Movement

The other day I posted about my morning hike in the desert and it got me thinking about exercise in general.

My first experience with exercise was when I was in high school.  I saw an article in Redbook magazine titled “Six Week Exercise Program”.  I faithfully did it daily for 6 weeks…..after 6 weeks I quit instead of either continuing with that or going on to something else.  Ah the stupidity of youth!!  But it did start a lifelong habit of exercise.  Unfortunately  I have sometimes takes long breaks from exercise but have always come back to it.  I’ve done other magazine routines, videos when we had VCRs, then DVDs, used hand weights, used weight machines, done yoga, and gone to the gym.  I even tried exercise classes like jazzercise and zumba, but I am basically a loner and groups are not for me.  But I do have to say that walking has always been a constant.  There is a park in West Salem WI that I used to go to even though it was a drive of  12 miles from home because I loved the place…it is beautiful.  If I made 2 laps around the park my walk was 3.5 miles.

I commented the other day that exercise will make you strong but not skinny.  Having said that, I truly believe if exercise had not been a part of my life most of the time, I would be one of those 300# morbidly obese people we all feel so sad for.

This brings me back to movement.  I read an article online the other day about how sitting is killing us: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-2420/Sitting-Is-Killing-You-Infographic.html  reading this article is eye opening.  Another article I read said that there is a direct correlation between how fast a person walks and longevity.  My Mother is 92 and still living, she always walked too.

Have you ever walked into a nursing home and seen residents lined up looking like a row of wilted plants???  If you lose your ability to move you are at the mercy of other people, and are left or planted where ever they decide.  Does not sound like the future I want for me.

HOY !!! HOY !!! HOY !!!

HOY !!!  HOY !!!  HOY !!!

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME. YUP TODAY IS THE BIG ONE…. 65.

I CAN REMEMBER BACK TO THE DAYS WHEN I THOUGHT 30 WAS OLD. I THINK I CELEBRATED THAT ONE FOR 10 DAYS. HAVEN’T CELEBRATED A BIRTHDAY THAT HARD SINCE, AND NOW I HAVE KIDS OVER 30.

30 WAS A BIG ONE FOR ME BECAUSE OF SOME COMPUTER PROFILE THAT SAID I’D NEVER SEE 30 BASED ON THE MILES I DROVE PER YEAR WITHOUT USING A SEATBELT, MY SMOKING, MY WEIGHT, LACK OF EXERCISE, ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, AND A BUNCH OF OTHER NEGATIVE FACTORS, BUT THOSE WERE THE MAIN ONES.

AS I TAKE A LOOK AT THESE FACTORS TODAY, THE DAYS OF A NEW COMPANY CAR EVERY TWO YEARS ARE LONG GONE, BUT I STILL DON’T WEAR A SEATBELT. MY NEW YEARS RESOLUTION IS TO LOSE 40 POUNDS. I’VE BEEN USING A PEDOMETER THE LAST YEAR AND EASILY DO 50,000 STEPS A WEEK, WITH A GOAL OF 70,000. I’VE NEVER BEEN A WHISKEY DRINKER, BUT I DO LOVE MY BEER, AND DRINK 35 BEERS A WEEK, BUT I USUALLY DRINK MILLER 64, WHICH HAS HALF AS MANY CALORIES AND HALF AS MUCH ALCOHOL. I’VE EVEN MADE PROGRESS ON MY SMOKING AND USE ONE OF THOSE NEW FANGLED ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES, AND HAVE NOT HAD A REAL CIGARETTE IN 15 MONTHS.

WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER MY GRANDPARENTS RETIRED ON THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY AT AGE 64, MY PARENTS AT 65.THESE DAYS THE AGE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY IS 66, AND THE NEXT GENERATION, AGE 67.

I GUESS THAT MEANS THE BIG DAY IS REALLY NEXT YEAR WHEN I TURN 66.

 

HIKE

I took the camera on my hike the other day.  As usual, my pictures suck but I will try to give you a sense of my hike. My goal is always to make this walk every day but that doesn’t always happen.  If I make it 4 or 5 days, I’m happy.

 

 I start out on Boundary Cone Rd. 

 I usually walk on the slanted part.  I feel that is a little more challenging.  Walking on flat surfaces all the time isn’t that good for you.  At least that is my opinion.

 This is where the desert starts for my walk.   As you can see it is a road for 4 wheelers although I have never seen  one on these roads.  Usually I walk along the edges.  About a quarter mile down this road I stop and do my version of a “sun salutation” pose.  I also do stretches using my poles a counter balances.

 This is the loose sand part of my walk,  I really like the way it just gives way when I walk on it.

 My pole is buried about 3 inches in the sand.  This is the half way mark of my hike and is about 1.5 miles from home.

 On the way back home, this is the steepest part.  The entire hike I am losing elevation, I’m guessing at least 100 feet and as surprising as it may seem, I can really feel the difference in temperature from the start to the end.

 Ah, the picnic table….I stop here and do 5 different exercises and stretches using the table as my equipment.  I sorta look funny but who cares.  One of the perks of age!  You know I really do exercise quite a bit and one thing I know to be true after years and years:  exercise will make you strong not skinny!!

 I took this picture of to show the distance between the streets in our RV park.  The next part of my walk uses these distances.  I walk sideways (or grapevine for the line dancers out there) one block, the next block I walk sideways the other direction.  Then I walk backwards.  Mixing up my walking this way helps with  my agility and flexibility.  At least that is what I tell myself.

Home again, home again….jiggety jig!!

100 DAYS

IT’S 100 DAYS UNTIL WE TAKE THE SUMMER “OFF” FROM THE CASINO BUSINESS. IN CASE YOU CAN’T TELL, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS BREAK.

IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN WE WORKED WINTERS IN LAUGHLIN AND SUMMERS AT LAKE TAHOE WE WERE NEVER IN ONE PLACE LONG ENOUGH TO REALLY SEE OR GET INTO THE POLITICS OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS.  THINGS LIKE THE SCHEDULE, WHO GOT PROMOTED, WHO GOT FIRED, WHO QUIT, ETC.

SINCE WE’VE BEEN IN THE SAME CASINO FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS STRAIGHT, WE REALLY NEED A BREAK FROM ALL THE BULLSHIT.

100 DAYS UNTIL WE TAKE OFF FOR “THE MOUNTAIN”, AND ESCAPE THE HARSH SUMMER WEATHER OF THE LOWER MOHAVE DESERT.  A LOT OF THE BEER TALK AROUND HERE CENTERS ON FINDING NEW SUMMER JOBS. WILL WE FIND SOMETHING EXCITING TO DO LIKE WORKING IN ONE OF THE NATIONAL FORESTS, OR WILL WE BE AT MCDONALDS FLIPPING BURGERS WITH THE 16 YEAR OLD CROWD?

I LIKE TO TEASE MARY THAT SHE’S GOING TO END UP HANG’N AROUND LOWES TRYING TO GET A JOB AS DAY HELP PULLING WEEDS AND HAULING LUMBER…….

OR MAYBE WE WILL BE GONE FISH’N AND JOIN THE BINGO GROUP……

THE OTHER TOPIC THAT GETS DISCUSSED ENDLESSLY, IS OUR TRAVEL PLANS. WE ARE TAKING A ROADTRIP TO WISCONSIN IN MAY, AND A TRIP TO TEXAS IN OCTOBER.

IT’S KINDA LIKE WAITING FOR YOUR 16TH BIRTHDAY, AND IT’S ONLY A 100 DAYS AWAY !!!

Accoutrement

accoutrement:  equipment, trappings: specifically a: a soldier’s outfit usually not including clothes and weapons—usually used in plural.  b : an accessory item of clothing or equipment

I usually go walking in the morning when I get up.  This time of year when the weather is cold (ya I know all you Wisconsinites are snickering and rolling your eyes at my use of the word cold) I need accoutrement.

Gloves, scarf, ear muffs, and a visor.  Does anyone recognize the muffs with the letter R??  I use the visor to shade my face from the Arizona sun in an attempt (not that successfully) to ward off wrinkles.  Besides I don’t like the sun in my eyes.  I also wear sunglasses which I forgot to include in the picture.

This is my “safety” gear.  Phone,  whistle, and water.   Never know when I might get hurt or lost in the desert.  I also have my water which has that handy clip to clip on my belt loop.  And of course, Chap Stick because I can hardly go a half hour without applying that. In fact there is a backup Chap Stick in the black pouch attached to the whistle. Oh ya, that white thing is my pedometer….gotta keep track of those 10,000 steps I’m suppose to take every  day.

I like to use walking poles.  Mainly I use them because I walk in the desert and they come in handy…..never know what you will find there.  They also gives my hands and arms something to do.

So this is what I look like when I start out.  I usually ditch the gloves and ear muffs within 15 minutes or so.  Then the scarf gets loosened and the coat gets unzipped and then tied around my waist.

I intend to take the camera on one of my next walks so you can see where I go.  I like my walk because of the varied terrain.  I just think it makes my leg muscles stronger if they aren’t always walking on flat surfaces.  Presents more of a challenge for them.

When I first came to AZ I really didn’t like the scenery……all that brown, not like the green and trees of WI.  But as the years have flown by and they do fly by, I have come to appreciate the landscape of AZ  and now truly enjoy the desert!

GO – PACK – GO !!!

FIRST OF ALL, BE VERY CAREFUL WITH ALL THE DANGEROUS COLD WEATHER OUT THERE.

I’VE BEEN PATIENTLY BEEN WAITING FOR THE PACKERS TO ANNOUNCE THAT DOM CAPERS HAS RETIRED OR WAS FIRED OR WHATEVER. WHEN KAEPERNICK RUSHES FOR OVER 100 YARDS ISN’T THAT REASON ENOUGH FOR THE PACKERS TO FIND A NEW DEFENSIVE CORDINATOR. SHEEES…..

MAYBE THEY COULD PAY HIM LIKE THEY DID CROSBY THIS YEAR, ONLY WHEN HE PERFORMS.

”OK DOM, NEXT YEAR YOU ONLY GET PAID WHEN THE DEFENCE DOESN’T FUCK UP !!!”

   “WEEK #16”

CAT ANTLERS

We got a Christmas card from Rex’s son with cat antlers inside. 

 

 AZ looked pretty cute, but his eyes were kinda buggy.

 Susie….well here she is with the antlers…not a great look for her.

 AZ in his favorite perch…Rex’s lap.

 Susie plopped herself right on the computer….not sure why.

I guess she decided to lay down on the computer to get some sun……..can’t think of any other reason other than to annoy me which she succeeded doing.  Hard to web surf with a cat on the keyboard!!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

ALL’S WELL IN ARIZONA AND WE MADE IT INTO THE NEW YEAR, 2014. FOR US THE NEW YEAR BRINGS ABOUT OUR LONG AWAITED CHANGE IN LIVING ARRANGEMENTS. WE WILL BE LIVING IN THE MOHAVE VALLY ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER FOR SIX MONTHS (NOV – APRIL) , AND ON “THE MOUNTAIN” IN SHOW LOW, AZ THE OTHER SIX MONTHS (MAY – OCT). IT WAS A LONG STRETCH OF FIVE HOT SUMMERS ON THE LOWER DESERT.

THE LAST SPRING BREAK WITH MY GRANDSONS IS COMING UP IN APRIL. AFTER FOUR YEARS, INSTEAD OF BEING AN 8 HOUR DRIVE AWAY, THE SAUCERS ARE MOVING CLEAR ACROSS THE NATION TO DAYTON, OH. WE ARE GOING TO MISS SPENDING THREE OR FOUR WEEK-ENDS A YEAR WITH THEM.

WE HAVE TWO BIG ROADTRIPS COMING UP IN 2014, WISCONSIN IN MAY, AND TEXAS IN OCTOBER. IT’S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A VACATION TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

MEAN WHILE “AZ” AND I SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE OUT ON THE PORCH MAKING PLANS, WRITING LISTS, AND DAY DREAMING IN THE WARM JANUARY SUNSHINE.

  “SUNNY & 70”