The other half

Ian is my partner (shocker, I know): life partner - parent partner - exchange-of-ideas partner - laugh-at-stupid-things partner - sit-and-watch-TV partner - move-around-the-world partner - adventure partner.

Every time a memory pops up on my FB timeline, I just sigh and smile. 90% of those photos have him in them (the other are the kids, or probably the cats). I miss traveling with him - checking out new foods, sights, and just walking together wherever we feel like. But most of all I miss talking with him.  A 7hr time difference plus a 6-day workweek for him means that we talk when we can, but of course it's not the same. It never is.

It's one of the reasons I took up MPC.  And go to Jazzercise with my mom (don't laugh, it's actually fun - never tell anyone I said that).  And why I'm blogging a bit more.  And reading a ton more.  And made a blanket and now making another, while contemplating how to crochet a vest, and did 4 cross-stitch things for the kids.

Living week to week means I've focused on small, reachable goals. I did apply for a job early on only to make it to last round and tell them I just didn't know how long I would be here, The job went to someone else.  Fairly so, I might add.  I wouldn't hire me.  I've thought about taking an online class and of course now realize I should have started in July.  I just didn't know, and was too unsure to commit myself while thinking that at any moment I'd be moving and starting a new 6day/week job half-way around the world.  Obviously that didn't happen.  I should have just jumped right in.  I didn't. My own fault.

It's just not enough to say that I miss him. I'm needing just being with him. Part of me is missing, people! And I'm totally not embarrassed to say it.  I didn't marry him to be away from him, after all. This isn't "I need space" or "Some quiet time is good."  Both of those are valid, but this ain't it.

102 days done, 27 days to go to R&R#1.

MPC

So for those in the know - nothing to see here, move along. For those who don't know, MPC is the My Peak Challenge and it's actually like nothing I've ever seen before (not that I ever went looking for an exercise program before, minor detail).  Not just the workouts, but the on-line community, the in-person community (I hope to join when I'm better settled), and the idea that the rest times, eating times, family times, etc. are just as important as the workout. After all, most people spend what, 30 mins to 2 hours in the gym or working out and the other 22+ hours are where everything happens!  Sleeping, feeding the body, keeping it clean, stretching the brain, etc.  It's all important.

Now, I can say I'm all gungho about this because I'm on Week 1, Day 5 of the Foundations program.  Foundations is the part where you learn about the exercises used and start building up strength and stamina.  It's for the weak.  Like me.  But it gets better.  Just about every exercise has modifications, all in video form in the on-line program guide.  As I currently do not have a home and am not part of a gym, I have to make adjustments.  Also, as I am truly weak, I do modifications that make everything, even in this beginner's beginner phase, easier.  No, I cannot do a push-up.  But that's a OK, because I should clarify: I cannot do a push-up YET.

The crazy thing is that because I still end up sweaty and wiped even with the modifications, I look forward to the workout days.  This is not me.  I do not exercise.  I hate exercise.  And yet now I find myself going to Jazzercise about weekly and thinking ahead to when I'll do the next MPC workout.  It's a brutal mindset shift, truly.  I can hardly recognize myself.

But back to this only being Week 1, Day 5 of beginner beginner's month long "get your butt moving, you can do this" phase. I need to have little goals - and that's built in too.  M= My and C = Challenge. What do I want to get out of this?  Well, besides being weak with no stamina and now 45 years old I want to be strong and HAVE stamina.... isn't that enough?  Maybe, but I also want to do another Mud Run or something like it and not be the person everyone waits for during the 5K parts.  I want to do another City Run and not be the one my kids have to push push push to just keep going to the finish line.  I want to never hesitate if someone says we should go do something, even if it's way out of my experience zone.

I've gone white water rafting (OK, they were only 1-3s, but it's a start!), scuba diving and snorkeling, spelunking, mud run-ning, City Dash-ing, sky diving, stand up paddle-boarding, skiing, wall climbing, rock climbing, sea kayaking, river bouldering, but there's so much more. Why not mush? Coasteer? And that Munro Challenge is mine next year. It's not just because I want the t-shirt either.

So now that I've put it out there, I'm committed.  I have nothing in my way for the next 25-30 days to complete the Foundations program.  And since I've done Week 1, I went to the sporting goods store and got a foam roller, jump rope, and stretch band.  The simplest, lightest, and easiest of all.  Because it's still hard for me, and making it really hurt will just have me quit. I need to finish each day, even if I don't finish perfectly or on the hardest setting. So bring on the sweat and the sore legs and shoulders to this puny weak body.

The MPC is also a charity program where a part of the proceeds of the yearly membership goes to charities close to the heart of the gym rat program creators. I'm cool with that.

My membership t-shirt is hanging up in the closet where I can see it every day.  I'll reward myself with wearing it when I've finished Foundations.

Curious?  Check out My Peak Challenge.  I'll be your cheerleader :)

THROWBACK: 5th grade Language Arts

There are some posts that I started months, some years ago, and never published.  This is one of them:

Jonathon's Haikus (the misspellings are his own... yes, he's in 5th grade and his spelling is atrocious)

Unicorns

My horn has magic

My fur is soft as silk

I have saved many

Minitor (he meant Minotaur)

My horns are deadly

I have the strangth of a bull

My ax is pin sharp

Sky Sun

The sun in the trees

Warming all our cold harts

The heat of the sun

And our favorites....

Love

Love is a big wall

And unbrakeable strong force

It will stay always

Dragons

The heat of ther breth

The warmth of ther beating hart

A born warior

The Two Sides

Greed is an Evil

A black hole of all good lite

It has to be slain

Good is an angel

A light in a pitch black room

The life of all things

Caps training camp & preseason

I should wait until after Saturday so I have photos from the Caps-Canes preseason game, but hey, whatevs.

Here's a smattering of photos from training camp that goes on until the season officially stars.  I made my way to Kettler - pardon, MedStar - to watch the team practice.  Lots of new faces for the Caps.

Not new, but man this guy is FAST. Go Hagelin Go!

Samsonov gets lots of 1-on-1 time.

Ovechkin doing Ovechkin.

Looks like the top line.

Kempny in a no-contact jersey.

Holtby watching from the bench. On his BIRTHDAY.

Even scrimmages get handshake lines.

It's been interesting for me because I like hockey, but it surprised me that I like it enough to go do these things on my own.  I'm not a rabid fan, it's fine that the game last night was blacked out and I can't watch until Wednesday and that I already know the score. I certainly don't know any of their junior league statistics.  Some of the new guys.. no idea where they were before here. But I actually like hockey enough to want to go out and pick up some gear, and watch them practice, and follow the various FB and Insta accounts (no Twitter for me, sorry), and find it really enjoyable.  It would be more fun with Ian of course.  But I guess I can classify myself as a fan on my own now.  Perhaps that's no surprise to anyone but me? 

Seriously - the thoughts of a middle-age woman are baffling sometimes.  I weird myself out.

Go Caps!

Progress!

Jonathon has a visa! And is >this< close to a plane ticket. And lucky me is going to go to London with him to send him on his way.  I just realized that I'll have a checked bag allowance but won't need it, so he can have an extra bag!

Becca got the car emissions test completed! And Katherine too! (Girls, put reminders on your phones for the next due date for all your car/home requirements.)

Nicholas made it back to base after the hurricane passed and is now waiting for his promotion to LCpl! And his training trip to Cali!

And most importantly, Ian has scheduled his R&R! He's going to come here! I'll get to see him!  I'm counting down the weeks.  Even though my calendar counts down the days. 76 days passed. Only 53 more to go.

(Please don't ask about my situation... Still. Pending.  At this point, it's a challenge.  How long can this go on?  Oh. We. Shall. See.  Yes.   

We.

Shall.

See.)

So we continue to keep busy.  Right now my focus is on getting J squared away.  That's right around the corner.  And I'm trying to do some fun local stuff. 

• On Sunday J and I met up with K and Erich at the MD RennFaire and had quite a good time people watching.  So many kilts.  And wings.  And Danaeryses.  
• Last night on 9/11, not necessarily fun but needed, I took J to see "You Are Here: A Come From Away Story" about Gander, Newfoundland.
• Tonight I'm off to see the new Downton Abbey movie.
• Sunday it looks like J and I will be rafting in W.Va. Let's hope the weather holds.
• The following weekend is full with a pre-season hockey game for J and me, and another Sunday at Games Workshop for J.
• Somewhere in there he gets his driver's license.

And then we head out to the UK.

Preseason

I picked up some tickets to a preseason game and wish I'd just decided to buy them last week as there were better seats then... oh well.

Caps-Canes....

In honor of the new season coming up, a few throwback photos.

Some time in Atlanta

For the long weekend, Jonathon and I flew to Atlanta from DC, and Nicholas flew from Jax NC, and we all met up with Rebecca. Katherine had work over the weekend so didn't join us, and of course Ian is still in parts far away.

On Saturday we arrived and immediately had a great lunch at The Flying Biscuit Cafe, followed by an inside tour of CNN Center, then hung out at Piedmont Park with Mokka, cooled off at the Park Tavern, walked some of the Beltline, and visited Ponce City Market. Since we'd gotten up at 5:30 that morning to catch our early flight, we were absolutely done by the evening time, but it was fantastic to hang out with my younger three.

Sunday was just as busy with several hours at the Aquarium followed by a visit to Rebecca's work place complete with an amazing tour she gave of her workspace and projects.  It was good to check on the Jeep as well even as it's still waiting to get registered.  It's actually good because Becca is getting some driving practice in around the lot without worrying about traffic Atlanta has so much of. After the studio tour, we went for an escape room, and intro for one of Becca's friends.  It was an OK room, not that complicated, and opened up the plan to do another one on Monday.

Monday brunch was at Egg Harbor Cafe, and we spent the hot afternoon playing Jackbox and Settlers of Catan.  Ah, Settlers, it brings out the worst in people sometimes.  Not like Monopoly, but it definitely can bring out a different side to players, and this was no exception.  We did survive with Nicholas as victor, but unfortunately made it to the escape room late.  You'd think being the only players at the facility and the last game of the day that the owner would make an executive decision to let us finish, especially as we had only another 5-10 minutes to the exit, but no.  We ended close after 30 minutes but unsuccessful. Yes, we were late, but every other individually owned place we've been to the owners have been really accommodating with us as relatively seasoned players (we're not tardy people, but usually they'll take quite a bit of time with us especially going through the room after and not watching the clock). Not so the Ultimate Escape Game Atlanta. Which is really too bad because on the whole it was a pretty good room and we would have enjoyed finishing it.

Tuesday was our day to depart.  With the hurricane coming, Nicholas was told to stay out of Jacksonville NC until Sunday so he's staying with Becca the rest of the week. J and I returned to VA and back to our waiting game.  His passport with visa has still not shown up.  My plans are still in limbo.  Nothing has changed here.  But we had such a great time in Atlanta and I'm so glad we went.