No longer red...

Married 9 years today! Together for 13 years since last June!
Still happy and in love. Seems like a perfect day to take the doggies to the spot mom and dad got married...
:-)

I just said good bye to Max. Max is the huge, happy pet of my ex. And he has cancer. And today they have to let him pass. My ex was crying, his wife was crying, I was crying. Aaron and I got to hug him and say our goodbyes.

I know exactly what they are feeling. So so sad...

This is a finch "sock" (really 2 socks) and while this photo shows no finches it was loaded with them this morning!

The concept is simple- net tubes that are filled with thistle. Finches stop by after bathing in my fountain, cling to the sock and party.

The best part? So many great moments, but for me it was the dancing at the final credits. Hysterical. Loved it!

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Wii fit update. Took a break last 2 days to set up the living room for better all around enjoyment, including Wii - but did not work out. Yesterday spent most of the day cleaning up the front courtyard - trimming and hauling stuff around, so did not work out. Today? Today I will work out. Soon. Really really soon. But first, lunch!

I found myself EXCITED to do my Wii fit today! I was out and about so I picked up Wii Ski (which works with the Fit board) and bust-a-move game (I'm old school) for the Wii. Once I'd worked out for over an hour today, I did some Wii ski. Fun fun fun... feels like skiing!

I think it's fair to say that Wii fit's assessment of Wii fit "age" is very strange. Yesterday it told me my "age" was 67, then on retest 63. Today? It is now saying 43. Yes, my balance got better as I got the hang of the board. But 20 years different?  I'm not getting too excited here, but from yesterday to today - I lost 2 pounds. Yes, I felt better and I found myself drinking more water  - but 2 lbs in a day? Probably just my usual up and down in weight. We'll see.

What I like about Wii fit:
The Yoga is a great warm up and posture workout. The "trainer" is very helpful and encouraging. There are many audio and visual rewards for working out. The time you spend doing the workouts are saved like money in a bank (cha-ching) and as you collect time - you unlock more yoga poses, or strength moves, or cardio or balance games.
Even the things that are hard, are fun. The things I am good at I want to do over and over. The things I am not good at (push ups- ugh) I find myself trying. I fail at it, but if I keep trying - one day I won't fail. I also find it hard to balance on one leg - but I am doing it anyway. Today was better than yesterday.

I know it's difficult to imagine that moving on a "board" could be a workout, but it IS.
My muscles are getting toned, my legs getting stronger, my balance better and the aerobics make me sweat!
Today I found myself ending with a 10 minute freestyle step. Its set up to coach you through the wii remote so you can WATCH TV and still be working out! 10 minutes of step training is intense, but easy to do.

It came today and I began my Wii humiliation. The reviews are right in saying that if you are older and overweight prepare to be scolded. Yup. It says I have the "Wii" body of a 63 year old. That can't be good. I refuse to even POST my BMI. So I am going to give this toy a try at getting me where I can't seem to get myself. 

I found myself "playing" for over 40 min. I am dripping with sweat and the darned thing even knew to tell me to go get a drink of water. Note to self: don't work out in tight jeans next time.

I lost my red hair in an impulsive afternoon of intense beautification brought on by a put down from a dog breeder. One comment "I bet you used to be a beautiful woman... you should try fixing your hair!" sent me STRAIGHT to the salon.

My red hair had become dry from all the lifting. The color was all OVER the place and since my last coloring  I'd begun to grey at my bangs. (the hair dresser called it "silver" - um yeah) I knew I was going to get all the dry stuff cut off so I asked the colorist what she would recommend.  She suggested a warmer version of my natural hair color - richer - and with red highlights.

After the coloring I was a bit shocked. Without the red I felt blah. The cut further shocked me - as I was left with short brown curls that just seemed off somehow. So no photos of the change. Not until now. Now I love it. The difference was a little device Cas left behind  when she went to college - a hair straightener. Now I am NOT good at this - heck this is only the second time I've used it - but I love the result. After having hair that went everywhich way this is a treat. It moves. It tosses. Its FUN.

This is not my first time straightening my curly hair, but it's been a LONG time. I used to IRON my long hair (yes on an ironing board) when I was in high school. I used my mother's iron. I thought I'd toss up a photo from when I was 17. I was a gymnast then and a swimmer and I was skinny and I had no idea I was attractive. I thought I looked like a dork back then. Now I see Cas and I realize how much she looks like I did then and I see HER as gorgeous.

coconut with chocolate... I'm never going to lose wieght with Aaron here. these cookies are amazing.

Missed Ben and my puppies and my kitties and my Cas. Got to be with all of them this weekend.  New puppy is keeping us close to home and forcing us to just enjoy him!

Aaron and I fly out of Canton/Akron at 5:30 AM. Um.... yeah... 2:30 CA time. We fly to North Carlina then out to SF. Amazingly we get in at 9:30am in SF. Clients expect me to work tomorrow morning. So I'm trying to STAY UP until we leave. I've got RedBulls and reeses pieces... TV... internet to keep me focused.

One last photo from yesterday. A photo of my mother near I sign I could NOT stop myself from snapping a photo of...
My mom is the white woman standing. Not the white woman walking... on N. Whitewoman street....