Almost forgot!

Did I mention I got a bill in the mail from the plumber (a.k.a the guy who caused the flood in my basement)? This after getting a bill in the mail Thursday from the glass company since the builder won't pay them.

Plus getting bills forwarded from the builder from Consumers and DTE Energy. I still maintain we shouldn't be responsible for energy used while we were not in occupancy. We are current on our bills starting the day we moved in.

Mom is advising me to get legal help. Oh good heavens.

Breathe in... Breathe out... Breathe in....

Alright, I'm better now.

So Billy was gone for *4*, count 'em, *4* hours today... From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m..... RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STINKIN' DAY. How much does that ruin a day? And he has similar plans to work tomorrow, too. Whatever. This is what I'm sayin'--Even if I was lucky enough to secure a sitter so we could actually go somewhere, say, for Valentine's, it doesn't mean that he won't have to drop everything to go do something work-related. Does anyone catch the gravity of this???? This means that from now until the end of this job, we make no plans that can't be immediately forgotten about. I won't say this is any sort of an epiphany, I'm just restating it in case y'all had missed it the first 100 times I complained about it.

Okay, so I'm NOT better now, but I'll move on.

Melinda was feeling pity, and offered up her oldest son to watch kids so I could make good with my plans to get the heck outta Dodge. Mat showed up only a few minutes before Billy got home. I was seriously doubting I had time to make it to Franklin before they closed (at 5, with a 30-minute drive to get there) and with enough time to drool down every aisle, so I opted to go riding.... which, in my opinion, was the better of the two choices, even if I do love every little thing about wandering aimlessly around a tack shop.... The ride was nice, if not a little cold (we weren't dressed well for it as we were told it was warm out and it really wasn't). Basically, Mat and I rode Moe and Trinity (respectively) around the side yard at the walk to the point where Trinity stopped spooking next to the road (no small feat) and I said she was done because she had done well. It wasn't an exciting ride, but it was a RIDE. For not having been ridden in about a month and a half (Trinity) to a few months (Moe), they were pretty even-keeled. It was almost like meditation for me. I need riding as much as, if not more than, I need T-tapp.

But then I forgot I was supposed to pick up my typing tonight. Gah! Off I go driving to Patty's, blasting Nicole Mullen and singing at the top of my lungs--despite not knowing the words because I've only had the CD for a few days. Somewhere along the line I start thinking of one of my best friends, Beth, who lives all the way over in Kalamazoo. I think about her and how much I miss her, and how much I'd like to just keep driving and go see her and all of her beautiful babies.... Maybe someday soon I will go. Maybe seeing her and laughing/crying with her will help me. Not that Beth ever cries.

Coming back to tonight, I'm in a better mood after my horse fix and some time in the fresh air. I'm thankful that Mat came down to see me, even if he didn't really want to. I'm thankful that Mitchell and Marissa came to visit--since they don't very often--even if Billy got overwhelmed and Mat ushered them home sooner than they wanted to go! (Sorry, Mitch!) I'm thankful I can vent my frustrations here and people can take it for what it is: Just that, a vent.

Here's to tomorrow: A long T-tapp workout in the morning, church, a visit with my friend Marilyn at the tack store, and maybe a short ride if I'm lucky.

Ok, this is what I'm talking about!

As we speak, Billy is on his way to Taylor to do some emergency work. Isn't this always the way it works? I have spent the past week doing and overdoing, hoping that if I show I am willing to keep the house functioning with as little participation from my husband as possible, that it'll make some sort of difference in how I feel or how he feels. I feel better about myself--well, it comes and goes in waves, but mostly I am feeling better. The exercise has become a major focus in my life because it is something I can do just about no matter what. It's not dependent on whether Billy is home or, to a degree, if Hunter is sleeping. It is my outlet because it's the only physical one I've got anymore.

We've all been sick this week, which is no big surprise. I mean, who hasn't been sick the last few weeks? I've been taking care of the kids, taking care of the dogs, cleaning up after the cats, and feeding the horses.... as well as grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning. These are all things that happen in any normal household, but it's not what I expect when I'm ill. It's not what I expect when my husband is laying on the couch sleeping or playing video games. No, no.... I'm good. I can do it myself. Please don't get up. I know you all know what I'm talking about, here.

So today, just when I think I'm getting out of the house to go do something solely FOR ME and not directly involved with THIS HOUSE, the KIDS, or the ANIMALS, who has to go to work??? I haven't cried in a couple of weeks, which is a milestone for me as of late, but I guess my streak ends today. It's just frustration more than anything. And the boy did cook me breakfast, but not before asking me what I was making for breakfast and me subsequently giving him what I affectionately refer to as the "drop-dead" glare.

I.

DON'T.

FEEL.

GOOD.

EITHER.

Please try to remember that next time I decide sleeping is a better alternative than waiting on you people.

Grrrrr!!!

And what makes me even more ticked off is that this leaves Sunday as our only day together.... Having Sunday as a family day never really jives with me because we've got church. It always makes me want to stay home from church, which I know isn't the correct response I should be having. I just don't know how I'm supposed to be feeling.

Why I hate measuring tapes, money constraints, and not being able to find Conan clips.

And I was so excited! All the measurements I took showed I was down 9-1/4" since my first measurement on January 27th--which was 2-3/4" more inches from my last measurement on February 8th. Not sure that I was measuring correctly, I had my husband help me. Instead of the lovely 9-1/4", he assures me I've been measuring incorrectly all this time. My inch loss stands at an even 7" by his measurements. Although, I guess I really don't know where I started from, then, because I measured the same way I did today when I did my initial measurement. So maybe I was bigger then, and I actually DID lose 9-1/4 inches? It is sort of frustrating, even though I still lost *something*.

I did Primary Back Stretch, Diva Derriere, and Hoe-Downs today. It's an off day, so that's probably it for me unless I get to go out and hop on a horse.

The funniest thing happened. I actually convinved my husband to do the opening stretch (Primary Back Stretch) before I did my Diva Derriere thing. He stuck with it, but I had to keep telling him what to do (we didn't have a video in, I was just telling him what he was suppose to do). When I caught up with him later, he said, "I could see how that would make you sweat after a while!" I threatened him that I'm going to turn on the 15-minute workout (Basic Workout Plus, or BWO+ for those of you trying to keep up with the T-tapp abbreviations) a few times a week. I'm not so sure he's excited about that. Hehehe.

**********

Today I am at a complete loss of what I'd like to do. My favorite tack store (after The Tack Stop, don't forget them!) is moving and having a big ol' sale. Billy is encouraging me to go, but doesn't want me to spend money. Me stepping foot in The Franklin Saddler without spending money is pretty much an oxymoron. I LOOOOOOOVE that place. It's got definite ambience... and who doesn't love the smell of leather? It does sort of depress me when I go in tack stores anymore, though, since I've been unable to ride much the past year. I know, I know, woe is me.... but really.... I can't help that I feel that way.

Does anyone out there watch Conan O'Brien? He had this bit on his show a week or so ago where he was interviewing "Michael Jackson" after the first day of his juror selection. (Really it was just a picture of Michael with his lips cut out so the person doing the skit was doing all the talking. Very low tech, but nonetheless satisfying!) There was this part where Michael was talking about going by his Muslim name in prison, and kept insisting it was "Jacko Shibaz!!" I crack up every time I think of it. I'm going to do a search to see if I can find a clip of it somewhere. Again, Conan O'Brien is a genius.

T-tapp for February 11, 2005

Today I did both instructionals (1 & 2). This was the first time I'd done them together because I just got the 2nd one last night. Previously, I'd only done the first instructional two times before. I am surprised at how much better these instructionals are than the ones available back when I first started T-tapping (these were the ones done on the stone patio with Fawn & Marji?). I can't wait to try the new Beginner/Rehab DVD, as the one I have is the one where Teresa is doing it in the living room. I found that she has really added a lot of form tips--thing I never knew I was supposed to be doing during my 14-day BC and back in 2002 when I tapped for about four months. I really like them, but... PHEW! I am feeling my legs!! I'd say I was feeling my butt more, too, but I attribute that more to doing Diva Derriere right after I finished the instructionals. Now if I could just find the secret to feeling my stomach more! I haven't tried "Hit the Floor" yet, so that's probably what I'll try next (when I get in another "trying" mood. The last trying mood got me doing Diva Derriere, Awesome Legs, and Cat Crossovers. I think I got jipped!!!! Hahaha.)

So, to sum it all up, for today: My goal is to do at least a 10-day Boot Camp with Diva Derriere while doing the total workout every other day. I was thinking about doing a Model Blitz, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that just yet! We'll see how I feel after this weekend.

XM Rebate... In other words, JOHN, LOOK!

Hey John! Did you ever send in the XM Rebate form from Brian's Roady 2? I just got my rebate the other day, so just wondering if you did or not. Hopefully you did, otherwise you're going to be ticked off reading this. =)

If I can't walk tomorrow, this is why:

I just did (for the first time) an exercise called--get ready to laugh, cuz it's pretty funny--"Diva Derriere." In T-tappland everything is abbreviated, so this one is lovingly (or maybe not so lovingly) called "DD." On second thought, maybe the double D stands for "Death & Destruction" or "Death by Dismemberment." At any rate, despite the schmaltzy, charming title given to this movement, it is really an instrument of the Devil--sent to melt your lower body into a pool of incomprehensible sludge. Don't believe me? Try it yourself! I found it much easier to follow Teresa on the video than it was to do the printout, but maybe you're more intelligent than I am. I'm someone who learns by seeing someone do in these special cases. I stared at the step-by-step and said, "Forget it!"

So I did DD, another move called "AL" (as in "Awesome Legs." Mind you, the move isn't awesome, either... I think "Agonizing Legs" is more like it). I tried yet another move called "Cat Crossovers." No abbreviations for that one, but it pretty much can be summed up by doing things that a cat would never dream of--in fact, 10 repetitions of the nonsense.

Why did I do all three of these moves on a day I officially have off from exercise? I don't know. I don't like myself? =) Actually, I know the moves will work--and probably aren't as horrible as I have suggested. I, however, chose to do them using separate videos which break down the movement so you really understand what each part of your body should be doing and when. This means that instead of doing the movements as they would be done in an actual workout, I did some of them with about twice as many repetitions. Oh well!

I will never, ever make this mistake again. Heheheh.

This one time, at T-tapp Boot Camp...

Pardon the cheesy title, just thought I would get it from John if I didn't go all "American Pie" since I was mentiong the word camp.

Moving on... Some of you have been paying attention to the fact that I've been trying to eat better/work out more. The eating has been harder than most things, but I'm not really dieting in the true sense of what one thinks of when they hear that word. I've really just stopped (for now) eating french fries and beef. In other words, I've really cut back on my fast-food consumption. I also average maybe one 20-ounce Diet Pepsi. I usually only drink half of one, and spend the rest of the day guzzling water. I've only slipped twice, but it was because there were no other choices and I was TIRED of water. I haven't been so great lately with ice cream and those corn poppers that the kids always have in the nursery (got 4 big bags for $1 a piece a couple weeks ago), but I am still exercising.

For exercise, I am solely doing T-tapp. What T-tapp basically is is movements designed to work several muscle groups at once, and working muscles in their entirety--from insertion to insertion--to make smoother muscles instead of bulky ones like a weigh-lifter would have. There's no jumping. In fact, during most moves both feet are on the floor and are [supposed to be] planted. The claims are that this system will rebuild your metabolic and lymphatic systems so that your body will function more efficiently. There's more to it, but if you really care you can visit the site. By the end of the tape (approximately 50 minutes) I am sweating like a pig despite not jumping around.

Let me share my results with you:

Four days after I started the program, I measured myself. If I had measured myself on day 1, my results would've been greater. I couldn't find my materials, though, so I didn't remember where to measure! Anyway...

Bust = 38-1/2"
Waist = 35"
Abdomen (3 inches below navel/over hip bones) = 41-1/2"
Hips (Fullest part of "fanny"/slightly above pubic bone) = 45"
R Upper Thigh = 27"
L Upper Thigh = 27-1/2"
R Lower Thigh = 21"
L Lower Thigh = 21"
R Calf = 15"
L Calf = 15"
R Arm = 12"
L Arm = 12"

I measured myself three days later (day 7), and here are my results:

Bust = 37-1/2" (-1")
Waist = 33" (-2")
Abdomen (3 inches below navel/over hip bones) = 42" (+1/2")
Hips (Fullest part of "fanny"/slightly above pubic bone) = 44-1/2 (-1/2")
R Upper Thigh = 27" (same)
L Upper Thigh = 27" (-1/2")
R Lower Thigh = 20-1/4" (-3/4")
L Lower Thigh = 20" (-1)
R Calf = 14-1/2" (-1/2")
L Calf = 14-1/2" (-1/2")
R Arm = 11-1/2" (-1/2")
L Arm = 11-1/2" (-1/2")

Total Inch Loss = 7-1/4"

On day 16, after completing 14 days straight (called a "Boot Camp"), I measured again:

Bust = 38 (+1/2")
Waist = 33" (same)
Abdomen (3 inches below navel/over hip bones) = 41" (-1/2")
Hips (Fullest part of "fanny"/slightly above pubic bone) = 44-1/2 (same)
R Upper Thigh = 27" (same)
L Upper Thigh = 26-1/2" (-1/2")
R Lower Thigh = 20" (-1/4")
L Lower Thigh = 20" (same)
R Calf = 15" (+1/2")
L Calf = 15" (+1/2")
R Arm = 12" (+1/2")
L Arm = 12" (+1/2")

Total Inch Loss = 6-1/2"

For two weeks, I think this is good (especially the two inches off my waist!). I was discouraged that after a whole 'nother week my inch loss decreased, but it's typical. The biggest thing I've noticed (visually) is that the little bit of saggy skin under my bra line is pretty much gone. A small victory for me, but a victory nonetheless!

The plan now is to do the workout every other day for 3-4 weeks. I will post on here what my new measurements are every week because they WILL be going down! I did this workout back in 2002 and lost 15-3/4" (2-1/2" from my bust, 1 inch from my waist--which was 29" at the start, 2-1/2" from my abdomen, 2-1/4" from my hips, 1-1/2" from my L Upper Thigh, 1/2" from my L lower thigh, 2" from my R Upper Thigh, 1-1/2" from my R lower thigh, and an inch from both of my arms). I think I would've lost more at that time, but I stopped doing it and I know my form was not even close to being right. Even with incorrect form, though, I think I did well. I'll say, too, that I was much smaller then than what I am now.

Sorry for the blatant T-tapp plug (again!), but I like to share things that might also work for my friends and family. Drop me a line if you have any questions. I've got a lot of videos and things I can loan out if you're interested. =)

For now, I'm done with shameless plug! Have a good day!

Let's catch up, here.

It's official. Every single one of us is not feeling well. I think I may declare an unofficial day off tomorrow if everyone's gonna be this nasty! I was feeling okay until tonight; now my throat is sore. Hunter is a crab and wanting to sleep every five minutes, that is, when he's not falling face-first on the floor and then screaming about it for the next hour. Logan is mystified that hands do not work as well as Kleenex despite our lectures--so let this be a lesson to you: Don't shake Logan's hand. Billy is just hacking up a lung and suffering general brain dysfunction. For example: I fell asleep in bed while reading. Sometime shortly after, he took the book out of my hands, set it down, and turned off the lamp. Today told him that was really nice of him, and he has no memory of doing this. I now tell him he was sleep-caring.

On an unrelated note, I finished reading Dean Koontz's Frankenstein today. It was very good, even considering it was a redo of a story I don't really care much for. I guess I just like Dean Koontz. He can make just about anything interesting. Out of the seven books I've read of his, I've really liked six of them (the seventh was kinda iffy, but everyone has an off year, right?). I bought a bunch of hardcover novels off half.com for $.75 plus shipping--ended up getting five hardcovers for $19, which is still cheaper than buying one hardcover for $26. Heck. I can't even buy five paperbacks (new) for that price! So I'm excited. Billy doesn't understand the ability I have to read so much--he thinks it's quirky. I guess I'm just catching up for all the years I didn't read anything at all except my issues of Practical Horseman. Back to Frankenstein, this is going to be a series of books for Koontz, so I will be kept in waiting for a while until more are released. The agony.

And this one is just for mi madre. She teases me (today, in fact) about the phase I had in elementary school where I used to save the tags off of my new clothes. I still maintain that most of the tags were cool and I had decorative purposes for them, but whatever... Anyway, I see a tag laying on Logan's floor tonight while we are having him clean up his room. I ask him to throw it away, and he says, "No, I was saving that!" Like mother, like son. Ahhhh, it warms the heart.

OH--And anyone following the saga of the new house... The finish carpenter came out here and FINALLY installed the last piece of crown molding on my cabinets. Finally! And the toe-kicks in our bathrooms. And he cut a hole for the heat register under our cabinets in the kitchen. And he put down some loose trim (shoe) that I've had to move and replace every time I vacuum the floor. Bad thing is there's a gaping hole in the drywall in my dining room for a few days, so it can dry out. The dogs are interested in said hole. I really hope the cats don't find this as intriguing. In a few days we will discuss what happens to the wood floor in our dining room (a lot of it is going to be replaced). I'm still just so overjoyed by having the crown molding up. I guess my builder has this down to a science. If he waits three or more months to do something, then I'm REALLY ecstatic when it actually gets done. Maybe he's the smart one and I'm the dumb one..... Hmmm.