Finally......

A chance to "post" and update everyone:) I haven't been THAT busy - but I have been busy. And when I get home I am so sore/tired/hungry - I have just haven't had the desire to sit at the computer to type - sorry:(

So - last week went out for dinner Monday - and was "rewarded" with a lovely round of food poisoning! I could have done without THAT! Ended up taking a sick day at work - which is actually a first for me in the eight years I've been there! They all though I was DEAD - LOL!

Spent the day on the couch Tuesday with lots of water and LOVING my DVR! Also watched a few good movies. Felling like a truck had run me over I hear someone leaving something on my front door - I investigate - and discover it's a move out instruction packet from the office here in Heaven part 1. Seems they can NOT extend my lease by a month - so I can't get the apartment I was hoping for.

Call new place - see if they have another option. They do - SWEET. Not going on Tuesday though - had to wait until Wednesday to investigate.........

New place was a different floor plan from the one I was trying for. Same square footage - rearranged - different wall location....... Great lighting - nice view.........kid free building.....a "nice " single man on the third floor she tells me - LOL - but......

My computer would have to go in the KITCHEN! In the corner. With all of the time I spend on line - this is NOT an option! And I would have to put two of my favorite end tables in storage. That my Dad made me.

Not good. So I start to panic a bit. I don't tell her though - I go back to work and get out the pen and paper to look at things........ reasons to leave....reasons to stay.........

And decide to stay where I am at! And buy more lamps! Still way too grey in here most days - I need sun:) I can live without my mail order tea:)

So that's my week in review. In typical Michelle fashion - as soon as I started to feel better I was straight back at it full force - lifting like a freak and as such feel like a truck hit me again today. Although today it is for much better reasons - LOL.

Although the though of climbing 3 flights of stairs after grocery shopping today is not sounding too pleasant at the moment...........A ground level apartment would have been better on Mondays for certain!

Summertime......

And the green beans are DELICIOUS! Mmmmmmmmmmmm - I love this time of year! All I even want to eat is light and fresh - fish, egg whites and veggies! Yummy!!!

Definitely will be moving - I signed a lease for the smaller, and more affordable, place last week. Just waiting on the move day now - either September 15 or October 15. The apartment I REALLY want is not available until October - but my lease here is up October first - so waiting to see if they'll let me stay an extra month. Either way - I'm leaving - and excited!

Folks keep asking if I'm sure - and yes I am! Yeah - I'll be on the ground level vs third floor - but that means no stairs after leg day:) And the patio I have here that everyone keeps pointing out I'll be giving up - haven't sat on it once! Feel like I'm on display for all to see - so why bother?

As for the trees folks worry about me leaving behind - they're pretty in the fall when they turn - but I'm ALLERGIC to them! So I'll be saving on allergy medicine - LOL! And tissues! And aspirin due to no sinus headaches and stairs:)

And the lighting that was so great when I looked at this place - well I originally moved in January - no leaves - lots of light. 9 months out of the year it's like a dungeon in here! Always grey - no light! So I'll be saving on the electric bill!

And the water here is "hard". So I have to buy special detergent for both dishes and laundry, cleaners for the bathroom and filter all of my water! Not to mention the hot water heat leaves a film on my furniture and electronics that I am constantly cleaning! AND it causes my hair color to fade that much quicker! The new place is around the corner from where I lived years ago - and unless something happened to their system/supply - their water is fine. So even MORE money saved!

AND the new place has tennis courts, a gym, basketball, and a pool. This place just has a pool. Not that I'll use any of the other stuff - but if it draws more active folks to rent there - maybe I'll make some new "playmates" in the process:)

All in all - a very good decision! And yes - the DVR stays:) If anything goes it will be the Blockbuster subscription, as I rent mostly documentaries and Sundance films - and guess what comes with cable.........

Good news everywhere:)

Not that simple......

Well - I thought I would have everything decided on by now - as far as the future living arrangements go that is. But - things are not that simple.

Seems Heaven part 2 won't be available until 10/15. That's 2 weeks later than I was looking for. Ideally I was hoping for a move in around 9/15 - that way I wouldn't be rushed - and could have everything organized before the final transfer. Details like unpacking, cleaning, phone, internet and such.

So I tried to extend Heaven part 1 for an additional month. BUT management here is on vacation until 7/23. So I have a week of "limbo" if you will.

Hoping nobody signs Heaven Part 2 before I have a decision here.

And that prompted some serious thinking. Heaven part 1 is only increasing by $20 a month. $5 a week. Really - is it THAT much? Couldn't I give up cable again? I don't watch that much t.v. Or keep cable and the DVR - I admit I like this DVR thing - and give up the movie rentals. Or any number of seemingly small indulgences - like having my favorite flavor of tea delivered because my local store stopped carrying it - that all add up. I mean really $5 a week isn't really enough to move over.

Heaven part 2 is a one bedroom - although a VERY large one - still a one bedroom. On ground level. Heaven part 1 is top floor - total privacy - large 2 bedroom.

Heaven part 2 would actually be $100 LESS per month than what I am paying for part one right now. So the fact that I would be SAVING $$ for a large, safe, clean, convenient, friendly place is why I still have to try for it.

But Heaven part 1 would still be affordable - so if I don't get part 2 - then the time was not right - yet:)

Because after looking at other options in the area - in the same price market - I am convinced that I will live in one of these two places - just a matter of what "fate" has in store for me right now.

In other news......

My gosh - I don't think I have been THIS sore in recent memory! My tri's still hurt and I trained them 48 hours ago! It hurt to steer my car today! But I confess with this apartment stuff on my mind - I have not had the best sleep this weekend - so I'm sure that has something to do with it.

And yes Kerry - you are correct - Friday was was the day. It was a day filled with some realizations about those close to me, some good, some bad, but all real. So not too much to tell.

But to those of you out there - thanks for thinking of me!!!:)

And since it's been awhile.........

We tried this at work - and it seems to be working! Give it a go!

Watch seedlings grow roots. For a great science experiment for children, grow seeds in Jell-O and observe the root structures. (Before planting the seeds in Jell-O, sprout the seeds. Cut a three inch strip from a sheet of Bounty Paper Towel, dampen, and lay it on top of a strip of Saran Wrap. Place the seeds on top of the paper towel at the intervals recommended on the seed packet. Cover with another strip of damp Bounty Paper Towel, then roll the paper and plastic together, place in a Ziploc Storage Bag, and store in a warm place. When the roots begin to sprout, plant the seeds in a clear cup or glass filled with Jell-O.)

Few would understand this......

So the day after leg training I spend most of my time stretching. I'll be on the phone with a leg tossed up on a counter or shelf - no big deal.

Last week while making the week's worth of pancakes I had my leg on the kitchen counter doing just that.

I use a metal spatula for flipping. Bad for my pans I know - but good for catching the edge of the pancake and flipping it without breaking it:)

In a weird act of "fate", the spatula catches on the edge of the pan, slides across, flips end over end and lands.......

Directly on the arch of my foot. The metal part. The HOT metal part.

I immediately blistered!

I iced, put on the topical antibiotic stuff and covered with a bandage for 3 days......

Still didn't pop!

So I finally got annoyed and popped it myself.

Note to self - cook pancakes before leg day this weekend:)

So I started shopping for a new piece of Heaven - and I think I found one right down the road. I'll finalize paperwork this weekend and should know the first part of next week.

YIPPEE! They were actually my first choice when I moved out before - but they didn't have anything available. So as they say - when the time is right....

everything happens for a reason.

Look - it works!

I can attach a title today - YIPPEE!!

And blogger is not the only thing working - my Gauntlet was fixed - HOORAY!! I was thinking of you this morning Kerry - it's definitely an acquired "addiction" - most folks stay far away from it - but there a few of us who simply LOVE this monster - and the results of course:)

In other updates - I maybe getting a whole BUNCH of new neighbors soon. Received notice that it is time to renew here in Heaven and well - the rates are going up. So I'll be price shopping over the next couple of weeks - plenty of good housing in the same area here - might just as well see what others are paying before I sign up for another term - so we shall see.......we shall see.......

One last thought before I go - have you folks "seen" this new item. I was at the store this morning and saw a large display for cream cheese that comes in a can - like cheez whiz - but CREAM cheese this time?! Does the world really need cheese that requires no refrigeration - AND a pressurized container to serve?

NASTY!

Is anyone else having trouble attaching titles here in Blogger land? Second post in a row that this won't let me add a title - weird.......

Anyway there's a new guy in the neighborhood - he seems to like to linger in the courtyard a bit for my liking.......always near my window - waking up to him, on guard when I go outside......I am REALLY trying not to upset him. In fact - I don't even want him to notice me.

Why you ask? I don't really care for his "type". And I find his "cologne" to be a bit offensive.

"He" is a skunk! Yeah -not the best thing to have living nearby - let me tell you! The past week I have woken up to his "presence" if you will. It's been cool enough at night to turn off the a/c and let the fresh air in. If only it where fresh - LOL!

It's now 97 and VERY humid - definitely not the best day for horseback riding so probably best it was post poned. But when I went out to my car last night - there he was! Just sitting there - right near my door! I certainly didn't want to get sprayed - and I didn't want my car to get sprayed. I was scared to move. Once he wandered off a few feet I snuck into my car - but then was terrified to start it! I probably sat in my car for a good five minutes - just to be sure he was gone!

Such is the excitement here:)

Fabulous weekend it was. Great weather - amazing training, lots of fresh veggies so terrific eats. My precious gauntlet is busted - they say I broke them both - LOL - so I have been forced back to the treadmill. Great to see that my endurance/speed has increased after all of my stir running - but boy do I HATE the whole jog/run thing!

SOme folks have a "need" to run - I prefer to climb!

No horseback riding this week:( Seems life is working against us right now...... One friend has some traffic tickets that must be attended too, another can't make it back this weekend, the weather is going to be 90 humid with a chance of storms, and my paycheck was sent to another location by mistake! So with all of these are factored together - seems we were not meant to go riding this weekend.

I'm just finishing the meds they gave me for my crazy rash - so probably wise for me to stay away from unusual animals for another week - lord knows I do NOT want that back anytime soon!

So it will be another same old same old weekend. Enjoying my summer - staying out of trouble - and of course - PLENTY of training! I'll explore my DVR a bit more - with the digital cable I should probably start to look into a HD t.v. but all in good time. That's not high on my priority list right now.

Anyway - I'm off top train legs! HAve a great weekend everyone!

Better by the minute!

Seems like every time I walk past a mirror - things are improving - SWEET! I'll be good as new in no time!

Had a TERRIFIC legs session yesterday - and a back and bi one today. In fact - my lats are SCREAMING already. I should sleep like a rock tonight!

Which is much needed. One of the side effects of the predisone, spelled wrong - oh well! - seems to be keeping me awake. The first two days I was on double dosage - to get things under control - so sleep was FAR from sound. However today I am back to just one dose - and already feeling drowsy - THANK goodness!

Very anxious to get back to cardio tomorrow morning! - YIPPEE!!!

Thanks for all of the good wishes!

I'm off for one more shower and a good night's sleep!