Monster creation underway?

So today Jon and I went out to cruise through the gun shops in town (there's really only three).  First one is a small shop with what seems like a regular customer base and a barber shop attached - totally old school.  Went in, told them I'd never shot a handgun but had just taken the course and was drawn to the single action revolver.  The ones I was really interested in was the Colt 1873 and Colt 1911.They showed me several, but then started talking about accuracy with it - and apparently a single action isn't so accurate.  It's a lot of fun - especially at the cowboy events, but not so accurate.  So I decided to look at the double actions.

I found quite a few I liked, that sat well in my hand and seemed to suit me.  The top ones on the list, however, all ended up being .357 Magnums.  I was staying away from that because it seemed so cliche, but it seemed to be the ones I kept saying "I like this one".  There was a gentleman there who was obviously a regular - he was chatting with the owner and staff, then sat down in the barber shop to get a cut.  When I lifted the S&W he said "that looks good on you, you should take it", and proceeded to make the rest of the time feel like we were with old friends.

The second place we stopped at had a range, so we were looking at the rental prices, etc., and who walks up but the same gentleman we saw earlier.  I asked if he was following us, and his answer was "not deliberately" with a huge grin.  He and Jon chatted while I looked over what they had to use on the range and got some information from the staff.  When I was done I joined them, and he introduced himself to us. (I'm not naming him here to keep his privacy in place)  We had a couple of laughs, then he said see you around and we all left.  Jon and I went and grabbed a bite to eat, then headed to the third place.

We went in and right away we decided it was definitely a better environment than the second place we were at.  There was a young man at the front of the store, and when I asked about the revolvers, he took us over to a display that held a whole lot of pretty guns!  As I pointed at two I would like to see, he says "do you guys know someone named X?"  My response was "are you kidding" and Jon laughed.  Sure enough, they went and let X know we were there, and he invited us back to the range to shoot!  With Jon's injured arm, he couldn't, but I was able to accept the invitation.  And then it got REALLY fun!  I had been pointing at a variety of guns asking to handle them, and every single one (and this happened at every store) EVERY SINGLE ONE that I said "ooooo I like this one!" was a 357.  Go figure.

Then it turns out that X has a S&W 686 .357 revolver.  EXACTLY the one I was most intrigued by.

We went back to the range, he reviewed some safety rules (still very fresh in my mind after the course), and then we went shooting.  X was gracious, and allowed me to shoot a box of .38 first - I did pretty good with that once I had figured out the sights on his gun, then he let me shoot the .357 ammo.  An entire box.  And it was AWESOME!  (Yeah, I know I've written about word usage, but truly - at that moment that's how it felt - awesome)  I was consistent, the gun felt really good, I figured out a stance that works well for me, and well, it was just TOO COOL FOR WORDS!

I can't wait to go again - I'll try other guns obviously, but this one felt....right.

We were so lucky to meet X, and I am very thankful for the opportunity.  When I have my gun and I go to the range, I will be paying this forward - as often as I can.

Target on the left is the .38, the right is the .357 magnum. Not too shabby for the first time ever shooting a handgun!

PAL - achievement unlocked!

So I finally took the course for my PAL.  Non-restricted and Restricted.  Passed with flying colours, thank you very much.  The only questions I got wrong both days were ones on ammo, and I wasn't surprised, as I'm fuzzy on many of the different types of ammo.  I believe that those are the less important ones tho - important in their own way, but not as important as the safety taught during the course.  If I'm going to purchase a firearm you'd better believe I'll know everything about it and the ammo it takes before buying, so I was less concerned if I missed the question on "which cartridge on the table is the rim fire".  Yeah, I got that one wrong.

There were some fun moments during the course though, and I don't want to forget them.  There were 18 of us, I was the only woman.  It amazed me how chivalrous most of the guys were, getting my ammo when it was on the floor, letting me go ahead of them (didn't take advantage of that one), encouraging me (that was HUGE!), etc.  It was totally cool.

Moments:

During NR:
Instructor (walking towards me and looking right at me, then pointing): You are on a beach in Maui, your house is broken into and your firearms are stolen, what happens?
Me: report the theft to the Police.
Instructor: No, you are on a beach in Maui, your house is broken into and your UNSECURED firearms are stolen, what happens?
Me: It wouldn't happen, our firearms are secured appropriately.
Instructor: (small grin, I think deciding if he was ticked I didn't answer or if he was pleased I got the message), if SOMEONE was on a beach in Maui, their house was broken into and their unsecured firearms are stolen, what happens?
Me: They are guilty of an indictable offense, subject to up to five years in jail, or a summary conviction, and/or a fine of up to $2,000.
Instructor: (larger grin) Yes (turning away to ask someone else something)
This was an instructor that didn't really grin, I was pretty pleased I managed to get a grin out of him.

Today, during the R portion, we were handling the semi-auto 9mm, and the slide was tricky - on all of them.  If you pay attention to what the instructor does and says, it makes it way easier.  We were told to pick up the firearm and PROVE it.  I managed to get the slide to catch on the second try, and stood waiting.  There were three guys in my group who struggled, and the instructor walked down the line and said to the guys "what's going on?  Laurie has it!" In my mind was "nyah nyah" :D

When we were handling the firearms yesterday during the NR, I had the break action shotgun.  They had warned us to do every single step every time, because they  might change ammo, or load the gun on us, or something.  I pick up my shotgun, go to PROVE it, and poof - out pops a shell.  I look around, and there's the non-grin instructor staring right at me.  Sneaky devil must have loaded the shell on me.  I nailed it though, and was rather pleased.

During the Q&A prep for the test, every single question that was asked I knew.  We were to put our hands up if we knew, this also told the instructors that they had covered everything.  There were several where my hand shot up, and I wanted so badly to wave it around  crying out ME ME ME!!! PICK ME!!!!  But I didn't.  I got a chance to answer some, and they always seemed to be the wordy ones.  Funny that.

After the written portion yesterday (NR), the non-grin instructor walked my test over to me and said I passed by the skin of my teeth.  I had been so stressed and nervous about it, I figured I'd take it.  I started looking it over, and couldn't find more than 2 "x" marks.  I asked Sean (who took it with me) "don't they tell you what you got wrong?"  he said yes, and started flipping through my test.  He couldn't find the x marks either, so flipped to the front page and pointed.  I had gotten a 96% - pass is 80.  Doh.  I had the other examiner for the practical, so didn't get a chance to say anything.  After the practical, the instructor asked me how I thought I did, and I answered that I thought I missed a few things - but no, I received 100% and he asked if I knew why I had done so well.  I asked why, and he said it's because I listened to everything and did it all right - also I verbalized everything I was doing.  Fantastic!

After the written portion today, the same non-grin instructor was with the instructor who was marking the tests.  He was not marking at all, but when I walked up with my test he took it - mine was the only one he marked.  I just knew he was targeting me, but it was all good - I really took a liking to him as an instructor, and after yesterday it was kinda funny.  He took my paper, and seemed to take a long time marking it - then he motioned for me to come over.  He pulled the paper against him, and asked how I thought I had done.  I told him, there were 7 questions I was unsure of, when I went back through the text I think I marked three of them right,  maybe four.  So, I figured I had either three or four wrong (would still give me a pass, but not as good as I'd have liked).  He grinned again, said I got one wrong and just like yesterday it was about the size of ammunition, and what is it with women and issues with size?  I let that one slide completely.  I was so happy about the mark!  Then for the practical I had the same instructor.  He had me pick up the dual action revolver, and PROVE it.  I then put it on the table.  He said "I didn't tell you to put it down, please do exactly as I say".  I picked it up again, and we proceeded through the rest of the routine on that firearm.  He then asked me to pick up the single action revolver.  So I picked it up, and held it pointed downrange - and stopped.  I waited, it seemed like an eternity.  Then I turned only my head and said "You didn't say to PROVE it, and I'm trying to do exactly as you say".  He grinned again, then said "Good.  Now PROVE it".  I wasn't sure if he was testing me or if it was an accident, but it worked out in my favour I think :D

When it came time to give me my mark, he said I did great, and I achieved a 98% on the practical, then congratulated me.

In hindsight, I maybe could have chosen a more appropriate wardrobe piece. I just went for comfort, so  I wore my WHGames shirt -

Not sure that's the right top to wear to a Restricted Firearms course :)



I am so chuffed about this - the instructors were fantastic - taking me from where I was yesterday morning to comfortable that I can PROVE a NR or a R firearm - wow!

It was a memorable weekend, and well worth it.  I will now send in my application and wait for my PAL to arrive, then will likely show it off to the family.  This is exciting!

Health update

The new update is that there is change.  Change is good, even if it seems bad, because change tells you which direction you ARE going, and which direction you SHOULD BE going.  Like, maybe, the opposite direction sometimes?

Anyway, I went to get a refill of my prescription last night, and the guy at Shoppers (I'll be calling their H/O, definitely not a performance I want to repeat) says to me "are you going back to your doctor soon?  have you had a blood test?"  I told him I'd had blood taken and was going to the dr in two weeks.  To me, that should have ended it right there.  One thing I'll give him, he's persistent.

He looked up the results of my blood test, actually gave them to me, and told me I had to stop taking these pills because it was dangerous, I should be on the opposite pills. 

OK, so my Dad (yes, an aside here) gets a muscle-relaxant prescription filled at Shoppers, I look up the drug interactions with what he's taking and it's all so NOT good.  That pharmacist didn't even look it up on their own system.  Meanwhile, mine went way overboard.

I told him I would talk to the dr about the results.  He was insistent that I not take any more pills, it was dangerous, yada yada yada.  I get that he went to school for a couple of years, but my specialist went for many many many more years, and knows WHY I'm taking them, has all the other test results.  The guy at the pharmacy does not.  He finally gave me the pills (after a distantly related argument about the insurance coverage), but not until I signed a document that said he explained it was dangerous to continue taking them and I was responsible.  Seriously?

I called the dr's office last night and explained what happened, and asked for a callback today.  This dr is fantastic - he called me back this morning, agrees that the pharmacist overstepped his bounds and could easily frighten many people with that attitude, and then he looked up  my results.  Turns out the meds are doing EXACTLY what they were supposed to, so I'm back down to one a day and seeing him in January.

I have to call Shoppers and voice my discomfort over this pharmacist.  I'm concerned that he might truly scare someone off meds that they need to be on.  To me the pharmacist should have said something more along the lines of - I can see your test results, based on what I'm reading, would you be able to get ahold of your doctors office tomorrow morning because I'm a bit concerned about the dosage.  Definitely not trying to tell me how dangerous it was - full stop.

As well, I find it a bit uncomfortable that he was able to go online and get all my results.  I didn't know that pharmacists had access to all of my medical data.  I mean, I don't - why should they?

So many delays

I keep promising myself I'll write more, and never seem to have the time.  It's all about priorities, isn't it?
Turns out my thyroid has been causing issues for some time.  I was put on meds, they didn't do much so last month the dosage was doubled.  The specialist really doesn't want to "kill" my thyroid as that is permanent, and he's hesitant about doing anything permanent if we can treat it.  Now I'm on a double dose of this medication, and the side effects are....noticable.

I'm always cold now.  Weird - for someone who was always warm - overheated most of the time - now I have to take extra clothes.  Jon and I went shooting a month ago, and while it normally would have been an amazing day, weather-wise, I froze.  Toque, mittens, two hoodies, and about two hours for my toes to warm out.  He was wearing a light hoodie - which is what my normal would have been.  If this is the case, at least I can handle it and prepare - not exactly a life-changing side effect.

One life changing side effect, however, is that I'm sleeping.  Oh wow am I sleeping!  Most nights I lay down and boom - out till the alarm goes off.  It's a wonderful feeling.  The flip side is that I'm still somewhat fatigued at night, just not as bad as before.

I go back on the 24th to see what the double dose has been able to accomplish and we go from there.  Meanwhile, so many other things happening!

New job - doing inventory and reception at the H/O of the fitness club I worked for.  I wasn't sure about slinging boxes around every day, but it's working out wonderfully.  I feel good being out from behind a desk 8-10 hours a day.  The pay is not nearly what I'm used to, but I'm happy, have a great boss, the energy in the working environment is overall positive, the people are great, and my membership to the club is free with half price training.  Ah yes, the training - have a new trainer, a young Irish lad named Declan.  He has changed up most of what I'm doing and I can feel the difference.  Previously, and especially after working with a trainer, after my workout I wanted to go home and nap.  After his sessions I feel energized, and I go back to work feeling fantastic.  Even the second day (which is usually the "I can't move my legs" type of day) I feel great - I know I worked out, but I'm still very mobile and feel good. 

Ottawa Major was a couple of weeks ago - one lesson learned is for another post, maybe next week.

Brother and Sis-in-law and neice got two kittens.  The babies lost their mum - they figure to a coyote.  They were only about four weeks old, and had to be bottle fed every few hours for the first bit - the two of them could sit side by side on a 6x6 tile.  SOOOOO tiny!  I haven't met them yet - hopefully Jon and I can make a trip out there and see them before they are full grown.  The adult cat is unimpressed by them, but hasn't beaten them up, so that ended up working out well.

There's alot to say, and hopefully I'll be able to post a few more entries with more information, then (again) try to keep it up.

Uncertainty, part 2

So I saw the dr on Monday morning.  It was totally not worst case, because just by the ultrasound he couldn't have given me a whole bunch of details.  It turns out I have nodules on my thyroid.  Nodules that contain nodules, that contain cysts.  The largest on the left is 3.5 cm and the largest on the right is 2.8 cm.  Good grief that is large.  He can't tell yet exactly what it means, so I went for more blood tests, and then a thyroid scan yesterday.  That was pretty cool.  They inject you with radioactive iodine and see what parts of the thyroid light up.  It's kind of weird, because if there is X amount that's hot, that's good.  But if there is x-y amount that's hot, that's bad.

I go in to see the dr tomorrow morning for a diagnosis and hopefully a determination of a plan for moving ahead.  Looking forward to finding out the results.

Uncertainty

So last week (Tuesday to be precise) I couldn't sleep, and just before midnight I realised my arms were tingling, and going numb.  I kept getting up and trying to shake it off, but it kept getting worse and worse.  I finally woke Jon up, because I was getting seriously scared, and we ended up on the phone with Healthlink, and I was looking stuff up online....I thought I was having a heart attack, but symptoms didn't match.  I seriously honestly truly thought I was dying that night, that I wouldn't see morning.  It scared the crap out of me.

The nurse at Healthlink told me that it didn't seem life-threatening, but if it got worse overnight to go to emergency.  If it didn't get worse, see a doctor the next day.  OK.

It didn't get worse, so I went to a walk in the next day.  Saw this a-maz-ing doctor that, sadly, isn't taking new patients.  He sent me for blood tests, the results came back and I went in to see him.  Turns out my thyroid count was way high, and he wanted to send me for more blood tests, an ultrasound, and a scan.  Yeah, like I didn't google the you-know-what out of thyroid and everything related!

I went for the ultrasound on Thursday, and have the blood tests scheduled for this Tuesday, and the scan for this Wednesday.  I figured we'd get the results at the end of the week or next Monday.  The doctor's office called me yesterday (Saturday) afternoon, and said I needed to come in first thing Monday morning.  Like that isn't going to freak me out completely?

Again, back to Dr. Google.  I had to reassure the Dr. from last week that I'm not trying to find something that matches my symptoms, I am trying to be informed.  So, what's the worst case scenario that I could come up with that would make the doctor call me in before my other tests were done.  Of course, a growth was the worst thing I could think of.  Soooooooooooo, google everything I could find related to thyroid growths and such.  Turns out that 80% are nothing more than a cyst or equivalent - so no biggie.  Of the remainder, 15 percent that may be cancerous are easily treated with a slim likelihood of recurrence.  The last five percent is the worrisome part, but even most of those are treatable.  The last one percent is rare, but it's a very dangerous one.  I like being unique, but not like that.

We will find out tomorrow morning what he saw on the ultrasound to have me come in so quickly.

On the plus side, I did find a new doctor - met him today for the first time, and think it will work out well.  Pity the one I've been seeing wouldn't take me as a patient - believe me, I begged :)

Praying that it's something we can treat so I can stick around for a while yet.

Tired......

The passing this week of Jackie Lewis has put many things into perspective.  She lived more in her 32 years than I have in 48.  She was wiser at 32 than I am at 48.  She was more true to herself at 32 than I am at 48.  So what do I do?  The way I see it, there are a few options:
1)  I can just keep  going the way I am, and think "it'd be  nice to have been able to accomplish some of that by the time I was 32, but I'm too old now, so I'll just continue my life the way it is",
2)  I can be bitter - envious of the life she led and the life she had, and continue down my path thinking "it's not fair",
3)  I can take lessons from her short life, and move forward with mine, hoping for enough years to make a difference.

Since I'm really not keen on options 1 and 2, I'm thinking I'll take door number 3.

Jackie was an inspiration to so many women, and I count myself among them.  She was a devout Christian woman, who loved and supported her husband, who cherished her children, and gave more of herself in a conversation than most people do in their entire lives.  So here's the thing:

I'm tired.  I'm tired of feeling as though I have to be apologetic for being Christian.  I'm tired of thinking I have to be so politically correct.  I'm tired of just waving aside those things I find objectionable that may have an impact on my life.  I'm tired of having "friends" on Facebook who do NOT share any of my life views or beliefs, and I'm tired of just hiding their updates so as not to offend when I post something.

I'm tired of being someone I truly am not, and lying to myself about it.

I'm about to post an update on Facebook that will likely stir the pot and see my "friends" list decrease dramatically.   I'm still trying to figure out the wording, but it is not going to be apologetic, likely not politically correct,and will likely offend some people.

Wording:
Long, but important to all on my friends list:
The passing this week of an amazing woman has made me take stock of many aspects of my life.  As a result, one of things I am going to do is clean up my Facebook friends list.  For those who have made it through past purges, this one is different.   The following may offend some people, and if it does, feel free to unfriend me because this is how it is, and how it shall remain.  I am no longer going to pretend or be apologetic.  I am a Christian woman, who believes in God, monogamous marriage, personal responsibility, and personal accountability.  I believe in respecting others,and I believe that men and women are different - neither is inferior or superior, but we are different.  I believe a difference can be made in society, and want to be a part of that.  I'm tired of feeling as though I have to apologise for my faith, my beliefs, and my morals.  I'm tired of the intense media influence that has so changed our society into a negative and hostile one.  I'm tired of an "education" system that has dumbed down our society so dramatically over the years, and the attitudes that have allowed it to happen.  I am tired of seeing how dependent on government our society has become.  I am tired of feeling pressured to be "politically correct", take a look around and see how far that's gotten us.  I am tired of seeing that you can drop an F-bomb anywhere, but say "God" or "Christ" in  faithful sense and everyone goes into fits.  Most of all, I'm tired of feeling as though there is an expectation that I am to surround myself with people who are not tired of these things, people who accept these things, in order that I am to be politically correct.  There is no value in time spent with those who do not share - or at the very least respect - my faith, beliefs and morals.  Time is valuable, and I have spent too much of it not being true to myself.  Moving forward, I will have those in my life who are of like mind-set.  Those who disagree or wish to call me by their choice of disrespectful or negative adjectives will not be welcome.  I will no longer accept being tired, I will be energized by those around me.  I plan on leaving this up for a few days before I purge, because it's possible I don't know some of you as well I may have thought.  The responses, or lack of responses, to this will help me figure out who does not bring value to my life in some way, and who it's time to move away from.

You don't have a thousand years

We hear this from stage quite often, and it's on several CDs.  You don't have a thousand years.  Well, I know that.  Everyone knows that, right?  But that's when you take it literally.  Take it by the spirit of the meaning, and it's a bit different.  For example, if you don't have a thousand years, how long DO you have?  Well, none of us know, not really.

A great woman passed away today.  She shouldn't have.  She was young (mid thirties), had four children, a wonderful husband, and a life that many of us yearn for.  We saw her on stage two weeks ago at a major in Columbus.  She and her husband flew out to California to speak, then all the way across the country to speak the next day in Columbus.  Wow.  There she was, just being her.  She was sparkly, and energetic, and having fun, and......alive.

A few days ago the news came out that she was in a major health crisis.  Further details were released (obviously not all of them), and it turns out that she had been travelling to Puerto Rico a few weeks ago.  They "suspect" insect bites from that trip, but that is the extent of the reference. (The quotes around the word "suspect" are from her update blog, not mine.)   If that's the case, she already had whatever was in her body when we saw her speak.

She went to the ER with "flu-like" symptoms.  Within 36 hours she was in ICU with organ issues, fluid in her lungs (causing respiratory issues), and high fever.  Within another 36 hours she was on machines for her life, with swelling on her brain that they couldn't control.  This morning she passed away.  Five days.  Five freaking days, from feeling like it was the flu, to having her husband needing to plan a funeral, and her four children trying to figure out what to do (that's an assumption, but I figure it's a pretty safe one).  All of their children are pre-teen.  They have a massive support system to fall back on, in friends, family, and mentors.  But in the end, she's gone.

Five days to take a young, energetic, vibrant, beautiful, smart, funny lady away.  Five days.  No, we don't have a thousand years.  Most of us don't have a hundred years.  But how many of us know how many days we have?

Live Life.

RIP Jackie Lewis.  You were beautiful inside and out, and I treasure the memory of meeting you and Bill at a Major last year.  You have touched many lives in your short life, and your legacy will go on.  You will be missed.

I am making progress!

I have been to the gym every day for the last 16 days (except my days off - which is Sunday), and one of those days was twice!  (More on that in a second).  I have now lost 4.5 pounds in two weeks, which is fabulous, I feel so energized after my workouts, and I have never been so confident that I WILL DO THIS!  because I AM doing this!

Leg day was Thursday.  I worked hard at it, and that night went to yoga for the stretching (my twice in one day event).  OK, lesson learned, do NOT do yoga after a leg workout - even though it was 11 hours later, I'm still feeling it two days later. And yet, did yoga again this morning.

In all the challenges I've started (and quit), of all of the "resolutions" I've made (and quit), all the promises I made to myself (and broke), I've never felt so confident two weeks in, I've never felt so ......GOOD.....two weeks in.  I'm still eating right, I'm not bored (rum and butter flavoured protein shakes help out with that), and I KNOW I will succeed at this.  My goal is to be the person a new member looks at and says "I want her....back/arms/legs/butt/abs....whatever.  Someone that sees my achievement and wants to achieve the same.

That is a cool goal.

Thinking outside the box

So in trying to eat healthier, I have run into the same thing so many people think or say when it comes to this.  BORING!  The food is boring, there is a limited choice of foods, etc. etc. etc.

Well, I am discovering an entirely new way of seeing foods, and particularly food combinations.  Who says the Philly Herb and Spice dip has to be for chips?  Jon uses it for veggies, and I am hooked.  Protein shakes taste the same all the time?  We bought some flavour extracts and it changes everything.  Eggnog protein shake in May?  I'm there! Gingerbread protein shake in August?  Totally there!  Cherry/Lime/Lemon/Watermelon/Maple/Rum and Butter/Caramel?  All there!

This makes eating healthy easier at the front end as it takes away the cravings for sweets.  This is exciting!

On the way

Hit a new record today - did 200 stairs without a rest.  OK, it wasn't very fast, but I didn't change the speed down (used speed 3), I stayed the same speed through 200.  My legs were rubbery at the end, but that's my new record by about 30 stairs.  Only 100 to go, and 11 weeks 2 days to do it in.  Oh yeah!

Have been chipping ice in the driveway for the last few days - the same muscles you use for that are the ones you use for TRX rows - which is what Amy had me doing last week and for the last few days.  Also, OW!

Goal one is in 79 days, Goal two is in 170 days, Goal three is in 360 days.

Another Challenge

So I'm doing the Org Challenge, but there's also a Fitness Challenge.  Actually it's a few challenges all rolled into one.  I have set goals with my trainer to be at a certain point in 12 weeks.  Then I set a second goal for 12 weeks after that.  So, six months - give or take - to meet my fitness goals.

There are a number of things that feed into successfully hitting that goal (or those goals), and everyone knows what they are - eat healthy (real food), work out, work with a trainer, sleep right, etc. etc.  It's simple, but if it were easy, everyone would be fit and healthy.  I am using an app called "Lose It" for tracking and monitoring, so far I quite like it.

I have pictures taken by my trainer, but no way am I posting them.   It is shameful, but it's also shocking to me when I see myself.

Instead, it's all text.  Currently I am 196.4 pounds.  Not the heaviest I've ever been, but the heaviest I've been in a few decades.  It hurt to see the number on the scale, but it hurts more to write it, it seems more real.

So:
Weight: 196.4 lbs
BMI: 30.4 (just .4 into the "obese" category - that REALLY hurts!)
Fat %: 43.7 (desirable range is around 23-28%)

Shoulders: 120.5 cm
Chest: 117.5 cm
Waist: 102.5 cm
Bellybutton:  113 cm
hips/gluts:  116.5 cm
right thigh: 70 cm
right arm:  40 cm

Phase 1 Goals:
drop 25 lbs (ish) by April 3 (12 weeks)
BMI of approximately 25 (25 is the cusp of "normal" to overweight)
plank for 90 seconds (right now 30 is pushing it)
300 stairs (without a break)
buy a pretty bra (have to lose more than a few sizes to do that)

Phase 2 Goals:
drop 40 lbs (ish) by June 26 (24 weeks)
BMI  of approximately 20
plank for 120 seconds
wear my grey suit (it's a size 12)

Phase 3 Goals:
January 9 2014 - one year from the start
maintain a stable weight (from six months earlier)
maintain size 12-14
maintain BMI of approximately 20
compete in the World Health games in 2014

I will likely have goals to add to this as I go, these are just the beginning ones.  The reason for my size flexibility is that I realise that just losing pounds does not determine size, there will be muscle built, and my body will change.  The same for weight - while the weight loss may not appear as my numbers, if my muscle mass and fat mass have changed to the point where my BMI is around 20, and my fat % has dropped considerably.

This isn't going to be easy, but it is most definitely possible.  Here we go!

Another organisation post

I am amazed by the Space Bags.  After discovering how much they hold (previous post), I ended up with piles of stuff to bag, and still had leftover bags.  Ran around yelling "Bag Everything!"  The bags remind me of a Bag of Holding from the DnD days - they are like another dimension that holds everything!
In the end, here's what I ended up with:

Jumbo bag:
Queen sized down comforter
2 x king sized fleece blankets
Queen sized sheet set
Double size wool blanket
Queen duvet cover and two shams
2 x fleece twin sized sleeping bags
Queen cotton duvet cover and pillowcases
Double cotton throw

Large bag 1:
5 x ladies suits (three wool, one linen, one cotton)
1 cocktail dress (with crinoline)
1 velvet evening gown with jacket
1 linen (lined) evening gown with wrap

Large bag 2:
fleece throw (double size)
Heavy cotton quilted throw
2 hockey jerseys

Large bag 3:
5 x ladies wool suits (fully lined)
Dress (lined)
heavy cotton pants
2 x cotton skirt

Large bag 4:
Wedding dress
Velvet cape
Skirt hoop

Large bag 5:
King sized heavy duvet cover
Queen sized down alternative blanket

Medium bag 1:
8 x t-shirts
5 x collared shirts
vest

Medium bag 2:
8 x t-shirts
4 x sweatshirts

Medium bag 3:
2 x skirts
2 x dresses
3 x blouses
one pair summer shorts
wool swing coat (full jacket)
2 x hoodies


Not every bag is in the picture, as a few were done after.


Before vacuuming:

Post - vacuuming

All but the Jumbo fit into dresser drawers in the basement, so now we have closet space, drawer space, and shelf space.  These things are fantastic!  I will be trying to put my wool into a Jumbo one and seeing how it goes.  I have a copious amount of wool, so looking forward to it!

I have discovered Space Bags!

And, at this moment, I think they are just about the neatest thing ever invented!  We purchased several last week (well, Jon purchased several - I thought we were only going to get a few), and today I started piling up the linens and clothing to put into them.  I figured I had enough on the couch when I started filling the first one.  It's a Jumbo size, and looks like this when stuffed:
Contained within this is:
1 Queen sized down comforter
2 King sized fleece blankets
Full queen sized sheet set
Double sized wool blanket
Queen duvet cover with 2 shams
2 fleece twin sized sleeping bags
Queen sized cotton duvet cover and pillow cases
Double sized cotton throw

There is no single place in the house that fits all of this together.  It is scattered through a trunk, two closets, and a drawer.  So then I applied the vacuum as specified (I have video but not uploading it), and here is the result:

THIS is something we can easily store.  I have several more:

In that pile is the one Jumbo, one Extra Large, five Large, and two Medium.  I plan on piling them up at the end and taking a picture to see how much room gets saved.  Here's to organization!

Wow - that dropped off quickly, but I'm back!

One entry, then nothing.  I'm not sure why.
Our marriage is the same as our relationship was before, but different.  We have not changed our respect, our communication, our commitment, but to me it's a bit different.  Maybe because I'm the one with a new name.  I don't know, but it just feels a little bit different.  Also, I can say "my husband" now, which is super cool!

So, as part of life, I'm into the "Challenge, Organise!"  I've tried before, and I do piecemeal, but never keep to it.  Jon is totally involved and supporting my tear-down and change outlook, so much so that he sat and chatted with me while I worked on the kitchen yesterday.  I didn't take before pictures, but I did take after pictures, and I really like the "after".  I am posting the pictures to see what it looks like in a month, two months, six months, and onward.  Here's what our wonderfully organised kitchen cupboards look like now:

Main cupboard 1:

Spice cupboard over the stove:

  Main cupboard number 2:

Still missing the cupboard over the fridge, but that and the corner cupboard are just holding dishes.  In each of the containers where it isn't obvious, I have cut out the label from the package and inserted it just inside so we can read exactly what is in the cupboard.

Next up:  Clothes, linens, etc.