Poor Barbara APPELBAUM. She's going to kill me if I don't stop mis-spelling her last name. I just read over last weeks blog & noticed that I had done just that, yet again. Sorry, Barb, "you know I love ya more than my luggage."

Well this is a perfect time to plug her workshop coming up in August; Look and Feel Younger Longer. This is going to be a 5 day tele-summit running Aug. 4th-8th. I believe its $49.00 for the entire series. A steal! Get to her website; www.appelbaumwellness.com. and sign up.

This last week got me a little frustrated. I again upped the weight I'm using on my workouts and didn't feel anything after BUT...I do notice that my arms are looking a bit better, I'm stepping up much easier than before and my foot isn't bothering me nearly as much as it was. All of this is great however, the freaking scale isn't budging 1 centigram. I know this happens, everything is going well and nothing, or even worse an increase on the scale. I know it. Doesn't mean I have to like it and I don't. I know it'll suddenly just drop. It always does but it doesn't change the fact that it PISSES me off when this happens. Nothing I can do about but keep on keepin' on.

This is a phenomena that happens to many of us and the point where many people just give up because they base ALL of their work on the scale. Not good, folks. Many other things are going on on this journey. You could be gaining lean mass, which is everything but the fat which I prefer to call fluff, and losing inches rather than weight for the moment. Check your nutritional habits. Have you been partaking in a bit more high-density carbs or sugars than usual?

Don't give up on yourself. It'll happen. Don't base all on the scale. We can't help but want instantaneous results but it just doesn't work that way. At least not healthfully. so, be patient. Look for other result factors such as; do your clothes fit differently?, do you notice some striation or "cut" in your muscles?, do you move better, faster, stronger, longer?

I only hop up on the scale during weight loss time no more than once a week. Don't get on the thing every day. You won't see anything much happen and that'll annoy you even more! Who needs that kind of aggravation? NOONE! So, screw the scale and keep working. It didn't show up over night and it won't go away overnight.

Putney got his walk already this morning. He was soooo happy, that is until I decided to take him to the groomers to get his claws clipped. I just can't do it. It turns into such an ordeal when I try. The groomers are so good with him so I don't mind driving over to them to have it done. They used to be right across the street but moved to a larger facility about 2 miles away. Yes, another place opened up where they were but when I find a good whatever-it-may-be, I stick with them. He got 2 "cookies" for being such a good boy when we got home. It really takes it out of him, poor guy. But he survived and is lying next to me on the tile floor as I write this. Love him.

As for stress, like how I worked that in?, I've been feeling some as of late and have been getting a massage every 2-4 weeks. Boy, I love massages. My masseur, Sergio at U Love Massages, has had to nearly pull my L shoulder off to get at the king-sized knot in it. Holy-moley! Serious pain in there, but after 3 massages, it's finally releasing and lessening. WOW!

I decided to buy another 5-pack of massages from him again and on my next visit, he's giving me a body wrap as a gift before the massage. I'm gonna be so gel'd out after that. I can't wait.

He works out of a salon named Xanadu on Grant, east of Alvernon here in Tucson in the back building. 520-256-0474. You can check it out on Facebook too.

Stress is nothing to sneeze at. It can jack up your hormones, cause you to hang onto weight, disturb sleep and more so you really need to try to find the source of your stress and take care of the issue.

Sometimes we can't control certain things or events in our lives and we allow them to just infiltrate our entire being. We need to find ways to "let it go," (Please don't break into song here.) Oh well, if you must, go for it. I'm getting better at trying to not take on all the evils of the world, in my own mind of course. I can't control nor change other people' s habits, actions or attitudes. But I can choose to let it get to me or just leave it alone and acknowledge my inability to change it and move forward. That it's not up to me to make everything better has helped reduce my anxiety levels. YAY!

Now, that all being said, I do speak up if I see something wrong going on. If you know me, you know. I just can't turn a blinds eye for some things. Hurting animals, people, ah no way.

Anyway, back to the subject of stress. Working out is a great way to alleviate stress. Boxing, dance, weights, cardio all different ways that can help release the hormones that'll make you feel better, and maybe enable to you to calmly "fix" the issue or come to terms with it. Maybe a fresh new take on the situation.

I had to go to traffic school for 4 hours this last week for the speeding ticket I received at the beginning of the month. Agh, what a joy. At least the guy was a hoot. He did make a tedious event go by faster than it could've gone. I'm so happy it's done & I don't need to worry about my insurance now.

Hmmm, time to get some housecleaning done before going to dance class, Moms' to do her pills then to G.'s and the pool to give her a pool workout. Another busy day, but that's how I like it.

Later, gators,

Keep dancin', peace out

Wowzers, I told ya'll about our monsoons out here being pretty intense. Well, I was walking Putney last Monday, I believe, and at the end of the block at a gas station/Circle K, a good sized tree had been uprooted and blown over. Thankfully it missed hitting anything, including the gas pumps. The roots bared appeared to be about 3' in diameter or more. I'm not very good at eye-balling like that, but suffice to say, it was big. I wished I'd taken a picture of it for ya but I didn't. Besides, Putney was too excited about gettin' going on his constitutional.

It damn near drowned us at the house on Sunday afternoon for about 15 min. then again Monday afternoon slightly, a teeney bit as I was on my way to work Tuesday morning (highly unusual in the morning though) although I heard that it really came down after I left.

It's really quite a show. The poor animals stay so close to me when the thunder & lightening hit. Poor Putney is NOT amused.  We all made it safe & sound though. We've drying out now and heading back to triple digit weather again this week. Oh joy! But we all know the monsoons aren't done with us and we need the rain so so badly here. Our last few summers have been pretty dry so we are thankful for the rains we do get.

Well, as for my workouts, I've not only increased from 2-3 sets but I've also increased the weight I'm using. It's nice to see some cut again in my arms. I'm still feeling a restriction in my ankle mobility (from walking like a weeble for so long, no doubt) but I'm working on it.

Got 2 upper body workouts in this last week and a 2 set of 6 hip/leg exercises, 8 reps each done in succession with that 30 second rest after all exercises were completed, Lather, rinse, rest, repeat. That consisted of sumo or plie squats with a kettlebell, single-leg dead lifts w/kb, Bulgarian squats b/w only, squats with e-z curl bar on back, hip extensions b/w only and  dead lifts w/e-z curl bar.

I took a Zumba class the same day I taught a world dance class and thought my lungs were going to burst outa my chest but I made it through. Whew, 2 intense cardio dance classes in 1 day. Gotta get that endurance back gosh darn it. ...And I will. Of course the 2 instructors were in their early to mid 20's but they were so cute & enthusiastic. I was in the back sort of sandwiched between 2 very tall men. Hey, I'm neither stupid nor dead! And I had a blast I'm surprised to say. The 2 gentlemen had me crackin' up the whole time and God love 'em, they never gave up. They smiled, made up their own moves, sang out, laughed, cracked jokes to me, uh, so much fun. One gentleman came up to me during the class & said, "I thought this was meditation." We laughed & kept dancing.

I thought my legs were going to fall off by the end of the day though, I must admit. My "dogs were barkin'" too. I did sleep very well that night. Ahhhh sleep!

I did manage to get in a couple of bike workouts too. I will get back to my old strength and capabilities. OOOOOOOOOOOOOh! Took a belly dance class Thursday evening as well. Going again today too!

Hey folks, as you start getting older, you have to begin thinking about your retirement fitness. Planning out your financial future before you actually retire is pretty important. I have some time to go before I retire but I'm working on planning for my near future retirement, now. I have to find out if my job will allow a "non-hardship transfer of funds" without taxation from my 401k funds. Then let my retirement guy know so he can plan that out for me. By the way, find a retirement adviser, not a stock broker. Someone who doesn't get paid by the stock companies. There are so many ways to maximize your benefits, especially if married or were married that you'd be at a loss to figure them out for yourself.

G. & I took a class offered on the subject and then got a free consultation afterward. This stuff was really fascinating and G. got some great info to protect her and then her kids financially. Yes, of course, she's much closer to retirement than I. Ha-ha! Anyways, if you live in the Tucson area, this guy gave the class, Tom Sims at 520- 886-3500 or Tomsims@RetireRx.com.

If I may be allowed to do so, I can move some of my funds to an annuity account that won't go down if/when the market stumbles and/or falls again. Which, we all know, is most likely to happen soon. It'll maintain and just go up, never down. I like that. I, like everyone else, took a massive hit in '08 so I'd like to protect as much as I can what I've got in there. I'd like to keep what I've worked so hard to make and save. There's no way I'd be able to live on Social Security alone. Who will be? Well, very few of us, I'm sure.

On a crummy note, I did get a speeding ticket earlier this month and now I have to take a class to get it off of my record. Ugh! So annoying. They lowered the speed limit on this 1 stretch of road and I didn't realize it. Ticks me off. Oh well, on with my life.

Well, you-know-who wants his you-know-what so I'd best get off of this computer and get ready to go.

Ooooh, don't forget about my friend Barbara Appelbaums' workshop "Look & Feel Younger Longer," register on her website at applebaumwellness.com. Just click on the link and you'll get there.

Don't speed, keep dancing and laugh out loud people.

Peace out.

The monsoon season has officially hit Arizona. Though I haven't seen a whole lotta rainfall at my own house, the town had definitely had some terrific downpours. Last Sat. G. & I went to the movies. As soon as we came out we could smell that there'd been a monsoon. when I got home I went out to the backyard and found my makeshift gazebo that I had over the hammock, was on the hammock & the ground. Oh well, not like I didn't know that would happen. I'm glad I got the futons covered at least.

We get these monsoon storms that rip through town so fast. It's so strange to see these sheets, it's the only way I can describe it, of rain all over Tucson. You can see it clear and sunny at 1 spot then you  see this "curtain" of blackness next to it then sunny again! You can drive through these walls of rain to sun to rain to sun again too. It's so weird.

The thunder & lightening make a pretty good show too. My 1st year here in Tucson, it was the lightening that was my fireworks show for the 4th of July.

There have been a few vehicles stuck in the water. The washes were running fast and someone got swept away again. I still haven't heard if he got out safely or not. They had to quit looking for him where he went in. So sad. I hope he's ok.

We even have the Stupid Drivers' Law, which is if you go into a running road thats closed you have to pay for the rescue. Only fair. right?

These winds & lightening here are really dangerous too. A friends carport got torn off of his house and planks of wood from it got stuck in his roof! Holy crap! These are from the sudden micro-bursts we get here too. Trees get uprooted, power lines get broken and downed. Nuts, I tell ya, just nuts. I think I wrote a couple of years ago about an acquaintances' friend being hit and eventually dying from being struck by dry lightening.

People sometimes accuse pool instructors of just not wanting to teach a class but that not the case. It's freakin' dangerous to be out there. If I see lightening, hear the thunder, I'm ending the class. Thats it. My hair is curly enough right now. By the way, we've watched my hair get shorter, bigger or wider & curlier as each day comes & goes. Love our humidity. Anyway's back to the point. GET OUT OF THE POOL! If there's thunder & lightening, even if it seems far away, get out of the water and away from it. It can be on top of you in no time flat. Please people, stay safe. And...the animals are none too happy with the thunder either.

I did get some rain last night though. I saw the lightening and woke up at some point to hear & smell the rain. I think it lulled me quickly back to sleep. I had a great nights' sleep last night. Fabulous!

On to my amazing dinner last week for my brother, sister & me for the 4th of July. Whoo!
I have to tell you. The ribs I made were unbelievable.  Holey Mahoney! (I dunno, it just popped into my head.) The sauce was sooooooooo delicious. I'll share the recipe on the recipe page for you. You have got to try it. Turns out there are recipes for a cherry sauce on meat out there. This one that I tried was a sweet/hot combination. A cherry-chipotle  sauce. Simple, easy, just a little baby-sitting the sauce while it cooks up.

I threw some EVOO on the 3 racks I made, (my brother did accept the invitation this time, happily for me & G.) along with some of Buck & Judy's Dang Rub #9, let them marinate for a few hours in the fridge then slow cooked 'em on the grill for 3.5 hours over indirect heat. The meat just fell off the bones.

By the way, if you don't know what indirect heat is, it's when the heat is around the meat NOT directly under it. So, I had the 2 outer flames going but not the center one and the heat was low on the grill. Yes, I have a huge grill. Love that thing.

I basted the sauce on 'em a number of times during the last 1/2 hour of grilling. Then you let the racks rest for about 5-10 minutes and hack 'em into 2-4 rib pieces.

I have to tell ya, B. never takes home left-overs. G. & I live for them but he NEVER takes any home. Well, he did last night! G. & I thought we had a huge haul 'til he said he'd like some. That secretly made me pretty proud. But sad 'cuz that meant less leftovers for the 2 of us!

After eating, we let the meal settle a bit. By the way I'd bought 2 salads, one lg. amount of a pasta salad and a smaller amount of a veggie salad and combined them, threw on a little shredded Parmesan cheese, tossed and yum! We went to my sis' place to watch some of the fireworks going on, apparently all over town. Very cool. We then ate our dessert and went to our respective homes. I really enjoyed the day of cooking for my siblings. Feels like it's been awhile.

Well, all went well for this last week. I got in a couple of workouts. Added a 3rd set and felt my upper quadrant abs, from bracing through some exercises & triceps for a few days afterwards. Actually felt great.

I've started keeping my feet on the floor while bench-pressing rather than putting them up on the bench. This makes me engage my abs/core quite a bit more to protect my back. Hence the discomfort afterwards. It's all good. I do like that feeling. Not incapacitated, just enough to let me know I worked well.

I'd also done some repetitive grand plies in 2nd position, sumo squats for the guys, during a class I taught and felt my adductors (inner thighs) for a few days after. Whoa! I hadn't done those fully in some time but decided it was time to try and was thrilled to see I could do them again. Yes, again testing my new knee.  Always testing.

I see my surgeon in a couple of weeks for another follow-up. I think they'll take some pics of the knee. My scar is getting flatter & flatter, sinking into the leg. It doesn't as "thick" as it had but I can still feel some weirdness in it. I still don't like anything touching on it but I think thats gonna be a forever thing. Just bugs me. All tingly. Ick. I'm not worried. I know my leg is great and I couldn't be any happier. I really feel like a new person. Doing so many things that were soooo painful for years and now Fabulous! Pain-free, what a concept.

On a sad note, I just heard that 50 year old actor Dave Legeno died while hiking in Death Valley of heatstroke. Unbelievable. RIP.

Hmmm, as always you-know-who is looking at me wanting his you-know-what so I must end this weeks notes and head out.

Keep dancin' and be healthy.

Peace out!

Well, happy 4th of July everyone. I sure hope your plans are set and ready to go for today. I've invited G., my sis, over for ribs tonight. I've got to get to the store & pick-up some salad stuff, wine, etc. for the rest of the meal. I'm thinking I'd like to try to make a cherry sauce for the ribs. I've had a blackberry sauce and I've made an apricot sauce for them before but somehow a cherry sauce sounded amazing to me. I'll let you know how they turn out next week. Good grief, my mouth is watering just discussing it right now!

I'll be grilling 2 racks of baby-backs on the grill and I'm thinking a pasta salad would be lovely with them. Oh get over it, we always make enough for left-overs for the both of us. I think I'll extend an invite to my brother as well. He rarely chooses to join us, but you never know, do ya.

I was looking at facebook and I saw a friends' post regarding fireworks and the 4th of July earlier this past week. It was a of a combat veteran who had a sign that asked that we  be thoughtful or at least respectful where & when setting off your fireworks. Wow! I'd never even considered how these brave men & women would feel with all of these things going off at all hours and so unexpectedly.

PTSD is a real issue for these people and they should be considered. I just don't know how one would know. It's not something the average person can sense. No outward signs to visually witness. We don't know our neighbors like we used to anymore and thats sad to me. so rarely do we know these things.

Although, I do know my neighbors. I purposely wanted to live in a neighborhood that was kinda old like that. No bars on windows, folks greet each other on the sidewalk, inviting each other to gatherings, bringing "goodies" at the holidays, helping when needed, etc.

I've had 6 of my neighbors at my house for the annual house parties over the years. I really like that.

Anyways, back to my original point about fireworks and PTSD. I have no solutions for us but I thought it was important to at least think about it. Their lives have been forever changed in service of our country and, I believe, its our responsibility to take their sacrifices into consideration and help if we can, by making it less stressful if possible. Our freedom isn't free, as the saying goes. It was paid for at a very steep price.

Something else to think about are our pets. They really don't like the firecrackers and such. I remember poor Putney jumping up on the bed and keeping me awake most of the night, freaked out by the racket from firecrackers. Cats seem to be a target for some idiots who seem to take pleasure in torturing them so keep your animals safe inside. I know after the mild temps of this morning, about 6am and only 75 degrees out, I'm closing off the doggie door on Cray-ray and he'll be ticked off about it but he'll be safe.

So, remember folks, there is alot to celebrate but we need to be respectful and considerate too. We take so much for granted and sometimes I think we need to just pause and remember what the holiday is really about.
Out vets and our pets need to be considered in our celebrations. They both give, as well as gave, so much to give us the lives we live.

Say thank you, give a hug, be grateful we're free.

Last Saturday, G. & I went up to the Biosphere 2. How cool is that place? We walked around for 2 hours. So interesting. If you're wondering what Biosphere 1 might be, as I was, it's our planet. Biosphere2 is an amazing project now owned by the UofA. When it was 1st built, and how did they come up with this?, it housed 8 people inside for 2 years. They weren't able to get out and they lived off of what they grew in there. Amazing! There are 5 ecosystems in the thing. A rainforest, an oceanic, a desert, and so on. They're now working on a landscape and water project. No, noone lives in there now anymore they could if they wanted to I suppose. There's also some housing built now for the researchers, students and teachers that are eco and self-sustaining.

Now, for my past weeks workouts. I am also trying to regain my cardiovascular stamina again. I did a few cardio workouts and in some cases multiple cardios in 1 day. Whew. I thought my lungs were gonna blow outa my chest during a Zumba class I took right after having taught a cardio class. I looked up at the clock and wanted to run (by that I mean try & haul my butt outa the room) at 1/2 past the hour but I stuck it out and felt pretty good about myself afterwards. Later that same afternoon I did a short core workout using the "RIP" trainer.My pal M. helped me with that. Whoa Nellie! Thats tough, but again, I felt great having put so much into myself. I'm getting my strength and my endurance back come hell or high water.

I'm down a full 4#'s and working for more to start falling by the wayside every week. I really don't care much about the scale but love that my clothes are fitting better each & every day.

My knee doesn't hurt a bit when dancing or anything else for that matter but my left foot still bothers me some. I did a foot workout of sorts on some "sole energizers" and that helped my foot immensely. I have some similar items at home called "foot wakers" from the Yamuna Body Rolling system and will be utilizing them much more in the future.

Well, Putney's looking at me waiting not so patiently for his W-A-L-K so I better get to it.

Peace out, stay safe and keep dancing.