Goal + Action = Reality

[TopNotch]

Yesterday I made broccoli soup for dinner but when it came to blending it, my sticker blender decided to die. So I went out today to get a new one. As I was going out, I decided to go by the Other House and get more stuff, as well as give the Lad his hug. Unfortunately, they had just gone fishing when I arrived - according to eldest, they'd left about 5 minutes before I came. Oh well. It was a lovely day. got more stuff, more books. Going to have to rationalise them again as there were more books left than I thought and I don't have that much room. Some hard decisions are going to have to be made - but when I think that I haven't looked at most of these (non-fiction) books for simply ages, it shouldn't be that hard a decision. Should it? Anyway, gotta be done.

Calf Raises Challenge Day 13
Physio exercises
Dumbbell rows - 2 x 20es
Push-ups x 40

I've decided that I'm going to buy a television tomorrow. So excited!

 

[TopNotch]

No progress today in tidying up the crates filled the Pink Room (it's no longer pink, but it used to be and I've got to call it something!) because this morning I set off and bought myself a television and some fruit. Came home and set up the teev. Then went to connect the new DVD player - but few things come with cables now and any I would have had access to are at the Other House, so I put my shoes back on and headed out. Got the necessary cables and the salesman mentioned sound bars - which I had briefly thought about. Anyway, he wanted to sell me one so I let him drop the price from $399 to $299. He said they had 4 in stock so how many did I want? I told him at that price, about 2/3! So the price dropped to $275 which I thought was good enough. But when I got home full of satisfaction, I noticed an apple on the floor and suddenly remembered that I'd left my fruit on the kitchen floor in a shopping bag. Creed had scoffed pretty much the entirety of the 1kg box of blueberries and about 5 1/2 small apples. Thank goodness he doesn't have opposable thumbs - the raspberries were safe! As was the remaining 1.4kg (of 2kg) of apples. I should have remembered. Creed encouraged me to remember this episode by emptying his stomach on the carpet... I'll remember.
Attached the cables, set up the sound bar, checked everything was working and then played some music from my phone through the bar. Lovely. Pity I didn't feel like watching anything.

Calf Raises Challenge Day 14
Physio exercises
Push-ups x 40

Feeling a little... cranky? My eldest told me yesterday that #2 talks about me with affection and there appears to be ... resentment? that the children actually still like me. Why can't adults be - well, adult?

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Hugs for the relationship issues, and hope Creed is better (and argh, those vomiting pets!!! Good thing they are so loveable elsewise!)

 

[MadamMeow]

For Creed! Hopefully he's feeling better already.

 

[TopNotch]

Ah, Creed. He's fine now. There are several odd-looking blueberry piles out in the garden though... Dogs don't chew.

Productive day. Well, apart from the first hour or so when I kept trying to do something that wasn't working, trying numerous ways to get it to work, and then finally discovered that what I had been trying to do was actually impossible anyway. Part of me was miffed that I had wasted so much time and effort but the rest of me was pleased that it wasn't my failure! Put more books on the book shelves and removed quite a few to get rid of. Win/win. Then I moved things around on the countertops of my little kitchen and it looks much better. A rush of blood to the head even had me sorting through a couple of crates of odds and sods until it was time for dinner. The beasts eat at 6 so that's around when I eat too.

Watched something this evening for the first time in about a year, but just sitting there, staring at the screen, was a bit boring so I picked up the dumbbells that were lying around and did some stuff.

Dumbbell bicep curls 2 x 40
Dumbbell shoulder press 3 x 30 (but my left shoulder twinge toward the end of the last set so I might give them a miss for a while)
Banded pull-aparts 3 x 10
Calf Raises Challenge Day 15
Physio exercises
Push-ups x 40 - I do these in sets of 20, and Footsy decided to settle down on my back just as I was going down for the second set. When she finally hopped off, those last 4 were a total breeze! Amazing what effect adding only an extra 4.5kg can have.

 

[TopNotch]

Another trip to the Other House. The chickens always seems to pleased to see me, clustering around my feet, trying to trip me. I know that only want the mixed seeds I throw for them, but still. It's nice. I collected 17 eggs from the hen house. The oldest hen often goes broody and sits on the eggs and nobody else is brave enough to move her but I just pick her up and move her away and she doesn't fuss.
More books and stuff, including photo albums. I've decided to get rid of my of my old photos. I don't need pictures of people I used to know when I was 15 and haven't seen since. That will free up a lot of space!
And when I came home... Creed is always overjoyed to see me, whether I've been out for one hour or four (though when I wake up in the morning he can barely contain his joy and he sleeps in the same room, so go figure). But he again had that slightly guilty look. I love that about dogs - they know when they've done something they probably shouldn't have done. Cats don't give a damn. It took me a little while and then I realised that he'd grabbed the plastic bag that held the last handful of wild bird seed. There were bits of seed leftover in his bed - with Footsy lying in the middle of it with a nothing-to-do-with-me attitude. Honestly - bird seed?

Calf Raises Challenge Day 16
Physio exercises
Push-ups x 40

Didn't watch anything tonight. Instead [drum-roll, please] I finally got to do some writing work. The problem with having no furniture and so the cat has to sleep on my lap if she doesn't feel like sharing with Creed, means that when I have my laptop on my lap (isn't that where it's supposed to be?) there's no room for the cat. Well, okay, not much, and part of her has to be lying on the mousepad and my wrists, and the things a cat has to put up with!

Even so, got just over 1000 words written. Unfortunately, they're for book 5 and I ought to be working on book 4... Still, it's been a while since I've written and there's been a lot percolating over the last few months. The issue with NaNoWriMo has me wondering if I'll just do it by myself in November but still stick to the 50,000 word goal. I'd better get the Pink room organised so I've got somewhere to work. I've got two weeks.

 

[TopNotch]

Tired today. Creed wouldn't settle last night - full moon? - kept getting up and occasionally barking, so I kicked him out and closed the bedroom door. He's not as bad as he used to be, only whined a little but as it was now after 2am, I managed to get to sleep through that. Slept in as a result, getting up at 9! asked the beasties if it was Thursday or Friday. I was pretty sure it was Thursday but it could have been Friday. Finally plumped for Thursday and was gratified to discover I was right. Ah, when there's nothing in your days to let you know which they are!

Plonked the exercise bike in front of the new teev today and cycled away through an episode. 40 minutes, which is the longest I've cycled for ages - well, given the bike left me sometime in June... Anyway, still kept up a decent speed and 'covered' just under 19km. Felt good - definitely do it again. I've got loads of episodes of many seasons of multiple shows.

Just for giggles today I went onto a few calorie calculators to see how many I ought to be consuming. Entering the exact same metrics, the values ranged up to about 150 calories difference, depending on which of the four sites I looked at. That's a fair discrepancy. And as I work in kilojoules, that looks even more at over 600kj! Anyway, what I was working with seemed accurate enough so I'll just keep doing what I'm doing.

Calf Raises Challenge Day 16
Physio exercises
First Thing Push-ups Day 7. I'd previously wanted to do this challenge but couldn't do them first thing for various reasons. Those reasons no longer exist, and as I'm doing my push-ups first thing, I decided I may as well do this challenge. For any day under 40, I'll just continue to do my usual 40, but for every day over 40, I'll do the stipulated number. I've been doing them regularly now for just a week, and today was the only day that stipulated exactly 40, so a good day to 'start'.

 

[TopNotch]

Woah! What happened to yesterday? I know I had one. It was grey and rainy (I love that) but I had to go shopping (and I don't love that). Felicitously, there was a Polling Place right next to the Aldi carpark so before I did my shopping, I did my civic duty and voted in the local elections. Early voting had been open for about a week but I normally vote on the actual day (which in Australia is always Saturday), however, as I was out and the PP wa conveniently close, I removed any necessity of having to go out the next day. It was all electronic this time, no ticking the boxes. Not sure I wholly trust electronic voting, remembering a certain country's issues surrounding the election of a certain president with the suggestion that another country had tampered... But I don't think that's an issue here. After all, we've not even got Statehood! That means that any laws etc we make can be repealed by the Federal government - for example, we legalised same-sex marriage four years before it became legal throughout the country, but our law was repealed because it contravened federal law and we're not a State. We also have only two representatives in Federal parliament, as opposed to the 10 that states have, despite the size of our population. It's weird but there you have it. But the rest of the day... Yeah, I did things. Probably loads of stuff because there was several more empty crates stacked up in the bath-tub and my rubbish bin is half-full of stuff I decided I didn't need to keep. Which is starting to seem like almost everything I have - except for books (but even those have been severely pruned) and jigsaw puzzles (but I pruned those recently and now I am left with only my good quality ones). It's very liberating, getting rid of junk.

On to today.
A sunny day but as there had been quite a bit of rain yesterday, there was no point in trying to mow the lawn. Perhaps tomorrow.

Calf Raises Challenge Day 19
Physio exercises
First Thing Push-ups Day 9 - funny how adding just five more push-ups made things a lot more difficult!
Indoor bike - 40 minutes (another episode), 19km.
Overhead dumbbell tricep extensions - 3 x 10es

Isn't it funny how exercising in your dreams is just so easy? Running is totally effortless, and last night I was using dip bars with added weights and wondered why I had ever struggled. Ah, and then I woke up and reality hit me.

More writing. Getting back into my working habit. I hope.

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Isn't it funny how exercising in your dreams is just so easy? Running is totally effortless, and last night I was using dip bars with added weights and wondered why I had ever struggled. Ah, and then I woke up and reality hit me.

At least we get real strength gains from doing the real work. That's not a bad consolation prize.

 

[TopNotch]

Calf Raises Challenge Day 20
Physio exercises
First Thing Push-ups Day 10
Barbell overhead tricep extensions 3 x 10

Had to do some housework today so I turned on one of the Home Front missions which broke up my laundry folding with one minute each of stair-stepping, punches, plank, and bicep curls. Then I went back to folding lace curtains. When I moved in, there were so many lace curtains at the windows! I mean, seriously. The lounge window is the widest at about 2m. It had five drops, each about 4m wide!! I like my privacy but lace curtains shouldn't have the density of the over-curtains. I like to see through the lace curtains. I removed four of the lounge room drops. And by cutting one of the two curtains in my bedroom, I covered my room and the Pink room and had a bit left over. Really - there is more lace around here than in a Royal wedding!
Speaking of which, the King and Queen Consort are popping over tomorrow.

Did some good writing this afternoon - about 1100 words - then I started planning scenes. Things went well.

Not in a very good place right now, though.

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Speaking of which, the King and Queen Consort are popping over tomorrow.

Did some good writing this afternoon - about 1100 words - then I started planning scenes. Things went well.

Not in a very good place right now, though.

 

[TopNotch]

Calf Raises Challenge Day 21
Physio exercises
First Thing Push-ups Day 11
Dumbbell Bench Press - 3 x 40. With lighter weights and near to failure, though with the last set, the 'near to' bit was unnecessary...
Dumbbell skull crushers - 2 x 20
Evening walk, 2.27km.

Still not in a good place. Dunno why. Working on it.

 

[TopNotch]

Calf Raises Challenge Day 22
Physio exercises
First Thing Push-ups Day 12
Dumbbell bicep curls 2 x 40
Exercise bike, 40min, 20km
Creed walk, 2km. Only time to walk a highly reactive dog when surrounded by other highly reactive dogs is around midnight.

 

[TopNotch]

Calf Raises Challenge Day 23
Physio exercises
First Thing Push-ups Day 13

Wrote some.

 

[TopNotch]

Hmm, when you're not in the best head-space and then you go and do something that makes things just that little bit worse... I was walking out at night, which is the best time to take Creed out. So, there we are, strolling along in the dark-ish. Streetlights only light up the paths so much and shadows are thick. That raised paver looked like a shadow - until I caught my foot on it, proceeded to slam into the large dog walking by my side, and then hit the pavement. Ouch. Dammit - another pair of jeans ripped. Creed was all over me once I was down. Not sure if he was checking me out to see if I were okay, or if he just thought how wonderful it was that I was down at his level and it must be playtime. One bloody knee and the other... looked okay? Until about an hour later when it appeared that a cricket ball had been implanted on my knee. The next morning, it had transmuted into a tennis ball, then that evening into the adult form of the offspring from the union between a tennis ball and a golf ball. Still slightly swollen and badly bruised and though the knee can bend when I'm sitting (though it doesn't like to) it doesn't really when I'm walking (hobbling, limping, lurching). When the swelling goes all the way down, I'll be better able to evaluate any real damage. But until then, no walking or cycling or really even anything that requires knee flexion. So. Bugger.

But the thing about physical pain is that it distracts you from other things. So in an odd sort of way, I'm kind of feeling a bit better...

I've constructed two small raised garden beds, and last time I went to the Other House, I raided the henhouse for a lovely mix of bedding (wood shavings) and poo, and the hen yard for well-manured soil. These treasures have filled the lower halves of my little garden beds. I have to start my seeds yet so I've got time to get more soil.

Tidied out a few more crates and tossed more stuff - very cathartic. Read some old diaries - rather shocking the sorts of things I got up to in my early uni years. They went into the bin - ain't nobody needs to know that stuff!

Finally read War of Art by Steven Pressfield. I say 'finally' because I've been meaning to do it for a while. A short read, as it turned out - only about 160 pages. Interesting, though. I have recorded quite a few quotes from it on Bookly.

Calf Raises Challenge Day 24
Physio exercises
First Thing Push-ups Day 14

And because I'm more mentally (though not physically) chipper, here's a photo:

Yep, looking at that picture makes me smile. Must be feeling better.

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Such cuties

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Oi! Try to stop beating yourself up there!
How is Creed supposed to take you for your walks now?

 

[MadamMeow]

Love your furbabies in that shot, thank you!

Really hope that knee heals up fast. Yikes.

 

[TopNotch]

How is Creed supposed to take you for your walks now?

He could let me ride; he's big enough, I reckon.

Anyway, the swollen knee is a lot better today and I was able to walk almost normally. So I went out and bought myself a printer as I needed one. Last night I discovered that an organised me wrote a nice long synopsis of the current book and it would be extrememly useful to print it out and refer to it as I'm planning. So much easier to flip through bits of paper than to try the same with different files on the same programme. And as I was mobile, out I went.

On returning, finally installed a shelving unit above the washing machine so I can have a more organised and neater laundry which should also give me a more organised pantry. Cleared out four more crates of stuff. Thought about the rest of the stuff still at the Other House and realised that I really don't want much of it. I'm kind of starting a new life here - or restarting an old one - and I don't want to clutter my world with old luggage, even if some of it was what I had brought with me into that other life. Time to move on.

Calf Raises Challenge Day 25
Physio exercises
First Thing Push-ups Day 15

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

He could let me ride; he's big enough, I reckon.

 

[NancyTree]

Good to hear your knee is already getting a bit better. Hopefully it's not too bad

 

[TopNotch]

Productive day. Sorted out the kitchen and managed to get the last of the kitchen stuff put away. It's not totally organised yet, but that'll come. Then on to the Pink Room where there is now only one crate left (and a mess on the desk). Still stuff to go through and get rid of, but, again, getting there. Tossed out the last of my diaries. Really, what was I up to at uni?! Apparently, one time I told a friend not to call me stupid because I'm not, to which he replied, "Yeah, you're evil, cruel and malicious, but not stupid." I never thought of myself as malicious. Another time, someone introduced me as "This is [TN] - the strange one." And yet I had friends... The last of my uni years went into the bin. Then I flipped open another diary and there, on 31 October 2012, was the story of the death of my first cat (as an adult). He was 16 years, 9 months old and his kidneys gave out. He'd pulled me through some rather difficult times in his younger years and was the most intelligent and talkative (he didn't miaow, he actually just kind of talked) cat I've ever had. Reading that was very depressing. But he was a great cat. Had very fluffy feet. Birthday and Christmas cards also hit the bin. I'm really getting into this.

Calf Raises Challenge Day 26
Physio exercises
First Thing Push-ups Day 16
Bicep curls 2 x 50
Walk, 3.38km. Wandered around the streets. Eventually got back home. It was lovely.

 

[TopNotch]

Lazy day today. A bright sunny day but not yet too hot - only low 20s. The lawn needed mowing. My mower is quite small with a cutting width probably about 50cm so that's a lot of back-and-forth-ing. Creed enjoyed the sun and even got out of the way of the machine, though he's not at all bothered by it. And today I unpacked my new blender and had the first smoothie of the season - banana, blueberries, strawberries and vanilla protein powder. Darned good.

Mowing, 1 hour
Calf Raises Challenge Day 27
First Thing Push-ups Day 17
Chest presses - 3 x 20
Overhead tricep extensions - 3 x 20
Dumbbell lateral raise - 3 x 20
I remember doing something for 40 reps x 2 but I have no recollection what that was... Probably why I didn't do three sets.

Halloween event!

 

[TopNotch]

Another trip to the Other House. This takes up so much time - getting there, packing stuff up, loading it into the car, coming back, unloading it into my house. Then comes the actual sorting. I think a fair bit of what I brought back today will go to an Op Shop. I dropped stuff off this morning and disposed of empty (my recent endeavours) and old paint tins, so that's stuff cleared away.

Calf Raises Challenge Day 28
First Thing Push-ups Day 18

Left knee is still really not happy...

 

[TopNotch]

Another productive day and I feel the end is definitely in sight! Cleared out all boxes and crates from the Pink room. The desk is an absolute mess, though, but that shouldn't take too long. I'm running out of time to get the Pink room ready as my study (as November looms) but I think I'll make it. I'll set up the printer tomorrow as well and get started on my scene planning. Busy, busy, busy.

Calf Raises Challenge Day 29
First Thing Push-ups Day 19 - this morning not strictly first thing. Creed and I are working a new training programme and that is first thing (as it involves his breakfast), and then I forgot that I had to do sixty-five pushup and only did 60. Once I had done my Duolingo, I turned to other things on my android and there it said, 65 - so the final five were a little late but I'm counting the whole thing still as first thing.
Scapular pull-ups - 3 x 5, 3 x 10 - because I was focusing on how my shoulder was managing with these and got carried away, stopping at 10 when I realised then decided to do 10 from then on. I've put the pull-up bar in the bathroom doorway as it's very easy to be prompted to use it.

Halloween event - a few kicks and squat-hold punches.

 

[WolfDreamer]

Another productive day

Well done, my friend.

 

[TopNotch]

So today's plan was to get the Pink room desk cleared and the printer set up. And it was achieved! Eventually. No printer driver and then updating the computer (which took 20 minutes - good thing I wasn't trying to save the world!). Printed stuff and then got to work. But there was a strange noise so I had to investigate. Anyone who has them knows if you share your home with four-legged beasts, strange noises warrant investigation. Actually, if you share your home with small two-legged beasts, the same applies...
And I was so proud! Footsy caught her very first mouse today.

Less impressed that this was in my kitchen! Who knew I shared my house with more than two four-legged beasts... Also less impressed when she spent the next five or so minutes playing with the darned thing

(yeah, I know - cute. But still a mouse! In my house!) which gave it the opportunity to...
GET AWAY!!
So now I know there's a mouse somewhere in my house. And the thing about mice is, they never come in ones. Footsy seemed rather disappointed that her new friend had disappeared. So was I.
But it is what it is, so I went back into the Pink room and continued working.
Until I saw a flash of tan out the window and realised that Creed had broken through the fence again and I had to rush out and call him back in off the street. At least he comes immediately I call. I really must fix the fence.
Eventually, though, I had planned out 28 scenes for the coming month's work. So that's a yay. First plan, though; tomorrow things may change a little, but the bones are there.

First Thing Push-ups Day 20. Getting a little organised with Creed's new training regime. Now I get dressed before they get fed (with Creed working for his brekkie) so I don't have to be in my back yard in my pyjamas. Push-ups still come after that but it's still relatively 'first thing'.

Halloween event - more punches and the Hive is saved for another year.

 

[NancyTree]

Beasts Pico also looks utterly surprised when her prey just walks away, and then she loses interest. Then I'm the one chasing a mouse ....

 

[MadamMeow]

Miyagi has done that as well. The bugger ran right under a dresser and Miyagi looked at us like he knew he screwed up.

We named the mouse Milton and he was with us for about 6 months.

I noticed my cats food getting eaten when I knew he wasn't in at all during the overnights.

Miyagi saw him in the kitchen and couldn't get him again. He ran under our stove. So that was where he was staying.

We got a few no kill/hurt traps. Food won't lure him in.

I ended up positioning a few so that it was in line with the main escape routes on the side of the stove and the gap where it connects to the counters.

That did the trick. My husband wanted to rub it in Miyagi's face, but he wasn't around. LOL

Anyway, from lots of experience, if you ever here your cat outside crying to come in and she sounds like she got hurt, in a fight...fight the urge to just throw the door open to try to help. That sound is usually them yelling with something in their mouth.

Luckily normally they're dead, but my prior cat did sneak in a live one like Miyagi did too. So you never know, lol.

 

[TopNotch]

Anyway, from lots of experience, if you ever here your cat outside crying to come in and she sounds like she got hurt, in a fight...fight the urge to just throw the door open to try to help. That sound is usually them yelling with something in their mouth.

My cats are indoor cats (several of the newer suburbs have cat containment laws, meaning they have to be indoor cats) because with my oldest cat (who died this day 12 years ago, as it happens) liked to get in fights and then visit the vet for treatment which at the time I could only afford if I didn't buy human food for a while... After two episodes in the same month, that was it. And all my other cats have been indoor since. I think the mouse lives behind the stove - where else would it be except the most inaccessible place for anything over 5cm tall!

Another good day. Creed is very food-motivated so when we train in the mornings and evenings using his meals as payment, he's pretty good, but as soon as I tell him a command outside of these times, he looks at me and then f-i-n-a-l-l-y complies. Still, we've only just begun.

The new printer has been getting a workout but I've got things set for November (added another scene today and I think that might be it. I'll see as it goes along). I pulled out an old file case and went through it. Half of the stuff was stories - not whole stories but perhaps just a page, a scene. One was even a brief synopsis of the story - or rather, the blurb because the actual plot wasn't there. Peculiarly, there was the synopsis of five stories (only 1-2 pages each) about a destitute woman who became a pirate (probably setting around 1600s)! I think this must have been heavily influenced by Raphael Sabatini (Captain Blood, the Sea Hawk, etc) because I went through a phase, but decided to do something a little different and have a female protagonist pirate. I wonder if the ideas are actually any good... Some stuff hit the bin because it was - well, obviously rubbish, but I've kept much of the rest because some of those opening lines were excellent. Might find some gold there. And I cleaned out something that's been ignored for years, so that's another plus.

First Thing Push-ups Day 21
Scapular pull-ups 3 x 10

I've chosen a few challenges for next month because otherwise I might just be sitting too much. Avoiding anything that requires knee flexion, though. Tomorrow I'll probably go see someone about my knee.

 

[TopNotch]

So I went to a Walk-In clinic today re knee and was told there would be a wait of over an hour. Given that there were about six people waiting, that meant there must have been only one nurse seeing people (Walk-In clinics are nurse-operated). I couldn't be bothered so I left. I have to see my GP in about two weeks' time so if it's still bothering me then, I'll talk to her about it. If not, well, it just healed itself - which is my preferred outcome. In my experience, most things heal. Eventually.
But it wasn't a totally wasted outing. I bought a broom and some new doorknobs for the front and back doors. I don't have a key for the back door. Contemplated getting the brushed chrome rather than the shiny ones but then I found the black knobs. I just have to get around to installing them now. I have already used the broom.

First Thing Push-ups Day 22
10k punches Day 1
Posture Day 1
Calves of Steel Day 1
Tricep Dips Day 1
Daily Walk Day 1

I considered doing either the Flex Hang or the Negative Pull-ups challenge (and did Day 1 of each to try to decide), but right now they seem a little hard on the elbows so perhaps I'll look at a grip strengthener instead.

Started NaNo. It was slow. I find the beginning always is. Perhaps I ought to leave it to the end as I have heard suggested, but I don't think that would work for me. I just have to get into the flow. Still, it was okay - 2900 words.

 

[TopNotch]

First Thing Push-ups Day 23
10k punches Day 2
Posture Day 2
Calves of Steel Day 2
Tricep Dips Day 2
Daily Walk Day 2
Dumbbell pull-overs 2 x 20
Dumbbell skull-crushers 2 x 10
Scapular pull-ups 3 x 10

Realised this morning when I reached for my phone to check for any messages, that I only do that on the weekends. I seem to spend my weekends waiting for visitors who never come and that makes me feel rather pathetic, and nobody likes to feel pathetic. Better change that.

NaNo writing - not the best today because yesterday I realised I'd missed something important in the very first bit and had to go back and add it, Still, just over 1600 words.

Have a song:

 

[nostylist]

Hello

 

[TopNotch]

Hello

Greetings!

 

[TopNotch]

First Thing Push-ups Day 24
10k punches Day 3
Posture Day 3
Calves of Steel Day 3
Tricep Dips Day 3
Daily Walk Day 3 - went further along the track than I have before. It's quite uphill for the first kilometre or so (about 100m) but then it flattens and goes down a little. On the way back, I actually heaved myself into a bit of a trot for about 1km and that was okay, especially considering I haven't run for ages. The knees felt okay - so long as I don't let anything touch that left one, it's relatively fine. Went 3.65km. It was a pleasant walk in the later afternoon/early evening.


Standing Core workout Just for something different, decided to work on the abs. Quite like this one. Might do it again.
Hand gripper - one in each hand so it's easier to do the same number each hand. So far I've done 3 x 20 but the night's young.

Bit slack with the writing again today but got down about 2600 words - and as I said above, the night's young.

I'm really going to try to get to bed before 1am. That's why I'm posting 'early' now. Otherwise I find myself doing it around midnight and then...

 

[TopNotch]

I did actually get to bed a bit earlier - 12:36 by the time I hit the pillow. Unfortunately it was one of those nights when I simply couldn't get to sleep. It didn't help that Creed was also restless and kept getting up and pacing. It was after 1:30 by the time I finally nodded off. I'll try again tonight.

It's the Lad's birthday tomorrow so I went to the Other House to drop off his present and to pick up the last of my books and some other stuff. The space my stuff used to occupy has been claimed and filled, and the things I hadn't collected yet had been shoved in a corner, making it a little difficult for me to take what I wanted. I mean, I know I moved out over two months ago and I still haven't reclaimed all my stuff, but as it had occupied that space for the last long-time, why now the hurry to take it over? Anyway. It's generally a 3-4 hour round trip so that really eats into my day. I haven't gone through the boxes of books yet (I think a fair few will be released into the world) but I finally remembered to grab my bathrobe from the back of my former bathroom door. Mind you, I don't tend to use a bathrobe and here, by myself, even less need. In fact, this evening when I came back from my walk/run and was still sweaty, I walked through my house wearing only my jeans, with no fear of being accused of 'body shaming' my children. Ah, I really must release this resentment!

First Thing Push-ups Day 25
10k punches Day 4
Posture Day 4
Calves of Steel Day 4
Tricep Dips Day 4
Scapular pull-ups 2 x 10
Hand gripper 2 x 20 each hand
Daily Walk Day 4 - 3.9km today. On the way back, once I'm past the inclines and on the downward slope, it's just over 1.5km back home and I ran the whole way tonight. Not far and not fast, but I recall when running even 500m was a struggle. Sure, 1.5km is a small run but it's still a run.

Despite the promise of those clouds, there was no rain.

This mob (for those who don't know, a group of kangaroos is called a mob) watched me suspiciously as I walked by about 2m from them. I'd earlier passed three 'roos, one of which had her joey hanging out - I could see the head, two front paws and a little thin tail. It was obviously their dinner time when I was out there.

And just because I really love the effect of light on mountains.

A pretty good NaNo day, notwithstanding. Wrote a shade over 3200 to get me a current total of just over 10400.

Morning supplements - I'm bad at remembering them so if I put them here, perhaps that'll prompt me. I have no problem with the evening ones because they're on the bathroom vanity near my toothbrush and I take them once my teeth are clean, but the morning ones... There's no room on the vanity for all of them!

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

for releasing resentment @TopNotch . You don't need it anymore. You're free now.

Gorgeous scenic shots! Thank you for sharing!
Also: 'roos!

 

[TopNotch]

Also: 'roos!

Yes, they are delicious.

 

[TopNotch]

I did get to bed before 1 this morning. It was 12:42 so kind of close but I'm working on it. Hence the new challenge.

First Thing Push-ups Day 26
10k punches Day 5
Posture Day 5
Calves of Steel Day 5
Tricep Dips Day 5
Daily Walk Day 5 Both my knee and my Garmin told me to take it easy today so it was just a short trot.
Bed on Time Day 2 This will refer, of course, to the last time I went to bed. I've tried this challenge before but this is definitely one I think I must see through without interruption. If I miss one day, I'll have to start it all over again. But I shan't miss one day. While there is no actual set time to be in bed, there is a set time to be in bed before. And that's 1am. Incrementally I shall work my way backwards to about 11 or so, but that will take time. If I suddenly go to bed much earlier than I'm used to, I'll just lie awake longer and what's the use of that?
Dumbbell pull-overs 2 x 20es
Morning supplements.

Writing was kind of difficult today, not because of me or the words, but because of the dog who kept whinging and whining at the door. He's not allowed into the study, though he does creep in from time to time and I send him out, so he lies at the doorway and whines. It's very distracting. I took him out a couple of times and we had lengthy cuddles but he was just in a strange mood today. Nevertheless, I did a good block of writing this morning and another smaller block this evening. That adds another 3000 words to the count.

The Lad's birthday today. I called him this afternoon and we had a lovely chat. He'd unwrapped my gift but while of the phone he opened it and told me everything that was in it. It was a fishing tackle box filled with stuff and I was so fascinated to learn that he had curly grubs at 4cm and curly grubs at 5.5cm and... Told him he'll have to look up how to use all that stuff. Glad he liked it.

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Yes, they are delicious.

Fair.

I like deer too. As in: I think they are beautiful, and it makes me happy to see them in the wild. But I respect the fact that some people eat them.

 

[TopNotch]

@Laura Rainbow Dragon Deer are a problem here, classified as a pest threat, ruining fragile ecosystems. Millions of feral deer. We have too many introduced species causing problems. Like camels, which drink too much water in the desert regions and eat any vegetation that should go to native species. We have hundreds of thousands of camels. Despite Australia's reputation for having venomous this and that, on the whole, the bigger animals have no natural predators, hence pest proportions. I've not yet eaten camel...

First Thing Push-ups Day 27
10k punches Day 6
Posture Day 6
Calves of Steel Day 6
Tricep Dips Day 6
Daily Walk Day 6 The clouds today looked rather interesting. Those white stripes on the left are actually not contrails but natural cloud.

Bed on Time Day 3
Scapular pull-ups 2 x 10
Morning supplements

Had to go out this morning and when I came back, to my great wonderment, Creed hadn't done anything he shouldn't have! He came to me looking a little guilty but after I checked and found nothing out of place (he hadn't even scoffed the apple on the counter!), I praised him and he was happy again.

The writing was a bit slow when I got back because while I was out, I had a sudden realisation/inspiration. I wanted to work on it because it's a necessary scene but I'd missed it out but I can't work on it today because I'm not up to that bit yet! Yeah, some people can write chapters out of order. I can write bits and chunks before I've actually begun writing but once I've started things have to go from beginning to end. Anyway, I did jot down salient points for this scene and slotted it into my document and then I got to work on where I'm up to. Only 2500 words today (not counting the inspiration bit), but there'll be a lot of brain-work happening when I get to bed and start musing on this new bit... I just love that.

Getting hotter here - of course, summer's on its way. Traditional wisdom here is that you don't plant your tomatoes out until after Melbourne Cup Day (which was yesterday) because up until now, there is still risk of frost. Only not this year. Mine will go out tomorrow. Probably. Possibly. Perhaps. My house, like most Australian houses, has really sucky insulation. The temperature today reached just over 32 degrees and even now, at 11:20pm, it's 26 degrees in my lounge. Roll on summer...

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

@Laura Rainbow Dragon Deer are a problem here, classified as a pest threat, ruining fragile ecosystems.

Yes. I offered deer as an example of our equivalent to your kangaroos. (Since you mentioned 'roos' flavour!) Several species of deer are native here. Most people think our smallest species, the White-tailed Deer are cute. Some species are even considered iconic (the "mighty" Moose, the Caribou, which appears on our quarter dollar coin). Yet it is legal to hunt them here for meat. (Provided one has the required credentials.)

In the area of Canada where I live, the only deer we have are White-tailed Deer. Although they are native to the area, they do become overpopulated and cause damage to forest ecosystems (and also to their own species--overpopulated deer are very sick deer) if they are not hunted (because humans have driven all of their other predators out of this area).

 

[TopNotch]

Cloudy day today which kept the temperature down a bit. That was nice. The seedlings went out into the little beds this morning so the grey day was perfect for them. They can get settled before the sun blasts the poor things!

Creed was in a very cuddling mood today. He actually puts his front paws around me while I'm sitting in the Kloudsac, one paw kind of next to and partly under my side, the other flung across my legs (or chest if he's standing up) and then he rests his head on my legs (or chest). He knows he's not supposed to climb up on me (come on, he's a big heavy dog!) but he still tries it and today he tried multiple times. Playing outside, he body-slammed me a couple of times. Generally I see him coming and brace but it's still quite a blow. He's a lot calmer than he used to be, doesn't jump up on me nearly as much, but when he's in a playful mood - brace! He tried to play with Footsy and she just slapped him repeatedly on his muzzle. Then she climbed into my lap while I was working on the computer, putting her head on my arm and essentially stilling it (because you don't disturb the cat, right?), and whenever I tried to move my hand, she put up her paw to make me pat her instead. I'm really not sure which one of us is the boss here. Thinking Footsy...

First Thing Push-ups Day 28
10k punches Day 7
Posture Day 7
Calves of Steel Day 7
Tricep Dips Day 7
Daily Walk Day 7
Bed on Time Day 4
Morning supplements

Liked what I wrote today - another 2500 words. Getting a little stressed by this new scene, though. I've just written #7 and this is #20 so I have some time before I have to write it but it's bugging me. I like to have time to plan my assaults but this one kind of crept up on me and I have to plan it on the fly. If the MC is going to breech a secure document facility, what's the best way to do that? Think, TN, think!

But it's just gone midnight so I'm off to bed (so I can mark of Day 5 tomorrow!) and I'll think there.

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Creed was in a very cuddling mood today. He actually puts his front paws around me while I'm sitting in the Kloudsac, one paw kind of next to and partly under my side, the other flung across my legs (or chest if he's standing up) and then he rests his head on my legs (or chest). He knows he's not supposed to climb up on me (come on, he's a big heavy dog!) but he still tries it and today he tried multiple times.

Aww! He just wants a hug!

Then she climbed into my lap while I was working on the computer, putting her head on my arm and essentially stilling it (because you don't disturb the cat, right?), and whenever I tried to move my hand, she put up her paw to make me pat her instead. I'm really not sure which one of us is the boss here. Thinking Footsy...

Definitely Footsy.

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

All hail Footsy, lady-boss of a hand and a doggo!

 

[TopNotch]

What sort of lunatic mows their lawn before 8am on a Friday morning?! Yes, I know the law says you can be noisy from 7am (except on Sundays and public holidays when you can only start at 8am - why?) but honestly. For a brief moment, I thought it must be Saturday because nobody mows early on a Friday morning, right? More reason for me to get to bed earlier...

First Thing Push-ups Day 29
10k punches Day 8
Posture Day 8
Calves of Steel Day 8
Tricep Dips Day 8
Daily Walk Day 8
Bed on Time Day 5
Scapular pull-ups 3 x 10
Dumbbell bicep curls 3 x 20es
Morning supplements - worked out a trigger for this and it seems to be working.

Exact number tonight - 2148 words, bringing the total up to 20800 words. Strange thing, I went a complete blank on how to spell 'ostensible'. I mean, it's not a hard word! Stopped a little earlier than I really wanted but the next bit is a tad complex - MC deals with some hostage-takers and it doesn't end well for them - and action scenes always require a lot of thought to keep things sharp, and if I want to get to bed 'on time'...

 

[TopNotch]

10k punches Day 9
Posture Day 9
Calves of Steel Day 9
Tricep Dips Day 9
Daily Walk Day 9
Bed on Time Day 6
Dumbbell pull-overs 2 x 20es
Morning supplements

Okay, so didn't get to the action part but a shade over 2000 words leading up to it. Tomorrow's task.

 

[TopNotch]

10k punches Day 10
Posture Day 10
Calves of Steel Day 10
Tricep Dips Day 10
Daily Walk Day 10
Bed on Time Day 7 - okay, so it's been a week now and I'm going to up the ante and move bedtime half-hour forward to 12:30. Let's see if I can do this.
Daily Push-ups Day 1
Scapular pull-ups 2 x 10
Morning supplements

Today was the day to bite the bullet (not literally, of course - damage my teeth) and write that hostage recovery scene. Well, the focus wasn't so much on the hostage recovery but on the removal of the bad guys but the result was kind of the same. Fairly happy with it. Not brilliant but then this is a first draft. Wrote 2360 words today which brings the total to just over 25000, the 50% mark.

 

[TopNotch]

10k punches Day 11
Posture Day 11
Calves of Steel Day 11
Tricep Dips Day 11
Daily Walk Day 11
Bed on Time Day 8
Daily Push-ups Day 2 - I've decided with this lot that I'll throw in variations. Right now I'm working on explosive push-ups.
Morning supplements

I had to see my GP this morning and actually finally talked to her about my knee. It seems to be getting better (which is why I wasn't really worried) but this strange lump on it which prevents me from kneeling and makes things like cycling really uncomfortable had been concerning me. So she poked and prodded and finally concluded that it was a haematoma and it will eventually go away by itself so that's all good.
Tonight when I let Creed out, I saw him lying down with his back legs straight out and his nose jammed into the ground. Then he started chasing something in the grass. I went out to see what was going on and found he'd been chasing a little frog! I've heard frogs in the pond on the other side of the track. Wondering if I should build a little frog pond in my back yard...

It took a long time to get to today's writing because I went to the Other House after the GP and that always takes ages. But get to it I did. Then I got stuck because I hadn't research something earlier (due to November coming along much faster than expected this year!) and after spending about half an hour trying to find something out, realised that I didn't actually need to know that right now and I could fill in those little details (what type of scope on the sniper rifle I'd already researched) in the next revision. Phew. So I moved on and will fill that gap later. Despite the late start (after 5 and then I generally stop around dinner time and the beasties will remind me that's 6 o'clock, though I did sit back down for another half-hour tonight after I'd fed them) I was happily surprised that I still managed to get 2500 words down.

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Wondering if I should build a little frog pond in my back yard...

Only if you've got a good way to keep Creed out of it!