Pentagenarians & Beyond: W/B 8/15

fox2star

Cathlete
Good morning,

I woke up early today, started my spelt bread in the breadmaker, and am sitting just having coffee. It is gloomy outside, like it wants to rain. I wish it would so everything would get watered at one time. I think I will do a KCM weight workout today.

Valerie, what is a daylight basement? My workout area is in the basement, and it has glass block windows that are on ground level. Is that the same thing? I didn't think houses in the Seattle area had any basements at all. My SIL lives in Seattle, her house does not have a basement.

Joan, do you know when the pre-order price will be increasing?

Cathy, how was your day with the grandkids?

Take care,
 
Good morning,

Deb I don't know when it will be increasing but they said they would give us a week's notice. I'm here often enough that I'm sure I will see it and order then.

I ate 2,390 calories yesterday. That's the most in 7 weeks. Maybe longer but I don't know how many calories on vacation. We ate out before the game and I did have a Long Island tea. I think it has been at least 12 weeks since I had that. Maybe longer. Back on the diet today so I'm not worried but I don't know if I will weigh tomorrow.:p

Garance I got both the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the the Girl who Played with Fire. I can't start reading them yet because I have too much work to do. When I start reading I usually don't stop until I have read the whole book.

We are babysitting tonight so son and dil can go to the movies.

Hi to Josie, Valerie and Cathy.

Joan
 
Deb, lots of houses here have basements. not all, but it's not unusual. Our house is on a slope. the main floor is at the top of the slope, the basement is dug into the slope but 3 sides of it are 'above ground' with huge windows and a door to the patio which is at that level. they're called daylight basements but probably other names for this style. huge living space, great for an exercise room. we built a complete bathroom so it could be used as living space. we used to keep a futon for sleeping if it got hot, always cool and pleasant down there. Husband's work bench, etc. probably 1200 sq feet.

Did GS back biceps yesterday. too hot to ride. supposed to get better tuesday/wed. going to do KPC shortly, haven't done that one in a while. off for a workout....
 
Hi Deb, Josie, Joan, Cathy, and Valerie--

This morning I did 5 miles with Leslie (68 min.).

Yesterday, I did Housemax and my elbow started to ache from all the vacuum cleaner work, pushing and pulling. Feels fine today, but I did take a painkiller and conked out for an hour or so. Spent the rest of the afternoon at the Picasso/Degas exhibition. Very, very interesting to see how Picasso picks up an idea from Degas and then transforms it. Definitely his youthful work. I love Picasso because he just goes through so many phases, always changing, growing, transforming as an artist. Reminds me of Shakespeare--never repeats himself.

Joan, I love both of those books, and would not be surprised if you ended up sleepless until you finished the Girl Who Played with Fire--or at least that's what happened with my sil and bil, and even DH who read the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo at the shore this year (his one fiction book for the year!) could not put it down. Then there's the finale--The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

Deb, it's very cloudy and pretty cool here today as well. I think this has been a great summer compared to last year. Only a couple days when I wanted air conditioning.

Anybody heard of Wilco? They were playing over in North Adams last night, and the crowds were really, really big. I had never heard of them before, but according to a friend of DH, the demographic is 35-45-year-old men. From Canada, I think.

Hi to Josie, Cathy, and Valerie!
 
Good morning,

Keegan got me up at 2:00 am, needing to go out, but it was raining so hard, he would not go into the yard. I got an umbrella to go out with him, and he was afraid of it and would not go out under the umbrella. Then we go back upstairs, and just after I got settled back into bed, he started again, wanting to go out. Of course, because he did not do anything the last time. ugh, back down, out again. This time it was just raining normally, so he went. Well needless to say I was wide awake and it took me over an hour to go back to sleep. Now I am exhausted.

Yesterday I did the new KCM Circuit Burn and I liked it a lot.

Joan, that will be your high calorie day, great for the zig-zagging method. For whatever reason, I cannot get into those books. I had the first one from the library twice now, and just did not like it...I must be the only one.

Valerie, your "basement" space sounds great!

Garance, I never heard of that group, Googled them and saw their website. I played the song Wilco on the computer, not really my kind of music.

Hi to Josie & Cathy,

Have a good day.
 
Wow, it's HOT here. yesterday was awful. 95 degrees at least humidity was only 20%. Did KPC and following ab workout. haven't done KPC in a while and got kind of gimpy later from all the kicking. took 2 advil and that settled it down, and I'm fine today. I struggle with anything where arms and legs, right and left keep changing. This is as close to a step workout as I get and I still get mixed up a lot. But a good, fun workout that keeps you moving. today a leg workout, maybe GS legs. need to get to the store for groceries and will decide later.
even with the air on the upstairs bedrooms were too warm. started in the master, moved to the guest room but at 11, was still too warm so I moved to the family room and set up the futon and finally got some sleep. today is the last day of this serious heat. the air is foul smelling too. ugh. hate this weather pattern. should be cooling down starting tomorrow.

Deb you are a great doggie mother, getting up at 2 am and escorting with an umbrella! there are times a kitty and a litter box seems better.

I've never read any of those books either. been reading exclusively non fiction for a long time now so I'll wait for the Dragon movie. on my netflix queue with a long wait. couldn't tell a picasso from a degas never heard of wilco either, I'm just a cultural dead zone!
 
Hi Deb, Josie, Joan, Cathy, and Valerie--

This morning I did Zumba Cardio Party (48 min.). I was planning on something longer, but overslept until 6:50.

Wow, Deb, you are a good mistress to little K! So happy Max doesn't do that, because DH sleeps so soundly, I would definitely be the one to take him out. DH does get up pretty early--5 A.M.--and takes Max with him pronto. By the way, DH said the opening of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is slow, because it takes so long to set things up for multiple plots that ultimately converge explosively. If you are impatient, you should try Karin Slaughter's mysteries--they always start off with an absolute stunning first chapter. Yeah--I listened to Wilco, too, and not for me either.

Valerie, I think you might recognize Degas' ballet dancers backstage or Picasso's Cubist woman looking at herself in a mirror--even if you did not know the name of the artists--because reproductions of these images have made their way into ads.

I am pigging out on homegrown tomatoes again! My favorite.
 
I finally figured out a rotation I can do until fall when I start having more energy. Today I did Power Circuit from cross train express. Besides the cardio you had leg, back and abdominals. It was 45 minutes. Tomorrow is 10-10-10 cardio and triceps. If I don't want to do the cardio and just substitute the treadmill I will have 10-15 minutes of weight wo with one body part per day for 6 days.

I can really tell I worked the lower back. I think I will take a couple of advil. It was hard to pick out weight since there were usually 16 reps.

The 102 degree days just stopped our tomatoes. We are just now getting a few green ones.

Joan
 
Last edited:
Good morning,

Another bad night for sleeping here. No workout again. If I could only take a nap in the afternoon, I would feel much better.

Valerei, You seem to be having the same kind of nighs that I am...only mine are not about the heat, they are about DH snoring, or dogs getting up. One of the best books I have read in a long time is The Art of Racing in the Rain by George Stein. It is fiction, about a dog, of course. Another one is called "One Good Dog" by Susan Wilson.

Garance, I have read all of the Karen Slaughter mysteries. That is a great series.

Joan, good that you found something that you will stick to. I need that right now. I had CTX but sold it on Ebay. I didn't like any of the cardio.

Take care,
 
Oh I'd recognize the Picasso one, it isn't anything I'd want to look at if I weren't forced to! I like simpler, more realistic looking art, or no art. I love outdoor photography and that's what is on my walls. I never get tired of looking at it.

Weather is moderating. yesterday was 90 although it didn't cool down at night much. part of the problem is we go to bed so early, 7:30-8. it's still very warm. I started out in the guest room (DH was on call) but was too warm so moved to the futon around 11 again. ended up sleeping quite well and didn't get up until 5 'cause DH was working out and the TV noise carries. Deb, I take a tylenol PM around 11 if I have concerns about going back to sleep, and it helps. it is very mild stuff and it beats dragging thru the next day due to not enough sleep.

we've had a very weird year with weather, a couple of very hot spells but mostly cooler and wetter, thru June. all the crops are marginal this year. no tomatoes yet. corn is very small, dwarf ears and not ripe yet. I planted 3 packages of basil, the first 2 ( planted may and june) never came up, and now they're all up. I'll have a ton of basil in september when we are on vacation for 3 weeks and won't be home to use it. our broccoli crop was nowhere as good as usual either, but we have enough cabbage to sink a small ship.

Did GS legs in keeping my comittment not to go more than a week without a leg workout. I usually do the standing exercises. this time I picked thru the floor exercises and did half of all of them. Yipes ... hard! those small movements are harder than big ones like squats and lunges. too soon to say, but no soreness yet. I haven't used the treadmill or elliptical in weeks but am enjoying the variety, especially cycling, and zipped right thru KPC so I haven't lost any cardio capacity.
 
Last edited:
I am so mad at myself. My right shoulder and elbow are as sore as they have ever been in my life. Like a knife in the joint. I iced them all last night and took advil but they are still sore. I should have started out with lighter weights since I have not been lifting in a long time and this was higher reps.

Next would be triceps, shoulders or biceps and I could only use one arm.
Back to the treadmill.:(

Joan
 
Hi Deb, Josie, Joan, Cathy, and Valerie--

This morning I did Jazzercise Dancin' Abs (60 min.).

Gorgeous weather here today--81, sunny, low humidity. I cannot believe how fast August is going--probably because of my elbow problems, it feels like I missed out on a couple of great summer weeks.

Believe me, Joan, I feel your pain! It will be another 4 weeks before I'm even allowed to do weights, and I think I will be starting very light. I loved CTX when it first came out. I used those videos forever and then gave them to my sil.

Deb, sorry about your rough nights! I get cranky if I don't get my zzzzzzz. I like the Slaughter books, too. Have you tried Tana French? I read her first two and found them intriguing. I have her new one, but have not started it yet because of reading I am doing for my classes.

ttfn
 
wow, wish it was very cloudy and cool here, garance. miserably hot.

sorry to be awol again, getting g/kids later and tomorrow, so won't be around tomorrow either.

anyway, w/outs so far.
sat == the firm's new calorie explosion. VERY HARD! i think alot like cathe
sun- tracie long's "finding your core"
mon- calorie explosion again. love it.
tues- tracie's "core strength"
tomorrow , wed, - riding , playing outside w/g/kids.

so, hope to catch up w/everyone later in the week.
 
Went to yoga this morning, came home thinking about how I hadn't used the treadmill in a long time. I had an hour before getting my hair cut so did 45 min. I was amazed. I thought it'd be tough but it was fine, same incline and speed as before. so alternating exercise does work! I thought it might feel more difficult but it didn't. apparently it's only the squat/lunge leg exercises that need to be repeated weekly or I'm miserable with DOMS.

Joan, sorry you overdid. Be cautious. If I have a layoff over 2 weeks I do a "test" workout, keeping light and short. Depending on how I feel the next day, I decide how to increase. If I get sore (legs/ butt tend to) I keep it light until I can do it and not get sore. An injury can set you way back and wastes more time than slow re-entry will.
Lynda, you too. resist the urge to do too much too fast. It usually comes back to bite you.
 
I definitely will be more careful in the future. I have started and stopped STS a couple of times and been able to continue with the weight but each meso is fewer reps. I just wasn't prepared for that many reps.

At least my problems are relatively minor. DH has to fire 5 people tomorrow. This is the 4th downsizing in the last few years. I thought last year was the bottom. I think I told you a while back dh might have to go to the Germany plant for a month. Fortunately they got outside consultants for that. Because of new management at the top they decided to cut costs again. Never at corporate headquarters always the little guy. One of the people tomorrow has been with the company 30 years.

Joan
 
Wednesday

Good morning,

I actually got up and did an I-Tread, 37 minutes 268 calories. whew! I did some jogging so it upped my calorie count, thank goodness, I need it.

Valerie, I used to skip all the floor exercises in all of Cathe's leg workouts, they are definitely harder for me than the squat, lunge type. That is probably why I could not get through the P-57 workout. Your legs have to get a great workout from biking and hiking. I also take a Tylenol PM every night before I even get in bed, it does help. Do you watch TV while on the treadmill? I love using the MP3 player and having someone tell me what to do.

Joan, sorry you are so sore from your workout, why only one side? So sorry to hear that your DH has to be the one to do that. I feel for the people that get downsized, especially after 30 years. Will they give them the option to retire? At least that will give them something, while they look for other work.

Garance, thanks for the tip on the books, I looked her up at Amazon, they are in England? Sometimes books that take place in England turn me off right away. I am not sure why that is. I will request the first one from the library and try it out. Hey, for a quarter, why not? do you buy all the books you read? I stopped buying them years ago, too much money and they take up too much room. I was tired of trying to donate and give them away. I hardly ever read a book twice so what is the point of owning them?

Cathy, nice job on the workouts, even counting the G/kids as one! LOL..:)

Take care,
 
Yeah, call it the "GKM" workout (grandkidmax). a tough one! Goes on for DAYS!

Legs get a workout hiking and cycling, keeps the cardio conditioning up there, but as I've found more than once, squats/lunges work things differently. for me, there's no substitute. I did not get sore though I expected to be. the little moves, like glute tucks (AARGH!) and other abominations.
I watch something on TV, whatever I can find that's watchable. I don't mind music but I can't exercise just to music, need to watch something.

When I restarted GS, I soon remembered (drop set pushups are memorable) it was more
endurance than much of STS. Cathe says what weight she's using but not the #of reps.
I wish there was a way to print a workout card for older workouts so I could record the weight I use and don't have to guess.

Joan, that's terrible for your husband, to have to do that. I lost my good job in 1992 along with hundreds of others. I'd been with the company 18 years but there were many people who'd been there much longer, even 30yrs. market changes, some bad management decisions, and suddenly we (and our jobs) were worthless. nobody saw it coming. It was the worst experience of my life. I'm sure it hurts the people who need to bring down the ax as well. what a terrible position to be in.
 
The company is doing a horrible job of doing this lay off. They fired some people last month and will do it again next month. This will have everyone else on edge forever just waiting for the next round.

There is no pension so retiring wouldn't help anyone. You get 60 days pay and 1 week pay for every year you were with the company up to 1 years pay. If you are over 55 when you leave they used to pay your insurance in retirement. They do give you $365 toward insurance now. The severence is considered regular salary so until that ends you are covered by insurance of course you can't file for unemployment until it ends.

This last round of consultants that recommended the firings didn't even go to the plant. It was all done by "job titles"

People that are in his direct report he put there end date at Oct 8 because if you leave before Oct 1 they have to prorate your vacation. For example dh gets 6 weeks vacation-max. Some of the other department heads used Sept 30. Dh thinks that is disrespectful. Is that a word?

Joan
 
Hi Deb, Josie, Joan, Cathy, and Valerie--

This morning I did Bootcamp Boogie (63 min.).

Cathy, it sounds like you have been working out hard with that "cardio explosion." Explosive moves are treacherous for my knees. I prefer little poofs, I guess. Actually, on Bootcamp Boogie, there are several little intervals without too much impact that I can handle.

Deb, of the two Tana French books, I think I found The Likeness the better one. I think she's a good writer and explores her characters more than a lot of thriller-mystery writers. Actually, I have a "chair" fund for buying books, both for research and pleasure, for travel expenses to conferences, etc., so I usually buy the books I want when they first come out.

Joan, that isn't just "disrespectful," it's downright Scrooge-like to prorate vacation time like that. I don't envy your husband at all. Are these manufacturing jobs?

Off to get highlights this afternoon--or "blondied up" as DH likes to call it.
 
Ddi Muscle Endurance, the second workout on the bootcamp disk. never did it before and it was tough. light weights, lots of reps. but I did it. the disk isn;t working very well, wonder if I could get a replacement? anyone know how that works..??
 

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top