I’m sorry I haven’t been posting much all week. I knew it would be a hectic one but it ended up being even more hectic than originally anticipated. I just got back from yoga and I’m feeling a bit calmer so I’ll fill you in on what’s been going on.

Duncan had some health stuff this week which I’m still dealing with. A small cyst on his outer eyelid got swollen and then burst and Tuesday morning it ruptured.

:(

🙁

The vet gave me instructions to do warm compresses twice a day, apply ointment to the lid and then give him 2 different pills daily including a steroid. Then came the side effects and the overall stress and possible discomfort he’s feeling. Needless to say I’ve been a bit overwhelmed with it all. I can handle a lot but when he isn’t well I shut down. My shmoopsie poo….what can i say. I barely ate this week but when i did it was paw print pancakes. lol.

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pitiful

pitiful

I was happy when he was resting comfortably

I was happy when he was resting comfortably

sad sac selfie (me more than him!)

sad sac selfie (me more than him!)

My car went in for routine servicing this week as well and somehow, my luck it started to act weird after I got it back. Idling low and last night it practically stalled….the lights came on on the dashboard and then it lurched forward a couple of times. I’m going to bring it back Monday so they can take a look. Hoping they just have to make some adjustments to whatever they did.

And then I got swamped with work….which is good but stressful. I’ve got multiple new projects from one client that are all fairly fast paced as far as deadlines go so I’ve been working at night and in the early mornings to keep up.

And the only exercise I managed to get in this week was yoga on Monday and again today….oh and some whitewater rafting yesterday. Yep, in the midst of my crazy week I went with Mr. SOTSS and his girls for the day. I was home by 7pm and worked until 11pm.

relaxing in between rapids

relaxing in between rapids

And while we sat in traffic coming home we got to see this pretty lil rainbow

always a sucker for the 'bow

always a sucker for the ‘bow and the beau 🙂

Hoping next week is a little calmer.

Oh and my toe? Yep, slowly healing. 8 treatments of PT and still not walking 100 percent all day but wayyyyyy better than i’ve been I get about 15 minutes every morning where I feel 100 percent and then slowly as the day progresses I am reminded that the toe is still healing. I’m going to wait until Labor Day weekend (about a month from now) to decide if I’m ready for some short, easy running miles. But boy has it gotten easier to handle this non-running.

And last weekend I got to go to a balloon festival in Readington, NJ. IMG_2048

Unfortunately the winds were too high for the balloons to take flight but we got to see some hot air balloons filled up and looking pretty. It was a fun evening.

Wonder Bread balloon glowing.

Wonder Bread balloon glowing.

Angry Bird balloon overshadowing the Wonder Bread balloon

Angry Bird balloon overshadowing the Wonder Bread balloon

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Have you ever been in a hot air balloon? Would you want to?

What is the biggest “small stuff” stressor for you?

For me it’s my car and when my dog is sick. Both in one week!

 

So this week I “swam” twice! 30 minutes each session.IMG_1665

Tuesday I squeezed out 20 laps (25 yards per lap=500 yards) and yesterday was 22 laps in the same time (550 yards).IMG_1694

I put “swam” in quotes because I don’t officially know how to swim so I just do the doggie paddle mostly. Like the time I swam in the ocean for the Jersey Girl triathalon almost 3 years ago to the day. (August 3rd, 2014). I was thinking about that triathalon yesterday and how totally out of my comfort zone I was. I’m really proud of that accomplishment.

Me and Jane, the girl who convinced me to do the triathalon. :)

Me and Jane, the girl who convinced me to do the triathalon. 🙂

It might mean more to me than my 7 marathon finishes. But if I can doggie paddle my way into the Guinness World Records someday…..well that might be the biggest accomplishment yet! 🙂

I also got on the bike for 9-10 miles on Monday of this week as well and practiced yoga on Monday (right after my ride) and Wednesday and I’m headed there in a few minutes for my 3rd class this week.

Monday miles

Monday miles

hydrating like a champ it's been so hot

hydrating like a champ it’s been so hot

I’ve been on a roll with all this cross-training. I am feeling optimistic and I think I actually feel a small improvement in my toe. (I go for my 6th PT session on Tuesday)

Oh and I got a new audiobook this week. Alan Alda wrote a book called If I Understood You Would I Be Making This Face?: Relating to and Communicating with Others, from the Boardroom to the BedroomIMG_1690

I’m really enjoying it.

That’s all for now.

Any fun weekend plans?

Do you have a skill that could land you a spot in the Guinness World Records?

A little of this and a little of that

Hi there.

Happy Friday!

This photo popped up on my Facebook memories page. Baby Duncan! 8 years ago. He was only about 7 months old.baby-duncan

I’ve been home from Block Island now for over a week and trying to stay active without running as the toe slowly heals. I’ve been doing a little of this and a little of that. I made it to yoga 3 times in the last week and am loving it still. I’m working hard to hold that crow for a full 3 breaths. And I really think we all need to spend a few minutes every day inverted. (no pictures 🙁 I tend to shut my phone before I enter the studio.)

I live in a development with a community pool that I hardly ever use. I bought my home 17 years ago this month (I really can’t believe it’s been that long) and for the first 14 years I think I literally went once and only dipped my feet in. Then, in 2014 when my friend Jane talked me into doing that triathalon, I went twice to see if I could swim.

swim skirts are the bomb.

swim skirts are the bomb.

Well, this past week I have already gone twice and am discovering that it doesn’t matter that I’m not really a swimmer, I can stay afloat doing a doggie paddle/breast stroke hybrid and got 10 laps covered my first swim and 16 laps covered yesterday.

I have a silly shorts tan :)

I have a silly shorts tan 🙂

I definitely love to set goals and while I don’t love being out of my comfort zone, it feels great to get my heart rate up. If only the pool were deeper I’d try pool running. But it’s only 4ft 3in deep.

Dear toe: take your time healing. It's ok.

Dear toe: take your time healing. It’s ok.

I’m now 3 sessions into physical therapy and optimistic that this will help me heal faster.physical-therapy

I took my bike out once this week and it wasn’t until 10 minutes in that I realized I never reconnected the front brake after coming back from Block Island (the way the bike went into the bike rack meant removal of front wheel and that required the disconnection of the brake). OOpsie! Good thing I really use the back brake more than the front.biking-brake

I also managed one “power walk” this week. My toe felt really good on Sunday so I walked briskly for 3 miles.

Rocking the "shorts creep"

Rocking the “shorts creep”

And I went on a hike with my hiking group this past Wednesday.

we heard lots of frogs in this bog

we heard lots of frogs in this bog

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Getting ready to hike

Getting ready to hike

I keep fantasizing kayaking. I miss it. I wish I lived on a lake.

So a little yoga, a little swimming, a little walking, a little biking and a little hiking have helped me to Sweat Out the Small Stuff through the week.

Oh and I drove out to Pennsylvania to visit my dear friend Stef. We’ve known each other for 30+ years now! She has a labradoodle too—Bella. It was a great day of catching up.IMG_1430

And Duncan got a haircut!

I never grow weary of his before and after side-by-side photos

I never grow weary of his before and after side-by-side photos

I’m gearing to be back to running in the fall but for now I’ll keep doing a little of this and a little of that 🙂

How was your week?

How to Sweat Out the Small Stuff Block Island Style

I spent 5 days on Block Island. It small island off the coast of Rhode Island. And Mr. SOTSS’s daughter K-Corn (my nickname for her) drew it so accurately here. It kinda looks like a duck.block-island-chalk

We were there to celebrate Mr. SOTSS’s dad’s 70th birthday and the 4th of July.

J-Beans (my nickname for Mr. SOTSS' other daughter) wearing her patriotic blue cat ears.

J-Beans (my nickname for Mr. SOTSS’ other daughter) wearing her patriotic blue cat ears.

The one thing I can say for certain is that there are no bad views anywhere.

adorable houses with flowers and picket fences

adorable houses with flowers and picket fences

There is only beauty out of each and every vista.

Heaven

Heaven

I would go for walks and take in the view only to turn around and see something even more beautiful.

I want to marry these flowers!

I want to marry these flowers!

So I figured since this blog is supposed to be about running and stress relief (and doing any exercise that makes you feel less stress really especially when unable to run) I would design this post to highlight that stuff. More »