What will we see in 2023?

A new year has begun, and I can't help but wonder what it will bring. We started January 1st with a nice breakfast, followed by a hike in a new (to us) destination. The Anne Springs Close Greenway, located in Fort Mill, South Carolina, is a 2,100 acre natural preserve that opened in 1995. It is more than twice the size of Central Park in New York, and contains lakes, hiking, biking & equestrian trails, educational centers, historical buildings and meadows.

We took a 4 mile hike through the woods, and passed one of the lakes, a creek and a meadow as we meandered through the trees. It was a little muddy from earlier rains, but wasn't too bad. It was great to start 2023 with some outside exercise, and we will definitely come back to explore all the site has to offer. I'd love to see the meadows in the spring, in particular.

Anne Springs Close Greenway

Life Goes On

Thursday was my turn to go to Harris Teeters, the local grocery store. As I mentioned before, we shop for groceries once a week, but only one of us actually makes the trip. We takes turns to minimize the risk. This trip was a big one because I scored not only our preferred loaf of bread for the first time since isolation began last month, but also a bottle of Clorox disinfecting spray. There was still no toilet paper in stock however. We don't need it, but it has become a game to me to see if I can ever find any.

We have been working on small projects around the house. Jim organized his boxes in the garage, installed pull out drawers in the kitchen cabinets, put up gutter guards, etc. I lined shelves with lightweight acrylic sheets to stop things from sliding through the cheap shelving units the builder installed here. I have also continued with my mask making project, worked on taxes and better organized my filing system. Exciting stuff, right?

Last night we sat out back with two other couples to enjoy the beautiful evening. As before we each had our own chairs and drinks, and kept the 6' distance between each couple. It is always nice to hear how other people are coping with the coronavirus mandates, and just to have new conversations.

Today after Jim finished the gutters and I completed three more masks, we decided to get out of here for awhile. We drove to the University of North Carolina-Charlotte campus to walk through their gardens. We had been earlier this year with our hiking club, and have been wanting to go back. One of the things I miss most about St. Louis, after family and friends, is the Missouri Botanical Garden. There just aren't that many gardens around here, so today's outing gave me an opportunity to photograph flowers and trees while getting my exercise.

With the Stay at Home order we are allowed to be outside to exercise, and in fact the campus garden had signs posted about COVID-19. There were to be no more than 3 people in a group, and we were to keep the 6' distance between us and others. I will say, sadly, those things did not happen. It was a beautiful day in the low 70s, so the place was crowded with groups. Children were running around and blocking the narrow paths, so keeping a distance was a challenge. We just ended up going to a part of the garden that was unpopulated so we could work on our photography. It was so good to have a change of scenery!

UNCC botanical garden

We grilled steaks when we got home, and ate on the back patio. Then we sat in our orange chairs to watch the boaters go by. We even had a bluebird stop by, and a blue heron was across the lake. It was a nice ending to a wonderful day.

bluebird and blue heron

Easter Staycation

Easter sunrise

Yesterday was Easter Sunday, and what an odd one it was for sure. We got dressed at 6:45 and walked down to Sunflowers Point to watch the sunrise. It was lovely, and the only sun we saw that day as storms rolled through the area later in the day. It was a beautiful spot to sit and contemplate the significance of the day.

We decided to have our Easter meal at noontime, because why not? For us the traditional meal is ham, baked beans and scalloped potatoes. Usually there are rolls as well, but since COVID-19 hit you cannot find frozen bread of any kind in the stores. I would make my own, but there is no yeast to be had either. It was okay, because Jim made a lemon pound cake for dessert so we really didn't need any additional bread with the meal.

Easter dinner

During the afternoon we watched the Pope celebrating mass in Rome, then Andrea Bocelli performing at the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy. There was an organist with him, but otherwise the church was empty as were the streets surrounding it. This whole situation is quite surreal, but his music was just the uplifting note that I needed. From there we switched gears to the broadway performance of Jesus Christ, Superstar. Talk about a divergence in musical styles! This new production takes great liberties with the staging of the original show, as do a lot of productions these days. The cast wore modern clothes and used cell phones and iPads. It was interesting, but I prefer the original.

I got a couple more masks made before the big storms hit here. We were under a tornado watch, so I decided not to be on the second floor of the house in case one hit. As it ended up, we only got lots of rain and some high winds. I had no idea I did not leave tornadoes behind in Missouri! Here are the new masks for the neighbors a couple doors down.

face masks

One of the many things that has been hard with having to stay home is getting enough exercise. We walk when the weather is good, and Jim has been biking nearly every day with a couple of the other guys. I've been doing some online yoga classes. This morning we went to YouTube for a low impact aerobics class. It was challenging but doable. Just one of the many ways our lives have changed due to the virus.

But we are healthy and happy, and I know we have a lot to be grateful for so I try not to complain. As Scarlett from Gone with the Wind said "after all, tomorrow is another day."

As the Pickleball Turns

As the Pickleball Turns

Who knew that there could be so much daytime drama at recreational pickleball games? Sure, it's been called the fastest growing sport in America, so lots of folks are playing it. But let's be honest here. As a game that combines components of tennis, badminton and pingpong, its low-impact nature attracts the over-sixty crowd, especially for games that take place during weekdays.

While playing at a local facility last week, an older man came to try his hand at pickleball for the first time. He was accompanied by his son, who had played with us for the first time the previous week. Right away I could tell it was the man's first time. Attired in a polo shirt nicely tucked into his belted blue jeans, he was not dressed for the game. He also had on a pair of tennis shoes more suited to walking outdoors than quick movement on a wooden basketball floor.  Most of the pickleball falls are due to wearing incorrect shoes.

Another woman and I played the first game with the two of them to get the dad acquainted with the rules and scoring. We had a good time. After that "dad" played with other partners as players rotated on and off the three courts. The son and I had just come off a court when all of a sudden there was a huge bang - not once, but twice. I turned to look for the noise and I saw that "dad" was down on the floor clutching his head. He had run backwards for a ball and smacked into the wall before hitting the ground. The impact cut his head open, and he was bleeding quite profusely. I went over to grab the son to tell him his dad was hurt, and someone else dashed out the door to get towels and advise the staff of the recreation center. Emergency responders were called, so the rest of us cleared to one side of the gym to wait. He was evaluated and taken away by ambulance. I'm sure they wanted to make sure he didn't have a concussion. After 30 minutes, play resumed on the courts. We have not heard how "dad" is doing. I'm not sure either he or his son will return.

At the same facility this week, there was almost a brawl between two men. Over a woman, no less. I had never seen any of the three stars of this drama before. I'll call the first man D and the other two Mr. and Mrs. I had played a game with D earlier in the session, and found him to be very aggressive and a bit of a ball hog. Whatever...As I tell everyone, I play for fun and fitness so I tend not to take the game too seriously. Don't get me wrong, I try to play the best I can and it's always great to win, but it is no skin off my nose if my side loses. Anyway, D found himself on a team with Mrs., and Mr. was sitting on the bleachers next to their court waiting for his turn to play. Apparently D did not like the way Mrs. was playing, and kept telling her to get up to the front line. He was correct, but the Mrs. did not like him telling her what to do. Finally, they got into it a little, and she asked someone from the bleachers to come in for her. Mrs. then walked out. That's when Mr. got up in the face of D and told him off. We could hear the yelling all the way down on our court at the other end of the gym. Mr. told D he needed to apologize to Mrs., and D said that he already had. Whether that is true or not, I don't know. But the yelling continued, and Mrs. finally came back in and dragged Mr. out of there. I doubt they will return either.

I have seen one other tense situation, and it happened at my home pickleball facility. Two men that I'll refer to as C and B were playing together for the first time, though they both have played pickleball for quite awhile. C kept telling B what he was doing wrong. B finally had enough, and told C to quit telling him what to do. C walked off the court, packed up his toys and went home. He has never come back to that facility, though I play with him on Fridays at a different location. Basically C just expects you to get everything that isn't hit directly to him. You might as well be playing a singles game. But now that I know what to expect, I don't mind having him as a partner. A number of people won't play with him. Really, folks - it's just a game.

Who needs daytime soaps? Come to the pickleball courts!

pickleball paddle

Just a Walk in the Park

Laumeier Mansion

We had an unseasonably warm weekend here in St. Louis, so Jim and I took advantage of the weather on Sunday and took Kirby to Laumeier Sculpture Park, a 105-acre open-air museum and park. Located on property that contains a 1917 Tudor mansion once owned by Henry and Matilda Laumeier, the park is most noted for all the interesting and unique sculptures placed throughout the property. But we really enjoy walking the trails that are nestled back in the woods. The gentle hills and valleys are just challenging enough to get your heart rate up without worrying that you'll need CPR when you arrive at the top.

We thought that the park would be very crowded considering the mildness of the day, but perhaps everyone went to the zoo instead. We had the place pretty much to ourselves for most of the visit. That was perfect for us, and Kirby enjoyed all the new smells he gets to check out when we're in the woods. We are blessed to have so many great parks in the area so we can try out different walks.

Triangular Bridge Over Water

Bornibus

Walking Roots

Face of the Earth #3

Battle of the Bulge

Working out at Curves, Tralee, Ireland 2005

Each month it seems harder and harder to fight my losing battle with weight gain. I know that menopause has a great deal to do with it, but despite my valiant efforts things are not going my way. It would be easy to just throw in my sweaty towel. I walk the dog a minimum of 20 minutes every day (usually longer on nice days - which admittedly have been few and far between lately), I do small group training every Tuesday for an hour, and two other days I work out utilizing the treadmill as well as the weights at our local recreation center. Added to that I rarely drink and I don't buy fatty snack foods or desserts. I also have greatly modified my cooking, cutting beef back to once a week and adding more lean pork and fish to the meals. So what the heck!?! It really doesn't seem fair. I know that my exercise has contributed to my good bone density, low blood pressure and wonderful cholesterol count, but it would be nice if it also enabled me to look good in shorts or a swimsuit. Really, what more am I expected to do?

Coming Soon to a TV Near You

The owner of my health club decided to have a television commercial produced to promote the franchise. As the footage was to be shot at a new club in Florissant, she needed members from the Webster Groves location to go to Florissant this morning so that both clubs would be represented in the commercial. Four of us from Webster decided to participate. Both the director of the commercial and the camera woman were very friendly and non-threatening, so it was easy to forget that the camera was rolling. We participated in small group training, did some Zumba (a very fun dance class which I had not tried before) and worked out on the circuit. I volunteered to do crunches, because for some strange reason I really like them. The way I do them. Which is on the floor with my arms bent behind my head. I can do a lot of crunches that way. Well, they had me laying across a Bosu ball and raising up while extending a four pound weighted ball. That doesn't sound too bad until you realize that you have to do it until the director yells "cut!" He then came up to me and said "Now we are going to do a close-up just of you so we need you to continue doing these for 12 more minutes. Funny guy! Interestingly, this commercial was produced by Chanel 5, so it will only air on that chanel and only during the shows selected by the club owner. I guess this is a way to cut expenses on putting together a commercial. Airing begins on Monday. Stay tuned...

Snow Day

I can remember when I was a kid (oh God, now I sound like my dad!) and getting a bunch of snow dumped on the town meant a vacation day from school. As I grew up in Iowa, it happened several times each school year. My brother and I would bundle up and run outside to build a snow fort along with the requisite snowman. One year my younger neighbor and I built a standing Snoopy in my front yard. Now six inches of snow doesn't result in a vacation day at all, but instead turns into a labor day. My husband couldn't get his car out of the garage this morning, so he took mine. I was left to shovel the snow. It was fun for about the first fifteen minutes. Then, as my arms began to shake and my back began to ache, I started to wonder what it is I do at the fitness center three days a week. I must be working on the wrong muscles, because I sure could feel every single one of mine. Two hours later I am back in the house feeling ten years older. Too bad my mom isn't here to make me some hot cocoa.

The Three M's - Mid-life, Menopause & Metabolism

Like most women, I never lost all the weight gained during my two pregnancies. It's hard to call it baby fat when your baby is nearly 17. At any rate, I was comfortable with where my weight was at and it remained steady through an active lifestyle and consistent exercise. Then I hit menopause, and all of a sudden the "sort of" watching what I ate and the three days a week of exercise weren't enough. My weight kept creeping up until I weighed more than when I had been pregnant. When you are vertically challenged like me, it's hard to hide the extra pounds. Like most Americans, I made a new year's resolution to lose weight. My motivator is my son's wedding in June. My husband and I joined a new fitness center in January, and I continued my membership with Butterfly Life, a women only facility. Through their weight loss express program and working out 4-5 days per week, I am proud to say that I have lost 19 pounds to date. My goal was 15 pounds, and I like having those few extra pounds to play with, so to speak. I feel so much better now, and I know I will look better in my dress at the wedding. Bottom line, pardon the pun, is that you can give your metabolism a kick in the butt!