by Kat | 2 days ago | Aging Gracefully, General, In This Moment
is for finding one’s way back!
Several years ago… and I mean several several’s… I was a paying member of Robin Long’s online Pilates workouts. And then I stopped being a paying member and I remember thinking, I know all the “moves” and I can just keep going on my own.
I think you all know the answer is I did not.
And then “things” started happening… I had issues with a hip flexor muscle and did a good number of weeks of PT to work on that issue. (you would think this would be my wake up call and I would at least try to remember and do the “Pilates Moves” on my own, but nope, I did not!)
This latest “thing” is not fun at all, I must confess. This bladder/pelvic floor muscle issue I am having is the biggest pain in my backside…literally. So now I am back at weekly PT working on a different muscle group… in roughly the same area where those hip flexors intersect… the “thing”?? It’s the little thought but incredibly important pelvic floor muscles and how they can impact one’s quality of life. I have the opposite issue many women my age have – being too relaxed. Sigh. Mine are in a constant state of tension…which they might not be if their neighboring muscle groups were doing any work at all.
And so, I have been spending the past 3 weeks working on waking up those neighboring muscles… doing yoga that very much feels like Robin Long’s Pilates exercises. Each week, my therapist adds a couple more things to add to my routine… which is now taking me just over an hour to complete each day… way more time than the 15-ish minutes that Robin’s routines typically lasted. Sigh.
Pro-tip… don’t abandon something that is working with thoughts that you can “do it yourself”… I can’t help but wonder if I would have needed any PT ever had I just stayed the course with Robin.
I might be slow on the learning curve but I am paying attention now… and yes, I renewed my Pilates membership over the weekend. And now I need to get that first “round” of PT exercises in and then poke around and figure out the new Pilates App!
Happy Monday, everyone! See you all back here on Wednesday!
by Kat | May 12, 2025 | General, In This Moment
Greetings everyone,
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. The weather was perfect here in my neighborhood… cool mornings that invited one to pull on a sweater easing into warm afternoons… a celebration of perfect spring days!
I let Steve know that we are “opening the porch” next weekend. He was not thrilled!
Now it is Monday and I am contemplating my week (besides opening the porch, lol) I started PT for my bladder issues before we left for vacation and had my second visit last week. I am sort of feeling a bit silly… my therapist has me doing a bit of a yoga routine coupled with some diaphragm breathing exercises. Perhaps if I had just continued with pilates, I might not even be having these issues but I am carving out time each day to do the routine.
I also spent some time contemplating my “Stitch Book” layout. I also tested out raw edged pages and decided that won’t work … or at least I don’t like how it will look, so I will be doing some sewing to assemble the pages together.
And with that, let the week begin! See you all back here on Wednesday!
by Kat | Apr 21, 2025 | General, In This Moment
I am happy to report that I almost have two pairs of pants complete… they are each just a bit of elastic and a hem away from completion!
In fact, I am nearing completion on several things… tomorrow I begin the last page of my 100 Day Stitch Book. I am nearing the end of the Mystery Gnome. I am at the point of “stuffing” which means there is not much knitting left to do! I am also at the point of the Great Divide on the Swirly Vest!
Completions make room for new beginnings and I love that excitement… starting something new!
And that is all I have for today! I will see you all back here on Wednesday with some Unraveling!
Now, for all of you who are contemplating a word this year… Next Monday is our April Check In! Yes, April 28 the link up will go live and be open for the entire week.
by Kat | Apr 14, 2025 | General, In This Moment
…is for giving myself a bit of a “kick in the pants” to get some things done!
For the past two weeks I have put “sew pants” on my list for the week… and for two weeks that item has remained undone. Sewing those pants is on my list again this week… but I am hopeful that by sharing it here I will just get it done!
I did order more yarn so I can complete that spiral vest and it is supposed to arrive today! I would like to wear this vest on vacation at the end of the month so that is back on my list as well!
And with that, I am going to get started on that list! Happy Monday everyone!
by Kat | Apr 7, 2025 | General, In This Moment
is for sharing some gratitudes.
Gratitude number one… two weeks ago a my ex’s wife died very, very unexpectedly. She and I had a complicated relationship, but she was an amazing step-mother/grandmother and Vivi, especially, has been struggling with this loss and I really did not know what to do to help… so I reached out to Carole with hopes that she might know some books that might help with children’s grief. She sent me an amazing list of books that span the ages of my grandkids. I ordered them all and they will be heading off to them today. A huge thank you to Carole and her Children’s Librarian… I mean, librarians are simply the best.
Gratitude number two… receiving my first social security payment! And getting all the extra paperwork dropped off (on Friday) so I can receive my spousal benefit. Thank you to that Allegan County employee who helped me and to the very haggard social security employee who copied all my paperwork on Friday! I am reminded that people who work for the government do so because they want to help others… you both are shining examples of exactly what being a public servant means!
Gratitude number three… finding the perfect person to install a clothes line in my backyard! Last week the guy came to trim out bushes and I asked him if he knew anyone who could do such a task. He let me know that he would be thrilled to do that for me and for a very reasonable price! We walked off dimensions and if the rain lets up this week he will get it installed! Thank you, Phil for solving this for me!
Gratitude number four… a huge thanks to all the people who showed up on Saturday all across this nation! You are all what democracy looks like!
Happy Monday, everyone! See you all back here on Wednesday!
by Kat | Mar 24, 2025 | General, In This Moment
When a reader enters the pages of a book of poetry, he or she enters a world where dreams transform the past into knowledge made applicable to the present, and where visions shape the present into extraordinary possibilities for the future.
― Aberjhani, Collected Visions of a Skylark Dressed in Black
I went to The Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall on Saturday for their World Poetry Day event. Carnegie, PA is quite the melting pot of cultures, but I did not realize it was even more diverse than I knew! Every person who participated in the World Poetry Day event now lives in Carnegie!
I listened to members of the Carnegie community read poems in their native languages and in English. I learned about Arabic, Urdu, Tamil, Ukrainian, and Bengali poets… and it was fascinating! I also listened to students from the local school read their original poems. They were brilliant and so inspiring! Hearing each reader speak about why poetry is so important to their lives… a good reminder that poetry is the common denominator in all cultures… the thread that draws us together! It was certainly true on Saturday as we listened, learned, and enjoyed poems from all over the world!
On Sunday, I spent some a lot of time Googling the international poets to find more about them…talk about rabbit holes! I have a bit of a list of books to try and find. I am hoping that the library will have some but I have not looked yet.
I also finished my little series of watercolors on Sunday. This was so much fun! Of course, I like some better than others… but even in those I felt I could have done better… there are still elements in those paintings that I like! A small scrap of paper, three water colors, and my imagination… a very fun combination and there will absolutely be more of this as the year goes on!
2/8 is going to make putting these someplace permanent challenging! Note to self: decide on an orientation and stick to it!
I would say that my favorite thing right now are painting rocks, but I surprised myself with the jar of daffodils on my desk!
Now for the reminder… Next Monday, March 31st, will be our Word Check In for March! I will have my post up bright and early next Monday and the link up will be open through the following Sunday, so if Monday’s are not your usual blog day you can join us on your schedule during the week! I hope your month with your word has provided some surprises and I can’t wait to read about what you learned and/or did with your word this month!
See you all back here on Wednesday!
Page 1 of 10412345...102030...»Last »
