End of January

Retrospective....

J and T were here for holidays - so much fun..miss them so!

There is a fairy tale - I think it has something to do with swans and an unrecognized princess - where the UR is knitting or sewing something that needs to be completed and thrown over the swans so they won't perish by stake burning. Huge sense of urgency to get it done, lots of pressure, very time bound kind of story. She does it and they LHEA*. Same sense of urgency without the stake burning possibility but, hopefully, the same LHEA ending with this that I made for J and T while they were here....

*Live happily ever after

C had a bday! 25 and beautiful. smart, funny and together as ever. I am so proud of her.

Back to work - need I say more - but I am thankful that I am working. So many are not.

Stayed true to fitness intentions - crossfit at least 3 times a week/paleo dieting without many diversions or distractions. J, I do miss you at the gym - you made me try harder, go faster, lift more and so on.

We all waved goodbye...

or at least one did

And said hello...

And were happy!

But first there is the glory...

then there is the work

and a lot of work there is.

I do have hope.

That same historic week included a bday for the Lo! A very big 6!!! A joyful, happy, beautiful, adorable, smart, funny and amazing 6!

Then J had a birthday! January is busy. We sent him a bunch of videos of us wishing him a happy one - the good ones and the outtakes. We could just see him smile and hear him laugh as he watched them!

Just got back from a week long trip to Minneapolis for work - it was zero degrees, that's right, no degrees!! Blippin cold and, of course, I only have California weather gear. I survived but am glad to be back. I was reminded of how unhealthy business travel really is. I did do some of the cross fit warm ups while I was there and did try to eat healthily - but it was not easy. I really do understand how I blimped up the 18 months I was on the road!!!

That was January - I am off to crossfittin!

Yesterday it was lifting

WOD January 30 2009
Complete as many rounds as possible 20 minutes of:

95 pound Thruster, 5 reps

95 pound Hang Powercleans, 7 reps

95 pound Sumo Deadlift High-pull, 10 reps

only I did 22 pounds and did it 16 times.

Looking forward to today....

hey hey hey

156 baby!!!

For posterity

in case I never do this again or in case I do....

today I ran 4 times 800m (which for those wondering, it equals 2 miles) for time. So it went likes this...
1st 800m = 6:17
2nd 800m = 6:03
3rd 800m = 6:05
last 800m (thank you!!) 5:45!

Now, I know that is not the fastest or probably not impressive to most...it is, however, more than I have ever run and, therefore, faster than I have ever run!

J...lookin all over for you...

love these shoes

They are the bomb!!!! Need another pair!!!

sorry...

for the silence (to all my one readers). Been travelin, etc.
Anyway - on the fitness front - in case I didn't post it, I am down to 157 which is another pound. They are not falling off as fast as they did in the beginning :-(, but I am still on the paleo plan.

Workouts since last post - did not work out on Wednesday... Friday was the split jerk 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 and top weight was 55. Sounds light, but I held it to that because I was still wobbly at the top.

Saturday, we did luck of the draw. For those who don't know - it is two teams, four exercises (sit ups, pull ups, squats, burpees) each assigned a suit (heart/club/diamond/spade). One team picks for the other team - if they pick 10 of diamonds then the other team needs to do 10 squats. The other team picks (say a Jack of spades), the first team needs to do 11 burpees. And so on for time. Our team did NOT get the luck of the draw - we got most, if not all, of the burpees - and we got most, if not all, of the high cards. So we would do the 11 burpees, then their card would tell them to do 2 situps, then we would do 15 situps, they would do 3 pullups and so on. No rest for the weary. Time for the other team was 1/2 of our time - so that should show you. And, in case you are wondering, I did NOT hold them back. I only finished last in maybe two of the rounds.

Forgot to tell you - in the warmup, we ran 800 meters. and, to my immense surprise, I ran 800 meters!

Today's WOD

Three rounds for time of...
50 reps of 24" box jumps 50 reps (I did 22" step up/down)
21 reps of deadlift (I lifted 83 lbs - rx is 135 for women)
30 pullups (I did jumping pullups)
my time was 26:16 ... better than some on the board.

Still holding at 158 - but I do think that I have lost more inches than the weight indicates.
Paleo diet is still on. J - I do agree that I am able to do a WOD like this primarily because I am eating right. I know I would have had a much tougher time if I wasn't. Make no mistake, my friends, I was wiped out!!!

Will be traveling this week so will crossfit Tuesday and then again on Friday.

Annie...

was the WOD today... that is: 50-40-30-20-10 of double unders and situps

for time. I did jump ups (or some such name)

instead of double unders.they said that they would scale the WOD back to 25-20-15-10-5

but J, you would be proud of me...I would have none of that!!!

I did Annie's jump ups and situps starting at 50 then 40 30 20 10 and I did them

in 13:35 which was faster than at least 3 people on the white board,
two were younger than me.

SCORE!

new year's blues

although I did lift 57 lbs in the clean and jerk today, on the whole, I am not feeling very amazing these days.

Jay 'n me at Crossfit

For the past few weeks, Jay and I have been Crossfittin together. Jay had at least two personal records and for Fran made #1 on the big greaseboard in the sky!!!

For my part, at my son's "gentle" urging - I now can do 30 pushups the regular way (that is on my toes, not my knees), do ring rows and have tried jumping pull ups, recently did 150 squats as part of Monday's WOD, and so on and so on.

And maintained my winning weight even after all of the holidays. I credit Jason with that - not just because we went to the gym at least 4 days each week, but mostly for getting me involved in this in the first place. One of the best things that I have done for myself.

Jay and T left on Sunday... when I went to the gym on Monday, one of the trainers said that he already missed Jay. I understand that - my son has such an enthusiasm for life, it is contageous. He challenges himself and those around him to be better, to have fun and to get the most out of everything that they do - whether it is a workout, playing Rock Band, snowboarding, or just enjoying a movie or a conversation. He is an amazing human being - I am so incredibly proud of him.

I miss him too.

Update on fitness journey

Quite a lot has happened since I last posted about fitness....
J and I had a challenge - most weight/total body weight lost by 12/24....winner gets $100
I won!!! I lost 12 lbs, he lost 14. My weigh in was 158!!! I broke the 160 barrier.

Having said that, since that day I would love to say I have been on the straight and narrow.

I can say, I have been in terms of workouts! In fact, J and I won a team challenge...
see the posting for 12/26/08 on this site... http://www.crossfitvallejo.com/

We also did this one...
December 24 2008
Three rounds for time of:
21 Knees to elbows
21 reps - 1 1/2 pood Kettlebell swing
21 Push-ups
3 reps of 15 foot Rope climb
21 reps Box jump
21 Back extension
150 ft Walking lunge
My time was 27.24/J was 35.54 (some of what I did was modified)

THEN - last night it was dead lifts.. 5 reps of 3 each.
I lifted 95 lbs twice and 115 lbs 3 times!

BUT straight and narrow in terms of diet - some struggles like -

Christmas dinner

Homemade biscuits

Christmas cookies - my fav of all time

Peppermint bark

last night's Zac pizza (2 slices)

have NOT helped

Anyway, back to yet another WOD tonight, then Wed, then Fri and Sat. Have been able to get more workouts in with J here (he is a motivator) and no work. Saving grace.

Altho I have had some struggles with diet - most of my meals are Paleo. Like two of the day - it is just the third that is the killer. Will definitely get strictly back to it no later than 1/5.

Will post new challenge then.

My first quilt....

Was one that I made using Georgia Bonesteel's Lap Quilting technique and patterns. I used fabric from my stash as well as some fabric I inherited from my mother. I made it about 10 or so years ago - I will have to really think (and ask) about the actual date. It has both handquilting and machine quilting as I had been working on it for so long - and when I heard about machine quilting, I decided to finish it up that way. It belongs to my son and daughter-in-law and I was able to get a picture of it during their current visit.

take a guess ... I don't have the answer

How many flannels have I made over the years?

A clue for us all...what year did I start to make them?

Nyia in her first pair.

Holiday funnies

when you shop....and please DO shop

pick up after yourself.

Goldie gets this and so do I.

These frenzied few days before the holidays, I am working at a store..

specifically in the entertainment section.

Amazing what people do -
even with me right there

straightening,

filling,

organizing,

picking up,

putting down.

So do a few harried retailers a favor -

if you pick it up...

decide against it...

treat yourself to a bit of exercise and
walk back to where you found it up and
put it back.

You do not even have to put it back precisely as you found it

(although that would sincerely be appreciated) ...

just in the general vicinity.

If you are looking for ways

to be generous this holiday,

this is an easy one.

we thank you

Goldie...

do I

hear an

Amen????

Squattin

After the usual warmup
Did Back Squats today
5-5-5-5-5
45-45-45-45-65
coulda done more
but this was the first time.

Food
b - turkey, tomatoes, pineapple, cantaloupe, mango
l - apple, nuts
d - cornish game hen, green beans, greens

of course, coffee with creamer

because....

there is a little crazy in every house

and

when one realizes

one understands

and

forgives

the crazy that is in everyone

working on...

many small and not so small projects...


Flannels for Christmas - many flannels for Christmas. actually flannel pants of every shape and color for those on my list. Been doing it for years. It is now 12/13...12 days left (actually maybe 3 relatively free weekend days - today is devoted to the grands so not much sewing takes place) to make at least 9 pair. 3 pair a day for each of the weekend days - doable.


Various BOM*...not sure who will get some of them, but moving them forward...

These are BOMs from the guild - in addition to the one I turn in, I am doing two others - one of batiks and one in black/white with some primary colors thrown in.

This one below I purchased on-line (they come each month) and will be for friends who recently married ... one never gets one's quilt within a reasonable time of the ceremony.

Another on-line BOM - one that my neighbor is also doing.

All curves and batiks.

*BOM= block o the month

Did the Jason

161 and holding....

Did the Jason (actually I called mine the mini Jason)

50 squats
10 each Pull up and Dips
40 squats
20 each Pull up and Dips
25 squats
35 each pullup and dips
10 squats
50 each pullup and dips

did them in 16.57 minutes
I learned that I do not like any exercise that increases in number as you do them.

Other than that, things are going well... probably did not eat enough during the day

scrambled eggs with sausage, mushrooms, red pepper
apple
nuts
coffee, of course
fish, eggplant, squash with onions

Ha ah!

161.6...need I say more???

Yesterday...
Walked in am
Ate -
B - turkey, pineapple, cantalope, pomegranate seeds
L - turkey, tomatoes, carrots
S - apple, celery with l/o quickie guac
D - crab, kale, cauliflower, asparagus
of course - my coffee

CrossFit -
warmup
3 rounds of 15 each...for time (21 min)
rockups - not at all a graceful event
pullups
burpees - 4 pt

Feeling pretty darn good. Not hungry although yesterday I yearned for something sweet. I got through it.