My case of the winter blues has me a little baffled. I've been getting out on weekends, invariably doing fun winter-stuff, but my energy levels are low, and i'm pretty damn out of shape right now. Three weeks after learning my insurance company finally paid for the gym membership, I haven't darkened their doors, citing general busyness, weather too cold, other stuff to do. Uhhh... this is not wholly true. Tonight, I at least pick up my membership, and make a date to speak with Albert- the trainer who's goal is to hone me into a finely-tuned er... shadow of my former self.
I opened a book on Pilates last week. On Sunday I actually tried to do the warm-up exercises. There are three of them, and the pictures make them look extraordinarily easy- bend and swoop down, then do a straighten-up-swoop. This I do as gracefully as a weiner-dog. Next is chest-expansions, arms swooping s-l-o-w-l-y up and out. Ok, I can do that- but I can't do it as s-l-o-w-l-y as required, and I felt a little heady. Best to stop when you feel dizzy. For my next stunt, I used my little thera-ball instead of what the picture wanted, and after two repetitions I gave up and had a beer. Ahhh. That felt better.
I did go climbing last week at the Grotto with Steve. As I struggled up the wall on an easy route wearing my previously well-fitting harness, I realized just how much strength, agility, and ability to survive exercise without significant pain I had lost. Of course I did too much, and I quite soon had a very stiff neck and line of pain up my lower back. Next time I will do more easy stuff more times rather than straining to get up 5.8's. Oh wait- I didn't actually make it up a 5.8! Nevertheless, I have a one month membership, so... I would like to go at least a couple more times. See if I can do any better, and loosen things up. But truth be told, It is so discouraging, when this used to be my best-loved sport, but ... ah well. baby steps.
So- yesterday was Valentine's Day. This would be obvious from anyone watching me, because at 6:30 last night I was in Chapters frantically searching for a card. I learned that when you wait that late, there are nothing but empty shelves with the odd rejected, slightly bent reject cards remaining. I switched sections, and settled instead on an anniversary card that said little, but this was for the best, since um, yeah- it was an Anniversary card.
"After all these years together we're still driving each other crazy. Happy Anniversary!!" I added an arrow after "these," and put 1.25 in front of "years", and crossed out Anniversary and put Valentines. It seemed to make her happy. Or maybe that was the beer and Indian take-out I picked up on the way home... I keep offering to buy her a cool head-lamp like mine, but she's not interested.
Linda had decorated the house with hearts, balloons ( i love balloons!!), and streamers, with little prizes on the hearts- "this heart entitles it's holder to one deep massage in the area of her choosing." If I hadn't had too much Indian food and beer last night, for sure I would have been collecting on that one. "This heart entitles the bearer to one free errand to be run without complaint." I suggested one I didn't get- "this heart entitles bearer to one free winter-camping night in a yhurt where the giver actually attends!" but this request has been held over for a later holiday...
Probably for the best anyway. If Linda would have come on that first yhurt trip- there may have been fewer survivors.
