hitting refresh

Today my quads are screaming at me. My biceps and maybe some other ceps or toids in my upper arms are also joining in the fray like when I exert my powerful strength to open a 10 ounce bottle of orange juice. I am fierce! My weekend was relaxing, but also challenging.

Last week I reached Thursday emotionally and physically drained. I'm really trying to not sound like an 80 year old woman who complains about her ailments, so I'll spare you the gory details. But I have to give a short summary: Exhibit A: searing pain shooting from one tooth up into my eye socket and ears, combined with chest and sinus congestion. I skipped all my work outs this week because most of the time I felt like punching someone, or was tired and coughing, and visiting doctors and dentists. (tooth is on the mend!) Then there were the emotional strains. Exhibit B: At the office - I'm flying solo again, (long story) and was asked to help confront/talk to/soothe another woman who has been really passive aggressive and not helping out much around the office. Super fun on a Friday afternoon! Exhibit C: The icing on the cake was the toll of an unemployed husband who was spending more time with his Xbox than I thought was healthy. Oh, I was a cranky butt.

So I escaped. Luckily I have a friend who lives on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and I hadn't been out to her place in a long time. I called her and she was thrilled and said of course I could come visit. It was the perfect weekend to go. Our first decent weather in 180 days, temperatures in the city reaching over 80, so out on the water, it was perfect. Sunny, breezy and gorgeous. Walking on the beach, hiking on Cape Flattery, and talking about whatever I felt like (or didn't) was just rejuvenation I needed. But on to the screaming muscles, we also worked out. My friend and I marveled that we were the same women who met 16 years ago in college. In those days, we would eat a pint of Ben & Jerry's in one sitting, (our mini-fridge freezers were too small, we HAD to, really!) and hide from our suite mate who would knock on our doors at 6 am for an aerobics class. But here we are, I go for a relaxing weekend away and we're both looking forward to exercise. I am so proud to be this kind of woman now.

My friend works in a small town and so there are a handful of her co-workers who pay one personal trainer to work out with them 5 days a week, so I got to join one of their workouts. On Saturday it was a series of strength training and cardio activities. I think my undoing were the "Mountain Climbers." Actually they should be called Miserable Activity That Will Hurt For 2 Days Later series. Here, you try! Feet, hip-width apart. Bend at the waist, putting your hands on the floor a few feet in front of you, so that you are in a ^ position. Now, move your legs like you're climbing a mountain. It is almost like running in place, you bring your foot up toward your hands, while bending your knee, then back in place, and bring your left up. When you've done both legs, that's one. We did 45 of those jobbies, and spent Sunday saying "Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow" when we tried to sit down. And then jump squats. Do you know how hard it is to do a squat and then jump at the end? Launching 225 pounds into the air ain't easy, baby. And then, The Plank. Oh this is not easy. Trying something new is a great way for me to challenge my body, and in this case, it also made me feel like all that work I had been doing in Pilates was for naught. The Plank is hard, my friends. Hard. But I did it! (for about 20 seconds, 3 times, but I did it!)

After our work out I was treated to a traditional native american sweat lodge. It was more like a garden shed sauna, but I was grateful to be invited. Just letting myself be, is hard for me. I always like to be active, but this was perfect. I listened while they talked about work, and focused on how my body was feeling, and meditated on things I want to change or work on, and thought about all the good things in my life. They told me that it would make my skin glow, and clear out toxins. Boy howdy, they were right. I returned home and my husband remarked that my skin looked "moisturized" even though he thought that wasn't the right word. It really was glowing, I think.

I also returned home to find that our yard which had been looking pretty Sanford & Son was mowed, weed-whacked and my tulips were blooming! And our bedroom that was also headed toward Sanford & Son territory was cleaned, sorted, dusted and vacuumed. I can see the carpet, I can fit my books on my nightstand, and can see the photos in frames. I took pictures, because, Wow. I don't think the Xbox even came on this weekend. Hubby said he thought if he was busy, the weekend would go by much faster and I would be home sooner. Awww, shucks. Perfect to come home to.

So there was my weekend - now I am back to work and although my tooth is still tender, and I still have a bit of a cough, I am emotionally rejuvenated. And that's the best part! Time to hunker down and work out those calories, get back to the gym and get to that 70 pound mark. I know I will get there.