While this week was a wee bit hot temperature-wise, nothing on the weather horizon looked dastardly. And yet … we lost power for 14 hours and internet for almost two days. I worried about refrigerated and frozen stuff, but in all honesty, living without the internet was harder.
The internet was still down when I decided to get a pedicure. Did I mention they have internet? I was able to catch up on my email, do the NY Times puzzles and otherwise get my fix of news – all for the Classic Pedicure at $35. I pay an extra $5 on top of that for a shiny buff as opposed to color. And then there’s what I call pandemic tipping. Just give a little more if you can.
I don’t get color on my toes because swimming in chlorinated water erodes the polish rather quickly. That’s what I said, anyway. I’ve recently concluded it’s also because I prefer the purity of no color. I think of it as Beauty Base Zero from The Hunger Games. That raw base before you add layers of makeup or whatever, except I like a blank canvas as the end state.
The toes thing is top of mind because I may not continue with swimming. I’ve been estrogen-free since my first cancer diagnosis in 1999, and that puts me at higher risk for low bone density and osteoporosis. Swimming is not a weight-bearing exercise, so it doesn’t help in that department. However, I figured it was good for my back and I enjoy it, so I’ve continued with swimming.
The back is another story. I had an MRI a few years ago, and it showed a variety of age-related degeneration, mostly in the lumbar area. One doctor said I’d need surgery eventually, and another said just about everyone’s back looks like that once you reach a certain age. My back rarely hurts, so I’ve chosen to ignore it.
Except it has been acting up lately, and I wonder if swimming is contributing to the problem. I suppose it could be something about my swim stroke that is off, but can I fix that at this age? For an exercise that doesn’t help with bone density? I’ve stopped swimming for a few weeks to see what happens. It does seem to be improving, but I can’t say for sure swimming is the problem.
I’m hoping some targeted exercises will fix me right up, so I made an appointment with my primary care physician so I could get an appointment with a specialist so I can get an appointment for an MRI so I can get an appointment for physical therapy.
In the meantime, I’m just muscling my way through it. Sometimes it feels like everything is going to shit. Golf and walking are fine (so far). Plenty of stretching, but even then, you have to be careful not to fix one thing only to mess up something else. I’m also careful not to take too much Advil, but I am eternally grateful for blue buddies.
Since the internet came back up, I’ve gorged myself on news and decided I didn’t miss much. Angry people everywhere. Jerks misbehaving on airplanes, the former guy raising his ugly head, Marjorie what’s-her-name saying or doing anything, guns, shootings. Not to mention a pandemic, which I regret to inform you is not over yet.
As all the spokespeople on TV are now keen to say, these are unprecedented times. The same people who are sending thoughts and prayers after some whack job shoots up a workplace.
More and more, I find refuge in my bubble of golf, art, food. I’m making fish tacos tonight and just finished a batch of homemade tortillas. In the picture, the tortillas are still a little blonde, but they’ll get a good char when I make the tacos.
As I was finishing up, Dale moaned, “God, I love that smell.”
Aromatherapy for these unprecedented times.
Oh goody! I am not the only one who thinks of what I do as “Pandemic tipping”. I do tip extra because I know business is down and I want to help in this small way whenever I can.
Fish tacos! Yummers. I have yet to make my own tortillas from scratch, but I have the press now so let the (Hunger/Hungry) games begin. I do hope the odds are ever in my favour. LOL!
Deb
Homemade tortillas are a game-changer.
These are unprecedented times, so ‘pandemic tipping’ and ‘aromatherapy to go with these times’ make complete sense to me. Your fish tacos sound wonderful!
The tacos were great. The fish was dusted in rice flour and pan fried, but it broke up a little. I’ll have to experiment with that. Still, they were fab.
The aromatherapy yesterday was a campfire by a local lake with cousins I haven’t seen for months. We had cleaned the graves of our people earlier. One more spring/summer job crossed off the to-do list.
A lakeside campfire and a family gathering to clean graves leaves a beautiful picture in my head. Next I’ll have to tackle visualization therapy!
How do you get the char on he tortillas..do you “fry” them a little on each side after you fill them , or??
Yes, the news is repetitive, and not in a good direction.I am also cocooning quite a bit.I thought we’d travel at least around the state this summer but we’re not.I am going very slowly with re entry and just not second guessing myself.If I want to be home, or at the library, or in my kitchen,that’s what I do!
We are still in the cocooning phase and may never emerge.
As for the tortillas, it depends on what I’m making. This time, I slapped them flat on a hot dry cast iron frying pan for a few seconds on each side. They didn’t get grill marks but rather dark speckles and spots. I didn’t want them too crisp. Once they were done to my liking, I folded the tortilla and set in a taco holder before filling them. A grill works better to heat the tortillas, but we didn’t have it fired up.
I love the homemade tortillas. I bought a press but only use it occasionally. I should take it out so I can see it and probably I’d use it more.
Hey, your doctor is right about age related degenerative disc. I have L 1 and C 2 that are DD and neither have really progressed although when I walk too much the L1 will get inflamed. i think getting a Dexa scan is more logical to see what your bone density is. You do walk alot and play golf so that’s weight bearing. I sorta doubt the swimming would be inflaming the Lumbar area but maybe. But if you haven’t had a bone density that would be a logical first step to see if you’re at risk for osteoporosis .
Good luck with it all.
I have the Dexa scheduled. I already know my bone density is low from previous scans, so it’s just about whether it has progressed and what to do about it. I’m not excited about any of the treatments and am hoping there’s more I can do in terms of exercise.
I used to follow a weight program by a woman named Joyce Vedral.She has a bone- promoting workout for we women of a
“Certain” age.Weights do a LOT to boost our bones! My shoulders are a bit funky now and I had to modify what I do but WEIGHTS are really really important for women!!
I am a retired N.P. Women’s health, and I mentioned to ALL my middle aged and older women that they should just ASSUME they need to do exercise to promote bones, DEXA or not. Hardly any of my patients could tolerate the side effects of the “bone” drugs and I rarely prescribed them.. the studies on them are not that great.Read some of Joyce’s info and you can see that she increased her own numbers with just weight bearing exercise and good diet.
Of course your own caregiver/provider should be a partner is choosing the best approach.
Good luck!
This is uncanny! I have pages torn out of an old Joyce Vedral book that I use for my upper body exercises. I’ll see if I still have the rest of the pages that include the lower body and look for the bone book, as I know I already like her approach. Thanks!! I’ve read some of the bone drug studies, too, and I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who wants to avoid them.
I followed her “Definition” book program for years.But.. with my own modifications.I used the Light weights, but never did do the 5 whole sets.I only did 3. I was walking an hour a day every day and added her program 3 days a week for strength.
Now, I have some shoulder issues and can’t do it all but I still love the Definition program!
I’m a big fan of aromatherapy – in all its forms. I have a fairly extensive array of essential oils but, ever mindful of their cost, I’m always looking out for other olfactory experiences to suggest for mood uplift in particular. I’m not sure what oil homemade tacos could mimic, but frankly, they sound so fabulous – I don’t care 🙂 Somewhat like the smell of fresh roasting coffee beans – I’d advocate just enjoying it wherever you can find it.
Yes to freshly roasted coffee beans and other good smells. I use essential oils in my cannabis balm, and a little goes a long way.