Happy Birthday, Dale!

Today is Dale's birthday! We are celebrating quietly at home. We did go to the gym first then came to my home for dinner. I made Kung Pao Shrimp with a little help from Dale. It was delicious and a very healthy recipe. I actually found the recipe reading a Men's Health magazine while on the exercise bike at the gym. Quite a healthy way to find a recipe, huh?

I usually bake a cake for Dale's birthday but this year neither of us thought an entire cake would be a good idea. I wanted something special so I stopped by a bakery and picked up this chocolate mousse dessert because it was so pretty. I did take some photos with the candle lit but the flame created such a "hot spot" that the berries were not well lit. Now Dale will be older than me for a few weeks! Happy Birthday to Dale!

Mississippi Weekend

I had a wonderful relaxing weekend in Mississippi visiting my friend, Becky. Usually when I have a Mississippi weekend it's just heading east to the river. This time I went south to the state of Mississippi, visiting springtime and a friend. We relaxed, talked, ate, laughed and had a few adventures. It had been eight years since I last visited Becky but I had very vivid memories of lazy mornings with great coffee in beautiful mugs. It was just as relaxing and yummy this time.
I have more photos to post later but the week has gone so quickly. A word of wisdom from me; one should always allow at least twelve hours between landing at your home airport and reporting back to work!

Indoors at the Zoo

A couple of weeks ago on a sunny weekend Dale and I headed to the zoo. I gave him a zoo membership for Christmas and we were hoping that it would be a good day to see the animals in the snow and get some fresh air. We were disappointed to find that the outdoor exhibits were closed and that the zoo is very conservative about when they open the outdoor area due to snow and ice. We did spend some time with our cameras in the indoor area of the zoo. It was nice but I am looking forward to going back when the outdoor areas are open. You may be seeing more zoo photos here this year.

Practice Shot

Dale didn't get new glasses but when I wanted shots of my new glasses he asked me to show him what I was looking for. I took a few quick shots of him to show him what I was thinking. I thought they were fun so I just had to post one.

New Eyes

I had a to-do list for January. I was behind schedule and had been procrastinating on several things. They were appointments that took time and I was putting it off. So I told myself that I had to make appointments for my routine dental exam, hair cut and an over due eye exam in the month of January. That was enough to get me moving and I did make all those appointments and the follow ups as well. This week I picked up my new glasses with the new prescription. They have more correction than I have had in the past and are also my first progressive bifocals. This is quite an adjustment. Getting used to glasses on my face is a big adjustment also. I always pull my glasses off as soon as I don't need them to read. Now I think it's time to get used to them. I tried to find the most comfortable lenses but they do feel heavy to me. I don't even like wearing heavy necklaces or earrings! The plastic lenses seemed more comfortable to me with my reading glasses so I looked for those. I also wanted a big enough lens to allow for more area for my bifocal. After having perfect vision for 45 years it is taking me some time to make this change. Getting older does require some adjustments and I will make this one work!

Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope that today is a day to celebrate love of all kinds. We often focus on romantic love which is a wonderful gift but today is also a time for me to be extremely grateful for the love of friends and family! Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Joining a Gym

Not only did a join a gym but I am actually going! Dale and I joined Anytime Fitness together last week. We had talked about it and heard lots from Jay who works at the Mason City Anytime Fitness. It seemed like the right fit for us. It was certainly the right time for us. I had become even more sedentary this winter. After my frozen shoulder I had quit doing my arm and shoulder exercises. The idea of having access to weight machines for strengthening was very appealing to me. I also use the bikes and treadmills for the cardio workout but look forward to the strengthening of the weight machines. There is a gym very close to my home and another one close to Dale's home also. We mostly go together but this gives us more options. When Spring arrives it will be easy for me to walk the mile to the gym, use the weight machines then walk back home. I typically dislike exercising inside but might offer a good blend. This is a commitment and I am planning to stay with it. Maybe blogging about it helps with the accountability. I want to have strong muscles especially as I age. Seems like I think about some of those things more often now that I am fifty.

Super Bowl Sunday

Nothing very exciting in this post, just a high mileage vehicle and a grateful owner. My Honda CRV hit the 200,000 mile mark this week and it is still running strong. It's been mine for nine years and I have no reason to trade it in yet. It still runs well and I still like it! I didn't expect it to last this long but I am pleased.

Today is Super Bowl Sunday. That always reminds me of the day that Jay was born in 1981 on the same day as Super Bowl XV. It's almost like a second birthday. I am watching the game and the commercials it just seems like the thing to do.

New Haircut

My hair was getting too long and shapeless so I asked around for hairdresser recommendations. Usually I just ask Ashley to trim it or stop by someplace quick but I took the suggestion of a respected co-worker with cute hair and made my appointment deciding I would let her do whatever she suggested. I was feeling pretty bold then I walked into the shop. Then I met my stylist. She had purple hair! I was beginning to lose my courage. After a few questions I realized that she did know curly hair so I decided to put my hair in her hands. She literally started wacking away at my wet locks. Huge chunks were falling to the floor when I told her that this was short for me. She asked if I was nervous and I realized that I was not. Hair does grow and I was ready for a change. I found myself calculating how many months until the humidity gets high and my hair gets extra curly. I could become a walking brillo pad, but I have plenty of hair clips and bands. It does feel much lighter and more fresh. That's a good thing. . .for now!