These Shoes...

...have been walking!

You might remember this post sixteen weeks ago.  Since then, they have walked an average of twelve miles a week.  That's almost two hundred miles!  YAY me!

Bet you think I've been losing pounds as those shoes walk me around.  Don't put too much money on that wager.  My pounds seem to love me too much to go away.  Darn it!

It Finally Makes Sense!

Having grown up in Kansas, I have heard my share of Yellow Brick Road, Toto and Dorothy jabs.  Probably about as many jabs as times I've seen the movie, "The Wizard of Oz".  (And it still scares the bejesus out of me...)

So what is this revelation I had?  The Wicked Witch of the West was not really a witch, but a middle age woman going through menopause.  Look at the evidence...

• She doesn't really have green skin.  The green comes from a whole body mask she uses to provide moisture to her dry, itchy skin.
• Increase in facial hair.  I know you can't see it, but can anything that ugly NOT have facial hair?
• Change in fingernails.  Cracked and broken...
• Feelings of dread, apprehension and doom.  She knew her sister was going to lose those ruby slippers.
• Trouble sleeping through the night, insomnia.

 Come on!  There wouldn't have been flying monkeys if she had not been sleep deprived.

• Irritablilty and depression.  What woman in her middle age wouldn't feel bitchy looking at beauty and youth?  

•  Hot flashes and night sweats.  She just felt like she was melting...

If you are not a wicked witch middle age woman suffering the symptoms of menopause (or as I call it, mental pause), you will probably not agree.  Some day you will have a similar revelation.  I know because with age come wisdom.

*I want to thank those who provided pictures for this post.  Recognition should be given to each of you but I am suffering from mental confusion and mental lapses...

I Should Have Chosen Yoga

As I lay in bed this morning contemplating my day, I could not decide whether to walk or to do a yoga routine.  Since I was getting out of bed a little later than usual, it was bound to be too hot to walk.  A look at the outside temperature told me it was in the high 70's... Not too cool, but not hot enough to cause heat stroke in a walking, menopausal woman.  I grabbed my hat and my walking stick and headed out.  

Have I ever told you how clumsy I am?  I will bump me head on a cabinet that has been in the same place since forever or I can trip over some dust on the floor.  Hubs usually rolls his eyes as he asks if I am all right.

This morning I was 1.5 miles into my two mile route when this huge boulder appeared out of nowhere I stumbled over my own foot.  Down I went.  ROAD RASH! 

I did not have to look around to see if anyone saw me because I was face down in the street along the curb of a fairly busy street.  Everyone in town saw me, I am sure!  One car slowed, but I'm sure that is because they were laughing so hard.

I can still laugh at myself.  Or maybe I was laughing at Hubs as he got a bit woozy taking pictures of me.  Such a light weight!

If you missed the post about why I am doing this, catch up here.  Since I have been exercising regularly, I am sleeping better, have more energy and a clearer mind.  Now if I could do something about my clumsiness...   

Cocktail Hour!

Care to join me?

I'll be having a double Ducolax with a G2/Miralax chaser.  All on an empty stomach.

Come on in.  Make yourself at home.

You know where to find me.

I'm a Pro

Last month, I made a visit to my new ob/gyn looking for relief from the annoying symptoms of menopause and believe me, all the symptoms of menopause are annoying!  The prescription for mental fogginess, fatigue, insomnia and decreased sex drive is... EXERCISE.  You knew she was going to tell me that, didn't you?  Me too.

That was a month ago.  I put the PRO in procrastination.  But this morning I donned my floppy bush hat to protect my face from the sun and grabbed my walking stick so I would have something to fight off all the hot guys help me climb hills.  Despite the groaning muscles and joints, the walk felt good.    

Wait until you see me in my bicycle gear...

Swamped

My list of things to do is a mile long it seems.

• Spring cleaning
• Create and sew five handbags by June
• Clean flower beds and plant annuals
• Create and construct items to sell at the Virginia Avenue Mall.
• Get out bike and yoga mat.

**Please note!  I will NOT be doing yoga while riding my bike.

Hub's mom is arriving on Wednesday for a week long visit.  I'm trying to plan menus and do the shopping.

Today I have an appointment to see a doctor at Duke Integrative Medicine to get relief from my "mental"pause symptoms.

One of the items I am making to sell at the Virginia Avenue Mall are reusable shopping bags.  Here are some pics of ones I made to give as Christmas gifts last year.

These bags are the same size as the plastic bags you get at your grocery store because I used a Target bag as my pattern.  They are super strong as each bag is lined and the bag folds up into the front pocket for easy storage.  My bags are upcycled, as they are constructed from fabric purchased at yard sales and flea markets.  Some of the fabric is UGGLY! 

My question to you is:  How much should I charge for these bags?  Would you pay $3?  $5?  Help me out here!

I must go get ready for my doctor appointment.  Can I dust the living room while I'm showering? 

What was I saying?

I uploaded this graphic some time yesterday.  It was pertinent to what I had to say then.  I left my computer to do something else.  When I got back to my computer last night, I forgot what I had wanted to say in this post.

Forgetting what I was saying or doing is happening a lot lately.   Hubs said it is old age.  I have a sign in my studio that reads, "Age doesn't make us forgetful.  Having way too many thing to remember makes us forgetful. "   Personally, I think it is because I am in "mental"pause.

If you read this post, you might like to know that it has been seven weeks since I had a cigarette.  BIG news!  But even BIGGER news is that I have only gained two pounds!  It has not been as difficult as I had anticipated to stop smoking.  I think it has something to do with not remembering...   

*Thanks to TZA's flickr account for the use of the graphic.