Staying the Course -- 06-05-2017

[Superbob]

Well, here we are into the first week of June, past Memorial Day and speeding on to Independence Day -- this year is almost half over -- can it be? Sure is flying by!

We are on tap for off and on showers/thunderstorms for today and much of the week. Ellie and I looked for a break in the billowing clouds and got in a morning walk. Personally, I am not upset -- the temp is cooling down and we (esp the farmers) need the moisture. But if I had paid big bucks for this to be my ocean-side vacation, I would be ticked. Actually there are a good many things you can do indoors (besides drink) -- really neat aquarium for instance. And I enjoy watching the ocean as storms move in (but I am old and not one for sunbathing)...

Tomorrow will be a decision -- my replaced knee was gimpy after an exercise session last week. Made me wonder if some of the exercises are straining it too much. Thought about bagging it but I guess the wise course is just to go, and modify any exercises that might put extra strain on my bionic knee.

Found some helpful reading in an almost 400-page paperback, low-priced, I picked up on Amazon to make my order qualify for free shipping. "The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up" By Steven Masley, MD. Good ideas for heart-heathy eating and exercise. Can't say the ideas are all totally new to me, because I have picked up many health/fitness books over the years, but the presentation is excellent and good information presented in a fresh, engaging way is always helpful.

Best to all. Look forward to hearing from folks when you have a few mins.

Cheers,

Superbob

 

[FredW]

Hi SB. Dealing with aging can be a pain - pun intended. My wife also has a bionic knee and it has been acting up also. Her's is 10 years old, which is early for failure. I understand the average is 20 years before they ware out (mileage may vary with types of use).

Speaking of my wife, she just made a trip the the mid-west to attend her Mom's 99th birthday. Talk about good genetics! So, for the past few days, I've been on my 'wife-away' diet. My friends tell me it is not healthy to eat only cereal, popcorn and scotch, so I added yogurt to the diet. It's not that I don't know better. It has to do with determination and trying to kick the addiction to foods high in sugar, potato chips, ice cream, candy, and so on.

As for exercise, I'm back to mowing 16 acres. When it rains, I visit the gym for a hour on the treadmill. I believe walking is good for me. I now have to convince my dog that I didn't come outside to play ball with her.

Wishing the best to others. Keep on staying the course...

 

[jwinter]

Oops I missed last week it seems. Well you coursers didn't miss much from me as everything pretty ho hum from here. Finished painting the house and have moved on to adding on a screened patio. Weeds are coming in the new grass so I am getting some exercise with that (not much and sure is boring) Planted some sunflowers along the fence and they are coming up.

i got an updated Mayo Clinic diet but haven't looked at it yet. I am sure meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and buttered mixed vegetables are not high on their list but that is "what's for supper" here.

Hope you have a great week and will be checking back in

 

[epstns]

I'm still here, but now I am fighting some sinus flare-up. I'm not sure if it is something I caught or an allergic reaction. I know I'm allergic to the cottonwood fluff that the trees dump, and the area seems to be having its second round of cottonwood trees in "bloom" and I'm in misery. Along with that, the ficus trees have gone to seed, dumping so much crud onto my car in the parking lot at work that I had to use a snow brush to be able to see out the windows. I had to use the vacuum cleaner when I got home to clear out all the air intakes, drain lines and even all of the seams between the front and back windshields and the car's bodywork. I'm starting to hate trees. . .

Other than that, not much new. Just stayin' the course.

 

[honeybunny]

How did I miss this??!! I go to Today's posts and didn't look yesterday. Glad I found y'all!

Half a year gone by were my thoughts, too, SB.

Did my line dancing class for the second week in a row, and I have another tomorrow. I'm proud of myself for sticking with it. As I've written before, my normal routine is to get home and stay there. You may remember that I work 10-hour days w/half hour lunch and an hour commute each way. So I leave home at 5:30 a.m., get home 6 p.m. or later if I stop at the grocery store, tend to my three dogs, have a bite to eat, catch up on the news, then pretty much am in bed by 8:00 where I read until I fall asleep, then back up at 4:30 a.m. So I really have no ambition to exercise when I get home and most (3-day) weekends I take care of the yard and house then shift to slug mode. Sometimes I wonder what's the point? I'm introverted so spending time alone is fine, but I don't get to "play" much at all.

Not complaining...just justifying my sedentary routine

 

[FredW]

Honeybunny, I like your new profile picture. The schedule you keep would ware me out in a day. So some sedentary should be allowed.

Ah, Steve, trees are our friends. It's the things they drop that give us trouble. I understand the sinus issue. My ears have been clogged for a week. My case was due to a cold and flying.

Jwinter, painting the house, new screen door, new grass (and weeds) - the tasks of being a home owner! Deserving of mash potatoes and the butter on those vegetables!

And SuperBob, you do a great job of keeping this line of communication going. I appreciate it.

 

[Superbob]

Fred, you ought to write a book entitled "Wife's Away Diet" featuring cereal, popcorn, and scotch -- sounds like a best-seller to me!

HB, if you manage to work line dancing into that schedule of yours, that is a real commitment to exercise! Much higher level than me straggling over mid-day to do exercise class with the ladies and be their comic relief. Jwinter, painting the house certainly qualifies as exercise as well -- but you have to have a certain skill set to do it. Whenever I attempt to paint, I get more paint on me than on whatever it is I'm supposed to be painting.

Carry on.

Stay them courses.

P.S. Oh, and I did go ahead and go to exercise class since the knee no longer feels gimpy. And it turns out our regular instructor -- who is trained specifically in senior fitness -- is away for the week, and the sub again is a sweet young thing who must normally teach twenty-somethings. She keeps we oldsters hopping, and stretching, and straining for a full hour instead of the usual 45 mins, and does so without calling for water breaks. She pays particular attention to me, handing me the toughest exercise bands because I am a "manly man," and swapping exercise balls with me so mine will better sustain my bulk so it doesn't get all squishy. I probably remind her of her great-grandfather or something. Hey, an old man can dream that he is being flirted with, right? :Face-Smirk:

 

[epstns]

Dream on, SB! I always find it amazing what responses a smile and a little bit of humility can bring.

HB - Your routine sounds a lot like mine, except that I work 5 days a week, averaging almost 10 hours a day. My commute is a lot shorter, and I do get an hour for lunch, but I usually am up by about 4 or 4:30, do my morning exercises (free-weights and body-weight stuff) and get to work by 6:15 or so. I work through to about 4:15 (with my hour for lunch) and then head for the fitness center. At the center, I do my cardio workout (elliptical or walking), then head home for dinner. After dinner, not much time or energy for much on a work day, so it is couch-potato time until about 9, which is bed-time. It is a long day, and by the end of the week, I'm worn out, but I generally feel great, so I can't complain.

 

[honeybunny]

Yes, long days but with Fridays off I get an extra 52 vaction/sick days a year

 

[MartinF]

Haven't checked in for a few weeks. Been busy at work.

Sounds like some of us work too much. I have a 3 hour commute to work and back on Monday. Tues & Thursday nights I usually spend the night near work so only have about half that. Still, 12 hour day Monday and 11 hour days Tues-Friday.

Steve, saw you're a ham. I have listened to shortwave for 40+ years. Not a ham though. Still listen to maritime communications when I have time.

Not walking as much as I want. Life is getting in the way. Daughter and family out this week so spending a little time with the grandkids. I think I'll run a 5K on 4th of July. They serve a pancake breakfast after the race.

Health is good so life is good. Summer is almost here!

Martin

 

[Superbob]

Pancake breakfast after the 5K sounds good -- but don't runners carb-load before a race? Maybe carb-loading before AND after is best -- anyway, enjoy, Martin, especially the quality time with family.

 

[MartinF]

SB, yes carbs before and after the race. Win-win-win!

 

[Superbob]

Makes me want to get my old legs back in the race, except instructions for my replaced knee are; walking only. Anyway, enjoy -- I will eat a stack Of pancakes in your honor!

 

[epstns]

Hi, Martin!

yes, I am still a radio ham, but for the last year or so the ionospheric conditions have been in the dustbin, so not much activity right now. I still keep the rig set up, and occasionally tune across the bands, but haven't made a contact in months. Of course, with summer nearly here, and with the kids and grandkids due here for part of the summer, there won't be much time for radio for a while.

I think this afternoon I will head over to the doc-in-a box (immediate care physician) to see what they can offer me for this sinus mess I've been fighting for the last week or two. I'm really tired of the near-constant cough and sinus drainage, and haven't been getting much sleep because of it. FredW - were you the one who had the sinus issues? How did you manage to send it to me? Please take it back. . .