10/18/2014 Challenging house chores, Tearin' Up the Sheets (Literally. Don't get too excited), Time Check

I changed my sheets  today, which is a little job in and of itself, but when you have two mostly-white Turkish Van cats, with 5" long super-super fine fur, and you prefer black sheets... it is a real major task, and a bit of a workout! 

That hair sticks to every fabric like velcro, on contact. And then it forms little balls. Just throwing it in the wash is not gonna do it. 

With regular cats, a good fluff-n-dry will de-cat-hair anything. 

Oh, no. It takes a brush - brushing the whole top sheet on both sides, and the fitted sheet on the top - thoroughly - to get them even ready to wash. 

Don't evenTALK to me about sticky fur rollers. I go through an entire one before I'm half-way done. 

There is no keeping two feral-born kitties out of the bedroom (They like to cave under the bad - it's their most secure place - but they like to be  ON the bed too... and one will even cuddle with me, but only when i am IN the bed. So... unless I want to be heartless, no. 

But dammit, the sheets are clean again and bed will be fresh and cozy tonight! (Everything is physical therapy, right?)

Also - a funny little after- effect of the Post-Surgery times last year - this particular set of sheets has obviously been washed and used again several times since - but I think this was the fitted sheet I used most when I was doing the in-bed physical therapy exercises the most (though I still do them on a lesser basis to keep things healthy and limber) - a few nights ago, suddenly I moved a foot across the sheet turning over - and it tore right through! That spot between the knees and feet, where I moved my feet across it the most doing the PT repetitions just gave up the ghost! 

I had to chuckle. I think with a repair, and putting it one the other way-round I can probably get a few more uses out of it... but I had to laugh! 

Never wore through a sheet before!! 

Just for the record, it is 1 year and two months since Hip Replacement #1. 10 months and two weeks since #2. 

I just keep on rolling ahead. Not every day is great ( this has been a bit of a low week), but I keep at it... I'm on the 'bike at least 6 nights a week, and though I had a little issue with my right knee for a couple of weeks, I started giving it really good attention and regular Ice and stretching/strengthening, and it's getting back to well again... I hope to get a good walk in tonight for the firs time in a couple of weeks! 

It's slowly becoming Autumn here, far behind schedule, but almost there, so it should be a lovely night for it. 

No walk tonight after all, but just completed a nice, half-hour vigorous exercycle session. Whew! 

10/3/2014 Fatigue, Fun, Food, and Exercise

A little check- in - 

Its been a long week, but pretty decent. My spirits are great! Gratitude continues to be the rule of the day! 

After my weekend of fun, I admit, I've been a little sore - and I have been SO tired - but I don't think that's just because I was out playing. 

That might not have helped, but I the season is turning - always na interesting time, when the air swirls in warm and cool zephyrs chasing each other's tails and feels so intense on one's skin. Fall making her appearance, and Summer just... holding ... on... we went from a couple of storms to 90+ degrees in a few days! 

I have made many attempts to get to bed earlier. I am such a night person, and getting to be before 1:00 am is so difficult for me, even when I am not in rehearsals or performances. And several nights, I DID get to bed earlier - I was just so tired! and I have been dragin' my behind all week! Last night, I was out with a friend for dinner, and got home around 9:30 - by the time I was settled, it was just too late to get on my exercycle, and certainly to walk. 

I haven't been walking all week - very frustrating - due to fatigue... but besides last night, I've been on that bike, half an hour!! 

This weight MUST go down. 

I need to get my blood pressure well- normalized so I can get off the meds. My doctor is dubious. That just pisses me off and makes me more determined. 

I also am dealing with the oddest, most counter-intuitive thing - I don't eat enough calories. like, by a LOT. 

I looked and researched thoroughly and carefully, and confirmed it with the weight loss group with my medical plan. 

Proper weight loss calories for me - 2,000 calories a day. maintenance, 2,500. 

Do you have any idea how hard it is to each 2,00 calories in a day, when you eat properly and don't eat junk or processed foods? 

The ONE time in the last six weeks, since I've been monitoring/tallying calories,  that I have exceeded 2,000 calories was the wedding day last weekend, when I had a glass of wine at brunch, two classes of sparkling rosé and a good bit of (incredible!) cheese at the cocktail hour. Even the reception food was amazing - and healthy!! Seared Ahi, Brussels Sprout leaves, asparagus, lean roast beef - and the desserts were even amazing, little petite things. I could eat the mini-truffles and a tiny one-bite blood orange parfait (do die for!!) 

Even after all of that - I only ate about 2,200 calories. 

About twice, I have reached 2,000 calories. 

it is crazy. And, again, SO counter-intuitive. But the body needs *healthy* calories to burn to fuel weight loss... good fats (coconut oil, olive oil) are required, and they burn first... good carbs, protein - all in balance. You have to keep the engine firing if you are exercising, as I am. It's about 3 weeks since I weighed in at the Dr.'s office, shocked to have gained weight after 3 1/2 months consistent exercise half an hour 6-7 days a week. 

I'll give it a little more time to kick in and see if I can get this weight gear moving... I want to keep these smooth and silky hips joints dancing for a very, very long time.