i think i killed Bill

... this morning Bill and I went for a nice long hike, 7 and 1/2 miles almost 8 miles. I could have kept going, but i decided that i wanted to do the 10 miles some where else!!! My feet started hurting about 1/4 mile away from the car, I was dripping from sweat, but over all felt really good. Knowing i was going so far, i decided to pace myself, and i told Bill to go on ahead, that i didn't mind. No matter what i can't seem to speed walk without my feet starting to hurt me, that is why i rely on hills to get my heart rate up. well at first Bill was a few feet ahead of me, ( usually he goes out of sight). but surprisingly i was able to keep up with him, a few times i reminded him he can go on ahead, he said he wanted to hang with me....... ummm right! so we come home, and he immediately goes to the couch and falls asleep, i mean within 5 minutes of being home.... i do some house work, make the boys some Rice Crispy treats,....... do this and that. ............ well this evening, hours later i wake Bill Up, and he said " wow that hike kicked my ass.." he is having a tough time walking, so i go to him and start dancing and do toe touches and squats...... laughing, He just laughed at me...... at this moment, there is nothing tell me that i hiked for 3 hours, nothing. i don't know what is going on...... still thinking it is the Krill Oil, oh well whatever, i am happy!!! there is no doubt that i could have added two more miles today, oh the last two miles would have been slower...... but no doubt at all.
Well work tomorrow, hoping to get a hike in early in the morning....... i have been so busy since getting back from the beach, and then heading to Lydia's today was my first day home...... I think i am going to document 7 days of NO sugar........... i want to stay away from the stuff, they say the first week is the hardest........ we shall see
take care

Appalachian Trail.........

I went out East for a couple days....... it was a mother/daughter road trip. Katie and I Went to visit one of my friends, Lydia and her family. it was a wonderful couple days... Saturday she dropped us off at one of the trial heads for the Appalachian Trail......... ended up hiking about 3 and 1/2 miles. I was so excited to finally get on that trail, i would love to go again and plan on spending about 4 hours on the trail...... I told Bill today that over the next couple years, i'd like to hike at every state park in PA.... so i need to get a list, and figure it out..... hmmm, how many state parks are there?....... okay i just checked, there are 120 state parks...... , how many years and how many weekends will that take??? who cares? :0),

The photo's above, are those taken from the Appalachian Trail. well i have had a long couple weeks, and i think i just want to go and chill awhile....... have a great day

Didn't know Lydia snapped this picture of Us coming off the trail..... 3 and 1/2 miles later. Her son was with me, and he was VERY tired, but he did a great Job..... i truly believe i could have hiked 10 more miles....... i felt so good :0)......

Vampire Safe........

years ago i had a dear friend that got me hooked on Stuffed green olives, usually with feta or blue cheese...... well sadly my dear friend is no longer a friend, however....... the olives are here to stay!! well i started eating olives stuffed with cloves of garlic...... and i must say yummy! I've been eating them almost every evening........ Bill is very patient, and quite polite in telling me that i smell like a garlic factory! oh well
So this morning Chris and I head for a longer hike (about 2 hours), and i begin to sweat, my shirt was soaked, my head was soaked....... and let me tell you THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN THE COMBINATION OF SWEAT AND GARLIC!!! i am just saying. Sadly there would not have been a vampire within miles of me, no bugs either.. oh well :0), a nice long bath, lavender antibacterial soap, ........and i am as good as new.
it has been a while since Chris and I did this hike, and i remember coming back up the hillside with the steep steps, my heart rate fluttered between 185-195 and that was with many stops to catch my breath...... less than 6 weeks later....... and at the most my rate went to 165 I would take 20 steps up, stop for the count of 3, and then take 20 more steps, didn't have to take a break...... 6 miles later back to the car, feeling great, i could have easily repeated the hike........ easily....... think i will figure out when to do the 10 mile hike for Melody soon.
God Bless Christina~ she is such a good friend, and she puts up with me... i have a way of thinking half, and verbalizing half while telling a story, and she has to figure it out.... and when i get defensive cause she didn't understand, she doesn't get angry, she pretty much laughs in my face......... and that is all i am going to say....... ( i think i am gonna start mowing the lawn with the tractor and help bill out.. i mean if Christina can mow her lawn, i can do mine....... )
And she is so patient, when she hears me say for the tenth time....... " i am feeling so good"....... but i am amazed at how i feel......... i've been taking Krill oil for a month now, and i am not saying it is it....but i sure feel great (hi Patti, love ya), no joint issues, and today my feet didn't even bother me.........
.................... Christina said it today............. this is what the journey WAS/IS all about, the journey i started 3 years ago................. not that i am not in a size 10 yet.......... but that i feel so healthy.... that my heart is strong, and i haven't been sick enough to see a doc in 3 years, and besides a few colds that i recovered from rather quickly.... i am doing damn good.........

Melody, not sure how busy you are in heaven, but you want to go on a hike with me in the near future?

Vacation's are great, but there is no place like home.

The above picture was taking during a beautiful early morning, I never noticed how quickly the sun comes up over the horizon. Bill, Katie and I , met my brother Chris his wife, and Bill's sister Karen and her husband at a beach house in Myrtle Beach. I must say this was one of my favorite stress free vacations ever. and i decided to get off the "beaten path" and explore some not so tourist area's..... i'll explain more in detail with the next pictures. I love the ocean, hot weather... not so much! one evening while walking on the pier, we saw several sharks in the water just waiting for some newly caught fish to be cleaned, hoping for the gutted remains to be fed to them, needless to say, i remained on the water's edge from that day on :0). We didn't eat out that much either, my breakfast always consisted of my protein shake. lunch was usually turkey breast of 100 calorie whole grain flat rounds, with fresh fruit of the day ( oranges, pineapple, watermelon, apples). we did grill in several nights...... and i enjoyed some really good broiled seafood. MY lapband did do what it was supposed to do, and it did prevent me from over eating. and actually i had food stuck a couple of times, and needed to spit it back up twice. yes we enjoyed birthday cake, and i did have an ice cream here and there. i did my Wii fit a few times, had to find time when nobody was around so that i wouldn't get teased so badly. and i also power walked everyday but one. and one day i did 8 miles, although i averaged 4 miles a day. this wasn't leisure walking, i used my Polaris Heart Rate monitor, and made sure i pushed myself for one good hour. i FEEL SO GOOD.. and noticed that without hills, it took alot to get my heart rate up, one day i actually had to power walk in the surf, so the water resistance helped get the heart going. i didn't get winded, and could walk for hours, steps not a problem.... i am definitely in a good place health wise right now. I WILL be doing 10 miles for Melody, as soon as i figure out where i want to do it...

One of the things i decided to do was visit the State Parks of the area... the picture above is a State park that we visited that was a plantation http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1142.aspx The park remains untouched, and even the road to get there is just sand and ruts. there are mature tree's more than 200 years old, and some neat trails and alot of history...

the other local state park that we visited is the http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1020.aspx Huntington beach state park. this park is located just a few miles from the busy tourist section. many trails, private beaches, alligators and Birds (wetlands) there. this Park also has a Camping section. the beaches had a few people, but there were parts that had nobody..... the wild grasses were more abundant than the sand. the alligators weren't behind any barriers, or glass, and they had the freedom if they wanted to walk were i walked... i must say with the beauty of it all, being the wetlands....... the insects too were abundant, and insect repellent is a must!!!

and like my title states.......... i really had a great time, but driving in Pennsylvania reminded me how beautiful it is right where i live, and the view from my own porch is just as spectacular...

YES Dorothy......... there is no place like home!!!!

just a fly by

Don't have time to blog right now, heading to family party at my brothers, just thought i'd post this one photo, this photo was taken from an isolated, beach at a South Carolina State Park. i went off the beaten trail this vacation, and it was one of my favorite vacations ever. did ton's of hiking, one day did 8 miles, (6 and 2) this was scheduled exercise using my heart monitor... not counting tourist walking.... will also post more photos, of alligators in the wild, marsh lands, and historical plantations untouched by the "tourist bug". ....

did my wii fit, at least 4 miles of hiking every day and had my shake for breakfast, ...... ate very well.......... i give myself an A+

Addicted!!!

I think i am addicted to Hiking!!! Christina and I have been going every morning around 7, 7:30 am, we do 4 to 4 and 1/2 miles. we are mixing up the path, sometimes we do a few steep up hills, sometimes we take a path that has more down hills..... once i return from vacation , I'd like to Hike a longer distance on a weekend. Chris laughs at me, i put the heart monitor on, that transmits to a watch, i put my pedometer on....... set it, take my fanny pack or back pack make sure i have my first aid kit, my mace spray, my knife, my phone, my blister kit, my water....... AND THEN I AM READY TO GO!!!

I am feeling "FREAKING" awesome, i notice it is taking more and more exercise to get my heart rate up, my recovery after doing even the bitch hill, is just seconds, next hill, my heart rate jumps up again, but recovers almost instantly. my legs are getting so strong........ my blood pressure is getting low..... *in a healthy way. I wasn't planning on going for the hike tomorrow, as i have to be at work early, so i can come home to pack, and get ready to leave. BUT i just have to get out there on my little mountain. This morning as we were getting ready to hike up Bitch Hill. The Bald Eagle flew directly above us, did a loop and swooped past us one more time...... beautiful........ "i love my Eagles", a little over a mile into the hike we were talking and we both heard a very short, fierce grunt growl......... we both stopped, started walking, and heard it a second time. I gave Christina the phone, i pulled out my mace, and "THE KNIFE". and we proceeded with caution, we were looping around the river, and i originally planned to swing around and take the trail on to the top of the hill. I did not feel comfortable.... i can't say I was scared, but it truly sounded like something was warning Us to stay away.... so that is what i did.... i figured, I'd take the brunt of the "bear" while Christina called 911, and in the mean time i'd try and use my mace and my knife LOL....... it was all good!, and along the River, we came across a Red Tail Hawk, a Falcon, and I think Christina almost stepped on a goose she came so close to it before it took flight........... and all of this happened in an hour's hike :-).
The picture above, is a small field surrounded by forest.......it is at the top of this hill, Christina insists it is the meadow from Twilight, and she keeps waiting for Edward to appear.... keep waiting Chris.
Well i have a long day tomorrow, and Katie and I have alot planned to get ready for our Beach Trip. already figured out a few hiking trails in the South Carolina State parks
Have a good day, and i hope to blog while i am at the beach....
Many Blessings to All,

Me :)

Gettysburg fieldtrip

This is One of the photo's i took while at Gettysburg yesterday.... i loved this tree, underneath the tree you can see the cannons, the original ones used several decades ago!!! I could only imagine well over 100 years earlier, a soldier sitting and leaning against that tree, humanity's blood soaked deep into the roots below. Bill and I have to go there, so many places to walk, so many steep hills to climb, so much history!!! They have done a wonderful job keeping things as they used to be, you do not see skyscraper hotels, and actually there are very few hotels in Gettysburg, the farmlands have stayed just that, you don't see Subdivisions, Housing plans, or Condos. they kept the rocks in the same place, they keep the wild grasses the same.
I have been to Gettysburg several years as the school nurse, and i must say this was the best year by far, our tour guide, which is the luck of the draw, was marvelous. and she asked the teacher if we wanted walking? or riding the bus? well we chose walking.....

And walking we did, She actually had the bus drop Us off in one location, at the "bottom". and she had the bus go park at the highest peak in Gettysburg ( little round top). Per my pedometer, it was about two miles. we ended going off the beaten path, I definitely could have used my hiking boots, as there was a lot of climbing over rocks and boulders. and the majority of the walk was up hill, the further we walked, the stronger i got..... and i was quite proud, if you didn't know me, and know that i've recently lost alot of weight, i still look like this over weight, middle age lady, the last quarter of a mile, when others were starting to really feel the walk..... me the only one with a 25lb back pack on...... * all the nursing stuff, bottles of water etc., started to pass people, my legs felt so powerful, and i noticed my leg muscles with every step. OH i was hot, and sweating, and breathing deep. but i noticed several VERY thin moms, not weighing more than 120lbs, having a VERY difficult time. and then i realized you can have a normal BMI and be very unhealthy, or you can have a BMI that puts you in the "obese" category and be physically fit. Don't tell me different. the BMI chart does not take into account you Muscle mass. a square inch of muscle is heavier than a square inch of fat :-).

I did very well eating, well sorta, i didn't have time to do my shake in the AM, but i packed my food for the day...... my lunch......... salad made with mixed greens,tomato's, grilled chicken hard boiled egg, and 1.5 TBS. of Italian dressing made with olive oil, and red wine vinegar, a individually wrapped low fat cheese and Greek yogurt with fresh berries. Dinner for me, i got a grilled chicken wrap, took 50% of the wrap away, had another yogurt, and another low fat cheese. i drank just there alone, 7 glasses of water. So all in all, i think i did okay......oh yeah and i had some chocolate :0).

well i better get going, gotta get my shake made, go grocery shopping and go to work...... looking forward to the weekend ........... it's gonna be a busy summer.

One week and Vacation here i come

busy........

it has been a busy week, our company left last night, and they were wonderful people to have around... they were wonderful guest. They have a two year old son, whom is absolutely adorable, and i am missing him already. they expected nothing, and actually the "mom" spent most of the day at her homestead sight sifting through the burnt remains of what was once called home. I just seem to find myself feeling tired, and not sure why..... but on Sunday morning i slept in until 8:45 am, i NEVER sleep in that late. don't know why but i am up before 7 am, but usually get up at 5:45 am, even on the weekends. I know i missed my breakfast shake a few days....... but that shouldn't do it.
I know that my friend's parents are lucky to get away from the fire with their lives. HOWEVER, they need to be given the time to grieve the loss of their home. they lost everything, and aren't getting much to rebuild. it must be hard to be 70 and starting over again.
... i can't even begin to know how they feel.........
I have a very busy week this week........ don't think i get a day off until next weekend. and Thursday is a 16 hour field trip as the school nurse. i'll get alot of walking in, and i gotta plan on packing my lunch for the entire day.... including my breakfast shake Patti and Christina :).
Well i gotta get my butt moving........ blessings to all.