Moving Forward

Last Sunday, my vehicle was towed (rather unjustly) and the week went downhill from there.

 

I did, however, score this adorable Anthropologie top at a thrift store.  And my office carpet and trim is green, and that is my favorite color.

While I assure people I rarely have a bad day (I average maybe six a year) this was the first time I had three of them fall three days in a row.  By Thursday, however, I had formulated my plan, and I had begun the process of recovery.

Of course my bike had to figure into that.

 

Reunited!  One had been missing for two years!

I cannot express the joy I have in having my bike in the back of my vehicle, ready to ride at a moment's notice.  This week was awful, with nothing working out as I hoped, and yet fabulous as I flew down the Peavine at full throttle yesterday.

Yes, I wore a helmet.

No, I don't have pictures.

Why?  

Because I look utterly ridiculous in a helmet.

This week the rains of the monsoon finally hit, and coincided with tough circumstances.

 

Monsoon Sunset.

As I settled in to my plans, and remembered the dreams I am still working on I was encouraged...a wee bit.

 

Maybe.  What if I grow a sixth toe?  That might be uncomfortable.

But!!! I am reminded my awesome new business Ride Prescott is nearing launch, and I finally have a second insurance quote (one of the hold ups) and possibly a third cart?!

 

The green ride is framing up:)

In addition, new collaborations are happening, and I am proud to be marketing several new start-ups.  My heart will always be brand new small businesses, and to join both Studio Sol Pilates and Senses in their opening months is deeply satisfying.

Things always get better.  This past week was but a blip, and thankfully not something like a 27 week broken dominate hand.

 

Although that 27 week broken hand allowed the discovery of my ambidextrous proclivity...I still mouse left (with a right hand mouse:)

Last night my legs ached in the best possible way as I ate a bag of frozen cherries, carefully removing the pits from their frozen yumminess.

Even pits are not a bother when dealt with carefully.

 

I think I shall concentrate more on my new business, helping those who want help, and on getting fit.

Thank goodness I've rediscovered my bike😍

Fitness Quest:  keeping it real.

The Return

I've quietly been exercising.

 

Dirty dishes are surprisingly motivating.

It's been over two months since I blogged, the number one reason being the deletion of the Blogger app on iPhone in April.  Without the instant accessibility of my iPhone to write with, I was bereft.

 

I've had too many lately...

So to bring you, my loyal reader, up to speed, a recap:

When I last left you, I was unemployed in Greenland.

 

Teehee!!  Anybody want a peanut??

😂😂😂

I crack myself up.

Anywise!!  I was unemployed, and hiking semi-regularly with Ian, the closing on my house had fallen through and I was quietly working on Far From Folsom, although that wasn't mentioned in the blog, as that was quiet.

 

Proof I was there.  

Since that post in April, I have experienced the following, in a somewhat chronological order:

• The 20th anniversary of my late husband's death, which hit me rather unexpectedly like a ton of bricks
• The dismissal of my help on a volunteer project
• Federal Jury Duty
• Ten days back Home in SW Michigan/NE Ohio
• The death of my late husband's father, and once again being Gary's widow
• The birth of my new business, Ride Prescott
• Finding the best business partner ever by swiping right😜😂
• Finally landing a great new job
• The crazy days of the final push to open Folsom and the very successful marketing campaign I helped to create
• Finally embracing "dating"
• Discovering I'm truly happy for the first time in ages 
• Restarting classical Pilates 

Pilates.

I've returned.

Oh, it's with reluctance and excitement I've done so.  God bless Lucille Noggle, my beloved instructor who I trust to stop before I give out.  Once again, she calls me cooked seconds before I'm ready to give up.  Once again, it is accountability to her that keeps me coming in twice a week, now three weeks completely in.

And I can feel my abs.

And I'm stronger.

 I still mouse with my left hand, but my right hand is finally fully healed.

There's no pictures of me exercising--I wasn't doing this for a blog.  I'm not even doing it for me--I'm doing it as its part of a bigger plan (with 4.5 phases right now) that I am driven to see work.  No longer am I dreaming, I am doing.

 

Working on it...

Sure, there's bumps.  Pink eye was a huge bump this week.  But there's new joys, too.

 

My parents & children were my first riders.

 And new hair color, too.....😇

As I feel my body change, I'm motivated to get off the 7lbs that I allowed to creep on.  There's this dress I want to wear to the opening of Folsom, and I'm determined to get it off.  Thankfully, I have my business partner for accountability...

 

Best.  Partner.  Ever.

(and yes, I persevered.)

So.....new job.  New business.  New friends.

Kimberly!  You should have been in this photo!

Right before I started my new job, I took the Manchild and the Youngest Daughter to Flagstaff Extreme. 

 

Black course.  Third black band achieved.

While on the course I discovered that continual forward motion ALWAYS gave me the best footing, the best progress and the best success on every obstacle.

Fitness Quest:  my life blew up, but I kept moving forward.

I'm happier now.

I look forward and move towards what can be.

Keeping it real.

The Return

I've quietly been exercising.

 

Dirty dishes are surprisingly motivating.

It's been over two months since I blogged, the number one reason being the deletion of the Blogger app on iPhone in April.  Without the instant accessibility of my iPhone to write with, I was bereft.

 

I've had too many lately...

So to bring you, my loyal reader, up to speed, a recap:

When I last left you, I was unemployed in Greenland.

 

Teehee!!  Anybody want a peanut??

😂😂😂

I crack myself up.

Anywise!!  I was unemployed, and hiking semi-regularly with Ian, the closing on my house had fallen through and I was quietly working on Far From Folsom, although that wasn't mentioned in the blog, as that was quiet.

 

Proof I was there.  

Since that post in April, I have experienced the following, in a somewhat chronological order:

• The 20th anniversary of my late husband's death, which hit me rather unexpectedly like a ton of bricks
• The dismissal of my help on a volunteer project
• Federal Jury Duty
• Ten days back Home in SW Michigan/NE Ohio
• The death of my late husband's father, and once again being Gary's widow
• The birth of my new business, Ride Prescott
• Finding the best business partner ever by swiping right😜😂
• Finally landing a great new job
• The crazy days of the final push to open Folsom and the very successful marketing campaign I helped to create
• Finally embracing "dating"
• Discovering I'm truly happy for the first time in ages 
• Restarting classical Pilates 

Pilates.

I've returned.

Oh, it's with reluctance and excitement I've done so.  God bless Lucille Noggle, my beloved instructor who I trust to stop before I give out.  Once again, she calls me cooked seconds before I'm ready to give up.  Once again, it is accountability to her that keeps me coming in twice a week, now three weeks completely in.

And I can feel my abs.

And I'm stronger.

 I still mouse with my left hand, but my right hand is finally fully healed.

There's no pictures of me exercising--I wasn't doing this for a blog.  I'm not even doing it for me--I'm doing it as its part of a bigger plan (with 4.5 phases right now) that I am driven to see work.  No longer am I dreaming, I am doing.

 

Working on it...

Sure, there's bumps.  Pink eye was a huge bump this week.  But there's new joys, too.

 

My parents & children were my first riders.

 And new hair color, too.....😇

As I feel my body change, I'm motivated to get off the 7lbs that I allowed to creep on.  There's this dress I want to wear to the opening of Folsom, and I'm determined to get it off.  Thankfully, I have my business partner for accountability...

 

Best.  Partner.  Ever.

(and yes, I persevered.)

So.....new job.  New business.  New friends.

Kimberly!  You should have been in this photo!

Right before I started my new job, I took the Manchild and the Youngest Daughter to Flagstaff Extreme. 

 

Black course.  Third black band achieved.

While on the course I discovered that continual forward motion ALWAYS gave me the best footing, the best progress and the best success on every obstacle.

Fitness Quest:  my life blew up, but I kept moving forward.

I'm happier now.

I look forward and move towards what can be.

Keeping it real.

A new quest: CrossFit Prescott

Last weekend, I talked about shooting, shopping and sex as exercise.

And that was before I bought the corset:)

My workouts last week included two minor hikes and four morning three-song workouts as my hand continued to heal.  It's been five weeks, and I can safely say it's not gonna be done cooking at week six.

Yep, it still hurts.  I say "ow!" at least once a day.

My Fitness Quest, and my health (see blog "tremors") have taken a hit with the break; I need to get back into the action.

Enter this man, aka The Professor.

Joey Powell, owner & trainer at CrossFit Prescott, figured out how I could do weighted squats with a newly broken hand three weeks ago.  I was so impressed I begged the King to get me a membership for my healing phase-and for our son to join us.

He's pumping gas.

Lad and I enjoy time together; we have had regular "little dates" for ten years (since he was four!). Typically we study aviation history together (I'm bringing him up right.) I'm missing lifting, and he wants to learn-perfect fit.

With my hand not quite healed, I totally trust Joey to get me back in shape and protect my hand.  Thus, the next two months of the Quest I will only be at CrossFit Prescott and hiking:)

Oh, I won't like it when I'm there.  But as Troy says, I won't regret it.

Now if I can just drop these last ten pounds at the same time....

Making it Quick

Some things happen quickly.

Cedar Point's Maverick (of course.)

Other things take a lot of time.

Or just seem to take a long time...

I thoroughly expected to get fit quickly; I never expected to be winded on Thumb Butte ten weeks into the quest.

My heart was pounding, I was swigging water to keep up the pace.  I had run into a time crunch; once again forgetting just how far out my favorite hike was from town.  Determined not to waste a second, I threw myself into it.  So what if it was the steep side?  

Yeah-let that sink in.

So what if it was the steep side?

I willingly went left.

The air monster appeared, I pushed past.  Tomorrow I have a hard hike; today needed to be a good precursor.  I hadn't hiked since Friday, and that was more of a walk.

A gorgeous walk, but a walk.

A new resolve perhaps?  Deciding the fastest way to get to easy was to go through hard?

I'm tired of exercise being hard.  I'm tired of waking up hurting, wishing things were different.  Instead of crying, instead of whining, today I did something different.

I went after it.

In all things, this appears to apply.

Is this the difference between the 20% who love to exercise and the rest of us?  

Is it because they push hard to get to the easy? (I need to spend more time with Miles Vorkosigan apparently, seeing as just this one quote is changing my views.)

Whomever has my copy of Young Miles, please return!!  

This afternoon I completed a tough task out of breath but determined.  While the air monster had burned me before (and showed up just the same) I decided to get what I wanted and needed.  The hike down was a time of introspection; did the end justify the mean?  My hiker's cough started almost immediately, it's actually continued throughout the evening.

Yet I feel different.  Perhaps this is a type of exercise high; normally I feel nothing but drained.

Tonight, I feel alive.

Awareness

 I must start each day with the news.

Granted it's a British tabloid, but I did know about Bruce Jenner in 2014.

I found the British press scoop the American press, on American news, by 2-4 hours.  Matt Drudge introduced me to the Mail, so it can't be all bad, right?

I forget so many don't know who Matt Drudge is.

I assure you, she knows. 

Any how, I have to have my news fix.  After three news sites I switch to blogs, and then scroll through Facebook.  Satisfied I am aware of what's happening in the world politically (and not politically), I can start the day.

Apparently, this is how the 20% feel about exercise.

Me on the Tower tonight.

I've been made aware that those with the addiction must exercise, or they feel irritable-much like I do if I don't have my news fix first thing.

I'm really loving the retro-1930's equipment.

Pilates focuses on six principles:  control, center, flow, breath, precision & concentration.

Just in case you're only looking at the pictures.

When I manage to hit all six in a set, I am amazed at the immediate improvement, and more importantly, the awareness I have of my body and it's muscular system.  Inhaling or exhaling appropriately gives strength when needed, keeping center allows for not only better form but better strengthening.  I do not feel my mind wander at all as I complete these movements, rather I am fixated on the task at hand.

I wonder if this is how the 20% feel all the time they exercise?

The King assures me that he is like that, but it takes discipline.  (Yet I managed it in a week!  Yippee!)

I am loving the results...

Awareness of the six principles has helped me find a place that I can truly clear my head for an hour and focus on exercise that is showing good results.  Just like I have a need to be aware of the news, I'm finding that this new awareness during exercise is very fulfilling.

Seems I've become aware of a lot of things as of late.

Haven't heard from Maverick lately, so I thought I'd check in.

This afternoon I was telling a friend about the fictional character Miles Vorkosigan.  Ever the source of amusement in my literary sphere, I can't help but think of him tonight.

And on that bombshell...

The Return of the Corn Star

Last week, I really struggled with fitness.

I felt like this most of the week.

I had hiked the Canyon for the second time, and did not feel the need to do anything else for the week.

Except hate on chihuahua's.

While Pilates intrigued and saw some fruit, why bother hiking?  Why continue the quest?  My clothes fit, so...

This is the skirt that started it all.  On 2/7, it rippled on the sides.  Not anymore.

It all boiled down to this:  it was my wedding anniversary to the King.

West Fork hike, last Friday.

For some time now, I'd marked our 17th anniversary as a fresh starting point.  1 plus 7 equals 8...and lately 8's had been cropping up with increasing regularity.

The tire from STS-88.  Seriously.

That meant serious fitness, serious work, serious marriage, serious housework, serious mothering.

I don't do serious well.

So last week was my meltdown (not coincidentally, it coincided with PMS) and this weekend was a mini-getaway.

Bacon, brie, arugula & Dalmatia fig sandwich.  Seriously delicious.

It reminded me that the King is my match.

He hasn't left me despite my tiara, or my repeated demands for selfies.

Yes, it's the start of our 18th year.  Next year is our golden anniversary, because it's 18 years on the 18th.  Given my obsession with 8's, this is significant.  What I could not have predicted was my own mid-life crisis, leaving me questioning everything.

So, I need to let go of hating exercise, since I need the stress relief.

I need to let go of my tiara, and take pride in my home and family.

I need to let go of my doubts and insecurity, and work through the unknown in my new career.

It's a big day tomorrow.

Hoping I'm up for it.

Can I be one again?