WINNING!: the plan for Unemployment

We moved into this house over a year ago now, and there is a nice stack of things that I've been wanting to do, but have never had time.

Project 1: as you know, is to repaint the master suite.  We are at probably 95% completion on this now - the only thing outstanding is the Water Closet.

Project 2: build a square foot garden, and then actually clean up my yard, using all the leaves as the base layer before the soil.  I tend to think the buildout will be easy, 1, maaaaybe 2 days.  But the raking, oh the raking.  I'm allowing a week for this one.  (Might need only 4 days, but that extra day can go towards the Water Closet.)

Project 3: paint out the kitchen cabinets.  After we got wood floors put in and carried them through the house, the kitchen is a monotone of wood.  Lots and lots of wood.  The cabinets are oak with very dated hardware.  Some months back I took a class on chalk paint, and since it doesn't require sanding, I'm thinking it will be perfect for the cabinets.  Plus I think it gives a nice distressed look that breaks up the concept of just solid shiny white that white cabinets can become.  So that is project 3: paint and new hardware.  I'm guesstimating a week on this one too.

Those are the 3 major, and I will not commit to any more.  But there are a number of minor projects, some which I've already started or completed, which I'd like to mention.

First was hanging my work quilts in the guest bedroom.  They look lovely!  I need to post a picture.

Second is getting the fish tank set up.  We carried it outside the other weekend and got it all cleaned up.  I removed all the rocks and gave them a nice rinsing and got them back in the tank.  We've bought a new filter, and we are almost ready for water, except we need one little part to come in first.  The plastic hinges for the lid had cracked so we need new ones, but the fish store had the wrong size.  I won't fill the tank until I'm sure we can close it because I'd be too worried about the cats.  I am so excited to have a fish tank again!  I can hardly wait!!

Third is getting everything off the floor in the office.  I'm not sure if I'll do that or if I'll stand over P with a whip, but it is a goal.

Fourth is distributing the contents of ALL remaining boxes that are IN the house and not in a storage-type position (i.e. in a closet or in the attic).  I feel that if I can get this done while I'm on break, then I could slowly start working through the garage, one box at a time, without cluttering up the house again.

Fifth is a general clean and de-clutter.  ESPECIALLY the kitchen, where the bar seems to be a magnet for all the things that don't have homes.

Oh and one more!  Sixth would be to build a little box stand for the Aunt Dollie light that I'd like to put in the guest room.  It is a tension lamp and our ceilings are too high to install it, but I think that is an easy fix.

This is a lot, I know that.  I've had several people tell me they were surprised at how much I've accomplished so far.  I think for me right now it is important to keep busy, but it is also important to know that I'm not just working straight through every day.  I'm kind of moseying through the mornings, being relaxed about getting Z to school and eating, then working a bit, then taking a nice long break for lunch, then working til P gets home.  Then sometimes I stop, sometimes I make him help me.  But either way, there is a good amount of downtime, but at the end of the day I still feel like I got something done, so it works!

Day 4 of Unemployment

I got a hilarious text from my mom on Monday that said, "How does it feel to be a woman of leisure?"

LOLOLOLOL!

It feels like damn hard work is what it feels like!

I chose this week as the Repaint Master Bed/Bathroom Week.  Uuuugh.  Let's start it off by letting you know I have a two gallon bedroom, oh yes I do, and with high ceilings on two sides.  We are going from a "Dijon mustard" yellow left by the previous owner to a nice cool "Pensive sky" gray, so we were talking a two coat minimum.  I must say that it has a tad more blue in it than I was going for, and than the paint chip showed, but I'll take it over mustard any day.  I actually really like it for the bedroom, but in the bathroom, I chose one darker on the paint chip, "Rhino" that I was hoping would bring out the gray inclusions in the granite we have in a very brown bathroom, and the blue is more contrasty than I was hoping for.  But still better than mustard!  I think.

3 full days completed on this project, and the bedroom is completely done, except P needs to do a second coat on the cut-ins that I absolutely cannot reach, even with the ladder.  The bathroom has had one coat, mostly, and I actually think I may be able to get away with only one coat in there, since it is a darker covering color, as long as I look for the little patches where yellow pokes through and give them a quick second.  Still need to finish cutting in on that first coat - have basically half of that done, but with some of the hardest bits remaining.

I'll post some pics when we are all done!

Day 1 of Unemployment

I am switching jobs, taking a month off in between.

Yesterday was my last day at the old job. Very bittersweet.  I have been there almost a decade and I will miss it.  And it is scary, change.

So Day 1 of Unemployment, lol, is starting off with a bang.  Before I even got out of bed, I could tell that all the crying from the leaving has turned the little snot factory I've been brewing into a full sinus infection.  I feel terrible.

Then I get a text from the husband - the mortgage payment, which is supposed to deduct on the FIRST got pulled today, and we were overdrawn.  CLASSIC.  How is that even possible??  If you authorize auto payments and you set them up for a particular day, how is it even possible that they pull them a WEEK early!!????  Arg!

So Day 1 of Unemployment = WINNING!  Lol.  Here's to knowing it can only go up from here! ;-)

My first MS150 prep ride!

And my first ever group ride.

I was nervous.  Super nervous.  3 trips to the bathroom nervous.  But I went.

I went and I met a nice man and his wife who chatted with me at the beginning.  They really made the waiting easier.

I went and bought 2 jerseys and a saddlebag for cheap at the "garage sale".

I went and no one teased me about my lack of clips.

I went and I rode with the last pace group because I don't really know how fast I am any more, and I just wanted to focus on finishing.  Speed isn't important.  And I finished.  And it wasn't.

I went and just focused on riding straight and true while 80 million people passed me and I passed only a few.  But like I said, I rode with the last group, so I think they seeded themselves badly, not the other way around.

I went and ate Oreos at the halfway point.  Yum!

I went and FOUGHT my way into a killer headwind on the way back.  It was rough.  But that is good practice.  Good practice.

I went and didn't fall.

I went wearing my favorite long sleeved undershirt, a bike jersey, and 2 running jackets.  I wore my bike gloves and running gloves over the top.  I wore my skull cap under my helmet.  I wore long pants.  It was probably 40 and sunny at the start.  It was maybe 50 at the turnaround and I removed my running gloves and considered taking off a jacket, but I didn't and I was SO grateful because that headwind made it colder on the way back, even though it was warmer.

I went and had one creepy moment where my left thumb got numb.  Need to find a way to relieve the pressure on my hands more.

But I went!  And I did it!  And I am so proud of myself!

Cold Snap

My first official MS150 training ride was supposed to be this morning, but yesterday I got the notice that they were cancelling it since the great north sent down one heck of a cold snap this week.  It is about 30 outside and not really supposed to warm up today and they decided that torturing beginners may not be the best way to start off the season.  I tend to agree!

So instead I spent an hour on the trainer yesterday and thrillingly, I survived with nothing worse than a sore ass.  So I'll take it!

Today I'd like to accomplish Core III plus something fun with the kiddo.  DDR or yoga or climbing.  Something.  Something fun.

Race Planning and the MS150

The truth of the matter, of course, is I have signed up for the MS150 in hopes of curing myself from my bike spazziness.  In an attempt to properly prepare myself, I'm going to ride with Ready 2 Roll to train and prepare me for group riding.  Because even though I've ridden in triathlons, that is very solo, and I'm very aware that this will be very different.

As a part of that, I'm riding Pedal the Prairie and Head for the Hills.  Not sure what distances yet.

I've also gotten my crazy out and gone ahead and signed up for the CB&I Triathlon.  I figure the MS150 is just good training for that, right?  And I have every intention of starting a regular swim program once I get the gym membership at the new job, so I'll be easily ready for that part of it, which really just leaves the run.  And I can run (ok, maybe walk) 5K practically in my sleep, especially if my aerobic engine is prepped with all this other stuff.  So yeah.  Triathlon 2 weeks after MS150.  Eep!

Probably will do the little 5K in conjunction with my annual work conference in April as a tune-up.

Am planning on the Turkey Trot, obviously.

I just realized if I do a run in January, I'll be on track to do one per month through May... hmmm.... don't want to overcommit to a race a month and set myself up for failure, but don't want to rule it out so early in the year either... maybe I'll look for a little January quickie...

So far so good!

I ended up not doing Yoga/Core II on Sunday.  I DDR'd instead.  That is good.  The plan is not important right now.  Only the every day of it.

I did Yoga and Core II on Monday morning and it felt gooooooood to do some stretching.  As for Core II, here are the benchmark numbers:
Crunches: 25
Leg Curls: 12
Superman: 15
Side crunches: 15
Elbow bridge: 12
Legs up: 15
Crunches: 25
Core II was always my favorite!

Tuesday I had the day off work, and I went down to the beach and went for a nice run on the Seawall.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day (sunny, 50's) and I was so happy with it and the run and just everything!

Also got my Dolce back from the shop on Tuesday and took her for a very short spin to my parents for dinner with the new non-clip pedals.  Tentatively very pleased.  Definitely am more comfortable when I'm not clipped in.

So this morning I rode her on the trainer for half an hour.  Definitely am more aware on the trainer that I was, in fact, using my calves for the appropriate opposition movement.  No clipping in is definitely more quad heavy and an adjustment.  But that is ok.  That is what this is all about!

Weight on Monday was 148.2.  Headed in the right direction.

 

Progress

Every day is about little accomplishments, right?

Yesterday we got Christmas completely down.  That is a big one.

Also, I did P90X: Arms & Shoulders even though I really really didn't want to.  So that was a big one too!

This morning I am feeling a little creaky, so I'm thinking maybe Yoga today along with Core II even though my abs are still super sore.

I'd also like to do a little cleaning, a little laundry, and plant Zoe's little root-visible windowbox garden.

I'm so sore!

It is the morning of the third day of getting back to exercise and I am SO SORE!

Core 1 really killed my abs, y'all.

And then DDR last night rubbed some hot spots on the bottom of my feet that I'm sure will become callouses but right now they are just sore.

Sore!

Today I'm thinking a nice P90X arms day to give my legs, feet, and abs a break!

By the way, full disclosure.  Weight on 1/1/2015 was 150 pounds.  Goal weight range is 130-135.  I've let stress eating get the better of me in the last 6 months, and stress not-exercising.  But this is a new year and I'm already feeling better about things!  Also full disclosure: I'm not counting calories... yet.  This month is going to be about exercising again.  I'm trying to be a bit smarter about what we are cooking and what I'm putting in my mouth, but I am not going to focus on eating yet, and I'm not going to beat myself up if I reach for the extra cookie this month, because frankly, I'm still at the stressy old job and disentangling myself is both stressy, and in some cases will involve goodbye eating.  I am trying to mentally set myself up for success by not making a goal that will be too painful.  Yet.

Oh and one more thing.  I'm already seeing the benefits of exercise in better sleep.  I had forgotten how much harder I sleep when I'm working out!

State of the Union

Last night I exercised by playing Dance Dance Revolution. For this first 30 days of January, the goal is at least 20 minutes of activity per day, every single day. DDR is hard core exercise for me and it is something I can do in the evening with the kiddo around, so it is an important cog in my plan!

My bike is at the shop getting a good tune up and cleaning and new pedals. I'm having the Speedplays taken off in favor of standard non-cage non-clip in mountain bike pedals. I know that my biking won't be as efficient BUT given my general spazziness, I think I'll be much more comfortable, and at this point that is the most important thing. I can always put the Speedplays back on later!

Today I wanted a baseline run on my Core 1 routine.  Here are the numbers:
Crunches on Fitball: 25
Back extensions: 10
Plank: 30 seconds
V-ups: 7
Push-ups: 10
Twists: 30
Hip extensions: 12
Crunches on Fitball: 25
Focused on form.  Fitball may be a little underinflated - will fix.  Oh, and feeling at end? Spaghetti.

Happy New Year!

I've clearly been gone a long time. Suffice to say that life has gotten in the way. But things are changing, y'all!

15 goals for 2015:

1. Leave my old job as well as I can.

2. Enjoy my month off.

3. Get lots done during month off also!

4. Rock out the new job.

5. Complete the BP MS150 in April.

6. Do a triathlon!

7. Train for and complete the 8 mile Turkey Trot. (Eg. Running, not walking.)

8. Start a garden.

9. Start a family game night on Thursdays.

10. Focus on consciencous spending.

11. Lose 20 pounds.

12. Cook more, better at home.

13. Go climbing.

14. Take Zoë camping for the first time!

15. Make stained glass things.

I know this is a mixed bag of good goals, but I am right on the edge where I can see things are going to finally get better for me, and I am SO ready! I want to take the opportunity of the new job to form lasting habits for a better life. There are so many things that I want to do, from better parenting to better health to more creativity to better living. I think these goals cover it all.