I did not grow up in an athletic family. None of my siblings played sports, and neither of my parents. My only high school sport outside of gym class was being on the rifle team. That was comprised of shooting a 22 rifle in prone position. There was nowhere to fall from that height! I bought my first bicycle ever when I turned 40. Since then, the only serious sport I have pursued is golf, and only starting that at the tender age of 46.

Therefore, I have not always displayed the best judgement when trying to perform physical activities. I get injured quite often from my own stupidity. So, about ten days ago I was in Pilates mat class. The instructor got everyone in plank position and I dutifully modified my position to knees and hands. Then she said to do five push-ups. I KNOW that I cannot do push-ups. My neck and shoulder weakness prevents that. But, I tried two little, teeny-tiny 1 to 2-inch push-ups and am now paying the price for it big time. I didn’t know it till I got to Yoga class that evening. We were laying in an open-heart restorative pose, and my arm became really uncomfortable.

Then, I played nine holes of golf on Monday. I just had to get out and see my friends and try the clubs after not even picking them up all winter. The shoulder was a bit sore after that, but settled down fairly well. I saw my physical therapist on Wednesday, and she worked on it for awhile and such. But, it has been getting worse since then. It is very hard to sleep. I tried some ibuprofen, but it isn’t making much difference. I’m just counting the hours till Monday when I can call the PT again and see what’s going on.

I wish I were more levelheaded when it comes to making physical activity choices. I started it all a bit later in life than most folks and need to learn to take things more slowly. I just want to do what the big kids do!

I just got back from seeing Frank Gorshen in “Say Goodnight Gracie”. It’s a one-actor play on the life of George Burns. It was really good. Gorshen starred in the original Broadway play. The road actor got sick, so he is filling in. We are lucky to get such high caliber performances in our little town.

I treated my self to a rare, very rare, caramel macchiato from the local Starbucks after the play. I maybe get two of these a year. This one seemed almost too sweet. Maybe I’m losing my taste for them. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Another favorite avoid food is biting the dust!

The weather has been so wonderful lately in the Northwest. All of our rain seems to be descending on Southern California! We are having clear, cold nights and the sunniest days with temps up in the 50’s. Hubby and I took a motorcycle ride yesterday. We almost wiped out on a frozen patch of road. He couldn’t tell if it was wet or frozen till he was right up on it. He quickly turned onto sunnier paths after that little scare.

Our stores are closed tomorrow for the Presidents Day holiday. I have a date with the girls to play nine holes of golf in the afternoon. I haven’t played since September 25th. I hope to enjoy the walk and the weather more than the golf. It should be horrid after such a long time away.

Hubby is cooking up one of his ‘concoctions’ for dinner tonight. He’s using that dreaded turkey sausage that he keeps forgetting I don’t do well with. I will keep my mouth shut and try not to eat too much of the sausage part.

Here's hoping your BTD week gets off to a great start!

This virus crud is slowly moving through my system. I’ve got a hooty cough now and the sinuses are still dripping. Never again, I tell ya! I’m gonna stay on the BTD straight and narrow for as long as I can. I was feeling run down and didn’t want to go to Pilates today. But I forced myself, and really am glad I did. I’d missed it a lot last week.

I was enjoying reading Edna’s rant over on the forums today about how she succumbed to some real pressure to eat something she really didn’t want to eat. I could really relate to that. Hubby just laughed at me when I mentioned my cold was from eating the wrong foods, thus lowering my immune system. How can eating potato chips and duck salad cause a cold, for goodness sake!

I haven’t had a Valentine’s gift for several years. It’s just something we have agreed on. Well, he surprised me tonight with a box of Godiva dark chocolates. I hope he eats most of them. A little chocolate goes a very long way with me. Too bad I can’t kiss him for a couple more days till this cold is gone!

I’m paying the price for brazenly eating avoids during our show days last weekend. I though I was cool eating potato chips and drinking coffee (and other notable avoids) with no side effects. Well, not so. Tuesday afternoon I started feeling a scratchy throat and by the end of the day it was a real corker. I’ve had to stay home the past two days from this lousy cold. No amount of Proberry-3 and Vit. C and my other tried and true immune busters are helping me out here. I’ll know if they are helping if I can wake up tomorrow on the third day and function like a human being.

I have been shot down by my lack of humility and compliance. I bow to the wisdom of BTD.

Our barbershop group just finished performing our annual show. It has been a really busy week building up to our two performances yesterday. Besides the normal business of making a living, etc, we had many extra and expanded rehearsals this week (thus, my blogging absence). It was all very fun. But I am pooped today. I had extra coffee yesterday to boost myself through the evening show. Couldn’t sleep until the wee hours. Then at 7:30am this morning the daughter’s cat decided I needed to wake up and pay her some attention. Drat that cat!

I did not stay compliant yesterday. There was food everywhere. Lots of junk food.

Singers have to stay very hydrated. But drinking water before a performance washes away the natural lubricants in the throat. There is a trick to keeping the throat lubricated so that the voice doesn’t seize up or crack during performance. Eat Lay’s potato chips. (Only the plain ones – no flavors). The nasty oil on the chips coats the throat quite nicely.

I drank lots of water, ate Lay’s potato chips and sang easily.