Vacation Part Deux

I normally weigh in on Fridays.  However, I have decided to weigh in on Monday.  (My lack of water has been crazy.....so I'm hoping to rectify this now that I'm back home and before my Monday day of reckoning).

Back home?????   What????

Monday, Memorial day was a lazy day at home. We ran a few errands and spent some time at home.  I focused on laundry and packing.  Yes, packing.   But just a lot of relaxing!

Three days.......1200 miles.......4 museums.  I'm going to let the rest of this post speak through pictures!!!

The food....oh the food!

I was however inordinately proud of myself that I actually woke up early....dressed for a run and went out running!!!!!!  It was a fun run too...exploring a new town!

And Museums.....lots of fun museums!

Bethel, NY (the site of the Woodstock Music Festival)

                                 

Desilu Studios- Jamestown, NY

Lucille Balls Grave

Lucille Write Air Museum

Lucy Desi Museum

SOOO much Fun!   

Vacation chronicles part uno

I was so excited on Thursday.  My weight was down and I was looking like I was going to show a decent loss.  But then when I weighed in I was 233.6.  I was OK with that (even though I was 232 the day before).  It was still a bit done.  And the amazing thing?  I wasn't at all focusing and my exercise was sporadic at best.  You see, I shared about my back being sore.  (Heck, who am I kidding the first day I couldn't even stand up straight......it was a bit more than 'sore').      Literally 5 days later I ran a 5K and running with a 'tender' back somehow triggered a hip issue.  I can only assume that me running so sensitive caused a bit of stress on my hip.  (there must have been a hitch in my giddyap due to the sore back).    I am hesitant to say anything about my most recent 'fun' because I just plain outright feel like I'm falling apart.  But on Wednesday I was getting groceries. I felt fine before and hurt like hell afterword!   As best I can figure somehow while hoisting the 35 pound (or however much it weighed) container of cat liter up into the cart or out of the cart and into my car I wrenched my shoulder).  Yes, my arm hurts when I move.  Yeah...lovely.   It's been bad enough that when I move in my sleep it wakes me up....and for me that is a bit amazing because I usually sleep like the dead.  Sooo, other than zumba on Tuesday (which was before the shoulder...and I just pushed through the hip pain) I haven't done much in terms of exercise....some walking, but nothing else.    Meanwhile, I'm totally bummed out about these issues..it's keeping me from doing what I want to do!!!!!

SOOO on to more exciting stuff.  I worked Saturday until noon.  The town Memorial Day parade was held an hour or so after I got off work.  It is actually a very historical parade...as it's the oldest continually running parade in the country.  Todd and I volunteer and donate the sound system for the grandstand.so of course we were there.

Honor Guard 

Spectators at the parade

We left the parade and within 15 minutes we had guests at our house.  You see, we planned to have a party that evening.   While the party was about 2 hours after the parade, there were some people that were in town for the parade and it made no sense for them to drive 20 minutes home...stay at home for just a few and then head back down to our place.    We had the fire going strong and we had a great time with friends around the bonfire and in some cases in the hot tub.

Some of our guests enjoying the hot tub.

It was a late night....but it was lots of fun.  I woke up early Sunday morning and I just couldn't bear to get out of bed.  You see my husband was tight on my right arm (that bad hurting arm...not that it matters) and snoring heavily....and I had my little old (shes actually not my oldest though) cat tight on my left side.  Seriously...I couldn't bear to interrupt her.  So I took a picture....and yeah, I look a bit demented!

MF and Ethel

Eventually she moved and I got up.  Todd kept snoozing away, so I headed out to the fire pit.  I spent some time cleaning up the yard and recovering various items (cooking tongs and skewers were strewn about..I moved chairs too...that sort of thing).  I also spent a few minutes adding water to the hot tub and heavily shocking the hot tub to return it back to it's pristine perfectly chemicalized (my word...but it works) state after it's HEAVY usage. (There was at least one person in the hot tub continually from about 4PM and until the party ended at 1 or 2 AM).  I went inside and washed all the dishes from Saturday night and packed up our gear for our Sunday fun.

Out on the river we went!   The  weather was perfect! We enjoyed a nice lunch on the boat and had a grand time!  All in all we were out for about 6-7 hours.  Long day but so much fun!

  

Today, Memorial Day has turned into a relaxing work around the house day.  I hadn't done one stitch of laundry last week....that needed to be done.  Todd had/has some work to do around the outside of the place, so he's been outside.  I've been getting inside stuff done.  :-)  (Ohhh...and we went to town this morning for an errand...and I saw my family for a few minutes...that makes me a happy girl!)

I was worried about my weight this morning.  Yesterday on the boat Shantel (one of our hosts) and I nibbled on food all day long.  Saturday night I ate at the party and really didn't think or worry about what I was eating.    Not something I recommend for weight loss.  But hey...it's life, I would be totally insane if I said that it was never going to happen.   I stepped on the scales and the scales read 232.6.  I'll take it.  Two rough days of eating (OK, they weren't rough...they were fantastically delicious!)and right now I've been lucky.  But I've got to turn this ship around...or at least turn it a bit healthier so that I can maintain that the rest of the vacation.

We shall see what comes next...but I'm here....I'm hanging tight and best of all....I'm enjoying my vacation time thus far!

Well then

Not much to say this week.  I'm just existing.  I haven't done much in terms of exercise  and I haven't been spectacular in my eating.

Ok, let me break this down.  My hip has been sensitive so I took it easy.  I don't want to be incapacitated on my vacation!   I did make it to zumba on Tuesday night with all my gals.

I however am ashamed to admit that that was the only time I've worked out this week.  Lame and sad!

My eating.....I haven't been bad, but I have been no where near where I need to be.  I'm not eating tons and tons of food.  But I haven't been getting anywhere near enough fruits and veggies.  This morning my weight was actually done.  I was hoping for tomorrow...but...

I made cookies tonight.  For some upcoming events.......my favorite cookie...it has banana, chocolate and peanut butter in it.  How can it be a bad cookie???   Yeah, I ate a few......lets just leave it at that!!!  A few!

Vacation starts on Saturday at noon.  I can't wait.  I need a break from life!!!!!

One day closer

Life just gets busier and busier!

After my run my hip hurt....BAD.  It kept waking me up on Saturday night.  On Sunday Todd and I got up early and went to a clients house.  THey had a relatively new deck that they wanted removed.  We removed it for them...and thus got a ton of pretty decent wood.  OK when I say 'we'  I mean to say that I drove the truck and I did minimal work taking down the deck.  I wanted to protect my back.  I did however sit and remove nails from boards.   So that was all morning...and a good portion of the afternoon  on Sunday.

After returning the truck to my brothers house, we ran a few errands.  Todd got a much needed haircut...I got a trim up.  We picked up a few things at Lowes (I think I should just direct deposit my paycheck directly to them for our purchases).   When we were done we were on the way home and decided to run the car through the wash.  We like the tri color wash.

Tri Color Car Wash

Monday morning dawned early.  Poor little Frawley had to go to the vet.   We tried to get him up there a few weeks back....and he caught wind of his impending neutering and he decided to run and hide.   So Monday was round two.  We caught him!   He headed to the vets office dropped him off and guess where we went.....LOWES!  Seriously,we did.   

I worked all day and had to skip zumba that evening.   My back and hip were feeling ok...the back a bit tender the hip a bit sore but not toooo bad.   HOWEVER, I skipped because little boy Frawley was ready to come home.  (OK the technician when I picked him up said he was petrified!)

Frawley's homecoming

Tuesday dawned and I was ready to work out!    After work I headed to zumba.  Here is my peeps from this Tuesdays class!   We had fun!!!!

Me, Terri, Ann, Paula and Shantel

Soooooo....I have to admit that my eating has not been spectacular........this is just rough!   Vacation is coming up soon (as in it starts on Saturday).  Vacations are notoriously difficult to stay on track.  Seriously.....this is gonna be hard!   I'm going to try to run and be religious about my activity.  I'm planning on throwing in my running clothes when we go up into NY.   There, it's out..I've vowed out loud to exercise during vacation!!!!!!

Race Report

Friday night I was at home and I was surprisingly lackadaisical about everything.   I was on top of it in terms of my camera and that fun that was planned for my Saturday.  However the night before a run I usually have my clothes laid out.  I usually have my socks and shoes lined up.  I have everything ready.  Not this time.  It was a rather odd feeling

Saturday morning my alarm went off bright and early (5:30...yeah, on a Saturday).  I checked the weather and grabbed some random clothes.  (Hey, I matched....sorta....black capri exercise pants, white long sleeve teeshirt and a teeshirt over that.  Nothing fancy.)  My sister in law had given me a muffin to try.  I saved it for breakfast.  (Yummy).  I loaded up my water jug and I was out the door.  I got there early.   Signed in and went back to my car to wait.  Running a race on your own isn't bad....the only issue is that waiting for it to start.  So I did what I did last year at the Paws on the Pavement..I took my kindle and read in the car. I knew my friend Paula had said that she was going to arrive and register that morning......so I awaited her text.  Eventually it came.  We talked, checked out the bathrooms and headed to the start line.

Ready or not, lets get this race rolling!

I was nervous.  Seriously nervous.  On Monday I couldn't stand up straight and on Saturday I'm running a 5k race?  I vowed to accept whatever happened.  Finishing would be the victory.   However, I admit.....I still wanted my PR that I had been hoping for.

They started us off.  Random thoughts went through my head.  "weeeee....welcome back running."   and "Hmmm....my back is a bit tender."   About a half mile in I looked at Paula and said "my hip's a little achy".  But I kept running.  I ran straight for the first mile.  From that point on I would run for 10 minutes or so and then walk for a minute or two.  I was keeping pace with this one girl in a purple shirt girl. I was DETERMINED to catch up to her..  She was walking and jogging in intervals....and I would run up on her and just as I got to her back...she would start running again.  GRRR  I kept chasing her down though.

I got to about mile three.   Hoooooo-leeee moley!  I was feeling it.  Where?  My back?  Nope, that was a bit tender but not bad.  The hip the same.  I was feeling it in the pit of my stomach and how weird...I was feeling lightheaded.    About this time I passed the purple shirt girl....but she hung on my tail the rest of the way.   I crossed the line.  I crossed the line at 39:37.    1 minute and 17 seconds slower than my best ever pace.  Disappointed...but actually tickled that that is all the time  I lost considering I was running injured!

I slowed down after running across the sensor mats and walked up to one of the guys that was cutting the timing chips off of our shoes.  I stood there while he worked on releasing my timing chip (yeah, I'm a bit anal when I put them on..those suckers are there to STAY).  I honestly just wanted to tell him. "Dude, I have to sit down or I'm going to pass out!"   Thankfully, he was pretty quick about it and I headed out of the finishing corral.  Paula and I grabbed water and that did the trick.

We hung around and talked while we waited for the official times to be posted.  

We decided to hang out and watch the rest of the runners come in.....so we moved to the side of he chute and watched.  We started talking to the purple shirt girl.  YAY...a new friend and running buddy for these runs!   (Turns out she got into running but the people that started running with her stopped running...she still does it though...on her own....information has been exchanged to keep in touch!)

Paula and I decided that we were hungry...so we headed out to Waffle House for a breakfast/lunch.  YUMMY!     

I noticed it when I moved after our meal.  My left hip....YIKES!  OUCH!  I just want to groan and say "not another injury".  I'm sure it's probably just a strain or whatnot..but it stiffens up and hurts when I move after a period of inactivity.  Sleeping last night....everytime I moved I was aware of it.  NO FUN!

I got home...walked in the door.  I went to the bathroom and then I got the call that my side hobby client was ready!  WEEEEEEE   I grabbed my camera bag and headed out the door.  

Finally home for good at 2 or 3 PM.  I had a friend stop by later in the evening.  But the rest of the day was spent with laundry, light cleaning and whatnot. (And I started looking at the pictures....these are pretty much SOOC  (straight out of the camera..no editing).   

Busy day. A victory splashed with a little bit of pain and sprinkled with a lot of fun!  :-)

 

Ho hum

My weight has been hanging tight....not really moving anywhere this week.  I guess that's good.  It's not bad.   I haven't done one iota of exercise this week. And furthermore, I'm not planning to until Saturday morning.

My back is feeling much much better.  It's now just a random ache here and there when I move in a weird way. It gets 'tired' more easily.  But overall, I'm back to 'normal'..or as normal as I am capable of being.  I'm just taking it REAL easy.     I am however at this point in time planning on running the Paws on the Pavement 5k on Saturday morning.  :-)   Last year I PR'd at this run.   I had a time in my mind.  Two times actually. First and foremost I wanted to beat my record....so I'd have had to run a 38:19 or better to do that.  But even beyond that I was hoping to run a 36 or under  (35 really but that just seemed like a HUGE jump to me).  Right now, I'm just hoping to run it and stay somewhere within the 38-40 minute range.  Afterall, Monday I couldn't even walk upright.  ha ha ha   I'm ok with this......a little disappointed but ok.

The other reason I'm taking it easy?   Yes, I'm trying to get through Saturday's run and the photo shoot I have aferward....but  thinking a bit further out, we have a week of vacation coming up.  I don't want to be a cripple on my vacation!   I want to enjoy my trip to Jamestown NY....why Jamestown?   Hello....Lucille Ball grew up in Jamestown!    Museums and whatnot!  :)    I've always wanted to visit and this vacation we are going up to Jamestown to finally do it!  We will be making a stop for Todd at a place he has always wanted to visit so it should be a fun trip.     But only fun for me if my back is back to normal or close enough that I'm not in misery!

So onward..........hopefully after this weekend I can pick back up with exercise......Saturday will give me an idea of what my back can handle.  :-)

Deep and dark

I was lounging in the hot tub, trying to relax my back (which is actually feeling much better...still tender, but much better) and I was lamenting the fact of "WHY ME"  Why do I end up with a bad back....yeah, I know it's a repeat of a previous issue...but why me????   Why me when it comes to the plantar fasciitis and tarsal tunnel?   Why me????    What about 'the bone???  Why me???     My shoulder muscle that seizes up on me sporadically????   Why me???  My knees???  Why me????

As I sat there lamenting the fact that I have these issues that keep popping up and I was feeling sorry for myself. And then I sat up straighter (or as straight as my back would allow at the moment) and I told myself.  Seriously MF?   What did you expect?  You allowed your weight to rise to over 300 pounds...you lost the weight and felt great and you were stupid enough to allow some of that weight to creep back on.  You've abused your body...and this is the price!   Yes, I've done this all to myself!  

But you know what...I KNOW that a lot of the issues disappear as the weight leaves my body...so I'm going to work on that!!!!!!

I have a deep dark confession to make.  Last night I had a mandatory training for work.  (Anti- money laundering...WEEEE!  I know, I know..you are jealous!)  They fed us.  Last night they brought in subway subs, chips and some packaged cookies.   I took a turkey (no cheese ironically enough...weird) sub...3 inches and about 5 chips.  I actually in the middle of the training snuck my phone out and entered in my food on MFP.  I had some calories left and was excited thinking that I could have one of my cups of ice cream that I have in the freezer.   (prepackaged by Moi)  I had the calories for it!   I decided to grab a can of diet soda on the way out ....why, because I could.  I had drank water the whole meeting and I was actually fine with water.   But right beside the cooler of drinks was the table of cookies.  Yeah, I was bite by the Keebler bug. I won't even say how many I ate...just suffice it to say that it was too many....probably about 6 too many.  (hey, they were small!)  YES, I had 6 of those things!!!!!

Yeah, when I went  get the picture, I saw the calorie count....3 cookies are 140 calories so I ate 280 calories.  I started with one...and it tasted soooo dang good. That puppy melted in my mouth!  Seriously, I was going to only eat one!  I had the calories for it!   But one turned into a handful that I devoured in the car on the way home!   GRRRR

But it didn't stop there.........I got home and I was still hungry.  So I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Wow...another 200-300 calories some calories .  And then simply because ice cream was in my mind, I had my cup of ice cream!   C

Can we say binge????????  378 calories over budget for the day.  GRRRRRRR

Lets sing!

"You've got to know when to hold 'em

Know when to fold 'em

Know when to walk away

Know when to run

You never count your money

When your sitting' at the table

There'll be time enough for countin' 

When the dealin's done"

I had a gym visit scheduled with a friend for Monday night after work.  However, as I wrote yesterday morning I awoke with a really sore back.  I babied it all morning, packed my gym and headed to work.  The back got worse.  I was struggling to walk upright versus all stooped over. I so looked like a little old lady, I couldn't help but laugh at myself!!!   I took meds...but it didn't seem to help.  SOOOOO with a sadness in my tone (fingers) I texted my friend to cancel the evening gym visit.  

I have been told that I push myself too hard.  That I am too hard on myself.  That I don't cut myself a break.  Today is proof that I DO cut myself a break.  I do know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.  Today was a day to fold 'em and walk away!.

The days where I'm just too lazy. Hold sit tight and hold those cards!   The days where I have a gazillion things to do at the house.....sit tight and hold them cards.  The days where my legs feel like lead weights....KEEP the cards in your hand!   

The trick about pain is figuring out if it's a pain from using it or a serious pain that needs to be 'rested'.   I'd wager a bet that 90% of the pain that sidelines the average person is pain simply aches from suddenly starting to use our bodies in a healthy way!  THAT pain is not worthy of stopping.

My back...yeah, considering a few years ago my back went out and I struggled to do simple tasks like putting my pants on.....standing up.  I'm not quite that bad...but I'm only one or two days  of healing past those first painful days!!!! Yeah, this calls for some rest.  

So what does this mean for my Paws on the Pavement 5k that I'm registered for this Saturday?   As of right now I'm still hoping and planning on running it. (I'm really taking it easy and hoping that I feel well enough on Saturday)  I had been hoping to PR it...I would still LOVE to do that but in light of this new development, I'm thinking running it would be a victory!   If I can't run it...walking sounds like a plan.  And if walking is not an option for me...then I will just consider my 25 bucks well spent on a charity for animals!

So exercise right now is on hold.  Maybe tomorrow.....we shall see.  The sad part...last year with my plantars fasciitis, I was able to hop on my bike and ride in lieu of running.  Well....my road bike....yikes bent over in a position...OUCH just thinking about that makes my back hurt right now!

Trying to keep track of my calories really closely since exercise is a bit of a bust right now!!!!!

Monday Madness

Another weekend bites the dust. And all I can say is HOLY COW!    Holy cow my weekends are non stop busy now-a-days.  My weekends are also non-stop activity.  Maybe not exercise but manual labor.  Yesterday was 3 hours of push mowing which was preceeded by taking EVERYTHING (ok ok ok, other than the freezers and the weight machine) out of the porch, scrubbing it down, adding shelving and other organizing methods and then reloading.  We had an old treadmill, exercise bike and nordic track on the porch too.  Yes, none of them were worth anything so they were sitting piled in a corner (because maybe todd could have refurbished them....that was his plan anyway).    So exhaustion is the word that comes to my mind today, this bright Monday morning.  And sadly, I have to go to work to rest up!!!!

My biggest issue this morning though is the fact that my back is out of whack. No where near as bad as it has been in the past (Thank God).    I have plans to go to the gym tonight with a friend.  We shall see how that goes.  :-)

My eating yesterday was a little off..but considering that I started at 7AM and worked HARD until 4:45 PM with only a 20 minute break for lunch...I'm not going to worry about it!

 I have my food planned for today.  My biggest thing I'm going to focus on this week is limiting my carbs.  I'm not worried about the carbs that occur naturally in fruits....I'm talking about the biggie..breads and pastas.   Ohhh how I love my breads and pastas.   While I limited them last week I'm going to really knuckle down this week and see what happens.

Lost

I recommitted to this journey in my mind this last Monday.  I've been pretty spot on with my food.  I've tracked it all.  I've also managed to gain a pound...or two.  Seriously?  

What are my feelings about this? I'm torn.  I'm torn between a bunch of different feelings.

*****The first emotion that is tears.  I just want to cry.  How totally and utterly disheartening is this.  To really start watching closely.  To track and to manage and to watch and to gain?????  

****Next thing down the line in my thoughts is that I'm just lost.  I was planning my foods for the today and I didn't know what direction to turn.  Obviously what I was doing didn't work.  Do I change what I'm doing?  Do I tighten it further?  What in the world?   My word...I KNOW how to do this...I've done it. This is not a new journey.  Seriously!

****Giving up has NEVER crossed my mind.  It just made me sit here and say I WILL figure it out and I WILL lose!!!!!!  

So let me sit here and cry a bit..but I'll be up and at 'em shortly!

Took it easy

My food has been pretty spot on the last few days.  I've stayed within my caloric range.  I've eaten pretty healthy.  I'm doing pretty good.    My exercise has been more sporadic.  I totally took Wednesday off.  There was no way I was doing anything other than staying in bed...yes, I felt that awful!    On Thursday, I felt pretty icky in the morning but I did go to work. As the day progressed I started to feel a bit better so I contacted my walking buddy and made arrangements to go walking after work.  I knew that she would understand if I had to take it a bit sow or to stop a bit earlier.  We walked about 3.5 miles.    Today I didn't officially exercise but I did walk about 1.5 miles at work.  I'm going to count that as a victory for this week.  I was sick this week but I still moved.

What makes it click?  What makes weight loss...the desire..the motivation..the willpower click into place???  I had it.  I feel tendrils of that feeling hit me.  But seriously...what makes it finally click into place?     That's what I need to figure out!   And yes, I know...if I figured it out....I'd be a millionaire!!!!

Derailment = bad word!!!

Life conspires against me!!!!  I know it!!!!

I got off work on Wednesday.  I had grand plans.  Yard work and a bike ride...my first road bike usage of this year.  It was planned and on the docket.  Nothing was going to deter me!!!

Something did...my bed...

It was raining when I got off at noon so Todd and I moved our eat out to lunchtimeas the rain was supposed to let up by mid-afternoon.  All was going well and then it hit!!  Oh my word, we were driving home and in my head I was chanting, 'you will not throw up, you will not throw up'.  I got home....and I've been in bed since....18 hours later I'm still here.   

Buh-bye yard work.  Buh-bye yesterday's bike ride.  And while I'm feeling much better now (the tightness in my stomach MAY be hunger..not sure) I've already decided that this mornings scheduled run will not be happening nor will the bike ride on the canal that Todd and I planned (I am not scheduled to work until noon).

Grrrrr.  I will not let this derail me!!!!  No!  No!! No!!   If I go to work today and do well with food, I WILL be back to running tomorrow...or out on my bike!!!

Off and running...literally and figuratively

I've been doing pretty good with eating the last few days.   I've been on track and my exercise has been spot on.

Yesterday I ran in the morning.

I made it home in time to shower and get to work.  However I found this in my garden.

Now honestly, I don't care that a pheasant was in our garden.  However this is pheasant that my neighbor keeps...penned up.  Notice that the pheasant is in my yard and not penned up. So I ran up the road to our neighbors place (I live in the country...I can't see my neighbors place from mine).  He wasn't home.  Of course.  I checked out the pens of birds...but they looked secure...and if course I couldn't ascertain which pen the escape artist pheasant had originated in...so I jogged back to my place...and just herded the pheasant up toward his own property..hoping that the pheasant would be smart enough to return home and/or that the owner would come home soon.   I got into my house. Sweaty after my run...with 10 minutes till time to leave for work.  Oops.  (Who needs dry hair???)

After running in the morning.  I managed a nice walk on my lunch break.  Only 1.5 mikes but it was movement and I'll take it as a victory.  Zumba was up on deck after work.   Anita tested out the new Zumba step routines.   Oh my word!    Awesome workout!!!!!   I was a hot sweaty mess!!

My weight is still solidly in that 4-5 pound range that my body likes.....But I'm confident that things will change!!

I was messing around on a health based website the other day.  Just for a laugh I put in/updated my goals.  At my current weight....losing two pounds a week...I will be at my doctor approved goal in November of this year.   Lots ofwork involved.  Lots of tough decisions...but you know what???  It's doable and actually quite exciting to me for some reason!!!  I am not going to look more deeply at the reasons that this is exciting to me...(seriously, I have always kept a calculation of how quickly I could get there with the perfect scenarios...meaning no bobbles).   I'm just going to run with the excitement.

The Walking Wounded

Oh my goodness!  What a weekend.   The weekends seem to get busier and more insane each week.  Seriously!    It was crazy busy ....so busy that the thought of diet and exercise....well, it just didn't occur to me.  Ok, actually exercise did but I didn't have time and when I did have time I was 'the walking wounded'

My not so subtle hint to Todd

I started on Thursday night trying to get ahead! I headed out for groceries!   I had an inkling that the weekend would be a bit busy and I wanted to get that chore over with.  I was walking up and down the aisles and I had a grand idea!!!!!  Todd was still working when I went to bed, so I left a little hint for him!   I was absolutely determined to have a bonfire sometime during the weekend!

Waiting for Todd at the studio before running to town.

I got off work at 2PM on Friday.  I rushed the two miles home, quickly changed my clothes and then it started.  Hours upon hours of yard work.  6 straight hours on Friday.  Saturday morning dawned and we went right back to it!    Push mowing (4 hours), weeding, mulching, cleaning, laundry, cooking, etc etc etc.  BUSY BUSY BUSY.   All day long we moved and we worked!  We even ran to town at one point....and we saw these cuties.  The yard looks FANTASTIC.  (No, it's not done).    I also spent a bit of time cleaning and getting ready for a bonfire.  I had decided to have family over for the evening.  I figure that would be fun!

 All day long we moved and we worked!    The yard looks FANTASTIC.  (No, it's not done).    I also spent a bit of time cleaning and getting ready for a bonfire.

By the time I dropped into bed on Saturday night I was totally dead.  I wafs sore as heck!   My feet, or rather foot was giving me grief....that tarsal nerve and the plantar was kickin'!   The muscles in my legs tingled with that achy, wow I really worked out feeling.  My back was sensitive and my head...oh my head hurt.  (yeah, I whacked my noggin on something and gave myself a nice goose egg).  I checked my email (for the first time in hours upon hours) at about 10:30 and got my message from Sherry talking about our weekly walk on Sunday morning.  I immediately responded with a "YES, absolutely we are walking!"  Afterward I wondered what in the heck I was doing!  

Regardless, Sunday morning I walked 5 miles.  I took the rest of the day off on Sunday.  Well,mostly off.  I did clean up the kitchen and I cooked and I did more laundry (it was also the weekend of laundry......never ending laundry).   I did take time to do something for myself on Sunday.   I spread out an old blanket in the yard and laid out there with my camera.  It only took 15 minutes before I started to see what I was waiting for.  I will leave you with some pictures........

 And then something bad roamed into the yard.

 All of a sudden I heard all kinds of squawking from a variety of birds.  They were going crazy.  I lowered my camera from what I was focusing on....and that is when I realized why all the birds had sent up a communal alarm.

 And that was the end of the birdies.......I waited for an hour to see if they would come back and it was a total NO GO!  (About 4 or 5 hours later I looked out the window and the birds had returned!)

I took some non-birdie pictures before I gave up.......ahhhh makes me think of summer!