Sunday, September 30, 2018

Clean eating

This last month has been super indulgent.  It's hard for me to not be.  It's my birthday and I tend to over celebrate with friends.  I love the opportunity to see people.  Of course, food and wine is involved and the celebratory status lasts for days.  I saw the Goddess, Jenn, Roxie and helped Sara Jo depart from Denver.  That definitely added to my excessive ways.
I am returning to my trainer tomorrow morning to face the music in a way. I know that I have been excessive and not exercising as often as I like to do.  I did attend a TRX driven barre class last week while visiting Santa Fe.  It didn't kill me.  I was sore, afterwards, but I also identified that I am stronger than I was a year ago.  That felt good and I suppose will help me face the fury of my trainer tomorrow.  It's been three months since our last session.  Some of it is due to the fact that I have been nursing an injury.  The high ankle sprain that will not end. I finally broke down and found a chiropractor to assess the situation and help me with pain management and releasing some of the chronic muscle contraction in my calf muscles.  I think the brace that I had been wearing made it worse for me.  It became more of a crutch.  I thought I needed it and forgot what actually walking felt like.  My chiropractor took one look at my gait and taped up my foot.  He wanted me to utilize my natural walking as opposed to relying on the brace.  I have been dry needled, vascular flushed and had a raptor utilized on me.  The raptor is a hand held device that stimulates the muscles.  It hurt so good, lol.
Since incorporating the chiropractor into my life, I do feel better.  Immensely.  It inspires me to consider how I want to spend the next month.  With the addition of my trainer resurfacing, I want to maintain a cleaner lifestyle.  Minimize the wine intake and attempt to dine at home more frequently.  I have pickles, olives, and tuna burgers from Sara Jo's kitchen.  I went to the farmer's market this morning and picked up some tomatoes, cucumbers, mixed greens and peaches.  Why wouldn't I cook at home?
Thankfully, I have the opportunity to do just that.  And plan travel.  I hope to visit Sara Jo in Palm Springs before she heads to Florida. That trip will definitely be more challenging to pull off in three days.  And, I don't know how long it will take Sara to settle into Florida.  Heading west is more attractive to me and I could explore more of Joshua Tree.  It was beautiful.
I will be in Santa Fe, again, to visit Melody and do another soak at Ojo Caliente.  I want to focus on my needs and what makes me happy.  Clearly, travel is always a factor.  And., I believe it is time to finally create a home out of my rental space.  It's challenging since I do not like clutter or things and tend to purchase more airline tickets than anything else.  Maybe refocus and create some space in my life for roots.  I have multiple plants to add life to my home now.  I gave Sara Jo my plants from Brian's memorial.  I received them in 2006 and they are still thriving.  I love it!
So, perhaps, slow down.   Write more.  Read.  Expand my yoga and reflect on what I truly want out of life. I felt so fortunate on my birthday.  Spent time with my aunt, saw Jenn K and heard from many, many friends.  I am extremely grateful for the friendships I have in my life.
Tomorrow is a new day.  My focus will be on the clean eating and taking care of me.

Friday, September 7, 2018

Dreams and realizations

More acupuncture, pedicures and dreams of travel.  I have been loitering on my days off.  Trying to fill them up with yoga teaching and it has been plentiful.  I am conflicted for as much as I yearn to travel, I need to have a routine for clients.  I cannot just up and go on a whim as I have in the past.
Still, I want to travel.  It is a natural part of my life and I find myself talking about it often at work.  I had a lovely conversation about Santa Fe on Tuesday at lunch and then New Orleans inspired another lengthy conversation last night.  These conversations motivate me to book a trip and do it.  Not just wait around
I will be heading to Santa Fe, twice, in the next month and possibly a trip to Chicago, Austin or Aspen.  I need to confirm dates with my friend and then commit to the trip.  I think about it often and visualize a foodie inspired venture.  Especially with this friend.  He has similar likes and we travel well together.  In the past, we have ventured to Chicago and Santa Fe and so I would like to try out a different destination.  Heck, I would be happy returning to New Orleans.  That city has the best food and the options are limitless.  Not to mention, music, endless sazeracs and beignets.  I had some customers last night request a Sazerac and I was unable to find the absinthe so I refused to make it.  Instead, I offered to make a vieux carre which seemed to make them just as happy.
I am trying to minimize my acupuncture and do one session weekly.  I can supplement with massage, pedicure and PT.  I have started trying to balance on my right foot and do a few strength enhancing moves.  It is helping and I feel better.
The pedicure, today, was amazing.  I attempted to arrange a pedicure last week but my place was booked solid.  I stopped by today and waited ten minutes before siting in the chair. The calf massage was epic and I think it is another way to ease the ankle stress.  I am trying everything to heal and faster.  The essential oils are helping and as noted, I know, that the swelling is down and my ankle is beginning to look the right shape again.  It's been a long road to healing.
I am blessed though. I have a healthy gut.  I have a friend that has been dealing with some intense GI issues.  I really don't know how she does it or why it has lasted this long. I feel very fortunate to not be dealing with that myself.  I would be hydrating, hydrating, hydrating and skipping all the wine and margaritas that I like to ingest.
I'm sort of interested in learning how to golf.  I have been golfing a few times and so it is not completely foreign to me.  However, how great would it be to actually be able to participate and compete?  Or tennis?  I think golf would be a more natural fit for me.  Not that I am scared of all of the running and agility in tennis.  I'm not.  I just sucked at it so bad when I was in high school when they were trying to teach us.  I always had an "open" face.  I got kicked off of the gym aide duties in tennis and thrust in to managing the runners.  Never returned to tennis after that point.  I have a friend that is retired and possibly 78 years old and she is still playing competitively.  She loves it.  I think it is great and her and her partner are super cute when they travel together.
Golf would be preferable.  However, I want to return to seeing my trainer.  Which brings us back full circle--healing the ankle to be at least 90% so that I can be athletic and continue to train with Courtney.  Golf will have to wait for the time being.
Acupuncture will continue.  Massage, too.  My goal is to return to training with Courtney by October.  Means I will be diligent in my taking care of my ankle.   I must decide that I am ready and that I want this.  I do.  I want to be 100%. It aids my teaching, my well being and my health.
Here is to that!  I am off to enjoy my Friday~

Saturday, September 1, 2018

day off and frustrations of the ankle

Day off and what a day it has been.  Lazy.  No yoga.  New restaurant checked out and a return to a local brewery.  I have visited this place three times and try to like it.  I have friends that love it.  Me, it's meh and will continue to be.  I will return to that later.
My ankle continues to frustrate me.  Acupuncture helps me, somewhat, and will continue to do so.  I think, though, that I need to make a more concentrated effort in physical therapy.  I can walk (thankfully) and can work. But, running is challenging and balancing on my right foot scares me.  I am afraid of messing it up.  I have been doing some writing the alphabet with my toes which helps but my foot wants to cramp.  It is always something.
I skipped yoga today and yesterday.  I thought I had a client this morning but she canceled, last minute, to go to Aspen.  I do understand the desire to travel.  I only wish that she had some consideration of my time and the effort I take to put into the planned sequence.  She hasn't yet.  I have been on a pozole kick.  I continued that trend today or tried to.  Instead, I found a Colombian spot on East Colfax that offers Mondongos.  I was super excited to sample their offerings.  I had tried mondongos in Medellin and loved it.  I entered this cute spot and was surprised to find football on and a group of six ladies enjoying lunch.  I perused the menu and chose the mondongos, a Colombian beer and an arepa to start.  About fifteen minutes later, she returned with my beer and told me, in Spanish, that they were not offering mondongos today.  I could choose between two other options and I replied--which do you prefer.  I loved that she spoke to me in Spanish.  I wish I could have responded in Spanish.  It was awesome.  Reminded me that I want to learn another language.
The food was good.  More pedestrian and clean which I enjoyed.  I would love to return to try the mondongos.  I prefer them to the soup I sampled.
Yesterday, I had pozole at a spot on south Broadway which I have tried a few times.  It is a popular mezcaleria and the food is adequate.  The pozole was oily and not at all what I wanted.  I was super disappointed in that option.  The guacamole was delicious and of course, I enjoyed the salsa and the conversation with my lunch date.  Troy is travel friendly.  I think he did 320 days last year and this year, is on point, to do 345.  It's nuts!   He owns a home in the Springs and travels all over with a bike company.  As much as he loves it, I think, the travel does wear on him.  He goes everywhere--stateside and internationally.  of course, I am jealous!
So, lunch today was good and Colombian inspired.  I returned home, afterwards, and took a nap.  I think I needed it.  My body needs to recover.  I have been binge watching SOA in preparation for another series the Mayans.  I seriously, should, read more, lol.  It is more noise for me to have while I sift through the day.
Finally, I walked to the market to pick up garlic.  I would like to attend the farmer's market to choose produce tomorrow.  Fortunately, it is located about three blocks from my house.  Anyways, I walked to the store and picked up a few items and opted to stop by the local brewery which I want to like.  I entered the brewery and selected a spot at the bar.  I was approached, quickly, and asked for my i.d.  Not that big of a deal.  I get it.  It's their job.  I chose a beer and the girl returned with it and asked it I wanted a tab or to pay.  Super direct.  I paid.  I tipped her and she didn't say thank you or anything else.  That is annoying.  How difficult is it to be friendly?  I then watched and saw the three bartenders check their phones and basically suck.  I really don't think that I can support this place again.  My boss likes the beer and has a difficult time picking up beer to go and so I have done it for him.  I don't know that it will be frequent.  It is a not a vibe I enjoy.   And, I have tried to like it.
It is a new month.  My birthday month.  I am inspired to really put myself out there and accomplish some goals.  I want to travel, I do.  I can taste it.  However, I think, patience is my friend in this situation.  I need to be patient and relax.  Everything will happen when it is supposed to.
Making dinner tonight.  Continuing my binge of SOA and relaxing.