+5 lbs. & Hearts, biological and symbolic

The past few days have been hectic! This post is going to recap them and give an update on my health; I had a doctors appointment. First, I will give you the update...

I have gained 5 pounds. I am not too upset about this for 1) weight loss was not my starting goal and 2) I could be burning off what I gained during the holidays or gaining muscle. However, I expressed to my doctor how I have been having heart palpitations when I relax before bed and he wants to put me on a heart monitor. OK, will do. I am nervous, not so much by what they find (heart problems run in my family) but at the cost of this! Which brings me to a thought, what kind of world do we live in where we are more concerned with the cost of health care than the actual health care itself? I know I am not the only one pondering this...

All will be well and be as it should, I have faith in that :) OK...here is a recap of the past 4 days of walking!

Tuesday - Went to help my best friends Mom with the invitations to a baby shower. This is the day that I ran into the lady at the gas station. To read more about this experience you can see it here. They live by Edwards Crossing (a popular part of the Yuba River) so I took a quick drive down to see the water flow. This is what I encountered...

Snowy banks!

I have never seen the river in snow before so this was a real treat! It was interesting because in town, Spring has started but here Winter remains.

This is one of the little waterfalls you come across as you drive down the grade to the river..

 After Alyssa got home from school we took our usual walk around our mountain top :)

Wednesday - Alyssa and I decided that we were going to take a break and not walk today; but, Poppy had other plans! As I was out in the front of my house playing catch with her, she kept looking up the driveway to the area where we walk. I thought nothing of it. I threw her ball for her and she took it and ran 50 feet away, dropped it and looked directly at the trail head. Then she pawed the ground like, "Come on, let's go!" OK, pup let's go..you talked me into it!

We found some treasures from nature!

Thursday - We really did take a break today. There was just too much to do. Poppy was not happy about it but did get some catch time in!

Friday -  I guess that pup thought we were not going for a walk today and decided to take one by herself. Across the street! Bad dog, while we did not exercise together we both got a good work out in. I looked everywhere for her and walked and walked and walked. She came home with the biggest smile on her face (of course until she knew she was in trouble) and must have had the time of her life.

Saturday - Since pup was sick last night, throwing up and gassy, I decided to take her out and observe her. She was happy for a walk but was not nearly as fast or peppy as she usually is. It was a nice Saturday morning walk...

It was foggy and soggy!

I can across some more hearts - I am wondering what the sign is...is it a sign to take care of my heart or a sign showing me that I am on the right track. Perhaps, both?

Something lives in this tree...wonder what it is?

 Love and Light my friends...until next time!

Just keep going...

6:03 am - Today I woke up feeling much better; my spirits seem to high and motivation is too. I did not walk yesterday. I took the day off. The In Laws came for lunch and we just hung out after they left. Good family time; nice and relaxing.

But it is Monday and I have to get back into the groove of walking. I will be in my daughters class this morning so won't be able to walk until after school. Our neighbor may come with us too. We will have to wait and see how the day plays out.

3:07 pm - Oh gotta love kids...need a walk terribly but I have so much work! AND I can barely move and think I might be frozen. Man, it is COLD!

5:09 pm - Got the walk done and over with for today...I feel warmth in my center again. It has been freezing at night for over a week and although there is sun shining during the day it is still too cold to melt the snow and ice in my back yard!

I should not have taken a day off this exercise yesterday. I could feel it today; both physically and mentally. I can see know how easy it is to loose motivation. Had I not been blogging this experience I probably would have quit by now and definitely today if I did not feel I had to blog about it ;) Believe it or not this blog is keeping me going and accountable.


I found the best sunset spot on the mountain...

Saw this cloud to the North as the walk began

Tried to get my squirrly dog to post with me for a picture but she could not sit still.

And here is the best sunset spot on the mountain :)

And she just kept walking...this is going to work!

6:49 am - What should I do, what should I do? Sunrise, sunset or both? I need coffee first...

7:20 a.m. - Well, took my coffee with me on this mornings stroll...it was not much of a walk, I just took pup across the street to stretch her legs and run a bit. Poppy thought it was a walk and I enjoyed my coffee while I watched the sun come up ;)

It was dark out this morning!

4:43 pm - Took an afternoon walk today. There is not a lot to tell you, other than I DID IT and there was a lot of golden sunshine peeking through the forest! I have not missed a walk yet and I think this would have been day 13. I be walking!

Day 8 - Everyday I am juggling...

9:06 am - I did not start Dr. Oz's 7 Day Belly Workout the other day, maybe today. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week. I am not too worried about when I start that, I just need to keep walking. Until that task is instilled in my day to day tasks just as checking my email or having a cup of coffee is I cannot stop.

I have been working since 7 am and have enough work to keep me busy for the next month. Bookkeeping, newsletters, new year organizing, making, selling, writing...it all has to be done. So does my daily walk...

Everyday I feel like I am juggling many different things, pulling me in many different directions. I have to be able to change focus instantly and then have to be able to go back in to what I was working on. For instance, as I tried to write this last sentence the phone rang 3 times for our business. Yahooo, love it when the phone rings because that means we have work!

While the day does go by fast, I fear that it will go by with out my daily walk from time to time. Priorities.

11:56 pm - I am having a hard time concentrating on work today, I really just feel like writing so I will have to do both. As the day goes by, the phone continues to ring and more work is created :) It is a double edge sword when you are already behind...

1:06 pm - Still longing for a walk! Got a few more things that HAVE to be done today and then it looks like a late afternoon walk! Thank you, Mom for coming over to entertain the little one.

3:18 pm - Just got back from a nice walk around the woods with my Mom and daughter. Motivation did not come easy today but a break from the office was desperately needed and a walk was the perfect way to get away. However it comes I will take it! Here is an image of the area we sometimes walk. Beautiful, huh?

Day 6 - If you want something bad enouph...

8:14 am - I knew that today would be a challenge. Finding time to fit exercise into my schedule has always been the biggest challenge and has been one of the main reasons I have not done this yet.

Although this is New Year's Eve, I still have a half a days work and a turkey that needs to go in the oven by 10 am with supervision until it is done. If I am gonna walk I need to do it now or figure out some other way to get some exercise in for me and the Pup. Pat is leaving at 9:10 for work.

I am fortunate that I can juggle my schedule as I please so even if work does not get done now, the walk will and/or vise versa.

9:24 am - The walk came before work today :) Thank you, Pat, for waiting around with Alyssa so I could get a half an hour in today. Poppy appreciates it too. It was cold, but the more I got moving the warmer it got.

Now it is time to enjoy some oatmeal with dried cranberries and little brown sugar and milk.I am feeling motivated to start Dr. Oz's 7 Day Belly Work Out later this afternoon. Has anyone started this? Monday Day 1, Rock n Roll Up exercise...I will let you know how it goes.

If you want something bad enough you will do what you need to in order for it to happen.

Day 5 - Creative energy always rules over physical energy...gotta go with the flow

10:13 - All you creative peeps will understand this. When creativity calls you gotta take it, even if you end up surrounded by words, paints or materials all day and never get off your rear! Motivation came in a different form for me today and I have to hop on it. If I don't this book will never get written ;)

I will walk, just not right now...

12:11 pm - I feel like I got some good thoughts on paper and that I am one chapter closer to being finished with the book. Pat is busy cleaning the garage but I think he is going to take a time out to enjoy a family walk.These walks are not exactly calorie burners but are good for the soul!

I foresee tomorrow as being a real challenge. Although it is a holiday, it is also a work day and a cooking day. Will I be able to get away from the desk and kitchen to take a walk? I guess only tomorrow will tell but for now, I be walking!

Day 4 - Easier said than done...

8:04 am - It is cold. I do not want to go outside! I do not want to walk, all I want to do is stay snuggled on the couch and watch cartoons with Alyssa.

8:39 am - Alyssa is awake and ignoring my request for her to walk with me...just me and Pup.

9:53 am - Still getting motivated...shoes are on, jacket and scarf are near by...the sun came out so the air is a little warmer.

10:40 am - OK, did it! Took a half an hour walk with my pup in the woods. Felt good. I am so glad that I got my buns out of the house this morning! Had coffee and a banana for breakfast, not quite hungry yet but am dreading lunch decision making. Maybe oatmeal. Maybe peanut butter toast.

See you tomorrow!