midnight oil

Well, given that it's nearly 2AM as I print off my data summary and spanky colour thesis figures for review and my knee still hurts like mofo, I do believe I shall sleep in tomorrow untli 630. It's gonna be another looooong day...but should be OK. Just have to stay awake and will my knee to feel better. You never realise how much you cross your legs until it hurts when you cross your legs. :)

Well, time to make my lunch and go to sleeptown. Night.

Surprise. Instant wonkiness.

I woke up to a really sore knee. Since I'd been up until 12:30 finishing figure and table revisions on my thesis I decided to sleep an hour until 6:30. It did me a world of good. Knee still hurts but I feel very human again and am not bone crunchingly tired like I was. I guess spin yesterday was a bad idea for a slightly sore knee. Tomorrow I will go in and do upper body and the physio leg work I was given a while back to strengthen my quads and leave the knee alone for a few days to heal.
So a bit of wisdom to all you  kiddies: DO NOT do squats without proper footwear on a carpeted surface. I had poor form on my first day back after holidays...and I'm paying for it now. Live and learn. Ow.

Had chia overnight oats for breaky with some chocolate protein stirred in...yum. It's been ages. I love it. Now I have a big mug of coffee and a lot to do so I am off. Have a great day everyone.

Pining for the fyords

After a long night of thesis revisions I came in this AM for spin class. It was hard and sweaty. Very good for me. Most annoyingly, my left quad/knee (which is the good one) is still being a twingy thing. My first day back when I did some squats at home it felt funny and has been that way ever since. If I use proper form it is fine, but when I just sit it is a bit achy...I think it's my quad more than the actual knee, but nevertheless, but I will try and be nice to it for a bit. I signed up for a 5K fun run next weekend and I want to actually do it...so easy does it cupcake. I'll stick to upper body and the recumbent for a few days and see if it recovers.
I discovered today that 4 of the 6 Lb I gained on my pleasure piggy holidays are already gone, so hooray for that. A week of clean eating and moderate exercise has helped a lot...I don't realise how bloated you get form salty unhealthy food and lots of beer until I cut back and realise how much I lean up and feel better. Yes...turns out eating well is really actually good for you! :)

I've been looking through holiday hiking photos...oh, how I wish we were back there again :) It was so beautiful.




*sigh* I must be off. Science awaits!

I, Whirling Dervish

Ah. What an insanely busy weekend. SO much got done. I'm really proud of myself. I took friday night to spend with J to relax and psych ourselves up. We went for a long walk, with nothing distracting us.
I was up early saturday and J and I worked hard in the house and in the yard. Saturday AM I brought in all the cardboard and recyclables and got a new BBQ grill to replace our old rusty one. Then we called a plumber to come from the city to snake out our basement drain to the main drain to grind out the roots that come in through the old clay pipe...the roots cause blockages and then we get sewer backup. It's been draining slowly for a while with just the 2 of us and I didn't want to risk it with a house full of company coming.
 THEN, I came back to work on the yard. Our yard was a safari and we haven't done anything to it yet, so I mowed the lawn and trimmed the back area with the weed whacker (I love playing with that thing). Then we did spring cleaning of the back screened in deck. Pulled out all the stuff from it and washed and mopped out the deck and then washed down everything and let it dry in the sun and put it all back in. The deck is now open for the season. :)  We celebrated with a BBQ of burgers and tin foil potatoes and some beer. Yum. Somewhere in there I also hacked back our living room tree and palm and cleaned the living room.
Sunday I was up early again and was out in the front yard weeding. I loathe weeding...but our yard was quite overgrown, and until the vines kick in and cover the weeds it needed some serious love. I spent 5 hours out there (sigh) pulling weeds and trimming trees and it looks much better. I'm glad I did it then and not later, since it started raining in the afternoon and hasn't stopped yet (probably making more weeds...yeesh). J and I ran some errands and then spent a few hours deconstructing my "thesis table" I've had a 21" monitor and all my books and notes covering the kitchen table and surrounding area for about a year now. With family coming this weekend, and me really not using it anymore on my edits, it was time to put the computer stuff back and organize a lot of my notes and reference materials. We have a table again! Hooray! Lastly I did a whack of laundry and got the spare bedroom into a semblance of order and ready for company. Then, finally, we relaxed a well deserved hour of relaxation and had a nice supper. It's so nice to have the deck cleared out and ready to use. I love being out there, rain or shine. I can even edit on my laptop out there now :)

Then (lucky me), both evenings was thesis work. I'm bummed I had to miss out on one of my friend's epic B movie horror nights for it, but it had to be done. In the end I got it about 2/3 edited, which isn't as good as it could have been, but everything we did chore wise HAD to be done and there was nothing to be done except just *do* it. I have more time this week to finish and get my results in to my supervisor by thursday. Then it's the final section over the weekend when my family visits (don't ask how that's gonna work - I haven't figured it out either). It's all coming along...more slowly than I'd like, but I can't just ignore my life completely for my thesis. I feel like I have a grasp on my life again.

This AM I had my first morning back at the gym. Altho I forgot a few things (like my wallet and phone) I thankfully remembered all of my clothes, and had a good workout. I took the sculpt class this morning and other than some wall squats which aggravated my knees a bit, it was a good solid workout. My legs aren't as stiff as I thought from all the crouching and bending while weeding...I think I survived the weekend!
Today is a long day full of meetings and then home to more thesis work, but I'm quite proud of what got done this weekend. I look around my house and feel happy and relaxed, with things pretty much in order. I have a home again instead of a mad cluttered collection of piles!


Back in the saddle...thingy

I think I've finally kicked the jet lag. Yesterday I felt normal and didn't have to drag my butt around and got some thesis work done as well. After a good night's sleep I got up at 5:30 as normal today and felt fine.
My workout however? Wow...it's amazing what 2 1/2 weeks off will do to you! I feel so...slow. I did ZWOW 18 this morning at home and it was HARD. It took me about 40 minutes to do, as I had to keep stopping for breaks. That was longer than I thought, but I was determined to do all 5 sets through and I did. I probably could have pushed myself a bit harder, but today I am just proud of myself for getting up and doing it. I know it was really the best thing for me this morning. I feel really good (now that it's done!) and I can feel odd stiffness in my quads and shoulders...I did it :)
This weekend will be much thesis revision work- I have to hack my data section in half and revise a few figures. I also have to mow our yard and do some weeding -it rained a lot while we were away and has continued up until today and it looks like a jungle out there. I also need to clear out the back deck and get it ready for summer, which means pulling it all out and pressure washing everything, mopping the floor and then putting it all back. My sister, niece, nephew and his wife and little one are surprise visiting my dad for 10 days next week and will be staying with us next friday and saturday night. My Dad will be down as well, but will likely stay at my brother's place. It will be a bit of a PITA with food because we have to find gluten free dairy free options for my sis-in-law (we were just going to order in pizza, but apparently she thinks it is *rude* for us all to eat that when she can't...sigh) but we'll figure something out I'm sure. I am hoping she can bring over a GF crust and we can make her her own mini pizza with soy cheese. We'll figure something out. The goal was to keep it simple and visit...

I can't wait to see them but oh my god my house is a disaster. I'm not being girly or dramatic - it really is. I know they don't really care but I seriously need to spend pretty much all Sunday hard core on yard, deck and house so that they have clean places to sleep and I'm not utterly embarrassed to have them in. I am psyching myself up for a busy busy next few days. Now that I seem to be jetlag and PMS free it seems less daunting. I know Jay can help with some of it thankfully.

Well, it would appear my good peeps that the holidays are indeed over. It is *on* again.

jumping back into life

This morning? Lame. Last night I spent all evening on my thesis and then went to bed at 10, despite wanting to crash early...and slept all night again until 6. Hopefully I will come out of the fog soon. I just could not get out of bed at 530 today to make my early bus. I did, however, go downstairs and do sets of bicycle crunches, v-sits, a few planks and some pushups, lunges and squats this morning and when I get home I will do my best to bang out a ZWOW before I dive into my thesis work again. I just feel perpetually tired and mopey about how much work I have remaining. After 10 blissful days with my husband it sucked royally to have to hole myself up again and work on my computer...I don't like it.
We have been eating better. It's amazing how I am actually craving sugar and carbs right now...I usually love carby foods, but sugars are not my usual thing. Welcome PMS to my crazy life!
I made a loaf of carrot poppyseed rye bread that has been a healthy carb replacement...am weaning myself back on that. It's not that I need to eat low carb or anything - I've just discovered that in order to be full and satisfied I need protein. I could eat a giant plate of pasta or a whole loaf of bread and be hungry right away, but if I balance healthier carbs with protein I am much more level in my hunger and my moods. I am trying to do that and just keep working. Just keep working...

stupid thesis.

reality check

More jet lag this AM.  I crashed last night at 9 after work and then having meetings all night and didn't wake until 6. I will workout when I get home tonight, even for a little bit, as I just could not get moving today. Jet lag is really hitting me this time for whatever reason...bleh. Just feel like I'm on medication or something...very groggy.
Stepped on the scale this morning to see I've munched on 5 lbs on holidays...*sigh*. I constantly battle the "just a little" effect while on holidays. Especially with new foods and wines all around. It was all a fun experience and I knew I couldn't do irreversible damage in 2 weeks...but J and I have decided that we must learn the art of sharing things next time. Keep it together a bit more. I don't really look any different...I just don't feel myself, you know? I'm hoping some healthy foods and regular fitness will help. We walked a lot and did a lot while away (~20-25 Km walking a day, plus, you know, climbing a 3000ft mountain and all) so it's not like we didn't stay active while away, but it certainly wasn't permission to have at the beer gardens like that. :)

I am glad, though, that I know that I will bring myself back. I can be healthy and look after myself and things will fall back into place and I will get back to where I was. That is the key I think - vigilance. Routine. Everyone has a drift here and there, but the key is to bring it back to where you know it should be. I'm in this for the long haul, and call me crazy and perhaps self sabotaging, but I refuse to deny myself experiences in life when they come my way. This is one long life I'm in the running for, not just a short while, so it's up to me to get J and I back on the healthy track again and back to regular life again. So, I will do so.
Uberfrau is here under all the debris, jet lag and all :)

jetlag

-We are home safe and sound. Jetlag always dings me on the way back...I still feel rather groggy and listless after a day of sleep...hoping it will fade quickly. With a few days I'll put up some favourite pics form the trip. My friends are happily married, and she and I managed a bit of our own My Drunk Kitchen baking up her scrummy wedding cakes the night before...J and I went to what must be one of the most gorgeous places on earth - Arran Isle in Scotland. Hiked for 3 long glorious days...and climbed to the top of a mountain on one of them, scrambling across a whole ridge on one day before heading down to walk along the burns with the sheep and see the ocean. Weather wasn't perfect but we had rain gear and it was great for walking...we hiked through meadows, over rivers, up and down hills, and along beaches and rocky coastlines - Blissful.

 While away, we walked much and indulged in all delicious things...I admit we didn't make a point of overdoing it, but we did try to sample every new thing I could, often with delicious consequences. And with our friends being foodies, there was much opportunity to try...here's just a few of the best food highlights:
-had a number of delicious haggis and black puddings on the island (seriously...they were really good)
-14 year old Arran Isle scotch (mmm...smooth)
-raspberry sorbet infused with pop rocks and served with shortbread and creme brulee. (I will remember *that* forever)
-oh the cheeses!
-full on B&B fry up breakfasts (mmm...)
-Kar's homemade elderflower wine -heavenly.
-haggis tortellini with whisky cream pepper sauce
-Peter's Well bitter (best beer ever. ever.)
-The scrummy lemon coconut wedding cake Kar and I whipped up for her reception in her kitchen. Yum...considering our state when we made it it turned out rather delish I must say!
-cheese and onion sandwiches. I admit I have never had them before. Maybe it was the high altitude but we had some in our nice packed lunch the B&B made for us when we went up the mountain (I CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN!!!!) ...delicious and simple...

We walked. We laughed. We hiked. We had much ale and wine and sampled delicious foods...it was  awesome. We even got to visit with some old friends in Toronto on our stopover on the way home.
Seems strange to be home.  Seems strange to be back in same old work after all that. Didn't think about my thesis (*sigh*) at all...it was lovely.

This AM I slept in and now it's trying to get back into things and catch up on what I missed. Hopefully I'll get a few pics up soon. For now...a bit of the old coffee and a few toothpicks and here we go for the day :)

Groovy ducks

Killer spin class this morning! My first performance review went amazingly well and my thess sections are in for review. Time to gather my things and run around across the pond for a while. As J would say-groovy ducks! :) Later taters! PS-Meep!

This is how we do things around here

This weekend rocked. I finished and edited my thesis final chapter, got the last of my hiking gear together (water/utility belt, rain pants, hat, trail mix) and successfully bottled my mead. There are 15 bottles of the lovely stuff that can sit and age for a year or so now and I can take a few bottles with me for my friends in the UK. It settled out quite clear and looks nice. The mouthfuls I got while bottling are a bit harsh, but with aging I think it will be quite tasty. I didn't really know what i was doing, but it all came together :) I even got to spend time with J catching up on Game of Thrones and watching a movie. It's helpful when it rains all weekend...it gives me incentive to get things done because I don't want to go out in the rain! Even tried out a new recipe - sweet potato African chili. So delicious and healthy. Recipe is on my food blog if you want to try it out.

This morning I came in to work out...it finally stopped raining!! It's usually yelly spin lady monday mornings so I was going to do a bodyrock workout on my own, but it turned out my fave instructor who is back doing bootcamp was filling in today and did an hour of powersculpt. Ass kicking solid workout all over. Somehow she makes you laugh even tho you want to kill her for pushing you so hard...I feel rather fantastic now. Now it's a long day of work getting things done!

Hope you all had a great weekend too!

friday finally

Oh hello!
I'm busy, so just wanted to pop in to log. This AM I came in for a workout and did the hot girls sweat bodyrock workout twice through with some abwork and then 15 minutes on the elliptical.

My muscles are stiff in awesome ways and I feel great!
Later taters!

Crazy Days

Last night I finished the first proof through of my last thesis section. A few more times through and I can hand it off for my holiday and relax a tiny bit. Still stressing out because my mead is still cloudy and I have much to do...but I will keep at it, bit by bit. Picking away at the chores and trying to prepare for holidays...

Ah ha hah. Life is crazy but good. Ish.

This morning I came in for spin and sculpt and it was a bit odd. My butt is stiff from all the weird lunge squats yesterday, but the class was...odd. It was 4 minutes on the bike interspersed with reps of weight work...an hour total. Seemed odd to go back and forth, but it was a solid workout, so in the end, it's all good.

Must dash. I have to prepare for a "big important" meeting. Ooh. Aah.

Back with a vengeance

Happy boot camp lady was back to kick my ass today! So tough. So good. I feel great, but all those curtsey lunges and tabatas? Owie :)
Last night was an odd night of errands and I got a bit of work done and we have some more healthy food to keep us going. I added clarifiers to my mead and it's still cloudy, so I'm hoping it settles out soon...I have to bottle it before we go to the UK and it has 5 days to settle...I am impatient! What if it doesn't clear? That, my good peeps, would suck.

Tonight I am hoping to get some serious thesis editing done. I've been picking away at chores here and there (laundry, home disaster abatement cleaning...) to try and make the house less of a gong show...we shall see. We still need to get rain pants and a backpack liner for hiking...and a wedding card might be nice too. And bottle my mead. And finish my thesis... Plus my mum in law had a bright idea of getting together for a family thing this weekend too for her and my niece's birthday (sigh) so I have to figure that out too if we can go...and I guess get gifts for that too. GAH. There is just TOO MUCH to do in the next week...I will sleep like the dead once we get on the plane!
I need a holiday before my holiday!

Right now I must I can focus on my thesis and trying to get ready to travel to see the ever lovely Grapecat marry her partner next weekend. Must be good and work my ass off...for soon there will be much rejoicing over many good things.
Yay.

If you feeling warm I'll tax your heat

Taxman.

Today I came in to workout and they've changed things a bit in the new summer schedule...I think I'll live. Tuesday and thursday are by the other spin instructor I like a lot, with thursday being a spin and sculpt. And - cool beans - the boot camp is back wednesday mornings with the awesomely crazy boot camp lady who had left but for whatever reason is now back! Yeah :) That means I only have to figure out a few Bodyrock/ZWOW workouts for myself on monday and friday for a week of great workouts. Of course (meep!) we'll be away for a few weeks in there, but hey...I'm glad to know the new fitness schedule isn't just all spin...nothing against spin, but I like mixing it up, and I really liked the boot camp class...I'm glad it's back.

Today is another day - got my taxes done last night and posted with 15 minutes to spare (he heh). Once again my employer was unable to do basic math so I owe close to $500 in taxes. Grrr. Every year I owe. How you can be out by that much even when you have extra taken off I do not know...but it's done and in and over with for another year. To be honest I expected to owe a bit because of school, but to be out that much is very annoying. The icing on the cake is how this year I can't claim my tuition or educational amounts because I got a bursary AND I get to pay taxes on my bursary too. THAT is lame...I don't see the incentive in getting a scholarship really, but I am glad that I got mine. It made school a little more bearable. Ish. I miss the giant undergrad tax returns...*sniff*

Anyways...enough about taxes. Tonight is errands and trying to get a bit of thesis done. I racked off my mead last night and sucked up some sediment (grr) so it's a bit cloudier, but added the first part of the clarifier. I have to add the other clarifier compound tonight and I hope that in the next 5 days it clears up nicely (it's supposed to take 5-7 days). If I take a bottle or two with us for K & N  I HAVE to bottle my mead sunday, regardless...so here's hoping. I'll be sure to NOT suck up dregs when I bottle. I got stingy and didn't want to waste any and I learned my lesson. I forgot that that is the way it is...you lose a bit when you rack it.
Well, I must dash. I hope you all are having a good day!