Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Singing in the Rain/Umbrella

Today it was wet...very wet...lotsa rain...

So when I got up this morning I knew my workout was going to be vastly altered...and it started with my feet hitting the ground.

Because Dimples has a new plan for me...

You see, the scale is stuck...on an ugly number...and not in the range I want to be in.

That stupid scale has been stuck for almost 2 weeks...no budging in the weight, in fact...

It. Has. Gone. Up.

ARGH.............

I've been good as gold.

Really...

Honestly...

Cross my heart!

I've worked out every day...at least some form of cardio for a minimum of 45 minutes every day. Strength training every other day or so.

Good Girl...

But the scale...

Bad Scale!

So after massive pouting from me about it since Christmas, my sweet Dimples has given it some thought and research and he is determined to get it moving for me again.

So new plan...

Phase 1 is an early morning walk. 30 minutes.

Here is the kicker: I do it BEFORE I eat.

I've seen some research (and obviously, so has he) that indicates that it can help to exercise in a fasting state.

Now I can't do a spin class or body pump like that, but I most certainly can take a little 30 minute walk. So we are going to see if that does something to amp up my metabolism.

Because there really isn't any reason I am not losing weight. I am buring more calories than I am taking in and I am taking in ample calories but not too many.

I so fear he will make me give up wine...but I am almost, just almost, to the point of saying "ok" if it means that darn scale will start on a downward descent again.

So my feet hit the ground this morning, I threw on some "walking" clothes and strapped on the heart monitor, grabbed the iPod and hit "go" and went for a walk.

It was sprinkling a bit...sort of "spitting" on my when I left the house.

28 minutes into the walk it really started to rain and I was at least 15 minutes from my house. By then I was already wet so I figured I would just try and keep the iPhone (iPod) dry and finish it out.

When I got home my son handed me a towel and said "wow, you are wet"...and I was a bit cold, but not suffering.

Round 2 was a workout with Dimples.

But "our" park was flooded...so we had to improvise. Lucky for me, my son's school has an outdoor gym/basketball court/activity center so we went there and Dimples got creative and got me moving.

The rain was pounding on the tin roof as it beat down.

Lightning...there was lightning...and I was afraid it was going to hit a tree nearby and make it fall on the building.

The thunder crashed.

I almost ducked under one of the picnic tables after one particularly loud crash.

Me no likey thunder...

But despite the rain and the wet, I had an awesome workout...hit a new high on my calorie burn and kept Dimples smiling the whole time.

Normally on days like today I would have much preferred to hunker down at home, light a fire, and curl up with my cats...but curling up with Angel, Zulu, and Seringa (my kitties) isn't going to get that scale bar to slide down so since Dimples was willing to risk needing an ark to get home, I did my workout.

So there we were, singing, or rather working out, in the rain...but at least we were under cover.

When I got home---wet, sore, and tired---I cleaned up and headed to my aunt's house for some family time. I did obsessively watch the culvert in my side yard as it was full of water and the rain was coming down hard. In the past we have flooded (the house) with hard rains when the water doesn't run off quickly...and it all drains from the houses behind us towards our house and into the culvert...

While we were all visiting I was reminded of a story about my sister and her little "singing in the rain" episode. This is a GOOD story...and my friend CandyCane will know it well since she was there...

One year for our dance recital, my sister N had 2 costumes (I think we all did, but I remember hers in particular). She had a green satin leotard with a Christmas tree on it (I think it had a pull-on tutu) and she also had this very strange top that was basically Christmas tree icicles hanging from a choker at her neck. I believe she also danced with an umbrella for some sort of singing in the rain number in the icicle costume (I guess it was supposed to look like rain falling?)

So backstage the moms are helping everyone into their cotumes. My mother is helping N get into the icicle thing. She has on her tights and the icicle thing...but nothing underneath. My mom forgot to have her put on her leotard underneath.

There poor N went...in nothing but the pink ballet tights and the icicle thing...and once she spread her arms to dance with the umbrella...well, she went from rated "G" to "PG-13" pretty quickly. We all got a good look at her.

Thank goodness she was only about 8...

But she was mortified and I was mortified for her. And thankfully she had her green satin leotard on underneath for the real recital.

Recitals seemed to be a thing of mortification only amplified by my poor mother.

One year she gave us such rosy cheeks with the blush that we looked like we were sunburned. Our hair was always a little TOO plastered back. We always had on more blue eyeshadow than Tim Curry sported as "Frankenfurter" in "Rocky Horror Picture Show".

But the ultimate mortification...icicle costume notwithstanding...was the year my mother

DANCED IN MY JAZZ DANCE NUMBER IN THE RECITAL!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, you read that right...she danced alongside us in our number.

There we were...13 year olds...and one 33 year old woman who thought she belonged there.

You got to give it to her...that took some brass cahones to do that...or blind ignorance.

I prayed up until the moment we went out on stage that she would change her mind and not do it. The teacher even secretly choreographed it so that she would not be missed.

But no....

My mother got out there in her one-armed bodysuit costume and danced that stupid jazz number with us. I think that costume had icicle things hanging from one shoulder too...the better to fan our arms out from underneath...they just stuck to us...

I need to remind my children that I have yet to mortify them to that extent. I stay IN THE WINGS AND BEHIND THE STAGE during productions. I've only ever hit the stage during rehearsal and that was to yell to GOTT in the booth. And this last show I did play a joke on him and came out with the feather fans (they were "wings") when one of the "Bird Girls" was out sick for rehearsal. GOTT loved it and then wondered if I could remeber the whole dance (hell no).

OK, enough amusement for tonight...as I sit here and type this I am still laughing at my poor sister in that costume and the look on her face when she realized she should have another part of her costume on.

I'm off to bed...tomorrow I have to walk before breakfast and then spin with J'taime Jamie and then see Dimples and maybe I'll see that bar on the scale slide down for the new year.

It sure would be nice to start off 2011 with a number that starts with a "1" since this is a year of ones...

I'll let you know if the "fasting walk" is doing anything for me...and hopefully tomorrow I can do it dry.

But if not, I'll just put on a jacket and go...I learned a long time ago that I won't melt because 1)I'm not made of sugar, and 2)I'm not a witch (like the Wicked Witch of the West).

Now I have promised you more recipes...so here is a good one for a rainy day...

Roasted Veggies

I find that almost any vegetable will taste better when roasted and it is so easy to do...do a large batch and re-heat if necessary...

Veggies to try:
asparagus (just trim off the tough ends)
butternut squash (peel and cube 1")
brussel sprouts (cut in half or quarter if large, leave whole if small)
sweet potatos (leave skins on after washing well, cube 1")
cauliflower (cut up into similar sized chunks)
tomatoes (the small grape or cherry ones...leave whole)
bell peppers (I like them cut into strips)
carrots (whole "baby" ones or cut into similar sized chunks)
parsnips (these are yummy! look like albino carrots...try them!)

I have not tried to roast turnips but plan to try...I love roasted beets but they get handled differently so I will do that recipe another time.

OK, so once you have your veggies washed, trimmed, and cut up (and yes, you can mix them up...just remember that some will cook a little faster than others), put them in a foil-lined pan. Pour a little olive oil over the veggies and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt. You can add other herbs if you like (thyme, rosemary) but plain old sea salt works great. Sometimes I add pepper.

Put into a pre-heated 450 degree oven, uncovered, and cook until the veggies are soft and done.

That is all there is to it. And I promise you, even veggies you don't think you like, you will like this way.

Inspiration Song: "Singing in the Rain/Umbrella" mash-up from the Glee cast...sung mostly by Matthew Morrison and Gwyeneth Paltrow...yes, the Gwyeneth Paltrow...

Bye Darlings...stay dry!

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