I took the dogs for a few walks. It's nice to see the leaves coming out and the plants coming up.
One of the reasons I'm retiring early is because it just feels like my body can't do this job anymore. I'm going to miss my friends and my patients but I admitted to myself last week, that it's just too hard now, physically. Obviously the solution to that is exercise, which I planned on doing more of, when I retire. Well that day is fast approaching, so yesterday I found senior wall pilates on Youtube and did a half hour of wall pilates. Two things, my right shoulder still hurts a lot and I am in such bad shape, but I stuck it out. The sore muscles haven't hit yet, but they will. I really want to do this though, not just for my own health, but to keep up with Jack. When did getting down on the floor and getting back up get to be so hard? Ten years ago? Five?
I took Katie out for lunch yesterday and we had a nice visit, which for Katie means chips and a candy. I gave her hair a trim, just the bangs and back because she's growing it long again. I also ordered new kitchen chairs for her because she has destroyed all of her kitchen chairs. This time I ordered metal chairs. We shall see.
I talked to my middle daughter as well yesterday. It was so nice to hear her voice. She's working hard on her food blog but also taking time for herself, which is why she wanted to quit her day job, for more flexibility. She and her fiance are coming out in a month to cater my retirement party. I still miss her but she has her own life, which is not my life.
Last week we replaced our nasty old ventians in the TV room, effectively turning the window into a pciture window. The pear tree is blooming and I bought some hanging baskets filled with calibrachoa.
There's more but I don't feel up to writing about it right now. Another time.
At the moment, I'm doing a couple of gentle fitness classes aimed at seniors -- Tai Chi and Chair Total Body Fitness. I can't get down/up from the floor either, so yoga is right out for me. There is such a thing as Chair Yoga but I enjoy Tai Chi more and I figure it does the same basic thing as yoga in terms of flexibility and balance. I take classes because I don't have the discipline to do online or self-motivated exercise. You impress me using YouTube!
ReplyDeleteWell, we'll see how well using youtube works for me. Usually if I pay for something, I'm more likely to use it but right now I need more flexibility (for the times I can do it). I can get up and down off the floor but it involves a lot of grunting and groaning. What the hell. How did I end up old?
DeleteMy grandchild pointed out that I was a bit slow getting up and down from the floor. To everybody. Now the world knows. I have just started an online course to prevent muscle loss after I found a note on possible risk of sarcopemia in my latest doctor's report. There's no rest for the wicked. Never.
ReplyDeleteAren't grandchildren wonderful? Sharing everything with the world:)
DeleteI do want to work my way back up to weight lifting, which I did for almost twenty years.
Whenever I'm around the grandchildren for any length of time, I find myself sore from sitting on the floor with a bit of a backache. The littlest and middle are hefty guys and like to be carried. The 4-year-old is mostly past that stage. Retirement will mean that you won't be stressing your body as much with the physical rigors of work. I'm happy that you got to spend time with Katie and talk to your middle daughter! I'm sorry about whatever the other situation is; I suspect it's not so positive. Sending hugs! xoxo
ReplyDeleteAt least those grandsons are good for your muscles, carrying them around.
DeleteI'm ok, just feeling down about some stuff, my shit.
You will be so busy in retirement you won't have time to miss your job! I do counter pushups, chair yoga and I use one of those pedal machines for cardio and leg strength. After knocking myself out with too much too soon, I learned slow as you go works best for me. That is a lovely room with a very nice view.
ReplyDeleteI'm still walking the dogs but I need more, cardio, flexibility and strength training.
DeleteWe could never really see much out of the window before because of the venetians that were always in the way. I like the new view.
I love that room, and the impressive house plant. My thumbs are the thumbs of plant death, even my agave, which are normally indestructible, is looking bad. If it dies, there will be a fake plant in its place. Good for you for retiring, nursing is hard physical labor, and you can only do it for so long. I shall look up wall Pilates, didn't know there was such a thing.
ReplyDeleteMy plants tend to do too well, and then where do you put them? My daughter has a black thumb. She had a cactus and killed it.
DeleteThe wall pilates was a tough workout, I was surprised.
Since Owen was born almost fifteen years ago, my mobility and strength has degenerated so much. Am I doing anything about it? Of course. I am fretting and bemoaning my age. You are smart to try and get into a routine that will help you to not only keep the abilities and movement that you have but to perhaps even increase them.
ReplyDeleteI love your picture window.
I've noticed how much my strength and flexibility have declined in the past decade. I want to slow that down.
DeleteI like venetian blinds as they can be pulled up and also offer great light flexibility. But they are shockers for collecting dust. We get a company in who take ours away overnight and return and hang them the next day.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you will love retirement. I can highly recommend it.
I like venetians as well but these were old, brown, broken and covered in dog hair.
DeleteThank you for stopping by.
The window looks nice! So much light! How on earth did Katie manage to destroy her chairs?
ReplyDeleteKatie is kind of a destroyer, especially when she's upset. I imagine she has thrown them or knocked them around. She destroys her clothes too, chewing on them or poking holes into them.
DeleteHow lovely to suddenly have a picture window letting in such beautiful light. I follow your daughter's food videos on insta, and she's really good! And about exercising when you retire, it seems to me you get very robust physical exercise in your job, so I don't understand why more exercise would cure the pain and challenge of that. I often think if I had a more active job, given that I seldom undertake intentional exercise, everything wouldn't have gone to hell physically. Maybe that's not entirely how it works.
ReplyDeleteI walk a lot at work but it doesn't get my heart rate up and I need to strengthen my muscles and increase my flexibility as well. You need all three.
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