Another week has begun

March 31, 2014
Well here we are at the end of March finally and today is a pretty nice day, the sun is shining and it feels warmer out. I am hoping that this is the start of things to come.
My arthritis has been so bad the last few weeks, I have been managing with 30 minute work outs for weeks now and doing some light weights at home after the gym.
So far so good I am coping, I get moving by having hot Epsom salts baths, they seem to get me mobile in the mornings, I can't do the 6 am gym times right now, as of Wednesday I will have a week off I am going to look after my Grand daughters, that should be enough exercise in itself.
I will do some visiting with my Mom and take some time to visit some Aunts and Uncles as well as my gimpy brother's. Two are down and out with hamstring tares and broken legs.
Looking forward to the week ahead.
Today's Quote:

TGIF

March 28, 2014
I am glad to see the end of this week and hope for some warmer weather for next week, the arthritis in my spine has been terrible this week and at times I have been unable to stand straight. A trip to the chiro and lots of ice and heat have helped, I just keep telling myself 5 more years of Tamoxifen, then hopefully the arthritis it causes will dissipate. I can only hope.
I did go to the gym yesterday it was late in the morning and did some cardio, and when I came home I did some light weights. I have been trying to find some exercises that I can do for my arms with out doing push ups as my shoulder won't take the pressure. I found a great you tube video from Livestrong.com and thought I would share it here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY1E28bcR6U these are exercise that anyone can do.

4 Best Home Exercises for those Flabby Arms

Staying fit and active during this age of computers and machines is extremely important. Especially since the generation is all about the easy way out.  With washing machines taking over hand washing, dishwashers replacing human hands and vacuum cleaners aiding manual work, one would wonder if we became lazier by the day. Will this laziness not lead to weight and health issues?  Our body will end up having flab all over giving us a feeling of sagging bulging loose flesh…  Are you repulsed by this flab over flow on your body?
Of course, yes!!! And witness to this is the increased number of fitness centres that help us keep fit and trim. But there is one part of our anatomy that is so stubborn that even the best of the fitness centers cannot help reduce it drastically! And those are our arms. It is very difficult to get rid of accumulated fat on our arms, owing to the lack of flexible space for our arms to workout.  But we all know nothing is ever impossible. So here come four of the best exercises to get rid of that unsightly flab. This will also make way for perfect toned arms!!!. And what better way than to do it at home without any need of sophisticated gym equipment.

1.The Windmill:Raise your arms in front of you at shoulder level, parallel to the ground. Now raise your arms upwards and rotate it backwards and down and front again in a 360 degree motion, like the blades of a windmill. Repeat this motion for twenty times forward and twenty times backwards.Benefits:  By the rotation, the upper arms and the shoulders get a thorough workout building strength in the upper arms, shoulders and neck muscles. The biceps and triceps get a toning session here.
2. The Wave Goodbye:
Raise your arms at shoulder level at your sides. Start waving your palms as if you are waving goodbye to someone. Keep your arms still, only move your palms. Speed up the process such that you wave about 100 times in a minute. Do three sets of 100 waves each. Benefits: The waving motion, keeping the arms still, creates a twisting motion in your arms, right from the wrists to the shoulders.  This way, you are stretching all your arm muscles, thus toning your entire arm at once. 
3. The Prayer Pose:Join your hands in a praying pose above your head. Bring your joined palms down to the front of your chest. Raise your joined hands again.  Repeat this up down motion for at least 30 repetitions. Benefits: When you join your hands together, your triceps are engaged. When you move your hands up and down, your biceps are engaged. This way, you are working out your triceps and biceps together therefore toning your upper arms with each repetition.
 4. Arm Stretches:
Raise both your hands above your head. Catch your right wrist with your left hand and your left wrist with your right hand, thereby interlocking your hands. Now with your right hand, pull your left hand towards your right such that your left elbow falls behind your head.
Release the pull and take arms back to center without releasing the interlocking. Now with your left hand pull your right hand towards the left such that your right elbow falls behind your head. Again release the pull and take hands to center. Repeat this for at least two sets of 20 repetitions each.
Benefits: When you interlock your hands, your triceps are engaged. Pulling the hands to the opposite sides creates a further stretch in the triceps thereby toning them. This exercise for flabby arms is great for those who have loose hanging fat on their triceps.
These four exercises are all you need to tone up those great arms of yours, and get in shape for a perfect sleeveless dress.The best part is all you need for these flabby arm exercises are your hands and nothing else. You can do these tiny workouts anytime and anywhere. Have a little spare time? Get to work on those arms.
Hope these help everyone.
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Hump Day

March 26, 2014
Wow another month almost done, where does the time go,, I figure we will go from winter right into summer.
I was at the gym on Monday and did the elliptical machine for 45 minutes and had to run as I had an allergy treatment. We had worked on getting rid of the chemo toxins from my body and I think it worked, I feel less nauseated, we also worked on the air quality of my bedroom, I always seem to wake up stuffy, so we thought that may be the culprit. I will know more in a few days.
Today I will go to the Glebe and spend some time with the ladies I have grown to love and appreciate, their stories are always so inspiring.
I haven't been able to go to the gym the last 2 days, I have been having a terrible arthritis flare up in my spine after painting to long. I did manage to almost finish the painting. Here it is below, have to put the shadows on the chairs yet and then its finished.

I was hoping for summer I think.

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It's Our Anniversary

March 22, 2013
Wow it is our anniversary today and we had another 6 inches of wet snow. Will this winter ever end.
We have been married for 11 years now and this year meant Sterling, so I bought my hubby a sterling silver ring, it is very nice but a bit small so I will take it back and get a bigger one. He seemed a bit surprised when I gave it to him, so I knew what that look meant, he forgot again. What is it with MEN that they can't even remember their damned anniversary. I told him I could be very angry and upset about it, but why expel that kind of energy, and it's not his first time forgetting it. He has said he will make it up to me with dinner and a movie tonight.
Last week was pretty busy and I am sorry I didn't get a chance to blog, but I did make it to the gym each day even if my times were off, made it in the afternoon a couple of times.
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Happy St Patricks Day - Back on Track

March 17, 2014
It is the luck of the Irish today, hopefully it will bring us some lucky weather.
I went to the gym over the weekend and did some cardio, it felt great to be back at the gym, it was to busy most of the week to make it there with my grand daughter visiting and she took advantage of being able to sleep in most days, sometimes 12 hours a night.
I took her home on Thursday afternoon as she had hockey this weekend, haven't heard how they made out.
I got to spend some time with my Mom and set my sister up on her new tablet. 
I dropped in to see an old work colleague Friday morning and she was pleasantly surprised to see me. She is one of the few people I truly miss seeing, we worked together for many years and have walked many a mile together. Irene you are always in my heart. 
I headed to the gym this morning and did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine and then did my weight routine. I was having a bit of nausea again this morning so I didn't push it to much and will do a few more things this afternoon after I have a NAET treatment today.
I thought I would get with the Irish and do my blog in green today and give you a bit of history about the day,,
St. Patrick's Day celebrations have been held for more than 1,000 years. The day celebrates Saint Patrick.
WHO IS SAINT PATRICK?
Saint Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. St Patrick is credited with bringing christianity to Ireland. Most of what is known about him comes from his two works; the Confessio, a spiritual autobiography, and his Epistola, a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish christians. Saint Patrick described himself as a “most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped idols and unclean things had become the people of God.”
Many folk ask the question ‘Why is the Shamrock the National Flower of Ireland ?’ The reason is that St. Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans. Saint Patrick is believed to have been born in the late fourth century, and is often confused with Palladius, a bishop who was sent by Pope Celestine in 431 to be the first bishop to the Irish believers in Christ.

Saint Patrick is most known for driving the snakes from Ireland. It is true there are no snakes in Ireland, but there probably never have been – the island was separated from the rest of the continent at the end of the Ice Age. As in many old pagan religions, serpent symbols were common and often worshipped. Driving the snakes from Ireland was probably symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice. While not the first to bring christianity to Ireland, it is Patrick who is said to have encountered the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites. The story holds that he converted the warrior chiefs and princes, baptizing them and thousands of their subjects in the “Holy Wells” that still bear this name.
There are several accounts of Saint Patrick’s death. One says that Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on March 17, 460 A.D. His jawbone was preserved in a silver shrine and was often requested in times of childbirth, epileptic fits, and as a preservative against the “evil eye.” Another account says that St. Patrick ended his days at Glastonbury, England and was buried there. The Chapel of St. Patrick still exists as part of Glastonbury Abbey. Today, many Catholic places of worship all around the world are named after St. Patrick, including cathedrals in New York and Dublin city.
So, why is it celebrated on March 17th? One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations. The biggest observance of all is, of course, in Ireland. With the exception of restaurants and pubs, almost all businesses close on March 17th. Being a religious holiday as well, many Irish attend mass, where March 17th is the traditional day for offering prayers for missionaries worldwide before the serious celebrating begins.
In American cities with a large Irish population, St. Patrick’s Day is a very big deal. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate with parades, “wearing of the green,” music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games. Some communities even go so far as to dye rivers or streams green!
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March Break is Here

March 11, 2014
Well the time has gone ahead an hour and has left me feeling exhausted. I love the longer days, but I really feel the time change itself.
Friday was a great day, went to see my grand daughter compete in gymnastics and then we all went out for dinner after. Then the youngest one came home with us, how funny is this, I called and told them what to bring and she showed up with 16 books, 2 pairs of pants, 2 t-shirts, and 2 pairs of under wear for a week, no snow boots at all and her outer wear, so Saturday morning we were off to the local Salvation Army store and got her out fitted for 14.00, she was very happy with her purchases and it meant she could go tobogganing with Poppa Chuck, then skating on the canal on Sunday morning.
Yesterday she and I got up early and headed to the gym, we were there for an hour, she kept busy in the gym part doing floor routines and then following me around the weight section, all in all it was a great relaxing day, we played lots of games and finsihed of the day with making healthy oatmeal muffins.
Today's Quote:

TGIF

March 7, 2014
Well its Friday, busy day ahead, have to pick up the laptop and then off to watch my eldest grand daughter in Gymnastics, then dinner with the family and home, and bringing the youngest grand daughter with us until Thursday.
So we will have a busy week of fun things, art, skating, tobogganing, and visiting with the ladies at the Glebe Center.
Well it has been a year since I joined the gym, my membership was up and I had to decide if I continue going or give it up. I am happy to say that I decided to continue for 3 more months by then we should have purchased our summer home and be in moving mode, so it will take up lots of my time and energy. This is in preparation of us returning to Australia.
Really hoping we have no problems selling our house here, there is no need to keep it if we are only going to be here for a few months a year.
I went to the gym yesterday and did an hour of cardio and again this morning, my shoulder has been sore again so have left out the weights, I will work on hand weights over the weekend.
Today's Quote:

Volunteer Wednesday

March 05, 2014
Today is Wednesday and my volunteer day at the Glebe, this is one thing I will miss when we return to Oz, but I am looking forward to spending time with my hubby, we plan to do a few trips around Oz and possibly head to Tasmania, would love to catch the ferry there. I will definitely look into a gym near where we will be living, we both love the ocean so will spend a great deal of time walking the beaches and swimming, there are even some areas where you can ride your bikes on it. We are hoping to settle on a coastal town, with a home on the beach, time will tell though when we sell our place in Sydney, the prices of places are very reasonable up the coast. I had a lady come by yesterday and give us a quote on the move, looks like it could be less than most of the ones I have already, things are coming together. Hubby is going to talk to his boss in April about retiring in July so we will see how that goes over. He will enjoy the summer at our place on the lake here, swim, fish and relax for a change.
I took the morning off the gym today, and did 30 minutes of exercising here at home, I will go back tomorrow, I was feeling tired so decided to give myself a break.
I am looking forward to Friday, Oldest Grand daughter has a gymnastics competition here so will go to the and the youngest one is staying for the week, she already has plans for most every day.
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Feeling better today, not so stuffy Duthie

March 04, 2014
I was feeling a bit tired today, I had a cup of regular red rose tea yesterday at 12;30 pm, and it kept me awake all night, whats with that,, so note to self, only drink decaffeinated. So I didn't head to the gym instead I did 3 high intensity 10 minute work outs on you tube. Wow what a sweat. I am sure this will suffice for today.
I have decided to give Herbalife a try and see if it can help to boost the weight off me. I'll keep you posted on how that is going.

10 Ways You CAN Exercise At Home without Any Equipment

 Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to afford all of that fancy equipment used in the gyms? Well, as nice as it sounds, it just isn’t an option for most people. And since exercise is so important, you need to find exercises that are effective and don’t require any equipment at all.

To make these exercises even more fun, you can blast music while you’re doing them. Some you can even do while watching TV.

1. Walking – If the weather is nice, it’s wonderful to get outside and enjoy the scenery around you while you exercise. However, if the weather has other ideas, you can just as easily get an effective walking workout at home. If you have a flight of stairs, go up and down them a few times. (You could even grab a load of laundry as you’re going that way anyway!) This will help to tone up your legs, while getting some low impact aerobic exercise as well. If you don’t have any stairs available, just walk around the house a few times – it may not be very exciting, but it will do the job!
2. Jumping Jacks – These are always fun, as they bring back memories of being a kid! Who hasn’t done jumping jacks for fun as a child? Well, surprise – they are also great cardio exercises, and good for warming up, too.
3. Pushups – These are probably not the most favorite exercise of many people, but while they can be hard to do, you can find easier ways to do them. You don’t need to pretend you’re “Rocky”, and do them with one hand; just do what works for you. Do them on your knees, instead of keeping your legs straight. Or, do them standing up against a wall. You will be building up arm strength and working out muscles in your chest area.
4. Leg Lifts – These are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs. If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.
5. Crunches – The best exercise for building up and strengthening abdominal muscles. When you’re just getting started, don’t worry about getting your head all the way up. So long as you’re going up until you feel the stretching of the muscles, you will see some benefit.
6. Jogging In Place – Jogging is a great exercise for your heart. You can jog in place at home while watching TV or listening to music. The only equipment you will require is a good pair of shoes, to eliminate any stress to your legs.
7. Squats – These are wonderful exercises for your legs and buttocks. You can even just try these by sitting and standing up again from a regular chair, if you’re finding them to be too difficult. As long as you’re able to do a few repetitions, you will be providing some benefit to your body.
8. Light Weight Lifting – No, you don’t need to go out and buy expensive weights for this! Just use whatever you can find in your house. Start out with something lighter, such as a can of peas, and work yourself up to heavier items. You can use milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles or even water jugs.
9. Dancing – Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart. Not only that, but it can lift your spirits as well, and give your overall feeling a boost.
10. Step Exercises – Using the steps in your home, you can do repetitions which will tone your leg muscles. (Just remember to be careful!)

Getting some exercise is important, but you don’t need to go out and join a gym, paying a large amount in membership fees each month. You don’t even need the expensive equipment in order to give your body an effective workout. Use what you have in your house, and work out in the comfort of your home. You will be more likely to keep up with the exercises when you’re comfortable, so just get up and start exercising!
Today's Quote:

Stuffy Monday

March 3, 2014
It was a busy weekend, I did go to the gym on Friday and did an hour on the elliptical machine and then came home and did another 10 minute work out.
I was hoping to go to the gym on Saturday, but got busy so I did a 20 minute cardio work out in my living room and did 20 minutes of weights. So I felt pretty good about that.
I had my last session last week with my Councillor and we both feel I have come a long way in the past 6 months so now I am looking for a support group for Breast Cancer survivors, I still have some work to do on my self esteem, I did hear a quote from a book, and the husband remarked that he didn't see his wife as all cut up and scars, he thought she looked as beautiful now as when he married her. I will get there, I to only see the scars, so many people as why I would want to put myself through the surgeries to regain my breasts, its not that I think they define me, but I feel that it would makes me feel whole again, I feel a part of me is missing, I want to feel pretty, comfortable in my own skin, so maybe a support group would be the answer.
I may even try to look at the journal I began so long ago, I tried to keep one when I was going through treatments, but became over whelmed and couldn't write about it when what I was going through was so rough. It was like reliving it every day, I found it on a disk the other day, maybe now it would be healing to finish it.
I woke this morning having an asthma attack again and very stuffy, so that means something I ate has not agreed with me again, has to have been some kind of preservative, I may have to go for a NAET treatment later today.
I didn't get to the gym this morning, its hard when I am having trouble breathing, so will try to do some exercise here at home.
We did go and look at a 40 ft park model trailer on the weekend, but found it to be a bit small, we will keep looking.
Today's Quote