Stilettos, Stoli & Scribbles ~ Served With A Twist

This is a week where I have spent time reflecting on my life, working like a crazy person in the garden, and planking.

Tuesday was My Darling Husband’s birthday – always a tough one for me, I miss him so much. Rather than fill my day with busy work, I celebrated with my Sweet Sister on FaceTime. We each popped open some champagne and reminisced, caught up with each others’ lives, and cried and laughed together. Then she took flowers to Arlington National Cemetery and FaceTimed me again, so I could feel like I was there. I called up so many wonderful memories of just that one day of each year we had together. I focus on those, but I still cry inconsolably. It worries wee Fergus, so I get lots of extra snuggles and that helps more than I can say. He is my therapy dog. I can’t wallow when I have Fergus to walk, feed and play with.

Without MDH, I have more than twice the chores I used to have, and, while I have a Wonderful Helper who comes out here every so often to do Big Farm Chores, I find myself taking on more and more of what my sweetie used to do. This week, I’ve been trimming boxwood hedges. I’m a perfectionist and my hedge trimmer needs sharpening, so this is taking awhile. None of this is easy, and I’m maybe getting too old to do a lot of this stuff. I know I need to stay healthy and as strong as I can manage.

So, when a friend on Facebook sent out a fitness challenge a couple of weeks ago – daily planks and consuming enough water to float a boat – I got on board.

This is the cover photo for the Facebook event page. I refer to it for guidance…

I work with a trainer a couple of days a week, and regularly do planks, so I decided to use this two-week regimen to push my limits. GAH. When I managed to eke out a 5-minute plank a few days ago, my main complaint – after I could breathe again – was, “This is boring!” Even with Fergus helping – snuffling in my ears, licking my face, arms, legs and feet, flopping down and rolling around under me – so I’ve been looking for ways to shake it up.

Fergus and I do side planks, I do knee touches, lift a leg…this morning I literally shook it up, bopping my hips and bouncing on my toes to Walk The Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance”. Let me tell you, that is a great pop song to plank to. Or dance. Whatever.

I’m enjoying this morning routine, and laughing at Fergus while I do it ensures that I’m breathing. Letting the tears flow every once in awhile makes one breathe, too.

Gratuitous pic of Fergus’ version of a forearm plank

Side plank

We need to take care of our emotional and mental, as well as our physical, health. Are you taking care of yourself, inside and out? Any advice?