Straightening Up

Walked out the house about 8:15-ish with plans to go to yoga but when I felt the humidity, I changed my plans because my Sunday agenda included cutting the grass and I knew that I had to seize the moment before it got hotter...

Also did yard work a.k.a. pull weeds and had to make myself go in the house before I passed out. You know how it is, though, when you just want to finish that task at hand...

I did get a chance to practice yoga at Ballpark Village on Wednesday and it was amazing. I've been struggling to find a class, pace and asana-wise but there was no struggle on Wednesday so I was surprised when Patti said that the pace seemed fast to her -- proof that people like different things.

I liked Wednesday's instrumental soundtrack even though the Chariots of Fire theme made me want to mock run. Wasn't sure what to do with the Amazing Race theme song.

Reclining Pigeon Cam

I've been uncluttering -- again. My aunt Girt also mentioned that she was trying to straighten up too. I told her about Marie's Kondo's Does it bring you joy? question and she said That's not going to work for me.

What I Did

Do we have a lunch/dinner agenda?? What are we going to dooo???

Got this text from my aunt Girt yesterday. I also wondered what I was going to do:

Yoga followed by Zumba?

Yoga or Zumba? A double dose of yoga?

Knew that I wanted to gather for birthday lunch because I had my eye on evening yoga...

Ended up going to a.m. yoga with Alison. I like getting on my mat first thing in the morning to set intentions on my birthday. Plus, practicing next to a friend is always nice. Alison and I went to Jim's class -- just my second class with Jim whose voice reminds me of Ben Stein. Jim was born to teach a slow flow class.

Jim's funny:

If you have trouble balancing, go the wall -- that's what I put them there for.

And serious:

When the mind is quiet, the real world comes in -- not the world we made up.

Ended my day with Zumba which was a nice touch because Zumba's a total party atmosphere. Shawny kept adjusting the music. I need it loud, she said. Surprise, surprise...

After lunch saw that my neighbor had her puppies on the lawn. I'm not going to mention the 10 mosquito bites that I acquired while playing with the puppies. My neighbor wants to give me a puppy and somewhere along the way, she thinks that I said yes. As adorable as they are, a dog needs someone who's going to be home more than I'm at home and there's the expense too but, dang, they're adorable...

Sweet a.k.a. Veggie Burger for B-day Lunch

How I Felt After Yoga (Artwork by Cbabi @ Sweet Art)

Watermelon Sorbet (Shared)

It's a fight.

And the winner is.

Treats

There Are Hurdles

Would did you do to my brother? my aunt Girt asked as soon as I took a seat last Sunday.

Knew that my uncle had struggled at the end of the bike ride last Saturday but he'd also told me that he had been riding around in his neighborhood etc.

Also, when I ride with others, I try to make sure that I stop for breaks. Actually, when I'm by myself I like to stop too. At any rate, I don't want to be the reason that someone gets discouraged and doesn't try an activity again...

Dred and Harriet Scott Statue, Old Courthouse
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Set out on my own this morning and didn't know if I wanted to tackle the whole trail or do part of the ride. Since I didn't have anything pressing standing in my way, I headed toward the end of the trail.

About 15 miles into the ride, I struggled to get close to the Arch again. Even though I'd been drinking water and had an orange, I know why those wise bicyclists have two water cages. Got home and slammed down four glasses of water. Checked my email and had a new Fitbit badge. Supposedly, I've climbed as high as a hot air balloon travels (2,000 floors) since I've had the Fitbit.

It's nice to have an electronic cheerleader and validation for knocking out those hills on the Riverfront Trail. There are hurdles in the form of a wicked incline that you have to get up before crossing over and getting to the end of the trail at the Chain of Rocks Bridge and, hello, you get to immediately climb back up an incline once you decide to stop looking at the Mississippi River and head back downtown.

SLPD Representing...

Geese Representing...

No matter which gear I had to change into, I was determined not to walk my bike up a single hill  -- my second challenge of the day. Mile tally: 21.6...

Selfie For The Shy Person

Heat, 1; 'Drea, 0 

Listened to several podcasts and almost fell off my bike when I heard a StoryCorps episode about the Monson Motor Lodge incident that happened in St. Augustine, Fl. Several demonstrators jumped into the segregated pool and the manager poured acid in. I believe it was J. T. Johnson who said that he wasn't worried about the amount of acid and he also knew that they would be removed from the pool fairly soon.

It's hard for me to listen to We Shall Overcome and I'm pretty sure that I turned the sound down when Congress marked the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act by singing that song but hearing the story of the Monson Motor Lodge made me think about how I so freely jump into any pool that I want...

On another note, the 'Fugee and I watched The Lunchbox last night. In her words, it's a lovely movie.