Jessica Smith and Friends 2021

[donnamp]

Hi Everyone,

We have also been having nice weather here - DD and I walked yesterday evening after work.

Today, so far has been:

Moving Mango - Tropical Burn Pilates Series Day 1 - this was a nice routine. I'm not sure what else to say about it! Hannah is very soft spoken and calm and the room where she filmed is very bright and light -so it had a good vibe to it. This was a little over 30 minutes and included a warm-up and cool down. The time did not drag for me so that was good.

Hannah releases something new just about every day and has many series on her channel. I don't know how she does it!

I will probably walk more later today!

Sherry - my DD met w/ her summer advisor via zoom yesterday - to talk about her schedule. She is going to be taking both Biology and Chemistry first semester so she will be really busy, which is a good thing, less time for angst.

Pam - that sounds like a nice combo!

Waves, wishiwasinhawaii and Liz!


Donna

[Pam61]

Hi Ladies,

I did Dean's Yoga Fix (Day 3) as well as Lauren Brooks' Swing Challenge (Day 1!) I did Dean's yoga so much last month, he hasn't gotten much attention this month. Kettlebell's of any kind, it's been a while. Maybe next month I'll do alternate days of kettlebells/yoga, but who knows?

Have a good one everyone!

[Leonana]

Yesterday evening I did Jessica Valent's 20 Minute Full Body Stretch - For Flexibility and Relaxation. Unfortunately, my lower back was still a bit sore afterwards, I needed more stretching of the glutes, so I did more reps of the one called Lying Figure 4 stretch. That is the best one for relieving my sore lower back. But it was a good stretch, with some different moves I haven't done before.

Today I did Jessica Smith's 18 Minute Full Body Stretching Flexibility Routine from her 2016 Healthy for the Holidays Challenge. I also did Milton Chiropractic's Quick 4-minute fix for Neck Hump. I think those moves are something I need to do every morning. They are good for people who sit a lot, and I slouch a lot due to my scoliosis.

Later, I did my volunteer filing. I also did some errands. I went to Walmart for some items for the bedroom and guest bath, since dd took them with her. She had an Amazon package, and I was hoping to see her this evening when she got off work. We are on her way home. But she said she had more packages coming in, and would get them all on Sunday. I was hoping to see her today But she gets off late, around 9:45, so I can understand just wanting to go home. I guess we are fortunate to see her once a week. Boy, no one tells you this stuff at the baby shower, lol.

I won’t be painting the spare bedroom this weekend. Dh ripped off the baseboards, and some of the sheet rock. I have to wait until he repairs the sheet rock before I paint.

Our couple friends are moving northeast two hours away, to Payson. The wife is my Goodwill friend. DH and I are bummed about that. But their daughter and sil moved there and opened a restaurant. They are going up there to help them with the restaurant, and help take care of their three granddaughters. I guess dh and I will have to visit them, it's in the mountains and about 15 degrees cooler than here. It's not the highest elevation in Arizona, there are colder areas, but it's definitely cooler than Phoenix. They get a bit of snow in the winter. It would be nice to go during the hot summer, but that's dh's busy time at work. For some reason, people don't want to move themselves when it's 115 degrees, lol. So, we will probably go later in the year.

My brother and sister are two hours north in Prescott, and I'm going to visit next week. Probably by myself since dh has to work. It's slightly cooler than Payson, so I will enjoy that.

Well, I won't have my friend to chat with, so I'll probably be chattier here! I told dh we need to get out and meet people. But that's so hard at age 60.

Donna, that's so nice you and your dd walk together. The one thing my dd will do with me is watch a series on Netflix, and I do enjoy that. Biology and Chemistry sound like a tough combo, I'm sure it will keep her busy. My dd is taking math next semester, that's her hard class. I doubt she will do two science classes at once, it would overwhelm her. But she works 25-30 hours a week, so most likely she will take longer than four years. Unless, she changes her mind and moves back home.

Pam, alternate days of yoga and kettlebells sounds like a challenging routine. I would imagine it would be great for the body, strengthening and toning.

[Pam61]

Sherry,

Sorry to hear your couple friends are moving, but at least they aren't so far that you couldn't still visit them. We had two pairs of friends (that we used to play board games with here) both move out of state and we really miss them! We only have one other couple that are about an hour north of us, but we haven't seen them since all of this pandemic nonsense.

I remember Payson and Prescott, both. DH and I spent our honeymoon in Prescott and it was nice. We explored many towns in and around Arizona, all over the place. Since DH grew up there, he thought nothing of just getting in the car and driving someplace new, usually on the weekends. It was harder to do when we both had jobs, but we still found time to explore. My MIL lives just outside of Flagstaff. And my niece will be going to NAU in the Fall, having just graduated from HS, too!

It's understandable that you would miss your daughter. And her going to school and moving into her own apartment is probably bitter sweet for you both.

I have never felt better doing so much yoga and that lying figure 4 stretch is a good one. I think I'm going stick to the yoga, especially the older I get. Tonight I did Barbara Benagh's Yoga for Stress Relief PM workout and it was nice, too! I was reclining on my side and stretching out my shoulders and DH came into the room and thought I was asleep, LOL!

Good night!

[lizh]

Hi all,
How are you?
I'm still having a hard time getting back in my work out groove. Ugh! But today I started the day with Jane Adams Gentle yoga. It was called "Morning Energy". It was a good way to start the day. I've been sitting way too much!

In other news, I bought a subscription to Ellen Barrett, so I have all my bases covered if I can get myself to actually do some work outs.

Looks like I will have to go back to work starting on June 28 for 3 days a week. Ugh! The "higher ups" are still figuring it out, but the woman I work for is very insistent that we get back in the office. She also insists that we are there on Mondays and Fridays so we don't have "4 day weekends". So annoying! Enough about that.

Pam - glad to hear the yoga has you feeling your best! It is so nice when we find the right workout groove!

Donna - Wow! Biology and Chemistry! That will certainly keep your daughter busy and challenged.

Sherry - I hope you are doing okay in the heat. It is all over the news how horrid the heat wave is and I don't know how we escaped it, but we have had beautiful weather and haven't even turned on the AC. Just another day in paradise! Sorry to hear about your couple friends. I agree it is hard to make friends at our age. Our couple friends got divorced a couple of years ago so now just she and I get together. 2 hours away isn't too bad though. You can make it up and back in the same day if you wanted to.

Now things are opening up, does anyone have any travel plans? I'm looking into a long weekend in Los Angeles just to see something different and stay in a hotel and escape. Hopefully before the summer is over but work is so stinking busy!

Waves to wishiwasinhawaii!
Liz

[donnamp]

Hi,

No workout to report today - yet - DD and I walked last night and I'm procrastinating this morning.

Yesterday, something weird happened to my Lab - she is up there in years - probably 12-13. I heard her struggling to get up and I ran into the room where she was in and helped her up. Her walking is worse than usual - and she seemed confused/dizzy. I'm wondering if she has/had vertigo or a small stroke?

She seems ok this morning - her walking is still off but she does seem less confused.

I helped her outside last night and she was able to do all her business outside...

I'm just not sure what is going on w/ her and today may be a trip to the vet if things are still off/weird.

It is so hard to see them age - and w/ a bigger dog, it is challenging to help them - if she was little I could just pick her up but she is 70+ pounds....and just awkward to carry.

I know the inevitable day is coming for her - but it is still hard and my other dog is going to miss her, too. They have been together since my Golden was a puppy.

Be back later after getting her mobilized.

I actually have the day off today - so that is good in case I have to take her to the vet.

Donna

[donnamp]

Hi Everyone,

I'm back w/ my workout report:

Yesterday late afternoon/early evening - walk w/ DD. The weather has been perfect here this week - low humidity, not too hot and sunshine. Too bad the whole summer can't be like this - we usually get hot and humid....

Today, so far has been:

Jessica Valent - Sculpted Legs and Abs Barre

My office closed today for Juneteenth so I have the day off.

I will probably go to the barn w/ my DD when she rides her horse and then see about the vet....

Sherry - I hear you on all these changes! And, it is hard to make friends as an adult - for the last 18 years my social life has been mostly my daughter - when she was little it was the moms and school and the playgroups, and when she got older it was us doing things 1:1. I have work "friends" - but i feel those friendships are a bit more situational than real - if you know what I mean. There are a few people i would keep in touch w/ but not many. We do have a few couples we get together w/ from time to time, but it is not the same as the friendships you make when you are younger. When DH and I retire we are probably moving out of MD - it is too expensive - and then we will have to find some social opportunities! We are staying here at least while one of us is working and my DD is in school - since she is going to a state school for college and we would lose the in-state tuition if we moved. I agree, no one tells you about these things at the baby shower and that the baby stage is, in retrospect, the easy part! LOL!

Liz - the place I work is coming up with a telework policy - but for now my boss is suggesting coming in once every two weeks and then once a month for a in-person team meeting. I think her preference is more telework as she has a long commute like me. I am a bit worried about my DD taking on those two courses when she will be new to college life. She wants to major in biology - but I do worry about her math classes -but I guess it will all work itself out somehow. As you know, I enjoy Ellen! I'm having a hard time coming up w/ a good workout plan myself.

Waves, Pam and wishiwasinhawaii!

Donna

[wishiwasinhawaii]

Hi Everyone! The weather here has been fantastic so I've been getting out for walks for the first time in ages. It's so nice to get out of the house!

Donna, My boss suddenly decided we had to discuss going back to the office and after a lot of negotiating, I was able to get her to agree to me going in one day a week starting in September. I told her I wouldn't agree to anything more than that and I guess she realized if she didn't agree, I might just leave. She also said this is a "trial run" and knowing her, I'm sure she'll find some excuse to get me to go in more often or will let me do this briefly and then change her mind. She actually said, "If I have to be there, so do you" How childish.

Wow, your DD taking Bio and Chem seems tough!

Liz, Your boss sounds like even more of a control freak than mine! Ugh. Her comment about long weekends is ridiculous. So much of this has to do with control and managers trying to stay relevant.

Sherry, Sorry to hear about your friends moving. It is so tough to meet new people, and COVID doesn't help!

Waves to Pam!

[Pam61]

Hi Ladies,

Inspired by Liz getting an Ellen subscription, today I did Super Fast Body Blast to get a bit of cardio! Ellen has the most gorgeous eyes!

I also did Travis' Gentle Yoga workout on YouTube, as well as Celest's Sleepy Morning Yoga on Udaya YT channel. Still have to get in my 100 kettlebell swings with Lauren at some point today!

I agree that it's so tough meeting people when you're out of the work world (and also older.) It's more challenging for me, but DH meets people from his author research and web page that are local. We just have to weed out the weirdos when it comes to fans being interested in "weird fiction" and "horror" authors. ;-)

[Leonana]

Today I did the Standing Series from Jessica's Gentle Yoga and Pilates. I'm not sure about gentle, the balance moves are tough.

Thanks everyone for the empathy about our friends moving away. I guess we were lucky to live close to them for the past 24 years. They moved here after dh and I were married. I'm feeling better about it. On the plus side, maybe dh and I can take some trips out of town. He's usually tired from work, and I understand that. But I would like to travel a bit, even around the state.

I'm also glad everyone is having nice weather. We won't have that until October, if we're lucky! It was 117 today. I just went out to feed the feral cats, and my skin is still burning! I don't know how the cats live through the summer, but they always do. Cats are tough.

Pam, I feel better on the days I do a lot of stretching. I'm getting inspired by your yoga workouts. It's nice in Flagstaff, I enjoy visiting there in the summer. I'd love to explore the state more.

Liz, your boss sounds like a real trip. Does she think you will forget how to do your job over four days, lol. My travel plans are to go up north to Prescott next week, and visit family. Not too exciting, but it will be cooler.

wishiwasinhawaii, it sounds like you made some progress with your manager. Hopefully, it will continue.

Donna, retirement communities are good places to make friends. I know my dd had a time period where she could drop a class with no penalty. If two science classes are too much for your dd, I'm sure she could drop one. But it sounds like she will do fine.