Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Back to Reality -- Mostly.

 OK, so to be honest, there's no way I'm going to go fully back into reality. Reality sucks! I would so much rather be living in my little fantasy world where I'm not only perfectly sized, I have no debt, I have less aches in my bones, I have so much more energy after walking only 10,000 steps; at least I know where to begin my dreams, right? Today, I decided, much like I did on August 3, 2020, that I was just becoming a couch potato and it was time to buck it up, and return to the diet and exercise routine I had before I decided to go back to work.  When I was at home I had time to prep my food, work out, box a few minutes every day, walk 15,000 steps, and I usually ate less carbs and sugar because I knew they were not that good for me. Now that I've been lazy, not taking the time to prepare my week's lunches and such in advance, I've slacked off.  I am only averaging 2.0 miles a day now, and that's ONLY because I put in over 10,000 steps today. I think I was hovering in the 2000 mark yesterday. SLACKER!!

    I could sit here and say I have an excuse since I'm studying for the Series 7, but I don't have an excuse. I take time off during the morning to drink coffee, walk the dog, write in my journal, talk to neighbors, and I admit it, I've been online looking at the next flat I want to buy as well. I have plenty of time to box, and I'm going to do that tomorrow. Today, I went back to eating only fruits, vegetables, peanut butter, cheese, and maybe...bacon, except I ran out and haven't replenished my stash. I made oatmeal with cranberries for breakfast and only thought about bacon since I didn't have any in the house. I will have to walk to the store and get more. WHAT? Wait, did she just say WALK TO THE STORE? Yes, I do that from time to time. I have to keep in practice. When overseas I walk so much more than I do here in the States. I mean, there's a reason that that. We have buses in Edinburgh that literally pick us up 24/7, but not here in Oklahoma! NOPE...if I want to walk I have to walk during times when the creepy people are still sleeping, or they've not looked outside to see me passing by their houses. It's just not that safe in the States, where I live, to walk without a friend, a gun, or a pack of dogs....or any combination of the three.

    I walked to a particular store and took my little tote bag with me. I do that to remind myself that I will not be here in Oklahoma forever. I will be back in Edinburgh. I will be back where I want to be. I will be crossing the Firth of Forth by bus or rail and then taking a wee hike to the Tesco of my choice. I love Tesco, but not as much as I love Lidl and Aldi. I think Lidl and Aldi are twins really, and maybe Tesco is their bigger older cousin. Morrisons is like their grandparent, with all the tidy little pretty things you can buy, and the sweeter older feel to it. I don't know, I just love grocery stores a bit more than most people, I suppose. It is what it is. In my fantasies I guess I could live inside a Lidl and shop when I felt like it or needed to get a snack.  There's a spot in Edinburgh that I truly have to say makes my heart pound a bit faster. I can stand in the middle of that area and choose a store  in literally any direction and reach the store within minutes. No bus. No fuss. Just me and the tote.

    Today's haul from the store of my choosing was to go strictly European. I only picked up items that I could buy in Edinburgh; certain cheeses, crackers, fruits, the same chocolate there is sold here, thank you Jesus. I also picked up a fat jar of peanut butter, an off brand that I think I've seen in my fair city, but if not it will not be the end of me. I just didn't want to see American name brands in my shelves today. I wanted to drink my Earl Grey, nibble a lemon scone, and know that off brand products were living and breathing (personification much) in my frig. I wanted to know that my taste buds would soon dance a dance of victory (metaphor) over what all has been happening in my "reality" lately. No one should have to endure the hell I've been sent through (hyperbole).  Yes, to answer your question, I am adding figurative language intentionally -- I'm also paying close attention to my grammar, punctuation, and overall imagery as well. I do that. I'm a FREAKING WRITER! Sorry, I needed to get that out of keyboard. 

    My workout today was a bit unusual, and though no one reading this will really give a damn, it was something that I had to chalk up to first world issues. I walked into the YMCA to find someone using the machine I tend to start out with when I start my routine. No worries, I told myself, I can wait a few minutes.  She got off of the machine, but her little friend came right in behind her to use it. I was already behind in my timing, so I went to machine number two. Oh, no, you guessed it, someone decided to use it as well.  Hell's bells!  It's not usually crowded when I go to the Y, so I was a bit taken back by all of the new faces too. Mostly, and I mean this, at my age, I am usually the younger person on the floor. No, I'm not kidding, I can typically out maneuver anyone who decides to crank up the energy to walk over to a machine I think I may use. Today these old grannies were up for the challenge!!  Dude! I had to hand it to them - - way to go Betty!  You rock, girl.

    Having completed my 15-20 minute work out in just over 30 minutes, I decided my tummy needed to be fed so I cracked open the frig to find a big fat green apple, peanut butter, cheese nibs, and prunes. I ate the prunes first, that's why they aren't in my picture, but I do love me some prunes. I know, right? You do too? Yeah, you can't beat a good prune! I could live off prunes, black beans and rice, but I think the diet should consist of a few more proteins. For dinner it was teriyaki chicken, rice, feta and pepper stuffed mushrooms (gotta be careful with the pepper, I could kill myself. I don't do well with the hotter stuff). Dessert consisted of more prunes and yeah, I threw in tiny little "fun sized" Snickers because I am just that kind of rebel! I can do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and you know what, it feels so damn good to say and do that - - God bless the U.S.A. God bless my First Amendment Rights. God bless my Second Amendment Rights too - - I think tomorrow I'll head over to the H&H Gun club and exercise my 2nd in the best way I know how - - target practice; over and over and over and over again. You just never know when you have to defend yourself against a Zombie Apocalypse.  OMG...you know someone is going to take me seriously. F*ck them. I'm a writer. I write. (Psst....Zombies aren't real. Any mention of fighting them would be FICTION....pure FICTION.)

    Enjoy the rest of your evening. I may put in a few more steps. 

Photo Credit:  Me!


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