Monday, May 28, 2018

Remembrance

When I made it the gym this morning, the Zumba class was about to begin. Thought that I could easily make the 10:00 a.m. start time -- apparently not. I only missed a few moves though. After class, went by a couple of stores then checked in with Chiquita to see if she had been to the cemetery. She hadn't so I ate then headed across the river.

As I headed down a main street, I saw a man in the yard with a pit bull and it made me think of my aunt Carolyn's boyfriend who visited once and spotted this young man with a pit bull and he had a gut feeling that the dog was being used for fighting.

All that to say, I'm amazed by triggers. Pit bull = memories of my aunt.

Chiquita wanted to purchase a headstone for her mom and they were having a Memorial Day sale. I didn't know that they did that at the cemetery; there was also a drawing for a gift card.

When I stopped by one of the stores earlier, it registered that the flowers were more expensive and then I remembered -- Memorial Day. I have mixed emotions anyway. I think real flowers should be for the living.

Someone had placed a flag at my father's grave. Thought about my grandparents, aunts, uncle and cousin who are in the cemetery and that line from Andy Dufresne in the Shawshank Redemption -- Get busy living or get busy dying -- went through my head.

Seeing the flag at my father's grave made me remember a story that he told me about military life at that time and now Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around is also in my head.

On the way back, we rode down the street where I grew up, partially, then we headed to a cousin's house. I don't know this cousin that well but when I looked at her, I kept thinking my grandfather's niece. On the ride back to get my car, Chiquita mentioned how my aunt Al liked to joke that my father would do anything for you except give you money. Chiquita remembered how my father would take her back and forth to college but warned her that he wasn't going to keep transporting her trove of shoes.

I keep thinking about this woman at the cemetery. She had a lot of paraphernalia around her at a grave and she was seated on the grounded as if she intended to set up camp. Chiquita asked her if she was okay and she said that she was all right.


Saturday, May 26, 2018

No One Enters A Yoga Studio With Shoes On

Woke up softly then chilled out at home until it was time to depart for an 11:00 a.m. Zumba class. After class, proceeded to a place where I got a smoothie then headed home to take a shower before going to a three hour yoga workshop.

The workshop, with Doug Keller, was about pranayama and yoga nidra.  We practiced the bee-breathing technique (among others) and it was "group"powerful. During the final yoga nidra, I woke myself up with my snoring and, as I put my yoga props away, I got really puzzled about where my shoes were until I realized that, duh, no one enters a yoga studio with shoes on. I definitely had a yoga buzz going on.

Prop-alicious
As people gathered by the door, someone mentioned Lululemon and I got annoyed because I wonder about the sadist who came up with leggings. I also don't see myself buying a $100 dollar pair of leggings or pants. Someone else mentioned K-Deer  which also has similarly priced clothing.

Maybe I was annoyed because I don't see myself fitting into leggings anytime soon. Someone said that this well known plus-size yoga teacher wears leggings -- which still does not make me want to put my thick thighs in a pair. The person also mentioned the need for performance clothes when practicing yoga and, to them, Lululemon fits the bill.

Guess that I shouldn't judge Lululemon since I've never owned anything from there. Maybe their clothes are amazing and it just feels like a status symbol to me.

One of the yoga teachers saw that I was about to gather more steam and she said Yeah, it's totally about what makes you feel comfortable. 

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Because

Took a couple of days off from work because I needed a couple of days off from work.

Did I really have a vacation in February? That trip seems like it happened eons ago. The 'Fugee came to pick me up at 10 and we went to the Botanical Garden. The parking lot was already full when we arrived. It's hard to believe that, in the middle of the week, so many people are at the garden. Why am I not there on Wednesday more often? A woman could get used to an abbreviated workweek under the right circumstances.

It was a nice day -- a bit warm but there was a breeze. I took 91 pictures with my real camera and more with my iPod.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of the day.

Amphitrite a.k.a. Merbaby (a favorite spot)

Sundial
Woodpecker

I really wanted to get a close-up of the couple sitting peacefully on the bench in the Japanese Garden.

Japanese Garden
Favorite picture of the 'Fugee.

The 'Fugee capturing me...

Saturday, May 19, 2018

I Want...

Riverfront Trail
Picked up an ice coffee before I went to the 'Fugee's last night because, without the coffee, I doubt that I would have made it through Ice Mother.

During one scene in the movie, I was thinking it as the 'Fugee said it, You hardly see older people having sex in movies. Later on, the 'Fugee wondered what was going to happen with the story because it's a foreign film. Her speculation was correct because we were left at the end of the movie wanting more plot...

We also watched the Turkey episode of Bare Feet. I want to go to Turkey and stay in the Cappadocia Cave Suites.

Made plans to bicycle with Alison whose been itching to try out her new bike. Not sure what they make these "workhorse" bikes out of but my bike was no match. I had a hard time keeping up with Alison. Before, we used to ride side-by-side. However, Alison said she felt like she was struggling on her 20-year-old bike. Not sure how the biking will work out in the future. The difference in bikes is why I seldom bike with Patti and her crew.

At any rate, we took a break around mile eight and this woman commented that we were sitting in the sun. There is really no good place to sit until the organization that maintains the trails finishes with this one shelter/picnic area.

The woman, Erma, had on all the accoutrements of a veteran bicyclist: jersey, cycling shoes, a helmet with a mirror etc. I asked Erma about her average mileage and she said 15 is her low side and 40 is on the high end. Age has slowed me down. I told her that there was no comment from me as the most I've ever done is 20 something miles...

We finished our ride and since I was already dirty, I clipped a few pressing weeds then cleaned up.

Spent the rest of my time hanging up clothes, hand washing a few items and looking for my best pair of glasses that had been missing since Tuesday. Finally, I looked in my swim bag again and the glasses where there.

Went grocery shopping and when I came back, heard an owl. A couple of neighbors heard it too. Hearing the owl was a nice way to end the day.


Monday, May 14, 2018

Shift

Spotted along today's route.
Knowing that I wouldn't be able to make it to Zumba, I decided to walk to work.

The front-end of the day was the best option given the toasty weather and I also wanted to shift my day by changing up my routine. I ended up walking a different way when I saw this woman tidying up. She paused to say "hello" then asked me if I wanted water.

She made my freaking day...

Went to a sound meditation -- it was the last one of the season since the gatherings are associated with a school's wellness community.

The Himalayan gong, the singing bowls and the tongue drum just create a magical and relaxing experience for me.

It was tough missing Zumba but I know that I can go again soon.

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Connectedness

For today, I was either going to goat yoga or I was going to visit a living yoga studio. The latter was more appealing because it less time was involved.

Part of me also wanted to squeeze in Zumba. Instead, I mopped the kitchen floor then went to yoga at the living studio at a farm in Ferguson.

I'm not quite sure what I was expecting but we had to weigh the "life" down in the studio with our mats. The kids that were present didn't really dig the bubble bees and the youngest stayed vigilant -- he literally had his eyes on the ground the whole time. The woman in charge of the farm let us know that there would be "farm noises" because it is a working farm yadda yadda yadda.

Living Yoga Studio

It was hot today.

Sometimes you forget about creature comforts and even though I consider myself adventurous when it comes to sampling exercises, I'm not that adventurous about being outdoors. For real, I'm not that fond of dirt and still...

Being on a farm makes me think of my grandfather and my great, great grandmother etc. Most seem to acclimate to the heat  and embrace the experience.  Practicing yoga on that farm in that living studio made me feel grounded and connected. I could have lingered on the farm for a long time...

Best Ever Mint Water

Part of the Class\

Not Part of the Class
Outside of the Living Studio
I didn't work over 50 hours this week but I'm totally feeling this woman:



Also feeling Shonda Rhimes:




Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Goings-On

Didn't go to Zumba yesterday because I saw that the regular teacher had something come up unexpectedly at work. It turns out that she got nominated for an award for choreography that she did for a school play.

I walked back to work. Got in about 8,000 steps but still felt the urge to bicycle so I did. Went for a short ride -- about five miles.

Today I walked back to work after lunch again. Was feeling sluggish so I didn't go swimming. Instead, I siphoned dirty water out of the fish tank which was an overdue task then I pulled more weeds out of the backyard since tomorrow is yard trash day.

Spotted on my walk; he's been up there for a while.
Also spotted on my walk.

Looked for my good glasses for about 30 minutes. Overall, just feeling tapped out.

The staff appreciation committee came around with coffee, bagels and Danishes. I passed up on the bread products because I had eaten breakfast but I did get coffee which took my total up to about 24 ounces for the day.

Light Roast
Since I'm walking, I'm listening to podcasts again and a lot of them are the usual suspects like The Moth and Death, Sex and Money. I also listened to Yoga Girl's podcast, From the Heart, for the first time and really liked it -- probably because it was about travel. I also enjoyed listening to Yoga Girl and her husband; it was a nice exchange.




Took the picture below as I bicycled on Monday. Kind of like that it's crooked.

The road less traveled?

Oh yeah, I'm also enjoying Mickela Mizzoli's Bare Feet.



Thursday, May 3, 2018

Feelings

Went climbing tonight.

I'm feeling confident on the wall again. 

In general, I feel like I'm shedding the heaviness of winter and making better decisions about eating. While it wasn't rock bottom, I was certainly indulging in foods that I should have left alone. 

In many ways, I feel like I'm struggling with stuff like getting myself ready for work, household chores etc. 

I also don't feel like I'm in the zone of contentment like I was for a long time. I'm short-tempered and I feel my reactions to certain people are juvenile and that's not where I want to be.