Day 16

Happy Canada Day!!!

In the backyard, I set up the volleyball/badminton net that we're going to take camping this weekend--just to go through it to make sure we know what we're doing. There didn't seem to be enough room, as our backyard is not so huge, to get the full effect, but I'm sure it will be fine. I can't wait to go camping!

This Canada Day is sort of synonymous with the U.S. fourth of July except that it's Canada's break from England. Because these days lie in the same week, it's just a big fourth of July celebration that gets started early. I love my new northern home and I know the national anthem by heart (thanks to the countless hockey games I've been accustomed to). I take pride in this country as well as my homeland. It's an awesome week to be patriotic. My roots are back home, and so there's the nostalgia, but my new home is one I hope to call home for the rest of my life. I love this place.

The only thing missing is the blazing heat. I hear there's a heat wave in California. Andrew and I were talking and I told him about the 95 degree midnights I'd lie awake in bed sweating because Dad wouldn't turn on the air conditioner until it got too hot. I miss being able to watch the fireworks light the sky blocks away from the college sitting on our sidewalk, the concrete still warm from the day toasting our little bums. We'd have a Popsicle or a coke for a summer night treat. I loved those late, hot, California nights. On the fourth, there would be stars and stripes everywhere you looked. Tonight just as we lit the BBQ for some summer cooking, it started to sprinkle. Then it started to rain. It doesn't rain on the fourth of July, but I suppose it's not July fourth.

Meals
2.5 cups of taco salad (l/o)
2 cups of water

2 cups of water

1 cheeseburger approx. 3 oz with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and ketchup
1 hamburger bun
1 jalapeno smokie with ketchup, mustard, relish
1 hot dog bun
8 All Dressed chips
2 cups of water

1 cup of water

Exercise
No intentional exercise but I was outside setting up the net and doing yard work for about 3 hours.

Notes:
-I slept in today so breakfast was skipped. This is not a normal day, so I'm okay with that. It was nice having Andrew home in the middle of the week and not having us both have to wake up so early.
-I didn't fit in a trip the gym around all the other stuff we did today and with shortened hours. I can't wait to get back tomorrow. I'll miss the gym this weekend because of camping, but at least we'll be outdoors and there's no couches to just lounge around on so I'm not too too worried about it. :)

Day 15

I'm exhausted. This week I've been getting up to get the gym at 9am instead of going around 4pm and I'm just dragging! I'm not used to 'get up an go' right now and so it's knocking me around. I didn't nap today like I wanted, but maybe I should have. 'And because Andrew's not at work tomorrow, today was like a Friday...another late night. Must zzzzzzzzzzzz...

Meals
1 bowl of Raisin and Spice instant oatmeal
1 cup of milk
1 banana

3 cups of water

2 sub buns
4 oz black forest ham
4 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cups of spinach, pickles, tomato
2 slices Swiss cheese
2 cups of water

2 graham crackers
2 cups of water

2.5 cups of taco salad (ground turkey, kidney beans, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, 2 tbsp Olive oil Italian dressing)
1/2 avocado
17 (1/2 serving) multi-grain tortilla bites
2 cups of water

1/2 cup of water

Exercise
40 minutes interval hill treadmill
7 minutes bicycle
30 minutes upper body machines and free weights
20 minutes stretching

Notes:
-I was SO hungry after the gym, hence my TWO sandwiches for lunch...hehe.
-The bottom of my foot (with the sprained ankle) was giving me problems and I was tired and didn't work to my full potential during my cardio, even though I put in the time. Yes I was sweating buckets, but for the last 10 minutes of the 40, I was just strolling. I decided to try the bike, thinking that it would relieve some of the pain, but it didn't. I had to stop 13 minutes short of my 1 hour target. I think the pain is related to using the different muscles and working this foot that has been babied for over 2 months now. I'm sure it's all going to take time to feel better. It's just kind of odd that I haven't felt this pain until yesterday, and badly today. It could be that I'm wrapping my ankle now instead of wearing the brace so the support has shifted; who knows.