Konza Gym Day

 So I got up, went about my morning routine and came downstairs in my gym clothes only to find a text from my trainer. She was unable to keep our appointment. Well I wasn't about to go into the gym by myself and try to figure out what I should do in there. But I didn't want to waste this outfit either. So I decided I'd hit up that big hill at Konza. That's a good workout.

Furthermore, I wanted to participate in my friend's daily art prompts so I took Lark and a crow with me. Fairy pictures means lots of squatting. Extra workout. V athletic.

The best of not very good options.

I took it pretty slow and took lots of breaks because that big hill is a challenge for people in better physical condition than me and I didn't have any reason to rush. Still, by the time I was almost at the top, there were parts of me that were not happy with my decision. And not really in a sore from a good workout kind of way. I exacerbated an old injury.

Proof of victory.

I did consider staying at the top of the hill and waiting for someone to come rescue me, but it's not the most accessible place to get a ride back. So I did my best to slowly saunter around the rest of the trail back to the parking lot. Between the pictures and the taking my time, I spent 2 hours on that hike.

Good thing it's Friday so I have a couple days to recover before my next torture session.

First Leg Day

 I used to love leg day. Back a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, when I was half my current size and young and full of rage and trauma with no other real outlet except track. Ah, the good old days.

I remember walking lunges and everyone whining and I always wondered why they all hated it. I loved it.

Sigh.

A cell phone picture of a year 2000 Cheri and Tim who were dating other people at the time but went to a fancy school dance together.

My trainer had to work so hard to find a way for me to lunge. First we tried a couple practice lunges to see how I do in my current condition. Then she got something that looks like half a yoga ball mounted on a board. She wanted me to put one foot in front and one in back and lunge into the ball.

But my legs are too short.

So her next idea was to get a foam yoga block and have me hold on to these straps that hang from a contraption....I'm very good with words... So I'm holding on to these things for balance and lunging into a foam block and it all feels very awkward. And I kind of hate it.

Literally half of my body has never done that kind of movement before, so I suppose I should be nice to me. What's the compassionate thing to say? I don't know it.

Several leg focused movements and machines later and I got into my van feeling as if I could barely move my leg from brake to gas pedal and back. How do other people usually drive home from leg day? This doesn't feel safe. If the real pain doesn't hit for about 24 hours, what's tomorrow going to hold? What if I just cancel my whole life and stay in my hammock all day?

OK, I know I know. Moving will feel better than not moving. I know it will get better and maybe someday I will enjoy leg days again. I just needed to be whiny first.

Nap?

 Oliver thought I needed a post workout nap. Does it defeat the purpose of going to the gym if you immediately take a nap afterwards?

My friendslist says that it's a good idea. So now I wonder, if that's the case, then why haven't I ever seen a gym that is basically an obstacle course that you have to complete to get to the hammock at the finish line?

First Workout

 Proof of life. Went into a gym on purpose to meet a trainer and didn't die. yet.

One of the first things my trainer commented on was how tight my shoulders were. Like right after all the stretches she had me do, she said my shoulders were still tight and I had three overlapping thoughts. 

"No they aren't!"

"That's what {voice teacher} says too"

"They're probably right"

So she had me do a couple different machines that I tricked me into relaxing my shoulders. I didn't even realize what she'd done until I was walking to my van and felt like what I imagine it feels like to go to a chiropractor and get adjusted. I've never been to a chiropractor before, but I felt taller and more relaxed in general. Not really how I expected to walk out of a torture chamber after my first session.

Wildlife Catch-Up

 In November, I was very sick for two weeks. And when I was recovering, I got more motivated to finish this Wildlife Graphghan project. I finished two squares in the last week before December.

Macaw/Parrot

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Of course in December, I only finished one more square because I had so much else to do.

Sloth

Then I kicked off the new year by finishing up the last two squares in this project. Next up, attaching them all together and a border.

Koala

Squirrel

Winter

 This year's Konza adventure was a little different from years past. I had time to go hike around midday and Jenny took the kids in the later afternoon. There were a lot of people out there taking advantage of the decent weather, which leads to seeing less wildlife. But I kept hearing little critters moving around in the dry grass near the paths.

I didn't go entirely alone, per se, I took along Princess Periwinkle Primrose Flora the Explorer.

What you can't see in the picture is that she's a backpack. Slash my purse. She loves purple and adventures.

She started out with pink straps about the perfect size for a small child to wear. So our adventures together began with a bit of "surgery" to install purple straps long enough for a large adult to wear. We like to walk around in public and listen to people react to her.

Of course, she was also naked and so very pink, naturally I had to crochet a dress for her. The best part is that when I walk around with Periwinkle, people who know me don't really react at all. They're just kind of like "this is completely normal Cheri behavior". It kind of emboldens me. It makes me wonder what else I can convince people is totally normal Cheri behavior.

October Challenge

 As it turns out, I didn't finish this challenge either. But I did complete a couple more of the prompts.

Spider and Veil

Costume

Treat