Category: January 2023

Sunday Morning

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness, January 2023

All is quiet on the home front today so here I am checking in from the very frigid Saskatchewan. 🥶

Things are going ok around here. I am getting relatively capable of taking care of myself and Molly and the household chores – meals, dishes, laundry, dusting, sweeping, making the bed and such. Although, I did have some much appreciated help this past week.

Granddaughter Genie stopped by for tea and stayed to make us Taco Salad for supper on Friday. 💜 That was very much appreciated as chopping is a one armed challenge for sure.
Dan has been helping me as much as possible when he is off shift – including doing my hair. 😁 It is super nice to have it out of my eyes and he does a pretty adequate job of it for a steel worker. 💞
Molly is being really good and keeping an eye on the neighbourhood. I especially appreciate the being good part. 💓

Dan also took me back to the Pasqua for my first follow up with the orthopedic surgeon. Everything went as smoothly as my trip to the ER. There is not much to be done for two weeks when I go back for x-rays and another follow up. The doctor and his nurse did give us a bit more advice on things I could, should, or shouldn’t do. They also have me a new sling which is way more comfortable than the original one.

And… I sent Genie home with a treat for George and Nova – a small bag of sunflower seeds.

When you can fit in the bird cage you built for your miniature parrots. 😂

Other than that, I do not have much news. I would like to thank everyone for all of the love and support and encouragement that I have received on WordPress for the past year as I worked on my health and wellness. I know that my current level of fitness helped to minimize the injuries from my Molly mishap and that it is making my recovery far easier than it would have been otherwise.

It is funny that we (at least I 🤦) have always recognized the importance of having funds set aside for the unexpected financial glitches that arise in life. Likewise, I have always recognized the importance of maintaining my residence, vehicle, furniture, electronics, etc… But, I never really considered how important it was to maintain my own body – until now. Now I realize that the few minutes a day that I invest in my health and wellness pays such huge dividends in making my life so much easier and better – every day and through any crisis or challenge that comes along. So… thank you for helping me to get to this point in my journey. 💞💞💞

A pic from my albums. It reminds me of my Mom and her love for yellow flowers. I hope it brightens your day. 🌟

Take care and have a great day! 🌞💞

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Three Weeks To Go

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness, January 2023

There are only three weeks to go until it has been a full year since I started my personal health and fitness program.

It has been (almost) a year of celebrating surprising benefits and struggling with unexpected setbacks. With the endpost in sight, I thought I was on track to finish year one STRONG, TRIUMPHANT, and ready to begin Year Two with determination and DRIVE!

Then, last Tuesday, life happened. A careless moment at the dog park with Dan and Molly, and I was sidelined by a broken humerus. (Which I did not find the least bit humorous 😢). My year was shot. Everything I worked so hard for was gone. Poor me.

Of course, I realized that all was not lost. I started to discover what I could do, to stay on track and in the right mindset to finish out the past year and start a new one.

I can do quite a bit actually. I am to the point where I can totally take care of myself and Molly while Dan is at work. I can do dishes, do laundry (except for hauling baskets of clean clothes upstairs, folding it, and putting it away – which Dan did), make meals (chopping is challenging), dust, sweep, and make the bed. Since the pain in my arm has subsided, I can even start working out – to a point. I did ten minutes of step ups yesterday, I dance (somewhat), and I just keep generally active.

Last night’s chicken supper. Dan diced the chicken. 😉

I have also been reading (Wayne Dyer – “Being in Balance”), meditating, and keeping up with my Volley group. Which brings me to this morning’s Volley by my friend Jackie. In it, she reminded us of something to help keep us motivated. “All or something“. It doesn’t have to be “All or Nothing”. Life happens. Sometimes “ALL” just isn’t possible. But ‘something’ is, so that is my ultimate goal for the remaining days of Year One. I am going to do something each and every day. It won’t be all I had hoped for at this point, but doing what I can is better than doing nothing at all – which is pretty much what I was doing a year ago. 🙄

That is my health and fitness update for this week. Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞

Still Down!

by annemariedemyen, posted in January 2023

I may have spoken too soon. Last night my arm started turning a purplish shade of black and blue. And… this morning my pain was reaching new levels.

Dan drove me to the Pasqua Hospital Emergency. Contrary to everything we have heard and read lately, the care was timely and efficient AND if the staff was exhausted and stressed, they were way too professional, caring, and kind to show it.

We were in and out in three and a half hours (which included a trip to radiology for several x-rays). The bottom line is I broke the surgical neck of my humorous. Fortunately, it remained in place, so no operation was required. My arm is supported by a foam sling and I will have to see a surgeon to ensure healing is going as planned.

And… The doctor told me that not only could I, but I should maintain my physical workouts – while avoiding engaging my left arm for the time being, obviously. 🤗

On the way home, Dan swung by A & W to pick us up hamburgers, onion rings, and gravy. 😊

So that was my update for today. Take care and have a great rest of the day! 💞🌞

Man Down

by annemariedemyen, posted in January 2023, Uncategorized

Last Monday, Dwight from our Volley fitness group suggested that we each commit to  focussing on one aspect of our fitness journey for each week.  It was a great idea, and one we eagerly embraced.

For myself, I committed to getting more fresh air last week and to “giving it my all” while engaging in my workouts (or doing anything 🤗) this week. And… continuing to get a good dose of fresh air each day.  🌞

It was going great!  Then yesterday, Dan and I decided to get my fresh air by taking Molly to the neighbourhood dog park.  Great idea, poor execution.

While, Molly raced around the open field with a little  Shiba Inu, Dan and I chatted with his human.   And I took my eye of the ball – or rather the balls of fur racing around us. The little dog ran between us, with Molly right behind. I never saw what hit me. I went flying and landed face down on the frozen ground.

Fortunately, I was bundled up for winter and I didn’t hit the ground face first. But, I did twist my left arm going down and managed to pull something in my shoulder in the process. I got up, none the worse for wear, except for the excruciating pain in my left arm and shoulder.

The pain is still there and as excruciating as ever. Nothing is broken, and the shoulder is not dislocated. I don’t even have a bruise or much swelling. But there is no denying the pain.

There is no way that I am heading out on the snow and ice to get my fresh air today. Nor am I doing any Zumba or lifting any weights.

But despite the pain, I am staying on track

– By keeping a positive mindset. This is just a set back, not the end of my fitness journey.

– By moving (as much as I can). Every movement causes pain, but walking around, moving on my Yoga ball, and gentle side to side motion is doable. Anything to keep the circulation going and the adrenaline pumping – even a little bit.

– By showing my body some love and patience with Aspirin, CBD cream, a warm Epsom salt bath, and some cozy pjs.

– By exercising my mind (reading a good book and playing a mind game on my phone).

– By skipping the pity party and accepting the challenge. There’s nothing like a good challenge to help us dig deep and find out what we are really made of. 😁

So, that’s where I am at today. Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞

I just love this little candle Dan gave me for Christmas. It is filled with Black Onyx for Strength and Healing. It will be burning tonight. 💞

Eleven Months🎉

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness, January 2023

Molly and I are both celebrating milestones!    I began my current health and fitness journey on  February 14th, 2022.  This past Friday marked eleven months since I got up, got active, and made a commitment to get healthier, stronger, and fitter.   Coincidentally, our Molly was born on February 16th, 2022 which makes her eleven months old today.  🎂

This has been a productive eleven months for both of us.  Molly came to live with us in April, when she was two months old.   Her first ‘outing’ was a visit to the vet with me and her immediate favourite human, Genie.

Molly’s First Outing

Over the past nine months, Molly has chosen a few more favourite humans – and she has grown! 

Molly and her favourite Dan.
Molly at the dog park with Alec
Molly watching tv with Cason, Lucas, Bacardi & Cornelius – favourite humans and favourite doggos.

Through my health and fitness efforts, I have also grown – in many ways. Fortunately, size wise wasn’t one of them.

Fitness wise, I have definitely grown.  I started out struggling to dance to 60’s tunes for a few minutes each day.  Through determination and perseverance, I was able to follow some beginner dancercise classes on You Tube.

The first classes were a challenge for me and  I had to take more than a few breaks to make it through an entire session.   But quitting was not an option, so I pressed on and graduated to You Tube Zumba classes.

This was the class I did this morning – spot on and NO breaks.

I am also spending a half, to an hour and a half, outside every day – walking Molly, playing fetch, or shoveling snow. And.. I am exercising with light weights (dumbbells) six evenings a week.

Eleven months in, Molly and I are both doing well, working on making the most of the final month of our first year, and happy with our progress.

Molly & Me 💞

That is it for Molly and I today. Take care and have a great day!

Five Weeks To Go 🖐️

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness, January 2023

Five Weeks to go until I have completed YEAR ONE of my health and fitness program.   The year has not been without its setbacks, but I have stayed committed.    I remind myself daily that to feel better, do better, and be better in the future, I have to take care of myself physically, mentally, and emotionally today.  So, I do it!

This past week, I worked out every morning.  It felt really good to get in some relatively intense Zumba workouts.   The days when I opted for some freestyle dancing were fun as well.  It just feels good to move.

I checked in every day with my Volley workout accountability group, as I have been doing for months now (even when I had no voice and not much to say).  We share our struggles, our triumphs, and our triumphs in spite of our struggles!  It  is  more helpful than I could have imagined.  My Volley partners and friends, Dwight and Jackie, are so encouraging, supportive, inspiring, and upbeat!  Volley sharing has consistently become one of my favourite  parts of  my  day.

I have been getting outside more often.  Just getting a bit of fresh air is a bonus at this time of year.   Obviously it is a bigger and better  bonus, fitness wise,  when I can shovel some snow or take Molly for a walk as well.

I have been working on my diet.  Avoiding sweet and salty snacks hasn’t been easy, especially over the holidays, but I have tried to focus on healthy meals.  We have had my full repertoire of salad meals in the past few days.  We also celebrated with our belated New Year’s Eve supper on Friday evening.  That was a bit indulgent but we did share one steak, one baked potato, and one bottle of champagne. 👍

Yesterday, Dan and I took Molly over to the dog park.  She had a great run with half a dozen other dogs, we had a nice visit with their humans, and we were joined by granddaughter Genie.   Once we were all sufficiently chilled, I coaxed Genie over to the house for a  cup of hot tea and we plied her with leftover Christmas chocolates.  🤗

Speaking of Genie, she has been keeping herself occupied while on break from the midway.    This week she, and her fiance Alec, built a full-on sanctuary for their miniature parrots – George and Nova.

They added a sleeping tent and they still have a few exterior trim boards to install, but George and Nova are moved in and enjoying their bigger and better home. 

That is it for this week’s update.  Only five more weeks to go for YEAR ONE and I am pushing hard to make the most of them.  This week I am going to make more of an effort with my evening light weight workouts.  I have been struggling to get back up to speed on them, but I am determined to do it, so it is as good as done.

Take Care and Have A Great Day!💞🌞

Ten Seconds of Molly While Dan Was Vacuuming the Rug.

Six More Weeks To Go

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness, January 2023

I seem to have lost track of a couple of weeks this past year, but I checked my calendar and my math and there remains a mere SIX weeks until I have completed Year One of my Health and Fitness Journey.

It is amazing how the time has flown by and how much has happened in the past ten and a half months. Even though I am still recovering from my pre-Christmas flu, I can’t believe how much my physical, mental, and emotional health has improved.

Despite still being somewhat congested and croupy, I am back to doing physical work outs on a regular basis. Yesterday, I did an amazing You Tube workout and I felt great when it was done.

I also helped Dan shovel the walk that runs beside our house – about 25′ of packed snow and ice and I did a short workout with light weights last night. This morning, I did an Emma Fitness workout.

I am still reading David Goggin’s second book “Never Finished”. It is almost, if not as good, as his first book “Can’t Hurt Me”. I love them both and find them both seriously motivating. In “Never Finished” there is offensive language, but I can live with it. (But then, I worked at some shops where there was a LOT of offensive language used. Some of it may have been used by me on occasion).

That is it for my update this week. Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞

Our front walk that I did by myself. We had freezing rain, followed by snow, followed by a lot of comings and goings that packed it down. Good times! 😊

Happy New Year🎊

by annemariedemyen, posted in January 2023

What is more exciting than celebrating a new year? January 1st – the first day of an entire year of potential, possibilities, and fresh opportunities. 🥳

Some of us are less excited than others.

This year is a bit different for me. On February 14th, 2022, I embarked on a health and wellness journey that has become a new and better way of life for me. Lately, I have been anticipating wrapping up the end of Year One of my new lifestyle and starting a fresh and fearless Year Two on February 14th, 2023. Which is great, but what to do with January 1st, the traditional day for kicking off a new year?

I hadn’t thought about it much, but while messaging with granddaughter Genie this morning she asked me if I had any goals for 2023. I had to give it some thought but I decided YES – this the year!

2023 is the year I suck it up and get back behind the wheel to do my share of the household driving (which I have been rather shirking for a number of years now). But no more! As much as I have never enjoyed being a driver, I am a relatively competent and experienced driver and the time has come.

Not only am I going to do more driving this year, but I am going to enjoy it. That is what I do now. 🛻

Anyone else with a goal for 2023? I would love to hear all about it. 🤗

Happy New Year! Take care and have a great year. 💞🌟