lots of stuff

I did yoga yesterday afternoon. I"m not nearly as flexible as the teacher, or some of the other students, but for a first timer I suprised myself with what I could do. My teacher even gave me a good on my Warrior I. Towards the end I felt like I could fall asleep, I think I almost understand what they mean by a meditative state. My mind wasnt' a complete blank,but I did feel more focused, inward instead of on everything else that was going on.

I must have really taken alot out of me, though I couldnt' even make it back to visit Warren for evening. I was so exhausted. I was ready for bed by 8:30, but I couldn't seem to get comforatable or get to sleep. Between the yoga and the weights from Saturday I was more than a little stiff and achey. Finally after an epsom salt bath and some Aleve {and my regular meds - lamictal and benydryl}, I was able to fall asleep by 9:30ish. I must have really been exhausted, I set my alarm to go off radio instead of buzzer, so I totally didnt' hear it, and ended up sleepign until 6:30. I had plenty of time to get to work, but water aerobics was a total bust {class is 6am to 7am}.

I feel much better right now.

Warren has finally been accepted to three different facilities. The closest one {Fergus Falls} won't have an opening for 8 weeks {unless djs can pull something off} so it looks like it will either be Masabi {Iron range in Northern Minnesota} or Woodworth {just outside DesMoines}. Masabi would be more convient, but my dads sister Nina {Nine-a, not Neena}, and my cousin Karen live in a suburb of DesMoines, so that has good and bad advantages. I'm kind of torn right now.

After work I decided to celebrate finally having some good news and treated myself to a meal out {somethign I havne't done in a long time}. On my way to see Warren there is an Indian restaurant. I go by it many times. I finally stopped in to check them out. They are a bit pricer than I expected, but the food was awesome.

It started with some crisp lentil bread {I can't remember what she called it}, with a mint sauce of some kind and a tandoori sauce. It was a bit exotic, but really quite good. It must have been. I couldnt' stop eating it.

I ordered the Baingan Bharta, which was heavenly. Ther was also enough food for 2 or 3 people. I will definately be back when they have the buffet. I'm so glad to have finally found a place with a whole menu section that is vegetarian. I have enough for lunch tommorrow and maybe even the day after.

I also bit the bullet and decided to sign up for our local YMCA's team in the American Heart Association walk. The walk {not race, or marathon, whew} is on August 16th.

I'm not really one to go around knocking on doors and begging people for money, but I am planning to print out a poster and put it up at work so people who want to donate can. That way they can come to me, no pressure.

I also have a page if anyone wants to check it out. I set my fund raising goal at the lowest. I'd love to get a free t-shirt just to have something to remember it by, to remind myself of what I did, and why I did it.

If you would like to dinate you can donate online, or print out a form to mail in to the American Heart Association. If you do donate, please drop me an email, or a private message to let me know, so I can make sure I get credit towards my fund raising goal.

If you feel comfortable sending me your name and address, I'd be happy to send you a postcard from lovely North Dakota. I would like to send out bigger prizes, but I'm financially tapped.

My personal email is warrensmom@gmail.com

170 - party time

I'm down another pound today. granted I was probably a bit on the dehydrated side when I weighed myself, but it was all me, so it counts.

I slept in until about 7 ish this morning. {sounds early but when you are normally up and at 'em at 5 am, 7 is quite nice. }. I was so hot already. But I"m not going to complian lest the rain and wind come back.

I just sort of lazed around most of the morning. I had a salmon burger {my own made from canned salmon} for breakfast, with a nectarine later.

I also did a power walk to the store for rhe paper. Despite temps already in the 90's and humidity about 80 percent or more I managed to do it in 23 minutes. Allowing for store time to buy the paper that works out to about a 14 minute mile. I'm impressed.

for lunch I was lazy and not very hungry, so I just had a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich and an apple, with the last of the almond milk {unsweetened}.

This turned out to be a bad idea.

I went to vist Warren from 2 - 3. After than I went to the gym and did 30 minutes of elliptical training. {over 2 miles and 280 calories burned}. I acutally had it iup to 12/13 mph, but I couldnt' keep it there very long. I also did about 30 minutes or so of weight lifting. I am much improved, but I am still nto nearly as strong as I would like to be. I am keeping track of my progress. I can see some mucles, but not neccesarily where I would like them. I was also feeling a bit on the weak side form the elliptical and from not drinking enough, or probably eating enough.

I went back to the locker room and enjoyed some sauna time. I'm not normally a big sauna fan, but sometimes I love a good sweat. It feel so cleansing and healthy {tough I would recommend extreme caution to anyone with a medical condition}. I also had a lovely relax in the hot tub. Those high powered jets make great masseuses.

I ran in to a mom I knew from Juvy {we have kids in similiar boats, so it was nice to actaully talk to some one.

By the time I got showered, dressed and out of the Y it was almost 6 oclock. I still have no idea how that much time slipped away.

After that I went to Erberts and Gerberts, since a} I was starving and b} I had a 5 dollar gift certificate from work {I get them a very happy well speding customer rthey give me a free cheap lunch}. So I got a Jacob Bluefinger, minus the cheese and mayo, {the only vegetarian entree on the menu}. and a water. It isn't much a veggie sub {lettuce tomato sprouts with avacado spread on wheat colored white bread}. I only ate half of it, cause I wasn't impressed, but I was quite hungry. It held me over while I spent and hour trying not to spend too much at the grocery store, but doing it anyway.

Then it was on to real torture. Swim suit shopping. TJ Maxx was having {supposedly} a big sale on name bran suits for a frraction of the price. Too bad they only had one piddly little rack, most of which were teeny bikini's, some in my size {were I boobless}, but none I'd be caught dead wearing in public. I tried on every one piece {or two piece supposed to look like one}. While I discovered I can wear a ten when it is made of lycra and spandex. I really can't wear it in public for some time. I must have tried on 1000 suits {or maybe it just felt that way}.

Aside, why do suit manufacturers assume that if you can fit into a smaller size {compared to my prev 28's, 12's are tiny}, that you also have little boobs. I have D cups {used to be dd}. I also have no tone, so they look like water balloons. With my suits I look squished in and spilling over. I finally just settled on one that I wasn't thrilled with, but it would work. If it didn't have that stupid skirt over hang, it would be very nice. I hate skirts and I hate flowers {on clothes, on me}. But it will work.

My stupid bargain basement Walmart suit, was a piece of crap. The elastic is already shot. I never even machine washed it. Just rinsed it out in the shower and then wrang it out in the extracter. I guess it was designed for ocassinal sunbathing and very little actual swimming. I need something that is made to take lots of use. Let's hope this is a better deal. I can't afford to buy and expenisive suit, but I need a good one that will take all I can dishout. Lets hope this will work for now.

dinner was a 3.3 oz piece of Wild caught Creek river salmon, a bunch of asparagus tips and a bunch of broccoli. I also made a fruite smoothie. I'm still hungry, I do have a nice large bag of cherries calling to me. .

I'm 170 pounds. Snoop Dance time. Any day now I'll officially be in the 160's. I haven't been this small since middle school. Its a real trip I'm telling you.

170 170 170

insert your own title here

I've made a few cool food discoveries this week: one in the grocery store, and two brilliant flashes at home.

One of the local grocery stores near where I work carries baba ganousj in little 8 oz tubs. I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not, but once I brought it home, I was addicted with the first taste. I think I went thru a bag of baby carrots in two or three days. It also tastes great on bread or in sandwhiches. Who knew eggplant could ever be so yummy with some chickpeas adn some tahinni {and a few other things}. Its rather low in salt too, and high in fiber per serving. I will definately be buying more. I definatly seem to have an undu fondness for medditerean food , except for Feta, I really don't understand how anyone can eat something that smells like dirty feet.

At home I used a vinegrette {Paul newman} to brush my potato wedges before baking them instead of the usual olive oil and seasonings. The place smelled heavenly and they were the best potato wedges I've had. didn't even really need dipping sauce.

I also found a way to make my own slurpees, with no added colores or fake stuff. Its still sugrary but rather healthy. I took frozen fruit {in this case blueberries and blackberries, they have to be frozen} and ran then thru a blender with enough orange juice to make a drink. Man I dont' think anything at the Icee machine was that good, or had that much fiber and other vitamins. I think I'm going to have some of that for my breakfast tommorrow.

I wanted to update last night but I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open. I've started taking water aerobics in the mornings before work {the only time I can find a class at my level that fits my schedule}. I took water aerobics in college and loved it as it is so much easer on the joints and I can do things in water I couldn't dream of doing on land. I'm amazed at what a workout I'm getting and at how well I can keep up. Sometimes I wonder which pod has my real body in it, and if I'm going to have to give this one up.

The class is at 6am, which means I have to leave home at 5:30ish. Have I mentioned I've never been a huge AM person. I can get up when I have to, but I really love my bed. Once I am up and going with some Earl Grey or some English Breakfast tea and some food in me I am fine, but that intitial inertia can be a killer.

The class is great, and I'm much happier the rest of the day, but by the end of the day I am exhausted. I also am starting to wonder if I may not have some low blood sugar issues, After I work out I am not hungry, but I am so tired and sometimes shakey I almost have to sit down. But once I eat I am fine. I eat before hand {not right before or I'd have cramps}.

When I got home tonight I was ready to just collapse but once I ate a good meal and had some slurpee {fruit and oj equals sugar boost} I was fine.

My fasting blood sugar last it was checked {a few weeks ago} was 68 and my tryglycerides were 49. So I"m not sure if I am lowering them too much or what.

I need to do more checking out.

Still no changes on the Warren front. He's alternating between acceptance of his situation and anger at me for it. Add in the fact that by the time I get to visit him I am exhausted, hungry and quite cranky, the visits aren't always as pleasant as either of us would like.

Tonight I just said the heck with it and came home and ate and relaxed. I called him and will be calling him later, but I feel so much better. Usually I go visit him after work, meaning I leave home at 5:30 am and get home at 8pm ish. Is it any wonder I'm falling apart.

I love my workouts though. I dont' seem them as work. I see them as cheaper than Prozac or inpatient therapy.

If only my shins would stop crying and my calves would stop bellowing for thier mother.

I think I'm taking a long hot bath and going to be early.