100

Today I took my 100^th class at Pure Barre. 

Last year in June, when my sister was here, she talked to me about Pure Barre and how much she loved (and hated) it.  She had been going for a while and we drove by the one here in town and peered in the windows.  About a week after she left, I went back and signed up for one year of unlimited classes.  !  This is without even taking my first class.  But she raved about it so much that I figured it couldn’t be that bad, right?

Hahahahaha! 

The first class I took I thought I was going to pass out.  And throw up.  And the next day?  I actually had trouble walking because every muscle in my body was indescribably sore.  Sorer than I have ever been in my life.  I had muscles that I didn’t know existed.  But I just kept coming back.

And today I attended my 100^th class!

I love it. And I hate it.  I haven’t lost any weight (because I don’t eat right), but I’ve lost inches.  My clothes fit better.  And I am stronger.  Part of the warm up of each class is a 90-second plank.  90 seconds doesn’t seem like that long, right?  WRONG.  When you’re planking….it feels like an hour.  It is awful.  I think the first time I was able to hold my plank without coming to knees was maybe in November.  And remember….I started taking classes in June.  And full (SLOW) sit ups (not crunches) from lying completely flat on the floor (legs extended and everything)...it took me a couple of months to do one of those as well without helping myself up on my elbows.

I still get sore.  But not after every class.  It depends on the class and it depends on the instructor.  There are certain instructors that push you harder. 

Here’s why I love it:

*You have to sign up for each class via the app.  Which means that the classes aren't super crowded, because once they are at capacity, that's it. 

*It doesn't feel like a gym or a large grouop exercise class, which is a huge plus for me.  It's more intimate than that.  In fact, they lock the doors after class starts.

*The instructors are INCREDIBLY nice.  And super encouraging.  And they know everyone's name.  This still baffles me.

*They correct your form in class if necessary (which is super helpful).  It makes a big difference in how you feel (protect those joints people!) and it ensures you are working the targeted muscle correctly.

*The music is LOUD and really gets you going. 

*I gained a reading buddy, Rebecca.  We talk books before class.

*It doesn't get easier.  If it weren't challenging, then why bother going?  I don't know how they do it, but every single class is different (and I usually take 2 a day and they are NEVER the same) and every single class is hard.

*There is no judgment.  Everyone there is focused on themselves.  They are too busy trying not to die that they don’t have time to check out other people in class.  They don’t care what you look like, what you’re wearing, and how good your form is.  NOBODY CARES.  We’re all just trying to get through the class in one piece. 

Here’s why I hate it:

*Planking

*It's pricey

To celebrate my 100^th class and reward myself, I went to the Nordstrom Rack website and ordered 2 pairs of leggings (Zella), 2 sports bras (Puma & Nike) and 2 tank tops (Zella), all of which I needed.  

Next milestone?  250!!

Howie

On February 18, we made the tough decision to put our sweet boy Howie down.  His diabetes was just getting the best of him.  It was heartbreaking.  But he went very peacefully and is no longer uncomfortable.

I already miss his cuddles, his purring, his mischievous ways that he had most of his life, his toughness and most of all his cute little face.  

Howie:  2003 - 2019.  Goodbye sweet boy.  

February Reads (7)

One star = did not like it at all

Two stars = eh, it was okay

Three stars =  liked it

Four stars = really, really liked it

Five stars = absolutely loved it

1-Star (0)

2-Star (0)

3-Star (4)

***102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers (Non-Fiction, J. Dwyer)

An INCREDIBLY difficult read.  This book literally takes you minute-by-minute about what was happening inside the towers, from the time the first plane hit to the time the second tower fell.  This was written using accounts from survivors, desperate phone calls from those who were stuck, and phone calls from family members to their loved ones.  It was heartbreaking, and honestly I’m not sure what compelled me to pick it up. 

***Power of Habit (Non-Fiction, C. Duhigg)

This book was up and down for me.  Parts of it were completely fascinating and super helpful, but other parts seemed to drag on and on and it felt somewhat disjointed and all over the place.  But I am glad I read it.

***Counting by 7’s (Fiction, H. Sloan)

I feel like I’ve read so many versions of this story.  Young Reader: genius-awkward-preteen girl whose adoptive parents get killed in a car accident and she has to find her way through grief and accept the fact that her fate is in someone else’s hands.  Don’t get me wrong, it was a nice read, I just feel like it’s been done over and over again.

***Bury Your Dead (Fiction, L. Penny)

Not my favorite, but not bad.  After all, it’s Louise Penny.

4-Star (3)

****Dry (Fiction, N. Shusterman)

A YA novel about what happens to society when there is a ‘tap-out’ (aka extreme drought).  Murder.  Martial law.  Lies.  Deceit.  All for a few drops of water to survive.  Part of this book were slow, especially in the middle, but the last 50 pages or so were amazing. 

****An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good (Fiction,  H. Tursten)

This was filed in the ‘Mystery’ section at Barnes & Noble, but it is not a mystery book.  We know who the serial killer is:  88-year-old Maud.  Maud sees a problem that directly affects her, and she solves it.  By killing people.  I would like to say it’s not as dark as it sounds, but it totally is ha ha.  Although it’s not as gruesome as other crime/mystery novels I’ve read (and it’s a ‘light’ read if that makes any sense at all).  And the book itself is completely adorable, it’s this tiny little hardback book.  A very quick read.

****The Essex Serpent (Fiction, S. Perry)

4.5.  This book was incredibly slow (and I listened to the audio version, which was phenomenal), but the beautiful writing, intriguing plot, interesting characters and atmospheric tone made up for the slowness.  It’s dark, somewhat Gothic, very creepy (but not scary) and kind of right up my alley.  I loved it.   

5-Star (0)

Total Books Read: 7 (5 fiction, 2 non-fiction)

DNF (Did Not Finish) :

Orchid & the Wasp (couldn’t get into it)

Dressmaker of Khair Khana (couldn’t get into it)

Ojo Caliente

Back in the beginning of November, some friends and I decided to do an 8-week fitness challenge.  In those 8 weeks, we were all required to exercise 45 minutes at least 3 times a week.  We had to keep accountable by sending a picture of what we did.  And at the end of the 8 weeks, we rewarded ourselves by going to Ojo Caliente Spa in Taos in January. 

It was so cool!  It was cold outside, but the thermal pools were hot.  It's a very woo-woo place (you must whisper) and each pool has specific minerals in it that are supposed to do something restorative to your body.

It was sooooo relaxing.  We soaked in all of the pools.  We ate and drank.  We sat by the fire.  It was just a wonderful way to celebrate the completion of our fitness challenge.

And the good news is we started another fitness challenge!  We're still deciding what our reward will be when we finish.

January Reads (4)

One star = did not like it at all

Two stars = eh, it was okay

Three stars =  liked it

Four stars = really, really liked it

Five stars = absolutely loved it

3-Star (2)

***Salt to the Sea (Fiction, R. Septeys)

Two stars for the education about the most tragic maritime disaster that NO ONE seems to know about (me included).  One star for everything else.  Ugh.

***Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Fiction, )

I just could not get into this book.  Part of me thinks I should give it another try, but I already know it’s not going to be a 5-star read.  So why bother ha ha.

4-Star (2)

****The House at Tyneford (Fiction, N. Solomons)

This was just the right book at just the right time for me.  Not lots of depth, yet not fluffy either.  It had a hint of Downton Abby, with a bit of a twist: a Jewish girl from a prominent family in Austria must escape before it becomes occupied by Germany, and becomes a maid for a prominent family in England.

****The Brutal Telling (Fiction, L. Penny)

#5 in the series.  There seemed to be a lot of characters in this one (more than usual), but I still enjoyed it.  Louise Penny is such a great story teller!

Total Books Read: 4 (4 fiction)

DNF (Did Not Finish) : 1

Little Bee (Fiction, C. Cleave) – couldn’t get into it…and this was my 2^nd try

2019 Reading Goals

I don’t have lots of reading goals for 2019.  I read a LOT last year.  This year, I pretty much have one goal:

1.       Slow down.  I sometimes feel overwhelmed when I look at my book stacks or my TBR list.  So I tend to ‘rush read’ through books just to get through them and get them ‘over’ with.  And that is NOT what reading is about!  I want to really enjoy the process more.

2.       Stop buying so many books.  To say that I’m on a book ban or that I won’t buy any books, or even any NEW books is just…well it’s not going to happen.  However, I want to cut WAY back.  Even at the bookshop and book sales.

3.       Be more intentional about the books I buy NEW.  It’s easy to throw a used book into a paper grocery bag if you know that entire bag of books is going to cost you $5.  But when it comes to new books….I want to be WAY more intentional about the ones that I buy.  New books are expensive!

4.       Go through my bookshelves regularly.  I have pared down my KEEPER shelf a LOT.  I sold some books.  Even 4-star ones.  If I don’t think I’m going to ever re-read it and if it doesn’t bring me JOY (ha ha), then I let it go.

5.       Read at least 100 books.  I set my goal on Goodreads at 100 books for 2019.  Last year I read 150+.  I think I’ll easily hit 100 books even if I slow it down.

That’s it!

2018 Year in Review

I'm so late on this!  It's already February!  But better late than never I guess?

January

Well the year started off on a bad note when I had my first emergency room visit EVER.  I was in the worst pain I’ve ever had in my life.  I will never forget sitting in a wheelchair, tears streaming down my face, holding the giant cup of CT contrast I had to drink wondering how on earth I was going to manage it without throwing up or passing out.  They got things figured out with the tests and sent me on my way with pain pills.

We also got a king size bed.  Normally this isn’t something I would include in a ‘year in review’ post, but getting this king size bed has been life changing.  I can’t even believe the space we have and I’m sleeping a lot better now.

February

Surgery!  To fix the above mentioned issues.  My uterus was trying to self-destruct (hence the horrible pain).  I wish I were exaggerating, but this is exactly how my surgeon described it to me.  They took out just about everything they could (but left some important things too).  It went well.  I stayed one night in the hospital.  I was home recovering for 4 weeks.  Everything went smoothly and I feel SO MUCH BETTER.    

The addition started on our house (my mother-in-law’s kitchen).  About a week into it, they discovered a major plumbing problem.  Which they fixed.  And then the addition resumed.

March

March was all about surgery recovery, organizing, and just life.

April

We had our 8^th anniversary.  We went to dinner at Cheesecake Factory and kept it pretty low key because we left for Iceland the next week.  That was our gift to each other. 

We also had our French Memorial.

May

Iceland!  We went for a week.  It was unbelievable.  I still just can’t stop thinking about it.  And I want to go back so bad!  In fact, a 2^nd trip has been discussed (in 2020).  We shall see!  I’ve traveled to other countries, but none of them have had the same effect on me that Iceland has had.  I wish I could describe it without sounding like a loon.  It’s just IN me now.  I look back at my pictures and I just get this feeling of longing and sadness that I’m not there.  I drink a cup of my precious Arctic Thyme tea that I got there (arctic thyme is a plant only grown in Iceland) and I take a whiff of it and I am immediately transported back.  Our little cabin.  The crazy weather.  The crazy landscapes.  The smell (it’s good).  The fresh air.  The fresh water EVERYWHERE.  The people.  The music.  The slower pace.  The peacefulness.  The remoteness (it felt like we were the only ones on the island).  I loved everything about it.  It was just a pretty perfect trip.  I think Belgium comes in 2^nd as far as the ‘feeling’ of a country.  We’ve discussed another trip to Belgium at some point too.  With Belgium I think we were just so surprised by how much we loved it.  It’s a tiny little country, but boy does it pack a punch.  Okay I’m getting off track.

June

June was our Regional Convention, which meant the visit of my seeeeester!  It was lovely.

July

In July, our ductless heating and cooling was installed.  It was a huge relief to get that done.  My house was in shambles and had tubes and wires and HOLES in the ceilings for about a week.  I never knew what or who I would be coming home too.  But the love I have for these ductless units now….amazing. 

My nephew came to visit as well.  We had a nice time!  We didn’t do anything too touristy, except a hike that I thought was going to kill me (Tent Rocks).  Spoiler alert…it didn’t kill me.  Ha ha. 

We also had some painting done in July.  The addition was slowly wrapping up (I won’t even go into that because I’ve been trying to block it from my memory).

August

In August we had a couple stay with us for a week for PS School.  It was nice to have them and they were easy guests.

We also had concrete work done.  We had a path poured out front, a patio for my mother-in-law poured out back, and the concrete leveled out on the West side of our house.

September

In September my parents came to visit.  We went to a lot of bookstores.  It was so much fun!  We had a nice visit with them.

We also made the bittersweet decision to switch back to English from French.  We miss our French family, but moving to English was a great move for us.  We love our new congregation. 

October

Nothing out of the ordinary in October…just incredibly busy at work.  Balloon Fiesta.  Also, my husband tore up the carpet in the man cave.  There was linoleum that looked like wood underneath.  We’re leaving it alone for now.

November

In November hubby went to Chicago with my nephew for a couple of Blackhawks games.  While they were gone, we had our new piece of fencing installed…the FINAL part of the addition project.

Also…Black Friday!

December

I traveled to Nebraska in December for my niece’s baby shower.  It was so much fun.  I got to see all of my family and go to help out with the shower.  And it was cold, but not SUPER cold.

Uncle Bob also came for an impromptu visit (funeral).

It was a stressful year (surgery, the addition, and our house being tore up, etc) but it was also a great year because we got a LOT accomplished.  The addition is complete.  Our heating/cooling is complete.  We visited a country that I still just can’t believe exists because it is so amazing.  I got to see a lot of family and we had lots of visitors.  All in all, a really good year.

Travel:  Colorado, Iceland, Nebraska

Visitors:  7 (my sister, my nephew, my parents, a couple here for PSS, and Uncle Bob)