Things Laryngitis Taught Me

• There is a lesson in every thing. (I spelled the word everything in two words on purpose for em-pha-sis)
• If you can't yell you don't yell.
• When you speak softly, other people around you start to do the same.
• There is something to be said for talking less and thinking more.
• Taking pause and reserving comment for another time is most useful when engaging with your spouse. (Love ya, honey.)
• Talking less increases your patience.

Exercise Update

Last I visited the topic of exercise was in my post Running As Fast As I Can where I engaged in wanderlust about running and committed to a runner's life (or my version of it. )

The day after I wrote that post I injured myself by lightly running for fifteen minutes on a treadmill.

Not exactly sure how I did it. I am sure I spent the next week walking around with hip, lower back, and shoulder pain along with the overwhelming feeling that my joints were on fire.

Enter Crazy Track Lady who was almost Crazy Trampoline Lady until my husband convinced me that jumping up and down on a trampoline was not going to be the best solution to my fragile bodied woes.

He suggested I walk on the track at the Y (slowly) and listen to music.

Well, walking around slowly didn't appeal to me until I put my own spin on it.

Introducing The Dance/Walk Workout. All it takes is you, music, earplugs and a willingness to shake your groove thing in public when no one else is dancing.

Yup! I'm that lady who people try to avoid making eye contact with because I'm dancing like no one else is watching except they are watching because I'm at the gym. 

I dance to Beyonce, Broadway, Bono as well as artists whose names start with other letters of the alphabet.

Due to my physical limitations, I use small movements and I keep the dancing somewhat low key.
It's hard to contain myself, though. If I had my druthers, I'd be in full on Fame-I-want-to-live-forever mode.

An acquaintance who takes the Spin Class that happens at the same time I workout told me that she tells her fellow cyclists, "She's a writer! She's working on her next idea."

What she inadvertently revealed was that her fellow cyclists talk about me and whatever they say compels her to come to my defense.

I don't care.

I've seen just as many people looking my way with longing wishing they had the boxy to do my workout rather than have their trainer barking in their ears.

Anyway, that's what I choose to believe.

So now, I'm not running as fast as I can. I am dance/walking as fast as I can. Which is pretty slow.

But it sure is fun.




Meet Chester my midlife crisis

My family convinced me to adopt him. It didn't take much. It was love at first sight. After an entire weekend of trying to talk myself out of it we went ahead and picked him up on Monday. 

Did I mention I'm not really a dog person? In fact, we already have a dog I inherited through marriage with whom I have a complicated relationship.

This is Falstaff meeting Chester.

As you can see Falstaff is quite large. He's also a sheep dog which means it is in his nature to herd people, animals; pretty much anything that moves. He is always underfoot and on several occasions has almost caused me to fall down the stairs of our house to my death.

I love him. I really do. 

We also have four kids and not a ton of extra space.

Hence the reason why adopting Chester is clearly me grasping for my waning youth.

Wait what?

No. Giving in to Chester is simply my choice to have more love. 

To give. To take.

I embrace.

More chaos. Less room.  More love. More life. 

Plus, look at that face.