working out for Disney

[HouCuseChickie]

That's great about the new bathroom reno. Make sure you share photos. I have a jetted tub. It's really relaxing in the winter. I always take a long bath on Christmas Day after cooking all day. Enjoy!

I wish I'd remembered to take some before pictures. This house has some ridiculously small bathroom spaces, but the guest/kid bath was just such a disgusting mess that my younger one had a new bathroom at the top of her Christmas wish list last year. We still need to install the towel rack and hooks, install the corner soap/bottle tray, touch up some of the grout, and put in the final decorative touches, but by tonight...we'll be able to use it. We had a large jetted tub in our last house that I loved. This one is more of a standard tub, but it's a good value add. The master currently has a tub, but it's a custom ultra short one with ridiculously high walls. It's pretty useless outside of bathing the dog. The space will be expanded a little, but not enough for a decent tub, so we're just going to turn the master into a walk in shower. So, a good tub set up in the guest/kid bath seemed kind of vital.

The only bits remaining from the original bathroom are the toilet, the small cabinet above the toilet, and the switch plates.

I'll spare you my entire story boards of vanities, fixtures, etc., but we're going with a stone look for the master. The tile below represents the shower walls (top), the shower floor and accent shelf (middle), and the bathroom floor (bottom). Black fixtures and hardware, navy vanities to bring out the hints of blue in some of the tile offset by other white cabinetry, and sort of a barn door theme with the main door, mirrors, etc. Our contractor friend is very happy we didn't go with glass for this one. Apparently, it's a real pain.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

The soreness and fatigue from yesterday's workout and business hit me today. Not that the 15.72 miles this morning wasn't good, but yesterday was over 16. I did "light" arms during yesterday's too and today regular arm day, so that didn't help either. Still, I made it through my full arm and back sets, got in some planking and stretches, and broke out the twist plate for my obliques and did 100 twists holding dumbbells of varying weights. At least both kids have late arrival tomorrow, so I can start my workout a bit later and time it right up until when I have to log in for work.

I really need to work on my younger one's cake...well, specifically the topper. Even before I started, she didn't have confidence in me being cake ready by Friday night. I had hoped to have until Saturday, but her friend's bday was yesterday and is having a party on Saturday...so, it's either Friday or Sunday for her. She didn't want a party this year...just stuff. I couldn't find one of the cake ingredients in store, but if Amazon is able to get me my order today, I might be able to bake tonight. We shall see.

 

[Sans Souci]

I wish I'd remembered to take some before pictures. This house has some ridiculously small bathroom spaces, but the guest/kid bath was just such a disgusting mess that my younger one had a new bathroom at the top of her Christmas wish list last year. We still need to install the towel rack and hooks, install the corner soap/bottle tray, touch up some of the grout, and put in the final decorative touches, but by tonight...we'll be able to use it. We had a large jetted tub in our last house that I loved. This one is more of a standard tub, but it's a good value add. The master currently has a tub, but it's a custom ultra short one with ridiculously high walls. It's pretty useless outside of bathing the dog. The space will be expanded a little, but not enough for a decent tub, so we're just going to turn the master into a walk in shower. So, a good tub set up in the guest/kid bath seemed kind of vital.

The only bits remaining from the original bathroom are the toilet, the small cabinet above the toilet, and the switch plates.

I'll spare you my entire story boards of vanities, fixtures, etc., but we're going with a stone look for the master. The tile below represents the shower walls (top), the shower floor and accent shelf (middle), and the bathroom floor (bottom). Black fixtures and hardware, navy vanities to bring out the hints of blue in some of the tile offset by other white cabinetry, and sort of a barn door theme with the main door, mirrors, etc. Our contractor friend is very happy we didn't go with glass for this one. Apparently, it's a real pain.

I love the flooring, it's really sharp. That's so funny that your daughter asked for a bathroom renovation for Christmas.

The 2 mirrors placed at 90 * from each other is really cool. That center bit of tiling in the shower is an nice accent, I like the colors. I love blues and aquas.

 

[Sans Souci]

The soreness and fatigue from yesterday's workout and business hit me today. Not that the 15.72 miles this morning wasn't good, but yesterday was over 16. I did "light" arms during yesterday's too and today regular arm day, so that didn't help either. Still, I made it through my full arm and back sets, got in some planking and stretches, and broke out the twist plate for my obliques and did 100 twists holding dumbbells of varying weights. At least both kids have late arrival tomorrow, so I can start my workout a bit later and time it right up until when I have to log in for work.

I really need to work on my younger one's cake...well, specifically the topper. Even before I started, she didn't have confidence in me being cake ready by Friday night. I had hoped to have until Saturday, but her friend's bday was yesterday and is having a party on Saturday...so, it's either Friday or Sunday for her. She didn't want a party this year...just stuff. I couldn't find one of the cake ingredients in store, but if Amazon is able to get me my order today, I might be able to bake tonight. We shall see.

What kind of decorating are you doing for the cake?

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I love the flooring, it's really sharp. That's so funny that your daughter asked for a bathroom renovation for Christmas.

The 2 mirrors placed at 90 * from each other is really cool. That center bit of tiling in the shower is an nice accent, I like the colors. I love blues and aquas.

I really wanted wood look that complimented the coloring on the marble vanity counter. My only complaint is that you really see very bit of black dog fur on it The bathroom before this was so bad. The faucet leaked, but you couldn't get to the valve without ripping open the wall, so we dealt with the leak until we were ready for refurb. The old vanity has a Victorian vibe to it and was starting to rot from moisture. The original tub was the worst. The leak caused the finish to peel, which made us aware of the many layers of reglazing that had been done to the tub over the years. It was disgusting how much dirt and mildew was trapped under each layer and what was underneath was old and stained.

Thanks! It used to have two big walls of sheet style mirroring. I knew I wanted two framed, but since the dark blue tile is a mirror concept with inverted beveling, I wanted to bring that out in the mirrors. I was going through my pics and I think the one with the showerhead is the best I've got to show the depth of the dark blue tile. Ultimately, I really like blues. It's a bit busy for some people, but they don't have to live with it

 

[Sans Souci]

Good morning-

I did a Fitness Blender video on YouTube. It was fast and furious, but over in 25 minutes. I don't know what happened to me, but I don't have the appetite to do the hour long work outs I used to do. It's going to be in the low 70s today, so I'll get out for a stroll later on.

I ordered a Thanksgiving dinner from Seasons 52 last night. We are not traveling to Illinois for Thanksgiving this year and I don't feel like going crazy in the kitchen for Thanksgiving this year--that's for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I'll still make a dessert, since the desserts from Seasons 52 are in shot glasses and that simply will not fly with certain people in this house, but I'm just not feeling it this year. I broke down the cost and the meal from Seasons 52 is slightly more expensive than buying ingredients for a homemade meal. With everything going on right now, I just want something in my life that is low key, low-effort.

I got some cute masks from Old Navy. It was a pack of five and they are probably more appropriate for Valentine's Day, since they each one is either pink or red or has hearts on it. But they are cute and I'll take a little pick me up where I can.

 

[Songbird76]

I think my healing hit a plateau. It's not getting better or worse. The cold weather has set in so that may have something to do with that. So for the time being it's LS and light yoga. With the new restrictions my house is now stocked to the bursting point and organizing everything wasn't much fun at all.

I'm so sorry your recovery is not going the way you want it to. Could you maybe consider physical therapy?

 

[Songbird76]

Locally, I've seen pro-mask people dredging up arguments people made decades ago with seatbelts, before they were required by law here. I guess there were similar complaints about effectiveness and freedom being compromised. Obviously, they won't save every life in every wreck, but we now know they certainly save many lives. It will probably be years before we have any truly conclusive data on masks like we do on seatbelts, but I've seen enough instances where masks seem to have been helpful that we'll continue to wear them.

One of my bosses had told us that his brother attended an in-person indoor meeting a month or two ago. About 50 people were in attendance and only two people (his brother included) didn't come down with Covid...and they were the only ones wearing masks. I'm no scientist and maybe there were other factors that should be considered, but that was enough to make me feel good about continuing to wear them.

Well that's just it....we don't have really conclusive evidence that they either do or do not work. Why would I take that risk? I'm in a high risk group, so is my husband, so are his parents and his brother. We won't take a chance with their health, and it seems selfish to me that people don't consider others, whether it's required or not. Like smoking....we know 2nd hand smoke is hazardous to people's health, which is why there are smoking sections in restaurants, etc. It's inconsiderate....well, that's an understatement, it's downright rude to blow smoke in someone else's face. You wouldn't walk up to someone and just force them to breathe in your smoke....so why should this be any different? You might have the right to smoke, but I have the right NOT to. If everyone was just considerate of everyone else and not so concerned with what they want, we'd be so much better off.

My mom used to make me so angry with her smoking. She refused to visit people who wouldn't let her smoke in their houses, because she said friends accept you as you are, smoke and all. But I lived in a non-smoking apartment....it wasn't MY rule, it was the landlord's rule. I could get fined or evicted, but she didn't care about that...she was the mom and she got to decide where she smoked and where she didn't. And she'd blow smoke right in my face and get angry when I waved it away...she thought it was rude of me. I just don't understand the mentality that it's ok to harm someone else because you don't want to be inconvenienced.

 

[Songbird76]

Very true. It was also Dia de Muertos. We did not get to go in and see her. I let my husband make that choice since it was his grandmother. I think after seeing his father last year, he didn't want to see her in a silent and sedated state.

We were just trying to come up with something tasty that looked gross. I guess it looked a little too gross, because nobody wanted to eat it.

Dia de los Muertos is actually November 2nd...all three holidays go together. All hallows eve (Halloween), then all saints day on the 1st, and then day of the dead on the 2nd. The first is to remember the "innocents" like children and martyrs, etc, and then the 2nd is to remember everyone who has passed. I had never even heard of All Saints day until I came here, and I thought the Day of the Dead was a Mexican holiday...I got it mixed up with Cinco de Mayo. But my MIL always bought flowers on November 2nd to remember her parents, etc. That's how I was introduced to the concept. I think it might be mostly a Catholic thing? And I was raised Lutheran, so we didn't celebrate it.

 

[Songbird76]

I wish I'd remembered to take some before pictures. This house has some ridiculously small bathroom spaces, but the guest/kid bath was just such a disgusting mess that my younger one had a new bathroom at the top of her Christmas wish list last year. We still need to install the towel rack and hooks, install the corner soap/bottle tray, touch up some of the grout, and put in the final decorative touches, but by tonight...we'll be able to use it. We had a large jetted tub in our last house that I loved. This one is more of a standard tub, but it's a good value add. The master currently has a tub, but it's a custom ultra short one with ridiculously high walls. It's pretty useless outside of bathing the dog. The space will be expanded a little, but not enough for a decent tub, so we're just going to turn the master into a walk in shower. So, a good tub set up in the guest/kid bath seemed kind of vital.

The only bits remaining from the original bathroom are the toilet, the small cabinet above the toilet, and the switch plates.

I'll spare you my entire story boards of vanities, fixtures, etc., but we're going with a stone look for the master. The tile below represents the shower walls (top), the shower floor and accent shelf (middle), and the bathroom floor (bottom). Black fixtures and hardware, navy vanities to bring out the hints of blue in some of the tile offset by other white cabinetry, and sort of a barn door theme with the main door, mirrors, etc. Our contractor friend is very happy we didn't go with glass for this one. Apparently, it's a real pain.

I love it all! Very elegant and yet, still homey. I would love to do something like that in my house, but my husband is really picky with tiles and he doesn't really like the natural stone look the way I do.

 

[Songbird76]

Good morning-

I did a Fitness Blender video on YouTube. It was fast and furious, but over in 25 minutes. I don't know what happened to me, but I don't have the appetite to do the hour long work outs I used to do. It's going to be in the low 70s today, so I'll get out for a stroll later on.

I ordered a Thanksgiving dinner from Seasons 52 last night. We are not traveling to Illinois for Thanksgiving this year and I don't feel like going crazy in the kitchen for Thanksgiving this year--that's for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I'll still make a dessert, since the desserts from Seasons 52 are in shot glasses and that simply will not fly with certain people in this house, but I'm just not feeling it this year. I broke down the cost and the meal from Seasons 52 is slightly more expensive than buying ingredients for a homemade meal. With everything going on right now, I just want something in my life that is low key, low-effort.

I got some cute masks from Old Navy. It was a pack of five and they are probably more appropriate for Valentine's Day, since they each one is either pink or red or has hearts on it. But they are cute and I'll take a little pick me up where I can.

Thank you for the reminder. I need to take Thanksgiving Day off. It's not a thing here, and I forget every year! I have to work every year. So now I'm in time to actually take that day off so we can celebrate properly. The kids will still have to go to school, and my husband will have to work, but at least I will have time to make a Thanksgiving meal this time!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Well that's just it....we don't have really conclusive evidence that they either do or do not work. Why would I take that risk? I'm in a high risk group, so is my husband, so are his parents and his brother. We won't take a chance with their health, and it seems selfish to me that people don't consider others, whether it's required or not. Like smoking....we know 2nd hand smoke is hazardous to people's health, which is why there are smoking sections in restaurants, etc. It's inconsiderate....well, that's an understatement, it's downright rude to blow smoke in someone else's face. You wouldn't walk up to someone and just force them to breathe in your smoke....so why should this be any different? You might have the right to smoke, but I have the right NOT to. If everyone was just considerate of everyone else and not so concerned with what they want, we'd be so much better off.

My mom used to make me so angry with her smoking. She refused to visit people who wouldn't let her smoke in their houses, because she said friends accept you as you are, smoke and all. But I lived in a non-smoking apartment....it wasn't MY rule, it was the landlord's rule. I could get fined or evicted, but she didn't care about that...she was the mom and she got to decide where she smoked and where she didn't. And she'd blow smoke right in my face and get angry when I waved it away...she thought it was rude of me. I just don't understand the mentality that it's ok to harm someone else because you don't want to be inconvenienced.

Smoking is another great analogy. We went from people thinking it helped your health to realizing how deadly it can be. We even get a reduction in healthcare pricing for being non-smokers. Most places here don't even allow it inside. I used to smoke, but never felt I was entitled to do so in anyone else's place. Heck, after college, I wouldn't even smoke inside my own apartments and eventual home. Health reasons aside, it just makes everything stink. Also a good point on the fines. Hotels are also really strict with their non-smoking room policies.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Dia de los Muertos is actually November 2nd...all three holidays go together. All hallows eve (Halloween), then all saints day on the 1st, and then day of the dead on the 2nd. The first is to remember the "innocents" like children and martyrs, etc, and then the 2nd is to remember everyone who has passed. I had never even heard of All Saints day until I came here, and I thought the Day of the Dead was a Mexican holiday...I got it mixed up with Cinco de Mayo. But my MIL always bought flowers on November 2nd to remember her parents, etc. That's how I was introduced to the concept. I think it might be mostly a Catholic thing? And I was raised Lutheran, so we didn't celebrate it.

I've seen sources that just note Nov 2, while others give Nov 1-2. Our area has a fairly large Mexican population, so it's usually the 1st and 2nd here. Our supermarket floral department and bakery had all kinds of arrangements, goodies and balloons. I heard some little kid the other day asking his mom if it was about Coco, not tying it together with the holiday. Still, it was kind of sweet how he asked.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I love it all! Very elegant and yet, still homey. I would love to do something like that in my house, but my husband is really picky with tiles and he doesn't really like the natural stone look the way I do.

Thanks! It's just so nice to finally be getting this done. We've made a lot of upgrades to the house since we moved in. The bathrooms were functional, but always on the must renovate list. I can't wait to see the master done. I love the stone look. Originally, my husband wanted me to design the guest bath and the half bath downstairs, while the master was going to become his project. He saw some tile he really liked that I hated, but told him I'd trust his judgement. When it came time to putting plans together, he got overwhelmed and asked me to give him ideas, which eventually became me designing it all.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Day 4 of embracing the time change and working out before getting the older one to school. I still need to get in some ab work, but I went 15.75 mi on the bike with 25 minutes (a 5 min increase) of light arms while biking. I was running a little late, so I did legs after I got the older one to school...just some dance kicks and moves to help tone some things along with some light stretching. I'm amazed I woke up for it, since I had Voodoo in bed with me last night and she was being a pain. She woke me up around 3am, kicked me in the back a bunch of times, tried to sleep on my legs and then started trying to sleep in the middle. So, I put her in with my younger one...where she normally sleeps.

No afterschool activities today and no contractor coming by today, so hopefully I'll get in cake work and holiday prep.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

What kind of decorating are you doing for the cake?

She wants a CareBear theme to go with her Halloween costume.

The cake is going to be cookie butter flavor, hot fudge filling, and hot cocoa frosting.

 

[Songbird76]

Smoking is another great analogy. We went from people thinking it helped your health to realizing how deadly it can be. We even get a reduction in healthcare pricing for being non-smokers. Most places here don't even allow it inside. I used to smoke, but never felt I was entitled to do so in anyone else's place. Heck, after college, I wouldn't even smoke inside my own apartments and eventual home. Health reasons aside, it just makes everything stink. Also a good point on the fines. Hotels are also really strict with their non-smoking room policies.

My mom felt pretty entitled to do whatever she wanted. And I was so worried about her smoking in the apartment. I told her it wasn't allowed, I told her I could get a fine or even evicted if she was caught. She maintained that SHE was the mom, so SHE got to make the rules....even in MY home. And for all the bluster about accepting people as they were, she didn't accept what she considered wrong in her own home. If people weren't married, she wouldn't let them share a room in her house. Basically my mom just thought she should make the rules and everyone else should have to abide by it...and I guess that's how I see a lot of behavior now. People are too selfish to do what's right. They feel entitled to do what they want.

 

[Sans Souci]

She wants a CareBear theme to go with her Halloween costume.

The cake is going to be cookie butter flavor, hot fudge filling, and hot cocoa frosting.

That's too cute. I had a couple of Care Bears when I was kid. That cake sounds delicious. I'm intrigued by the cookie butter flavor.

 

[Sans Souci]

Day 4 of embracing the time change and working out before getting the older one to school. I still need to get in some ab work, but I went 15.75 mi on the bike with 25 minutes (a 5 min increase) of light arms while biking. I was running a little late, so I did legs after I got the older one to school...just some dance kicks and moves to help tone some things along with some light stretching. I'm amazed I woke up for it, since I had Voodoo in bed with me last night and she was being a pain. She woke me up around 3am, kicked me in the back a bunch of times, tried to sleep on my legs and then started trying to sleep in the middle. So, I put her in with my younger one...where she normally sleeps.

No afterschool activities today and no contractor coming by today, so hopefully I'll get in cake work and holiday prep.

I am laughing at your dog sleeping with you. Been there, done that. We once had three dogs sleeping with us. One of them was always moving. One would step on another accidentally and I'd hear snarling and snapping. One dog would want to get under the covers and when he got too hot, he'd step all over me trying to get out. The dog I had before I met my husband always wanted to sleep between my husband and me and he would growl at my husband if he tried to kiss me good night. My personal chaperone! The geriatric toy poodle would get too hot on the bed, jump off and then change his mind. Then he'd bark at you to either lift him up onto the bed or turn the light on for him. I used to sleep so much better in the summer, because they would want to stay in their beds on the floor because it was cooler.

 

[Sans Souci]

Good morning.

I did an abs workout this morning. I don't like workouts where I am on my back or in plank for 95% of the time, but it went by quickly. I finished week 9/12 today.

My husband is off today and it's going to be 74 and sunny here. I might try to go to Longwood Gardens today. My husband will likely balk at the idea, because COVID, but it mostly an outdoor place. There is a conservatory, but we'd been avoiding it since the pandemic. It's too bad, because it's a gorgeous conservatory and they have different flower displays throughout the year. If nothing else, we'll get out for a stroll together.

Take care, everyone.