Running to nowhere, fast. . .

I love three-day weekends. Nick does, too, as evidenced by the joy in his face from simply roaming the house with a bright orange spoon. The cats, however, were not smiling after Nick decided to "tap" them with his spoon. He's been on the rampage today, whether it's throwing his lunch at us or refusing to nap, or emptying the clean laundry all over the kitchen floor. Cute but destructive.

Pardon the poor picture quality. I got a new cellphone this weekend, since my old one would only hold a charge for about 30 minutes. I chose a Motorola Crush, and it's my first phone that doesn't have a real keypad. It's all touchscreen. It even has this feature when where you turn it horizontally, it turns into a qwerty keypad. Not that I text all that much.

This phone is very fancy, but I'll have to get used to talking on it. My face keeps pushing random buttons on the touchscreen while I'm talking to someone. But it does have a camera, albeit a 2.0 megapixel one with no image stabilization. I do like the blurriness, though. It's kind of realistic, since that's how Nick is in real life. He moves so fast everything is blurry. :)

 Here's Nick hugging our elliptical trainer, which we're getting a lot of use out of so far in 2010. I'm using it every other day for at least 30 minutes, on level 10 in the fat burning mode. I keep my heart rate around 130 or above, and I think this machine was definitely worth the money. It cost about as much as 18 months of our YMCA membership, and we've already used it WAY more than we ever went to the Y. On the off days, I do a pilates bodyband workout. So far, so good, although I still have not lost one single pound.

Greg uses the elliptical nearly every day now, while Nick is in his high chair having breakfast. It's kind of interesting the way Nicholas looks at his daddy while he's on the elliptical. I guess it must seem weird, that Daddy is running to nowhere, fast.

One of my hobbies is reading about evolutionary history and human prehistory; humans used to spend all of their time searching for food and running from predators. Now, our lives are so stable that we pay tons of money for machines that help us run to nowhere. Such is modern life, I suppose. Not that I'd want to be running from a cougar or some such. I would be prey in 5 seconds flat. But I don't do too badly running to nowhere while watching TV shows I missed during the week. Lately I've been watching "Glee," "Modern Family," and "Mercy." I bribe myself into exercising with these shows. It's like a guilty pleasure coupled with a mandatory exercise routine.

Reflections and Frustrations

I guess this is "Retro Picture Week" on Facebook, so here is mine for your viewing pleasure. I'm not sure how old I was. . . I'm guessing preschool based on the length of my hair. In grade school my pigtails would've been much longer. I'm always told that Nick looks a lot like me. We'll see as he gets older. I see more of Greg in him personally, but I think he does have my hair. I believe I was 2 in this picture below. My hair is a little longer than his, but I think the curls are about the same.

 I guess Greg had some curls, too, when he was a baby, so we'll never know where he got them from. We were both blonde as kids.

Nick is still struggling with that cold. I couldn't take a picture of him tonight because my camera has been mailed in to the people at Nikon. Let's see if they actually honor their warranty and fix the darned thing, which has never worked right.  Until then, I'll have to use the camcorder to take stills.

So I just got off of the elliptical trainer. I make myself do a little longer workout when watching The Biggest Loser. I'm not much of a tv person, usually, but I am addicted to this show. I also did 40 minutes, 1.99 miles, 270 calories burned on that torturous machine. This is the tenth day I've worked out this month, and I've calculated carefully and written down every morsel I have put into my mouth. Haven't lost a pound, though. My weight varies a great deal by the time of day or the week, but I think I'm even up a pound. Must still be my thyroid; the doctor said it's only because of my working out and eating healthy that I haven't gained, with as bad as that darned gland is. . . we'll see. I guess I just need to be patient. It is very hard, though, since the motivation to keep going usually comes from losing those first few pounds and having my pants fit better.

I wish my pants would fit better. . .

Munching on Apples and Daddy's Poulet Roti

Yup, somebody likes apples. My mother-in-law brought us Panera on Saturday, and I was good and got the apple instead of the potato chips. However, Nick decided that he was going to take custody of the apple for his own amusement. I guess we all figured he was just playing with it.

Nope, he was eating it, and enjoying every bite, apparently. I didn't know a 1-year-old could eat an apple the regular way. We'd always given it to him in little tiny chunks. I suppose I won't trust him with whole apples anymore. Not bad, though, for a little guy with only five teeth.

He's looking at me like, "Mom, what's the big deal? It's just an apple."

Amazing what five teeth can do. Nearly six, since he's teething. Plus Nicholas has a horrible cold, poor guy.  He's coughing pretty bad, but the doctor said it sounded like just a cold.  At least we're all eating pretty healthy. One of my really "unique" resolutions is to eat healthier food. We've been doing pretty well. I've been writing everything I eat down in a little book, and I did four elliptical trainer workouts and two pilates workouts last week. I'm trying to have reasonable expectations for myself.

Greg cooked a delicious dinner for us tonight. I got him a few fancy cookbooks for Christmas, and he used the French one to make Poulet Roti. It looked scrumptious and tasted even better. Nick was trying to grab it before it was even carved. Doesn't this chicken look awesome? I am very lucky to have a guy who can cook. Greg served the chicken on a platter with fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage. We also had fresh asparagus and baked red potatoes. My tummy is very happy, and the meal was pretty good for me, too. Nick sure loved it.

You'll notice in the background of that picture of Greg and Nick one of my neuroses. on the fridge another way I am trying to keep up with those darned resolutions. I do a list of lunches and dinners for each week, so that I don't buy too much food. It keeps us eating healthy and prevents me from stocking the fridge like a natural disaster is coming.

I hope the list helps keep me out of the grocery store. If I don't have a specific plan, I end up hitting the grocery store a couple of times a week, and every time I go in there I buy other random things. I've been pretty bad, at times, about having a fully stocked fridge. When I was in my early 20s, I went through a couple of years where I lived off Ramen and canned pork and beans. Since then, I feel like I need to keep the fridge full "just in case." The list is the only way I keep track and make sure there's enough to eat but not too much. It's a silly paranoia, I know, but I feel more comfortable knowing I could live off the food in my kitchen for weeks.

Back to the Grind. . .

Looking at these pictures from the Museum of Science and Industry last week, I'm already nostalgic for my long, relaxing winter break. Starting back was so hard.  I miss taking naps with Nick and cuddling up with a book on the sofa. Nick, though, was happy to be back at his babysitter's. He loves playing with the other kids, and I think he gets bored at home with just me. I'm going to have to make sure to sign him up for playgroups or something over the summer; he thrives when he gets to play with other kids.

I think I miss Nick now more than I did when he was younger. I feel like by the time I get him home and fed, there's not much time to play before bedtime arrives. Tonight I made sure we had time to play catch. Nick understands if I tell him to throw him the ball. He'll play catch with me, although his aim isn't much better than mine. I'm trying to teach him how to build towers, too. Mainly he just knocks mine over, chews on the blocks, and laughs uproariously.

This picture is from the Idea Factory at the MSI. I love that all of the museums have special areas for babies now. This kid already has plenty of positive experiences with museums, and he's only one. Nick sure loves to play with water. Tonight he got really mad when I pulled him away from splashing in the cat water bowl. Because I'm so mean, you know.

I've been doing pretty well with my resolutions thus far. I haven't lost a pound since leaving the hospital from having Nick, and my endocrinologist told me its my thyroid causing  the problem. She said it was a miracle I hadn't gained weight. I guess your TSH is supposed to be between 0.45 and 4.5, and mine was 68 at my last blood test (it's an inverse relationship). That means I've been very hypothyroid, which explains the desire for constant naps. But my thyroid is no reason to sit on my butt and eat junk, especially when I have a huge, expensive, health-club quality elliptical trainer taking up half of my living room. This year, I think rather than focusing on the weight, I'm going to concentrate on writing down everything I eat and dragging myself onto that torturous elliptical trainer.

I watched The Biggest Loser today and did a 35 minute workout. I love that show, and I'm addicted to it. The new season is especially motivating, and it's great to work out to because the people on the show are always exercising. I noticed, though, that I am hungry more when I'm actively watching what I eat. I actually ate an entire box of those Green Giant mixed veggies. That's two servings, but it filled me up pretty well. I believe I'm going to have to buy a lot more of those. My favorite is the one with black beans because there's a lot of protein in them.

Check out Nick getting some exercise in the padded baby room. I want one of those for adults. I think it would be fun to bounce around and not worry about falling. He pushed over the whole wall. No fear for my little man. He doesn't need a special place to play, though. Nick makes every place a baby room of fun. He's fine in the cart at WalMart, pulling things off of the shelves. Or crawling around the kitchen, pulling out all of the silicone baking cups and cookie cutters. His favorite thus far is to break into the bathroom and dump over the container with the cat toys. . . he must have a thing for catnip.

Getting back to school after break was hard, but I really did miss my kids. It was nice yesterday walking in and having four or five kids in each room run up to me with stories to tell. I don't know what people who don't like their jobs do. . .

Resolutions for 2010

Nick looks a little wary about the new year. He isn't sure what it will bring, and he's a little nervous about what is to come. It is tough to be a toddler.

I'm not sure what his resolutions are, but I have a few in mind for myself. Not that resolutions usually matter by January 7th or so, but I figure it's worth a try. Something about writing down goals makes me more likely to at least attempt to stick to them. This year I want to make my resolutions attainable and reasonable. I also want to use the last day of every month to take account of how I'm doing. I'm going to try to make my last post each month an evaluation of my resolutions. So here goes. . .

Melissa's 2010 Resolutions

1. Exercise more. I don't want to set goals that are out of my league, but I think doing a cardio workout for at least 30 minutes, a minimum of 4 times a week is reasonable. That should make about 16+ workouts each month. I didn't buy an elliptical trainer for nothing.  : )

2. Continue reading to Nicholas every day. Right now I'm averaging about two books on a school night, and 4 or more on other nights. Already, he brings his favorite books to me and sits down on my lap. I want to continue reading to him every day. It is our special time.

3. Plan healthy meals each week. I am pretty good at eating healthy right now, but what will get me is if I don't have something planned for dinner. I've been known to munch on tortilla chips and call that dinner. If I have a plan, I tend to eat better. Weight loss is one goal, but not a resolution. No dieting. If I eat healthy, the last 20 lbs. of baby weight will come off once my thyroid is finally regulated.

4. Have more dates with my husband. As I re-discovered during our trip to Chicago, Greg and I have a lot in common, and we need to set aside some time to be a couple. Maybe we can finish using our dance lessons (he got me a gift certificate last year) or even go to a movie. I can't remember the last movie we went to. .

5. Start to organize my clothing better. The giant vortex that is our bedroom is filled with piles, stacks, and laundry baskets of clothing for every size, type, and season. I have so many clothes, and I keep buying more when I'd probably be okay if I could get it all put away each week. I need to spend less time desperately searching for specific clothing items. I've even been known to buy new things when I cannot find something. (I know, that's bad.) I think my first step will be to hang up everything I can find on Sunday, and pack up everything that doesn't fit. (Wishful thinking just wastes closet space.)

6. Be more positive. I am already much, much better about this than I was in my twenties, but I can improve. Cynicism is neither productive nor attractive, and I know of lots of ways to make myself feel better. My life is pretty awesome, and I need to dwell on the many wonderful things rather than the irritating things. I have a fulfilling job that I enjoy, where I can make a difference everyday. I have a husband and a son, both of whom I adore and are healthy and generally pleasant. We own our own home, have a large, loving extended family, and while we're not rich by any means, we can pay the bills despite the recession. I like my life.

7. Budget more. I'm not committing to anything crazy, but I think I can cut down on trips to the store if I plan a little better and know more about where my money is going. If I use a spreadsheet, this shouldn't be too hard. Small steps.

Well, seven resolutions doesn't sound too bad. I think I can swing these. I'm going to give it a shot, anyway. Now I'm off to put away some baby toys and have a nice glass of wine. Happy New Year, everyone!

Spaghetti Fun and My Snowy Nightmares

So first, the spaghetti fun. As you can see, Nick enjoyed his first taste, and his second, although by his third taste, he was dumping it all over himself. Greg has been on a cooking kick lately, and he tried this great Italian recipe (Spaghetti with Boullinaise Meat Sauce) last weekend. I figured Nick was old enough to try spaghetti, but I stripped him down to his diaper to avoid stains. (No, I'm not a cruel parent. It was 73 degrees in our house at the time.) Yup, Molly's been hanging around the high chair. The other day we fed him salmon, and Molly actually reached onto the highchair to steal a piece. Smart kitty.

Nick has started pointing at everything lately. He's been jabbering more too. Still no official talking, but he's saying "daddy" and "kitty." However, we're not sure he knows what they mean, since he called me "daddy" tonight. We'll keep working on it.

Onward to the nightmare. I am afraid of driving in snow. Tonight there was light snow/sleet/slush, and we're due for more tomorrow. I think the snow was timed just right so that we won't get a snow day. Sigh. I think snow is lovely to look at, but when I know I have to drive in it, I start to get panicky. I've skidded and slipped enough to know that snow=danger. When I got into the car tonight, I had a death grip on the steering wheel. I know logically that it wasn't too bad out, but to me it seemed like I was driving on a sheet of ice. I literally drove no more than 25 mph the entire way home, which is why it took an hour and a half to get home.

That's why I'm up writing this instead of sleeping. Fear. Fear of those tiny white flakes. I worked out on the elliptical trainer today, and it gives me this little burst of energy. I made a deal with myself; I will work out 30 minutes at least 5 days a week (pilates or elliptical) through the month of December, but not worry so much about what I eat. I'm not going to pig out, but I don't want to miss out on the holiday yummies.

So I had a cookie and sat down in front of the tv. That's when I checked the weather, and saw what the roads are going to be like tomorrow. Not enough snow for a day off, but enough to make my morning commute scary. Enough for nightmares and hyperventilation.

I'll end with this cute video of a messy, adorable Nicholas chatting and playing with his food. He actually ate quite a bit of it, this is just at the end of his meal.

Motivation

As a relatively new mother, motivation has sometimes been elusive. Motivation for what? Well, for exercising, eating healthy, finishing my work, hanging up and putting away the giant mountain of clothes in the bedroom, etc. But you can, in fact, bribe yourself into doing what you know is difficult. My husband (a clinical therapist) has talked about how important positive self-talk is, as in cognitive therapy and such. I'm not sure if this is what he meant, but it's sure working for me. For example, this week I've been out after work later. Yesterday it was the grocery store and the chiropractor, and today I started teaching an after school program. Reward? A daily afternoon latte. Nick's reward for being good? I gave him a sample of a chocolate cream puff at the Costco. Check out Nick being motivated by his leftover birthday balloons. :) I bought an elliptical trainer, and in order to make sure that it doesn't become a coat hanger, I need to bribe myself into a healthier lifestyle. Last night I was craving a slice of my freshly baked homemade wheat bread (I'll have to post my latest recipe--it's very good.), but I knew if I sat down to eat it, my day would be all over and I'd never get on the torture machine. So I promised myself that if I worked out for 1/2 hour, I could have a slice of warm bread. 30 minutes, 189 calories, and 1.6 miles later, I was happily sitting on the couch, bread in hand. I even kept my heart rate between 125 and 135 for the whole time, which is my goal. Here's the aforementioned torture machine; I can't remember if I posted its picture before. Elliptical trainers are amazing in the way they can elicit sweat in less than 2 minutes.

Today, I was really craving those tortilla chips. I love the authentic mexican ones that are really hard. mmmmm. So I had a conversation with myself. "Melissa," I said, because sometimes I am a dork and I talk to myself in the second person, "if you do a pilates bodyband workout for 30 minutes, you can have some tortilla chips." Of course, halfway through the pilates DVD I was whimpering and thinking, "No chips are worth this!"


Eating healthy is another challenge for me. I like healthy food, but in the winter my motivation disappears and I just want to eat simple, carb-heavy food like tortilla chips with american cheese (bad, I know). So I negotiate with myself. I have this cherry vinaigrette dressing that I love from http://www.sixlugs.com/, and I just bought a case (at no small expense) because it's the only way I can bring myself to eat salad lately. But if adding goat cheese and fancy dressing gets me to eat a healthy, filling salad, it is worth the cost.

Here's Nick showing me that he has my car keys and he's not giving them back. He's stashed them somewhere at least three or four times and I've had to go on a mad hunt before I leave the house. Check out our Christmas tree and the repurposed baby cage. We got motivated to decorate this Sunday. The tree was very easy for Greg to set up. . . we never took it down from last year, just took off the ornaments and put it in the basement. But the baby cage actually had to be anchored around the tree, because Nick would love to try to climb the tree and knock it over. This cage may not hold Nick anymore, but it holds the tree and protects it from the wrath of one persistant toddler. (Oh, and one cat who likes to chew on the plastic branches, for some odd reason.)

My wish is that my motivation will continue, at least for the immediate future. My goal for December is to work out at least 20 days, maybe more, and to eat fewer Christmas cookies than I usually do. If I manage to lose even two pounds, I think I'll treat myself to a full manicure and pedicure. Perhaps that will motivate me.

Exhaustion and a Weekly Date

I have been pretty exhausted lately. In this picture, it looks like Greg is pretty beat, too. He was supervising Nick while he perused the travel books. Before having a child, I didn't often lay on the floor because I was tired. Now, I do it all the time. I actually fell asleep sitting up on the couch for about 15 minutes this afternoon. I think something about the cold weather and the dark skies makes me just want to hibernate and eat chocolate chip cookies.

It's funny how when you like a job, it can completely sap all of your energy. I feel like I've done some of my best lessons lately. I prepare PowerPoints, I use cooperative structures, I plan alternative assessments. But I've been doing way more work at home than I'd like. Thus the involvement of caffeine, which is one of my dearest friends. This Tuesday and Thursday, I had to work very late and then pick up Nick from my mom and stepdad's house. The only way I made it through both days was with a 4 p.m. latte. My latte order is pretty crazy, too. Only Starbucks will do, and it is a "tall, sugar-free caramel skim latte, extra hot, with 5 Splendas, an extra pump of the sugar free syrup, and in a grande cup with whipped cream up to the top." Yup, I'm nuts. Today, however, I didn't have my latte and I've been ready to crash since 5:30. I'm hoping once the elliptical trainer we ordered gets here, I'll be able to start working out every night, and maybe that'll give me some energy. Natural energy, perhaps, rather than my $3.75 cup of joy and sanity.

Now Nicholas has absolutely no shortage of energy. Today, I put him on the floor for literally 20 seconds while I laid my purse and keys on the counter, and he had crawled around the corner and up three stairs before I got to him. It's like every fiber of his being is focused on movement, whether it's crawling or cruising.

Above you can see Nick on his new toy. It's not actually new; I bought it last summer for $2 at a garage sale. Yes, I cleaned it with a 10:1 bleach solution and let it air dry before letting my child play with it. This is definitely a little boy. He loves to play with toy cars, motorcycles, and the remote control. He also is mesmerized by bright colors on the TV screen, although we try to keep him from watching too much of that. But he still picks up books to flip through over other toys, and he will sit and listen to between 2 and 5 books every night, depending on his mood.

This afternoon Nick and I had our weekly date. Nearly every Friday, we go to Costco to buy greek yogurt, milk, fruit, wine, and frozen pizza. I do buy other things, but those are the necessary staples of life. You'd be surprised how many yogurts (24) and gallons of milk (3) we go through in a week. Nicholas loves the Costco because of the samples. That, and he also loves flirting with the ladies. Today we sampled garlic bread, smoothies, turkey sausage, mango juice (delicious), and turkey breast. I almost bought him some new board books today, but I held off because his birthday is next week. He also has a bad habit. You see, every week when the cashier hands me the receipt, I hold it in my hand because they check receipts at the door. Nick always grabs it out of my hand and stuffs it in his mouth. Costco receipts must be tastier than most; he grins hugely as he stuffs the long receipt in and chews.

TGIF

Another long week is finished, and I have a 3 day weekend to look forward to. . . TGIF indeed. This week (Sunday-Friday) I have worked out twice at the YMCA and done two pilates bodyband workouts. Each time I went to the Y I did 35 minutes on the elliptical trainer while keeping my heart rate somewhere between 125 and 135. Not too bad, but man am I tired.


Here is Nick doing his workout with the piano. He bangs until he's tired, and then he tries to use it to stand up. Then he cries when it falls over and he crashes into the keys. Nick doesn't have to worry about his weight, though. He looks cute when his belly sticks out. Me, not so much.


I also ate pretty healthy and slept well. Then came Friday. At my work, Fridays are "treat day." People who work in schools already know that they are evil places for those trying to lose weight. Each place has their own tradition, none of which is healthy. My school has Friday breakfasts. There are all sorts of selections, such as "sausage cheesy dip," "homemade chocolate cake with fudgy frosting," "brie with apples and craisins," "potato cheesy casserole," "tiny cupcakes with tons of frosting," "giant bagels with cream cheese," "yummy pesto with pine nuts, "amazingly large, soft cookies," "tortilla chips with salsa," and "giant bowl of fresh popcorn." With as many good cooks as my school has, it's surprising we're a school and not a restaurant. Fridays are my downfall. Today it was the brie and the popcorn. Yes, for breakfast. It was good. I had some level of moderation, but I still probably had more calories during the day than I have all week.

I am still going to try to do that pilates tape tonight, no matter how tired I am. I used to figure "What the heck, I already ruined the day." Then I would proceed to sit on my rear end and read, without any thought to exercise.

Today, though, I am going to try to work off that brie and chocolate cake by doing pilates until I can barely drag myself up the stairs. That is committment. :)

Nick is playing with his stuffed giraffe here, and grinning happily at the camera. He's just thrilled whenever I let him explore outside of the baby cage. This feeling of crawling freedom is heady and exciting for him. I think he probably feels the same way I did when I got my first driver's license.

He's also understanding more the way his toys work. Take his gumball machine, for an example. He finally figured out how to make the balls come out, and he loves pushing the lever again and again. Good for him. To be easily amused is a wonderful thing.

Coxsackie Virus and a Crazy Cowlick

I love this picture. I surprised Nick with the camera, and he wasn't sure what to think. But the real reason I love the picture is the adorable cowlick on the back of his head. He has this fuzzy blonde little piece of hair that just won't stay down.

Nick had coxsackie virus this week, and this was his first time being really sick. He was extremely crabby on Monday night, and he freaked out on me when I left him at the YMCA. He was inconsolable and just wanted to be held. That was my first day back at work, so I thought the schedule change was upsetting him.

When Greg was getting Nick ready on Tuesday, he noticed that he felt hot, and his temperature was over 102. Our doctor said it was probably a virus. So he stayed home Tuesday, and Nick was having really high fevers by that evening. I was on the phone with the doctor after I got a temperature reading of 104.8, but I guess that can happen with babies. Nick was better the next day, and my stepdad watched him for us. (Thank goodness! He is a lifesaver--Greg and I don't get a lot of time off.)


He is doing better now, except that he's been super crabby the last few days. I've also noticed that Nick has started to mature more. I guess when the doctor checked him on Thursday, he'd lost a pound, but he is moving way more than he was before. He's even driving his little car, with his hands at ten and two!

Anytime he's down on the floor, he is wiggling around, scooting, rolling, and trying to pull up. This morning Greg found him sitting up in his crib, which he's never done before. Then, tonight, I watched him switch from laying down on his back up to sitting and then down onto his tummy up to his hands and knees. That kid is in shape! He can move 5 or 6 feet to get to something he wants, like the ritz cracker below.

As for me, I'm proud to say that I managed to do three pilates band workouts and go to the YMCA twice. Each time I did 35 minutes on the elliptical trainer and kept my heart rate between 125 and 140 the whole time (about 2 miles). It might not sound like a lot, but for me, that's a great week of exercise. Tomorrow I want to go back to the Y and do a longer workout. Hey, at least I'm trying.

No More Excuses!

For several months, I've been putting off getting back into a regular workout schedule. My endocrinologist said my thyroid is all screwed up, and that is why I'm having trouble losing the last 20 (okay, 25+) pounds of baby weight. Part of it is tiredness--taking care of a baby is a workout in itself, though not one that results in cardiovascular health or weight loss.

I also felt guilty about dropping Nick off at the child care center at our YMCA. "He's too young," I thought. "He'll get scared if I leave him with strange people." But today I decided to try it.

Nick was totally fine. Not only did he not cry when I left him, he reached out for the day care teacher and grinned at her. Didn't even look back at me. I was chopped liver. This was new and exciting and colorful. And loud.

The whole time I was on the elliptical trainer and the strength machines, I was listening for my name to be called over the intercom. I never heard it. That's because the child care center has TOYS. NEW TOYS that Nicholas has never seen before. Plus, there are new people and other babies there. In other words, Nick was in baby heaven. I swear, I went to pick him up and he didn't want to come. He just kept chewing on a plastic cookie and blinking, as if maybe I would go away again and he could play some more. Usually he's happy to see me, and when I hold out my arms, he raises his for me to pick him up. Not today. He just looked at me long and hard and then looked away.

So now I have absolutely no excuse not to work out. I'm sure that there's nothing more Nick would rather do than play in this wonderful place for a few hours a week. Fun for him, but not so much for me. I'm the one who has to sweat. No matter how much I try, I hate exercising. I love a brisk walk or some hiking or casual swimming. But true exercise is something I've always hated. When I had take PE, I was always the kid standing around in left field who ducked when someone threw a ball her way. Now when I exercise, I always bring a book to get my mind off of things. Perhaps I can forget I'm even exercising until the torture is finished. The great thing about an elliptical trainer is that it tracks your heart rate and beeps when you need to go faster. Therefore, I can read and zone out. That is my kind of exercise.

Unfortunately, today I brought "I Was Told There'd Be Cake," by Sloane Crosley. Not that it was a bad book. Actually, I thought it was charming, clever, and well-written. It made me laugh out loud more than once. But I realized about halfway through it that I HAD READ IT BEFORE. At first, I thought maybe I'd done that preview thing on amazon and read the first chapter. But I recognized the plot of every single essay. I read it again anyway, though. It was great even the second time.

For some reason, I was very motivated today. I ended up doing some hard core gardening and watering all morning. I researched online and found that the best way to kill the beetles is to drown them in soapy water and leave the bodies for their friends to find. Gruesome, but true.

I trimmed bushes, watered my garden, and cut down the catnip again. (It keeps getting out of control.) I killed at least 4 nasty prickly weeds, each over 2 ft. tall. Even though those darned Japanese beetles (for that is what they are called) ate lots of strawberry leaves, they didn't touch the nasturiums. Don't they look pretty?