Paisley

I volunteer to walk dogs for our local animal shelter.  It's a no-kill shelter and handles a lot of foster homes for dogs without homes until they are adopted.  They still need dog walkers for the dogs that they keep at the shelter.

This week I walked Paisley - she's a Great Dane, about 2yrs old, and very, very gentle.

She is well trained and walked at heel when I asked her to.  She would walk faster if I sped up and slow down when I slowed down.  She must have wandered away from home.  She looks really homesick, but stays well behaved.  She doesn't even bark in her cage.  I hope her family comes looking for her soon.

Tomorrow starts the One World One Heart Blogging Event.  it's always fun to go visit new blogs that I haven't seen before and meet new visitors here.  

I found some wonderful spots while blog hopping this week.

A Book Bloggers Diary
Faded Charm
Wicked Waif

Photohunt: 250 - Standing

This is one of my favorite photo's.  My mother remarried last year and this is our family photo.  This is the best group picture we got.  The bride (my mother) is holding on tight to my daughter to keep standing she too was laughing so hard. 

400 Mile Challenge Update

Miles this week - 18.5 miles
Total miles in 2011 - 58.0 miles

My goal is to exercise at least 5 / days / week.

Jan. 23 - walk                    =  1.5 mi
Jan. 24 - treadmill walk / jog    =  1.5 mi
          weight machines 1/4 hr  =  1 mi
Jan 26 - treadmill walk / jog     =  1.5 mi
              weights  30 min     = 1 mi
              yoga class  1hr.    = 4 mi            
Jan 29 - water aerobics 2 hrs     = 8 mi

Photohunt 249: Hands

One year I received a large canvas for Christmas so I painted a background on it and had my nephews and niece that are in town dip their hands in paint.
My daughter, sister and I also did the dip.  This is the result - and I love it.

O.M.G.! it's cold out there

Looks like we've made it to winter !
It's so cold out, I just want to stay home today.  I couldn't even get enough motivation to make it to the water aerobics class this morning.

That 79% in the pic is the relative humidity - NOT the temp inside.  We keep the house at 69 when we're home, 65 when we're at work and when we're sleeping.

400 mile challenge update

Miles this week - 13.5 miles
Total miles in 2011 - 39.5 miles

My goal is to exercise at least 5 / days / week.
My goal for this week is to increase the intensity a bit.

Jan. 17 - weight machines 1/2 hr  =  2 mi
         treadmill walk / jog     =  1.5 mi
Jan. 18 - weight machines 1/4 hr  =  1 mi
         treadmill walk / jog     =  2 mi
Jan. 19 - walk                    =  1.5 mi
         yoga 1/2 hr              =  2 mi
Jan 21 - weight machines 1/4 hr   =  1 mi
         treadmill walk / jog     =  2 mi
         walk                     =  1.5 mi

The week before was 3 days - this last week I made it to 4 days.
Hopefully I'll make my goal of 5 days this coming week.

January Knitting Project

I've started a new project.  Can you guess what it is?
I don't think anyone will be able to.  I'll give you a hint.  It's a retro look.
This is my first try at 2 color design following a chart. 
it's supposed to look like this   <<<< <> >>>>
Here are some beginning pics. 

The colors are actually not as vivid in person as they are in this second pic.  My camera put more color into the yarn than is really there.  Must be the lighting.

I'll put up another post as soon as I'm done which I'm hoping is by the end of this month.

Miles this week - 11 miles
Total miles in 2011 - 26 miles

My goal is to exercise at least 5 / days / week.
My goal for this week is to increase the intensity a bit.

Jan. 9 - water aerobics class 1 hr  = 4 mi
Jan. 10 - 'core' exercise class 1/2 hr  =  2 mi
     treadmill walk / jog                   = 1.5 mi
Jan. 12 - weight machines 1/2 hr  =  2 mi
     treadmill walk / jog                  =  1.5 mi



Didn't hit my 5/days/week goal but still a good week. 

A book and beans

For the book:  If you enjoy yoga, you'll probably enjoy this.  If you don't know anything about yoga, you'll get to know the 5 women in this book and by the end they will feel like your friends too - here is my review

Tales from the Yoga Studio

 

For the bean:  I took my first try at making hummus - a lemon artichoke hummus.

I actually put too much fresh lemon juice in my version, but it was still good enough to snack on all week.  

Here it is ready to blend:

 

 and here it is ready to eat . YUM.

400 Mile Fitness Challenge - Week 1

Miles this week - 15 miles !
Total miles in 2011 - 15 miles

My goal is to exercise at least 5 / days / week.
My goal for this week is to increase the intensity a bit.

Jan. 2 - water aerobics class 1 hr  = 4 mi
Jan. 3 - walking 1/2 hr             =  1.5 mi
Jan. 4 - weight machines 1/2 hr     =  2 mi
     treadmill walk                 =  2 mi
Jan. 6 - walking 1/2 hr             =  1.5 mi
Jan. 8 - water aerobics class 1 hr = 4 mi

It's never to late to join in - 400 miles fitness challenge

A Fitness Challenge for 2011

Nope, not another book challenge, but this challenge is intriguing and I'm definitely signing up since it can help me reach my health and fitness goal for 2011.

It's the

400 Mile Fitness Challenge 2011

Details:

The challenge will run from January 1st thru December 31st

The purpose is to reach the equivalent of 400 miles (at least) during the year, not a set number of miles a day.

Every Saturday starting 1/8/11, come back here and add the link to your update post. If you'd rather post an update every two weeks, that's fine too, but please visit a few participants every week and give them support.

What counts:

mile for mile-

walking/jogging/running outside or inside on a treadmill

biking inside or inside on a recumbent, spin or stationary bike

WATP Mile DVD's: 1mile walk, 2 mile walk etc.

15 min. equals 1 mile-

cardio

step aerobics

swimming

weight lifting

workout videos

exercise classes

Minutes and miles can roll over:

If you only walk for 3/4 mile, or exercise for 10 minutes, you can add those minutes/minutes to the next day.

 

Click on the link above to sign up.

Happy New Year 2011

Here we are celebrating a toast to 2011 at a local Moosehead restaurant.

My goals for 2011
Celebrate at my daughter's wedding
Welcome my daughter's new husband into the family and love him like a son

Eat a lot healthier - more wholesome raw foods
Exercise a lot more - everyday would be great but I'll settle for 4-5 days/week
   work up to running 6 miles again - I felt at my best when I did this regularly.

Blog more - I feel more connected to the world when I do

win big, big, big $$$$$ with the Lottery - yes, it's a valid goal :)

Read / listen to 52 books and review them
 - I've joined 9 different book challenges to stay motivated

Be more active on my Etsy site
- make and sell more jewelry that I enjoy making and wearing

Take more photos

Laugh more / relax more
- enjoy life while I can - stop and smell the roses