We Work Out!

Yesterday marked Day 1 of my return to the gym! Those are my gorgeous girls, Morgan in the foreground & Maegan in the background. 

Can I just say that walking into a gym with your almost 16 & 20 year olds can be just a tad intimidating. Neither of them "needs" the gym, and then my middle-aged bod is walking in between them. Getting old sucks a little, that's all.

The last time I set foot in a gym, other than to watch a daughter participate in gymnastics, was over a decade ago. I've done lots of child-lifting, dog-walking, a little running, and lots of general yard/house work since then, but I've noticed a difference in muscle tone these last few years. (Again, the years piling up)

We joined together because generally speaking we travel as a pack. Besides, working out with someone is more fun & more motivating than doing it all by yourself. The plan is to hit the gym twice a week. I figure that's manageable in light of trying to work part time while also homeschooling my 10th grader. Outside of gym time, we're planning to start running regularly.

Maybe putting it down in writing here will make me more accountable? Generally speaking I enjoy exercising. Unfortunately, I'm prone to losing momentum once I hit a speed-bump & feel lazy, like when I get sick or some other unforeseen issues crop up, like my house flooding, or injuring my back, or I woke too late, slept wrong, it's sleeting, to much to do...

On the upside, my bod feels amazingly normal after what probably felt like cruel & unusual punishment to my under-exercised muscles! 

How do you all make time in your busy schedules to do what's good for your bodies? Do you exercise before work, after work, late at night? Our middle-of-the-day plans are unconventional, but since it seems to be what will work for all three of us, we're going with it!

I Blog When the Dog Won't Let Me Sleep...

Poor Smokey has been up four nights in a row needing to "go out" multiple times. But really you all should be saying "poor Denise". There I said it. I'd like a little freakin' sympathy!!

Really I'd like it even better if someone else would occasionally take care of the dang dog's needs! 

To bring the dog "out", I have to navigate through my dark bedroom, through Montie's dark bedroom, down the dimly lit back staircase, use the bathroom, get a drink, pet the cats. traverse the same dark path back up the stairs & through the rooms to deposit Smoke back in his crate in Morgan's room, then go wash my hands from the slobbery lips that just accepted a treat. 

Basically he gets rewarded for waking me up.

The utterly impossible thing about it too is that I'm already prone to insomnia. 

These tendencies only went away while I had three younger kiddos & I was literally up over night for years on end (NO I'm not exaggerating!)

Pile upon my mind's natural inclination to not want to sleep enough for the rest of my bod with some major sadness over losing Montie, and I'd gotten myself into a depressive rut. 

Unisom helped with that... and at least I sleep now. Not a full 7 or 8 hours worth, but enough that I'm not walking around a weepy wreck or like some mega-beotch on a hormonal tirade.

My  natural instinct is to be a night-lurker. I've enjoyed feeling the cool morning seeping through my open back door, hearing nothing but the chirping birds & some underlying insect noise, but I especially like the total quiet of 2am. I speculate this has something to do with my hermit-like, anti-social tendencies, welcoming the hours when no one at all expects me to "do" anything for them. (Dang, that sounds a tad selfish & neurotic??)

Last night, Smokey had me up at 1:30, 5:15, and then at 6am I grabbed a pillow & blanket, threw the back door open & laid down on the couch. I figured I'd sleep with the door hanging open so he could come & go as needed. Not only was the sun was peeking out by then, but no one was going to creep in past my protector. 

To no avail... the birds' songs too exquisite, the unnatural quiet of the house (our bedroom sounds like a wind tunnel between the a/c AND the fan going), the cats going ballistic on the other side of the family room door, and/or my utter irritation at how once I'd come downstairs, Smokey fell asleep on a cushy chair & hasn't moved in 90 minutes have all conspired against me once again & no sleeping has occurred. 

Quilting the Days Away

Bright Rectangle Top; QUILTED with Maze Meander (freehand)

Red Stars & Blocks Top; QUILTED with Loopy Stars (freehand)

Embroidered Snow People Top; QUILTED SID around blocks and freehand Snowflakes in the border

 Blue, Orange & White Around the World Top; QUILTED with (new pattern) Bubble Meander (freehand)

We're having the most beautiful day here in Lancaster County. The weather couldn't be any better! It's lovely having the backdoor hanging open listening to the birds...

Finishes & Finds

Monster Applique Top; QUILTED Custom (freehand)

I had to post pics of every monster. They're adorable!! LOVE this quilt & can't help wondering who the lucky little one is?

Floral Applique Top; QUILTED Custom (freehand)

Hearts in Squares Top; QUILTED with Puffy Heart Meander (freehand)

Black & Yellow Top; QUILTED with Puzzle Piece Meander (freehand)

Purple Fan Top; QUILTED with Puzzle Piece Meander (freehand)

 Embroidery in Blue; QUILTED interior SID & Ribbon Meander in Border

Last but not least, I went to the Hershey Quilt Show with my BFF & came home with rather meager findings. You'll notice there's NO FABRIC!?!?!? 

A Quilt, a Book, and the Flu

I finished a quilt:
Autumn Sampler top was quilted with the Oak Leaf panto

I read "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson. A little behind everyone else, I know. For some reason I do tend to resist going with the flow of readers & tend to wait until the ebb has occurred. 

This is a fabulously twisting set of stories. Though one book, it's stories include those of love, murder, seduction, and espionage. Intertwined masterfully, the web is spun densely & richly. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next in it's series.

The blurb from the back:
"Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of iniquity and corruption."

Last but not least, I got the flu. I'd like to ask what kind of Freak of Mother Nature decided to wield her sickly wand over my head smack dab in the middle 'o summer?? Thankfully, it's not the barfing kind, nor the kind that would have me running to the loo; however, it's irritating presence is definitely felt by way of chills, sweats, aches, tingly skin, fever, sore throat, & utter exhaustion.

Besides the aforementioned sickly fun, this week has also brought a decision to return to homeschooling next year (which leave me approximately 6 weeks behind in the planning stage, which means I'm constantly telling my neurotic self to calm down & it'll all turn out fine... it will all get planned & we'll begin in due time!!) & an infestation of fleas which encompasses two dogs, two cats & three floors worth of house... did I mention I've been sick & can barely move. Do y 'all know what it means to rid a house of fleas? OY VEY: wash bedding, vacuum floors & furniture, spray floors, move furniture & spray underneath, vacuum it all again, mop floors, bathe dogs, brush uncooperative cats, then treat all animals with prescription strength topical stuff from the vet. Just typing it all out is making me hyperventilate from exhaustion...

And I do still work as a quilter... which means I would actually need to get something quilted... if I'd like to get paid...

Quilts of the Week

Sampler in Browns top; Quilted with a Freehand Meandering Puzzle Piece.

Bright Rectangles top; Quilted in Freehand Maze.

 Embroidered Snowman II top; Quilted SID around the blocks & Freehand Loopy Snowflakes in the outer border

I don't know the name of this pattern?? How 'bout we call it Winding Star? The client only wanted me to SID around various pieces, so other than the stunning color/pattern, there's not much to show of quilting.

We're expecting some record temperatures here in Lancaster, PA today. Personally, since our pool isn't operational currently, my plan is to stay in the a/c as much as possible. I have a couple errands to do, but I'm still planning to crank that air!!

I'm not opposed to sweating~ just not all day against my will.

(Holy Crow, if that doesn't make me sound spoiled...)