Day 876

Day 876...

We have had yet another glorious day with clear blue skies, sunshine and high temperatures. Whilst we started our day with a walk it was a little different to normal. We set off later than normal as about half way round Simon and I parted ways...Simon headed off home while I continued on. My destination was a local cafe called 'The Cowshed' so that I could meet up with a friend for coffee.

The walk over was 2.6 miles which I completed in 49 minutes, while the walk back was a little shorter at 2.3 miles in 42 minutes. It was lovely to catch-up over coffee and lovely to be blessed with such a beautiful day although by the time I got home just before lunch I was rather sweaty to say the least!!

A few photos from my walk this morning...

And of course had to get one of the Alpacas....

I arrived home to a couple of parcels...

Not only had the Funko Stitch arrived so that I now have a complete set of the Funko PeopleMover figures...

...but we also received our new Kindle Paperwhite along with a wireless charging dock and case. Consequently this afternoon I took a little time to set everything up which was super easy as I just had to login to the Kindle app on my phone and hey presto everything synced up and it was ready to use.

Mid-afternoon my very good friend, and podcast co-host, Michelle stopped by for a cuppa on her journey down South. She was making her way to her hotel for the evening before she embarks on her journey tomorrow to Orlando, Florida. Yep Michelle is going to Walt Disney World and she also has a Disney cruise booked to round out her vacation. Although things are proving a little stressful as the airline has decided to move her and her friends seats around so they are no longer sitting together despite having paid extra to reserve their seats. Plus she also had to upload proof of her vaccination to the Disney Cruise Line as they will only allow fully vaccinated guests to board providing they have also tested negative 48 hours prior to boarding. This is another level of stress for Michelle as she has to figure out how to get tested and get the test uploaded prior to her cruise while being in a foreign country who follow different rules and protocols to us in the UK.

I really do think it is time that we drop all these silly rules that are still in place for a virus that is now no worse than the flu and is endemic within society. We need to get some common sense and go back to how things were before and adopt a sensible approach...if you are ill stay home - simples! This is how it should have always been and for the majority of people it was. There is no point making yourself do something or go somewhere when you are feeling rough...take the time off, rest and you will be back on your feet ten times quicker than if you soldier on as you will then find yourself in a worse state.

What we need to be doing is educating people about looking after themselves, getting them to be as healthy as they can possibly be so that if a cold or a flu does come along they are in their best shape to deal with it. Unfortunately the cynic in me says that is not a profitable approach. If people eat well and exercise well then how will big food make their profits and if people are fit and healthy then how do big pharma get rich? So in turn why should those of us that do the best we can with our diet and fitness be penalised because the majority choose not to?

And in my attempt to look after myself we finished the day with a gym workout and although it was still very hot there was actually quite a nice breeze and so most of my workout was done outside. Tonight I was concentrating on arms and shoulders.

See you all tomorrow.

xx

Day 875

Day 875...

Thursday started as our mornings do with an early morning walk, we had 1.9 miles completed in just over 35 minutes and were back home before 8.45am. It was yet another beautiful start to the day and the sun was already feeling pretty hot.

But before the day reached its hottest temperatures I had a couple of jobs that I wanted to get done. First it was down to Lidl for a few bits and pieces; I was very excited to see a range of Japanese influenced products in the freezer section and just had to pick up some lemon & ginger ice-cream. Ethan is a big fan of Japanese foods so I can see me making a special trip down to try a few things.

Back home and it was laundry and ironing time before things got too warm. Whilst it is great to take advantage of the lovely weather for drying the laundry ironing is not so much fun! But it didn't take me long and so I was able to sit outside, in the shade, with a coffee and my Low Carb, High Fat Food Revolution book that I am re-reading at the moment.

Just before lunch I had a delivery...I thought I would treat myself to a few Funko Pop Vinyl figures because they were on offer and just way too adorable not to.

These have been released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World and involve one of my most favourite rides; the PeopleMover or to give it it's full (current) title, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. There is a fourth in the set with Stitch in a carriage and this has proven a little harder to come by, especially at a reasonable price. But at lunchtime Simon decided to order one for me from Amazon even though it was a tad more expensive than it should really have been. Posting about the set on the Disney Dream Girls Family page on Facebook one of our members explained that the Stitch version had been exclusive to the Funko store and that was probably why it had been tricky to track down.

After lunch I had an online doctors appointment. This was a follow-up to see if there was anything that could be done to help with some of my menopause symptoms. Unfortunately because I've had breast cancer I'm unable to take the standard HRT drugs but we had tried another type that is actually for blood pressure but has been shown to help some women...but not me.

About ten days ago after suffering from some side effects associated with the medication I decided to stop taking them and over the course of the last few days things seem to be a bit better. Now since my last check-in with the doc I have started having cold showers (now at 3 minutes at least once a day), I've increased my twice (sometimes three) workouts a week up to five and I have stopped drinking red wine (which has been the hardest thing and I only used to have a small glass each evening!). Simon and I are also getting out most days for a minimum of a two mile walk and are using that time to chat and connect should we feel the need to. It is also now two and a half months since I retired and I think that is having a more profound effect on me than I perhaps always credit. I think not having the stresses of work and all the noise that goes along with it has given me the space, mentally, to be better able to cope with things. Which in turn means that the menopause symptoms that I have been experiencing have been easier to cope with, and haven't felt as all consuming as they have in the past.

One thing the doc did recommend was to check my calcium intake level as one of the problems for women having gone through the menopause is the risk of Osteoporosis. I am hoping that my low carb way of eating along with getting plenty of exercise with a focus on weight training will all go towards healthy muscles to help protect my bones and my balance. But taking a supplement to boost those levels is not something that I mind doing so I did manage to find some online and get them ordered.

A little later than normal Simon and I decided to get our fourth workout of the week done. Simon was on the exercise bike while I was focused on body weight exercises and those targeting my abs.

Simon then played taxi service for Ethan as he'd been to the pub after work and the first bus back's route finished in the town next to where we are, so a couple of miles away. So we said we would pick him up rather than waiting for the later bus that would bring him all the way home.

And that was Thursday, see you all tomorrow.
xx

Day 867 & Day 868

Day 867...Wednesday

And the day started with another two minute and thirty second cold shower followed by our early morning walk of 1.9 miles in 36 minutes. The clouds were rather grey but there was a hint that the sun was trying to get out and my weather app told me that there was only a 13% chance of rain...suffice to say we experienced the 13%. Just as we stepped out the door it began to rain so I quickly grabbed my lightweight rain coat and Simon grabbed the umbrella. Thankfully within about ten minutes the rain had stopped and although it was a little cooler than yesterday it was actually lovely and refreshing.

First job of the day was to head out to Lidl for a little catch-up shop, all those fresh things to keep us going over the next few days.

Once back home I had a relatively quiet day. I had a few odd jobs around the house to do, a little laptop work and a little internet distraction! I have been eyeing up some Funko Pop Vinyl figures that I had seen in Forbidden Planet in Nottingham and thought I would look online to compare prices. Now I'm not normally a Funko collector, we have a few odd ones that have been received as gifts but this particular set had caught my eye. It's a set to mark the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World and involves one of my all time favourite attractions; the People Mover. There are four in the set and they feature Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Stitch each sat in their own People Mover carriage. Although it looks like the Stitch one maybe a little hard to find at a reasonable price but I think the other three should be quite reasonable. I am still in two minds but they would go rather lovely in our new study/craft room!

Mid-afternoon I hooked up with my good friend, and podcast co-host, Michelle to record an episode of the Disney Dream Girls podcast. We chatted about the new Magic Band + that has just been released in Walt Disney World as well as looking at the Halloween foodie offerings. Would you believe that Halloween starts mid-August in Walt Disney World and as Michelle will be visiting in a few days time she has booked an evening at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party! While it's great that more people can get to experience Halloween Disney style I still think August is just a tad early!

I was able to make a little more progress on my latest jigsaw before we headed down our gym. This was our second weights workout of the week and it was another warm and muggy evening that just seemed to sap the strength out of you. In fact I did most of my exercises outside of the garage in attempt to feel a little cooler although it didn't give me any extra energy!

Although my second cold shower of two minutes and thirty seconds was actually quite pleasant!

Day 868...Thursday

It was a lovely morning with blue skies and clear views for miles around as we completed our usual walk of 1.9 miles in a sprightly 36 minutes, our pace has definitely improved over the last few walks.

I wasn't really sure what I had planned today but knew that I had a couple of boring online jobs so got them out of the way first thing. It was then onto the ever so exciting (sarcasm here!) ironing before I decided to defrost the freezer! I know I am just living the dream! 

Although defrosting the freezer would have been easier if I'd actually switched it off. To be fair I thought I had as we have a plug that is clearly marked 'Fridge' (it's a combined fridge and freezer) and I dutifully switched it off. What I didn't do was actually check to see if it had actually switched off, it was only part way through defrosting that I heard a noise from the fridge, opened the door and saw that the light came on. I then looked at the oven which is plugged into the same socket as the fridge and lo and behold that was off! So somehow or other we have managed to label up the wrong plug. I did start to make a little more progress with it switched off and Simon lent me his heat gun to help speed things up! But as it had been quite some time since it was last defrosted I didn't manage to get it as fully defrosted as I would have liked but as it had taken up most of the morning I decided to call it a day and attempt the remainder another day.

After a spot of lunch it was time to catch up on a few more jobs. All not very exciting just those need to get done things. I spent a few minutes chatting with one of my elderly neighbours who is a 'tour de force'. She is in her very late eighties and lives alone having been widowed 28 years ago but she is active and gets herself out and about in her car and shows no sign of letting up. She is a gleaming example of how to embrace life and carry on whatever is thrown your way.

I did manage a little more jigsaw today and was able to grab a little time outside in the sunshine with a coffee before rounding the day out with another session down our gym. Tonight it was body weight exercises with a focus on legs and tummy!

Well, I best sign off and see you all tomorrow.
xx

p.s. I even managed to get those Funko figures ordered...well all but the Stitch one so I now have a mission to track one down.