sure if I like it better or the same compared to the Rincon 5. The NBWW877 are stiffer, and sized 2E (for fat feet) which means I can wear those with thick wool socks for clopping around town doing errands. And even then, the heels are a skosh loose. I have disproportionately tiny heels for my small feet. Comfortable footwear is so important to me that I have a collection of shoes I should probably sort through and get rid of half of them... feet change as you age and shoes that were once comfortable, sometimes aren't anymore.

The Aerobics Room is freezing cold and there are two women already there when I enter. I skip Walking Lunges. My knees have been sporadically creaky lately and I'm not sure if this is a weather thing. Push-ups feel weak and that's disappointing. Last week I felt strong doing them, but last week I did completely different exercises. Wall Sits have my toes and knees complaining, but I grit my teeth for the full two minutes. Done! Hoping for manageable weather tomorrow... 

4 Dec 2024 12:07-2:01

Wednesday — Mix

Alberta Clipper Cold

Precor elliptical #3

Program 2

Time: 30 + 5 (5478)

Distance: 2.81

Cal: 310

Avg Hr: 157, 191?!

New FB: 54-139

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

10 lbs x 25/15/25

15 lbs x 25/15/25

20/15/20 x 25/15/25 x 3 sets

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (tingle)

Push-Ups 25

Arm rotations 20

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga

Wall Sits 120 sec

That Frosty Alberta Clipper

Suddenly it feels like Winter. Because temps have dropped into the 20s at night, and only reach mid-30s during the day. Again, I'm happy I invested in a heated water bowl and outdoor extension cord for the dog park. The water is mostly frozen in gallon jugs in the shed, but liquid enough to pour like a slushy. I have to remember to bring actual liquid water to the park now for as long as this cold snap lasts. Because this is unseasonably frigid for December in NYS. It's not usually this cold until late January or February! Thank goodness I've got a box of Hot Hands to keep my fingers from going numb. Each double packet usually lasts all day and I can still extract heat from them during the evening dog walk.

I get to the gym late, but at least I'm there. It's been 5 days, so nearly a week that I've been mostly sedentary. Of course, even though the gym was open for a few hours in the morning, there was no way I was going to exercise. Didn't go on Wednesday either as I had a lot of foods to pick up, as well as a dermatology appointment. My spots haven't changed and my skin is peeling a lot on my face. Need better hydrating cream? The dermatologist's office tells me to have patience and I have a follow up in January.

It was recommended that I really slather myself with moisturizing cream to mitigate the hives I develop from the cold. It dawned on me that I have a jar of cold cream that I use to clean my face before bed. It's a generational thing: my grandma used Pond's Cold Cream to clean makeup from her face. My mom preferred the pricey brands like Clinique which she could only buy from a cosmetic counter at Macy's. Yeah, that's not me. But there's nothing that says I can't just apply a big dollop of cold cream to my skin. My skin is so dry that it doesn't take long for the cream to literally disappear. I also have a new steroidal cream just in case the hives get too frisky. So far the cold cream seems to be working!

The gym is chilly and Wind Breaker is on elliptical #1. I grab the cup holder from #2 and pop it into the broken bracket on machine #3. I don't even get close to 2.8 but it's a good cardio warm up. Sadly, pull-ups don't go well. They aren't horrible, and I get past a dozen (whew!) before spending 10 minutes on the step machine. The second round of pull-ups goes a little better. Then onto the cross-trainer. Much better there. Maybe I'm finally seriously warmed up? 

By the time I get to the Aerobics Room, there's one gal doing her own thing with some DBs and a bearded dude I sorta recognize (as a regular) doing walking lunges with a DB in his hands. It's late and I'm only doing what's on my list. Skip the Wall Sits. Maybe do them tomorrow...

2 Dec 2024 12:13-2:08

Monday — All Cardio

Post Turkey Alberta Clipper week

Brilliant Day — Timolol/Losartan

Precor elliptical #3

Program 1

Time: 30 + 5 (5344)

Distance: 2.76

Cal: 303

Avg Hr: 151, 229-111 (?!)

New FB: 46-135

HGPU 13 + 2/2 ugh

Matrix StairMaster (R)

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Minimum 5 minutes

Speed 5 (48-45) / 2 (33) / 1 (29-33)

Steps 436

Floors 27

Cal 66

Hr 136

HGPU 16

Life Fitness X-Trainer #3

Program Manual L1

Time: 12 (+3 min cool down) = 15

Distance: 1.40

Cal: 115

Avg Hr: 119-122

HGPU 14

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (tingle)

Push-Ups 25 (minimal tingle)

Arm rotations 20

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga