Can you believe it?! Those Tiels have talked me into their very own blog! They would have done it all by themselves, but they haven't quite learned to maneuver mouse and keyboard yet. See their adventures here, or click their link in the Friends Blog section.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Things going right, things going wrong
Today was an odd one. I woke up and got ready for work and was about to jump in my car and head out; but opening the garage door made a funny noise. As I put my bag in the back seat I went around back of my car to take a peak. Sure enough. A beer bottle - smashed - had rolled into the garage from where it had been resting on the closed garage door. I leaned over to pick up the piece and see where the other pieces were to pick them up to (before driving over them) when I realized I wasn't dealing with just one bottle. I leaned into the house and called to Trevor.
The end result - last night our house was vandalized. There were broken beer bottles all over the driveway, shattered in such a fashion that it looked like they had TRIED to cover every inch of pavement with glass shards. There was broken glass jar of spaghetti sauce strewn all over the driveway. I got out the shovel and shoveled the 1/16 in. snow to the side of the drive and moved the glass with it. When the snow melts, we'll vacuum up the glass pieces w/ the shop vac. Then I looked back at the house. Somehow the spaghetti sauce has made it to above the front door on the siding. Oh, and the siding above the garage has been broken by a flying bottle, likely. At that point, I called the police.
A nice Cottage Grove police officer came out, and met Trev (I had to go to work) and told him what I though he would say; that it wasn't an isolated incident. and here is the report number. We'll clean off the sauce tonight or tomorrow so it doesn't stain. The trickier part will be finding a piece of siding to match our house, as the house's siding was replaced after a hail storm 7ish years ago and we don't know what company did it. I hope the siding has a brand name written on the inside when we take a piece down. Good thing I know how to install siding...
A neighbor was vandalized a few weeks ago (hence the not isolated). Kids pranks are all part of growing up, but this was malicious, and it's time they grow up. I hope they're caught, but I bet they won't be. If they are, I'll be first in line asking the judge to make them do community service with an organization like Habitat for Humanity, so they can see first hand what goes into building and owning a house.
On a positive note, I received an award at work today. Odd how life balances itself out, isn't it?! And I ran 5 miles yesterday (yes, I still can't believe that). Climbing tomorrow, and I'll try out the running again on Sunday, to see if it was a fluke.
Happy first day of Spring, Everyone!!
The end result - last night our house was vandalized. There were broken beer bottles all over the driveway, shattered in such a fashion that it looked like they had TRIED to cover every inch of pavement with glass shards. There was broken glass jar of spaghetti sauce strewn all over the driveway. I got out the shovel and shoveled the 1/16 in. snow to the side of the drive and moved the glass with it. When the snow melts, we'll vacuum up the glass pieces w/ the shop vac. Then I looked back at the house. Somehow the spaghetti sauce has made it to above the front door on the siding. Oh, and the siding above the garage has been broken by a flying bottle, likely. At that point, I called the police.
A nice Cottage Grove police officer came out, and met Trev (I had to go to work) and told him what I though he would say; that it wasn't an isolated incident. and here is the report number. We'll clean off the sauce tonight or tomorrow so it doesn't stain. The trickier part will be finding a piece of siding to match our house, as the house's siding was replaced after a hail storm 7ish years ago and we don't know what company did it. I hope the siding has a brand name written on the inside when we take a piece down. Good thing I know how to install siding...
A neighbor was vandalized a few weeks ago (hence the not isolated). Kids pranks are all part of growing up, but this was malicious, and it's time they grow up. I hope they're caught, but I bet they won't be. If they are, I'll be first in line asking the judge to make them do community service with an organization like Habitat for Humanity, so they can see first hand what goes into building and owning a house.
On a positive note, I received an award at work today. Odd how life balances itself out, isn't it?! And I ran 5 miles yesterday (yes, I still can't believe that). Climbing tomorrow, and I'll try out the running again on Sunday, to see if it was a fluke.
Happy first day of Spring, Everyone!!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Bragging
Yes, this post is to brag. Usually I don't brag, but today I'm going to. I'm just extremely proud of myself. Today I ran/walked for 5 miles. I went to the Y, and I walked a warm up, ran 20 min straight, walked for 5 min, ran for 20 more min, and then walked for 10 min. In that time I went exactly 5 miles. Yes Karin, this means I can do that race with you...as long as you are OK w/ taking 1 whole hour to do so.
The farthest I've ever ran myself at once is 3.2 miles. The farthest I've ever ran/walked myself has to be around 4 miles (in recent history, I'm sure when I played soccer in high school I might have gone farther.
So, yay me! It shows that hard work does begin to pay off. I will not lose ground, I will keep pushing this! On another subject...the scale says I'm going in the right direction again, the software is working.
The farthest I've ever ran myself at once is 3.2 miles. The farthest I've ever ran/walked myself has to be around 4 miles (in recent history, I'm sure when I played soccer in high school I might have gone farther.
So, yay me! It shows that hard work does begin to pay off. I will not lose ground, I will keep pushing this! On another subject...the scale says I'm going in the right direction again, the software is working.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Back on the wagon
..and by wagon I mean software.
In 2006 I had my RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) calculated to determine what amount of calories my body needs just to exist. This came out to 1640. Throw in walking about, and we're likely at about 1800 a day. I haven't had this done in a while, likely it's changed some, but not drastically. Recall most people/commercials etc say 'based on a 2000 calorie diet'? Well, If I don't excercise daily, that will gain me one pound a week. No wonder I gain weight like I'm standing still............
Along with doing the RMR, I bought a software program called Balance Log to track the calories of what I was eating. I started in Sept of 2006, and lost about 10 lbs. Then I stopped, and gained the weight back, though bad habits. I tried again, and again lost some weight (though not the original 10 lbs). I lost interest, and over time, I went to that mass that indicated my need to change my blog, and my lifestyle. As of Monday, I'm back on the software. This time, I've already lost 5-10 lbs on my own (depending on time of day/month etc of weight measurement). But then, I stopped losing. I haven't gained any back, since November, but I'm not making progress either. So, along with my new outlook, I'm going to try the software for a while to track what I'm eating, learn and SEE my bad habits, and be able to work on them. My goal for the software is 20 lbs by July 4. Will I make it? Dont' know. Don't care if I get that low, but 10 is absolutely necessary. Why? Because I did 10 on my own, I need to do 10 w/ the program. No other reason, just that.
So, I put in accurate information for myself, and I've kept track of what I'm eating for 2.5 days. I already see a trend, and it's one of laziness - or perhaps a consequence of being too busy. I need to work on adding more fresh veg and fruits, and less packaged food. Translated - cook my own food more.
As the weather turns nicer, and the sunlight is out more, I will have more motivation I think. Also, I will be able to grow my OWN fruits and veggies, and that will help. Right now I just have to adjust to turning the clocks ahead one hour. It hit me much harder this year than most, or I'm just more tired lately. Either way, I think 'daylight savings' needs to be banned, by court order, at the soonest possible opportunity.
So, track and hold self accountable for calories, go to the Y my 12 times per month, and cook more homecooked foods. That's where I'm going from here.
In 2006 I had my RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) calculated to determine what amount of calories my body needs just to exist. This came out to 1640. Throw in walking about, and we're likely at about 1800 a day. I haven't had this done in a while, likely it's changed some, but not drastically. Recall most people/commercials etc say 'based on a 2000 calorie diet'? Well, If I don't excercise daily, that will gain me one pound a week. No wonder I gain weight like I'm standing still............
Along with doing the RMR, I bought a software program called Balance Log to track the calories of what I was eating. I started in Sept of 2006, and lost about 10 lbs. Then I stopped, and gained the weight back, though bad habits. I tried again, and again lost some weight (though not the original 10 lbs). I lost interest, and over time, I went to that mass that indicated my need to change my blog, and my lifestyle. As of Monday, I'm back on the software. This time, I've already lost 5-10 lbs on my own (depending on time of day/month etc of weight measurement). But then, I stopped losing. I haven't gained any back, since November, but I'm not making progress either. So, along with my new outlook, I'm going to try the software for a while to track what I'm eating, learn and SEE my bad habits, and be able to work on them. My goal for the software is 20 lbs by July 4. Will I make it? Dont' know. Don't care if I get that low, but 10 is absolutely necessary. Why? Because I did 10 on my own, I need to do 10 w/ the program. No other reason, just that.
So, I put in accurate information for myself, and I've kept track of what I'm eating for 2.5 days. I already see a trend, and it's one of laziness - or perhaps a consequence of being too busy. I need to work on adding more fresh veg and fruits, and less packaged food. Translated - cook my own food more.
As the weather turns nicer, and the sunlight is out more, I will have more motivation I think. Also, I will be able to grow my OWN fruits and veggies, and that will help. Right now I just have to adjust to turning the clocks ahead one hour. It hit me much harder this year than most, or I'm just more tired lately. Either way, I think 'daylight savings' needs to be banned, by court order, at the soonest possible opportunity.
So, track and hold self accountable for calories, go to the Y my 12 times per month, and cook more homecooked foods. That's where I'm going from here.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Tricia, Trevor and Oriole go snowshoeing!
On the 21st and 22nd of February a bunch of people went snowshoeing. Everyone had met before, because we call go climbing, but we'd never all had an outdoor adventure together before. Plus, I've not been snowshoeing since I was...a Girl Scout, in 5th grade, I think! At first, I wasn't sure what to think of it...
"Seriously? We're going up that!? Yes, it was quite the climb. We started trekking in on a snow mobile path, and then turned into the Cedar Swamp. Much like the Fire Swamp, except instead of ROUSs there were TOUSs (Trees of Unusual Size). They were standing, laying down, a few even jumped out at me - really! After that part of the trek came the up, up, up. Otherwise known as Farther Up and Farther In. There were some serious pitches involved at that point, we were climbing a mountain, after all. Mt. Houghton! (No, Not Mt. Ripley, where the ski hill is IN Houghton, MI, this is about an hour NE.) We eventually made it to the top...
Above are Trevor and I, being cute and enjoying the view from the top, before we had to go back down! I discovered down is faster, scarier, and quite a bit of fun, when you get the hang of it. We stopped then for lunch, and I had to do damage control. The firs tpair of shoes I was using, or perhaps it was my boots, gave me the WORST blisters on my heels. But, Nexcare bandages and Duct Tape saved the day! Yay for 3M! Then it was out to Hungarian Falls, to look at the nice waterfalls. A much easier Trek, which was good, cause it was the same day!
Above are Adriane, Kelsey, and I pose for a scenic picture on the way to the falls. I had traded shoes with Adriane for the second trip, and was much happier (and more stable) in the new ones. YAY for falling down less! We tromped to the falls, threw snowballs, and then slid down hills on our way back to the car. I was getting better at sliding down hills, but when the oportunity to jump OVER this branch arrived, I had a much better idea...
Why not pose for a cute photo op! Yup, here I am, quite happy to be almost done for the day. Pickled Eggs anyone?! After the day of snowshoeing, we headed back for a shower, and then hit downtown Houghton for some beer and pickled eggs. I had root beer at the KBC, and it was quite delicious. We set a 2 egg limit per person, so as to minimize discomfort to our fellow cabin mates. The next day we headed to Red Ridge to play on the ice, and look at the falls. The falls were quite lolvely really, and Trevor is quite good at artistic photos. He crawled UNDER the waterfall to take this lovely shot ofrom inside of the tree hanging over the edge.
Yes, the orientation on the above is correct. Then, it was time for some serious snowshoe fun! Trevor found a nice ice ledge, and decided to play Abomitable Snowshoer while jumping off!
"Ooh! That looks like fun, I want to try!" says I. Off I go, wheee! I prefer the airplane method, myself...
Now, EVERYONE try it!!!
After Red Ridge, it was time to pack and head home. We stopped at the rest stop outside Duluth to use the necessary, and discovered that poor Oriole had taken the brunt of the snowstorm we had driven through out of MI that morning. Icicles in her wheel wells! When we safely dropped Adriane and Kelsey off, we took her for a bath, and for a well deserved rest in the garage.
OOF! What a weekend, but it was fun. The next week, Trev and I headed to REI and purchased snowshoes of our own! I bought these:
I've used them twice now, both times this past weekend. I like them muchly, and can't wait for next winter to use them again. Yes, next winter - let's have spring now, please!
"Seriously? We're going up that!? Yes, it was quite the climb. We started trekking in on a snow mobile path, and then turned into the Cedar Swamp. Much like the Fire Swamp, except instead of ROUSs there were TOUSs (Trees of Unusual Size). They were standing, laying down, a few even jumped out at me - really! After that part of the trek came the up, up, up. Otherwise known as Farther Up and Farther In. There were some serious pitches involved at that point, we were climbing a mountain, after all. Mt. Houghton! (No, Not Mt. Ripley, where the ski hill is IN Houghton, MI, this is about an hour NE.) We eventually made it to the top...
Above are Trevor and I, being cute and enjoying the view from the top, before we had to go back down! I discovered down is faster, scarier, and quite a bit of fun, when you get the hang of it. We stopped then for lunch, and I had to do damage control. The firs tpair of shoes I was using, or perhaps it was my boots, gave me the WORST blisters on my heels. But, Nexcare bandages and Duct Tape saved the day! Yay for 3M! Then it was out to Hungarian Falls, to look at the nice waterfalls. A much easier Trek, which was good, cause it was the same day!
Above are Adriane, Kelsey, and I pose for a scenic picture on the way to the falls. I had traded shoes with Adriane for the second trip, and was much happier (and more stable) in the new ones. YAY for falling down less! We tromped to the falls, threw snowballs, and then slid down hills on our way back to the car. I was getting better at sliding down hills, but when the oportunity to jump OVER this branch arrived, I had a much better idea...
Why not pose for a cute photo op! Yup, here I am, quite happy to be almost done for the day. Pickled Eggs anyone?! After the day of snowshoeing, we headed back for a shower, and then hit downtown Houghton for some beer and pickled eggs. I had root beer at the KBC, and it was quite delicious. We set a 2 egg limit per person, so as to minimize discomfort to our fellow cabin mates. The next day we headed to Red Ridge to play on the ice, and look at the falls. The falls were quite lolvely really, and Trevor is quite good at artistic photos. He crawled UNDER the waterfall to take this lovely shot ofrom inside of the tree hanging over the edge.
Yes, the orientation on the above is correct. Then, it was time for some serious snowshoe fun! Trevor found a nice ice ledge, and decided to play Abomitable Snowshoer while jumping off!
"Ooh! That looks like fun, I want to try!" says I. Off I go, wheee! I prefer the airplane method, myself...
Now, EVERYONE try it!!!
After Red Ridge, it was time to pack and head home. We stopped at the rest stop outside Duluth to use the necessary, and discovered that poor Oriole had taken the brunt of the snowstorm we had driven through out of MI that morning. Icicles in her wheel wells! When we safely dropped Adriane and Kelsey off, we took her for a bath, and for a well deserved rest in the garage.
OOF! What a weekend, but it was fun. The next week, Trev and I headed to REI and purchased snowshoes of our own! I bought these:
I've used them twice now, both times this past weekend. I like them muchly, and can't wait for next winter to use them again. Yes, next winter - let's have spring now, please!
