A bit of a change in weather here today

[Clipper]

We are experiencing much cooler temperatures today with rain moving in soon. It is only in the low to mid 60's here today and only in the 50's in the surrounding mountains. That is bit of a drastic change from the hot weather we have been having. I took the dog out this morning and watered the garden at about 8am. I didn't go far before I came back in a put on a flannel shirt. It was only 53. At least now it has warmed to 65.

We need the rain. It has been in the forecast for several days and has always managed to go all around us without giving us a drop.


No outside work today. Kathy is making strawberry jam and I just took a walk up the road and back. I was exhausted yesterday after battling with my CPAP machine all night the night before last. The damned thing kept shutting off and I would wake up suffocating in the mask. For some reason it would shut off and I would just turn off the switch and turn it back on and it would come back on. It worked perfectly last night. Who the hell knows what the story was with that. I slept 9 hours last night. I seldom sleep over 6hrs. It was a beautiful morning for a walk. A gentle breeze and overcast but a pleasant temperature for a brisk walk.

Now it is time to get into the rain locker for a quick shower and then I am off to my rehab session and a bit more exercise. I am down to 277 from 322 before my heart problem raised it's ugly head. Nothing like a cardiac scare to make a person look at their lifestyle a bit differently.

[clarencebunsen]

Yesterday we were totally beat after our walk. Planet Fitness is still closed and neither of us likes to walk in the rain so we have been lazy. We walked our usual route, out to Imperial, down to Tibbets, down to Kellogg, down and around Oxford Town, then back home. Problem was back home is all uphill.

I scouted for a new route last night and realized the paper route our sons used to deliver would be much better. Up Imperial to Oxford, up Twyndom to Roman, the route home is downhill. She wants to go later in the day which should be cooler. Hopefully we won't be quite as done in.

[Clipper]

I probably should save the extra walks for Fridays when I don't go to rehab. I did 40 minutes on the elliptical and for about the last fifteen I could "feel the burn." After the exercise period we watched a 30 minute video on how to read labels on foods. After sitting for 30 minutes I had stiffened up and more or less hobbled to the truck, haha.

I do feel much better after losing some of the weight and getting some genuine organized exercise. I usually do 20 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the hand bike (the thing you turn pedals with your hands) but there were none available when I finished the elliptical session so I just stayed on the elliptical for the entire 40 minute exercise period. I am feeling my age. My calves are still sore and my legs are stiff. I only set it on a difficulty level of 4 out of 10.

When you have finished the 9 week program you can still come and use the Gym for $25 a month. There is a man that is probably 3 or more years older than me that comes every day and runs 5 miles on a treadmill. He runs 2 miles with it flat, 2 miles with it at a fairly sharp incline, and the last mile he flattens it out and slows it down while he does more or less a cool down period.

I have been amazed at how the exercise and better diet have affected my blood pressure. It always used to run about 140 over70 something OR HIGHER. They take a BP reading after we exercise and today mine was 119 over 53. I feel so much better that I might even become one of those "gym rats" that goes every day or so to work out. I would not be interested in weight training, but the aerobic exercise machines like the treadmill and elliptical or stationary bike would interest me.

I would love to live where I could leave the house and walk a circuitous route ending back home like you do CB but the road we live on is very narrow with narrow shoulders and people drive like idiots on it. Just walking to the mail box is a risky act at times.

[clarencebunsen]

Driving to a safe route would be a better option. When Barb and I were in "training" for our Viking cruise we were quite serious about getting in shape to walk. Towards the end we decided to walk to PF, do our exercise routine and walk home. That was a big mistake.

[Clipper]

Wow. PF is way over on Commercial Drive isn't it? That is a pretty good walk back home after working out at the gym. I would be ready for a nap when I got home, haha.

[clarencebunsen]

At that time it was still in the NH Shopping Center.

[clarencebunsen]

Barb decided at dinner time that her legs were still sore so we didn't go. She is still doing her rehab routine every day but that is all upper body.

[Clipper]

I will be getting my exercise today with my rehab session and my bowling tonight. I am just happy to feel energized enough to want to exercise and move about. I had lived a pretty sedentary lifestyle for quite a while and continued to stack on the pounds until I was not comfortable or able to do a lot of the things that I have always enjoyed doing. A good walk or an exercise session now seems to energize me and with the dietary change and elimination of salt from my diet, my blood pressure has dropped significantly. I don't see myself becoming any sort of fitness nut, but I do intend to enjoy life a lot more with the increased energy level and ability to move around better.