Sun, December 6th

I found this stand of trees interesting because when I was on one side of the hill nothing appeared amiss, but when I climbed over to the other side I saw that erosion had exposed their root systems. I imagine these trees probably won’t be upright much longer. I’ll have to see if I can find them again one of these days and see how they are doing.
When I see stuff like this I often find myself thinking about applying what I see out in Nature to my life or to life in general.
I remember being introduced to the rudiments of this sort of thinking in high school and it came up quite a bit again in more depth during my freshman and sophomore years in college. Once I learned more about it, I realized that it was probably just as well that the teenaged me hasn’t gone around telling people she was a Transcendentalist.
Even so, I did churn out reams of poetry along what I then thought were transcendental lines, though a lot of it was probably incomprehensible. I don’t have any of those poems now, though I think a couple might still survive if any of the (now) dusty journals they were published in are still kicking around. I wasn’t keeping good track of such things back then so I don’t even remember the names of said magazines and journals.
Mon, December 7th
While I kind of wish that I still had saved more of my old work, I don’t think my misplacing them is any great loss to American Letters. Still, I’m a bit more careful about such things now. Perhaps there is lesson about all this in the plight of the undermined trees?
Rest Day. Calories: 2600, Protein: 104 g.
Tues, December 8th
Morning Walk: 3.31 miles.
Can’t use the basement today for working out because of paint fumes. Plus I don’t want to drag my cat litter fitness bag upstairs and make a bunch of noise with it while my husband is trying to work in his office, so I dug out my old 8 lb. medicine ball, which doesn’t get much use these days, for the Tuesday deck of cards workout.
Deck of Cards Workout
Suit | Number Card | Face Card |
---|---|---|
Hearts | MB Walking Lunges + Front Kick Stretch (2-ct) | 10 Hindu Squats |
Clubs | Kitchen Counter Push-ups x 2 | 10 Cossack Squats (Partials) |
Diamonds | Bent Over MB Rows x 2 + Side Kick Stretch (2-ct) | 10 MB Full Squat and Reach |
Spades | MB Torso Rotation (2-ct) | 10 MB Rom. Dead Lifts |
Aces (any suit)/Jokers | Black = 20 Full Squats Red = 20 Hindu Squats Joker = 10 Full + 10 Hindu Squats |
Calories: 1965, Protein: 117 g.
Wed, December 9th
Morning Walk: 3.27 miles.
Captains of Crush Gripper (T):
- (Set 1): Right = 6mm x 5 reps, Left = 12mm x 5 reps
- (Set 2): Right = 4mm x 5 reps, Left = 12mm x 5 reps
- (Set 3): Right = 4mm x 5 reps, Left = 12mm x 5 reps
- (Set 4): Right = 4mm x 6 reps, Left = 12mm x 5 reps
- (Set 5): Right = 2mm x 3 + 2 reps, Left = 10mm x 5 reps
- (Set 6): Right = Closed x 2 reps, Left = 8mm x 5 reps
Calories: 1980, Protein: 140 g.
This little pile of squash and such caught my eye when we were out in the woods a couple of days ago. Although the picture makes them look sort of front and center, they were a bit off the beaten trail and I almost missed them. Apparently someone doesn’t want people finding their little cache. Hopefully the creatures out there, who enjoy such things, will but failing that I’m sure our mycological friends will set things to right eventually.

Thur, December 10th
Morning Walk: 3.49 miles. Calories: 2036, Protein: 140 g.
Fri, December 11th
Morning Walk: 3.11 miles.
- Arnold Press: 25 lbs. x 3 sets x 12 reps, 25 lbs. x 9 reps + 20 lbs. x 3 reps
- DB Bench Press: 25 lbs. x 4 sets x 12 reps
- Twenty-One’s (FR 12 lbs., LR 10 lbs., RD 12 lbs.): 3 sets
- Super Set
- Tricep Pushdowns (tricep handle): 40 lbs. x 15 reps, 45 lbs. x 3 sets x 12 reps
- Light Spring Bar (over head): 8-S, 8-P, 12-S, 6-P
- I tried the heavy spring over with a supinated grip over my head. I could barely bend it, which was where I was at some months ago when I started bending the heavy bar at chest level. Changing up an exercise can sure make it a lot harder or easier!
- (Super Set) One-Handed Reverse Grip Tricep Pushdowns (d-handle, ea. arm) 12.5 lbs. x 2 sets x 12 and 15 reps, 15 lbs. x 2 sets x 8 reps +
- (Set #1) Dead Bugs (2-ct): 20 reps
- (Set #2) DB Hammer Curls: 20 lbs. x 12 reps
- (Set #3) Two Handed DB American Swings: 20 lbs. x 15 reps
- (Set #4) Small Shoulder Circles (each way): 60 reps
Calories: 2057, Protein: 137 g.
It isn’t a big deal or anything, but whoever dumped this stuff should have taken the stickers off first for various reasons, not the least of which is no stickers would have made my close up way better!
Sat, December 12th
Morning Walk: 3.0 miles.
I was planning on lifting some weights but I ended up spending the day having fun with the family instead and didn’t want to interrupt our good times with rows and pull downs, though I enjoy lifting weights and was a little tempted. I’ve been working out a decent amount lately, so I’m sure my body won’t say no to an extra bit of recovery time.
Calories: 2540, Protein: 141 g. (I was the same weight as last week, so my total loss is 17.2 lbs. so far.)