Boo

Yes it is. Lifting weights is one thing. Lifting a weighted object while the weight is constantly shifting makes things that much more difficult. The dissonant voices in my head agreed that the sandbag workout both "sucked" and was "awesome." A little bit of masochism goes a long way.

Good job Katgirl. Congratulations.

This all gets back to the one question. The only question that matters in determining the success of a quit: Did I smoke today? If the answer to that question is "no", you're good to go. If you answered "yes", you're not doing it right. If you craved a cigarette all day but didn't smoke one, your quit is good. If you romanticized cigarettes all day but didn't smoke, your quit is good. If you were cranky or weepy or a little bit of both but refused to light up, your quit is good. Quitting smoking is a one question test that is graded on a pass/fail basis. The degree of difficulty one has in taking the test is not a factor. Not smoking is the only thing that matters in a quit. Everything else is a peripheral issue.

I've been incorporating more strongman lifts into my strength training, e.g., Farmer's Walks, Sled Pushes, Sled Pulls, Tire Flips, and most recently Sandbags. This morning I was pressed for time but really wanted to get in a workout. I did a short but hard sandbag workout: SB Get-Ups, SB Overhead Press, SB Over-the-Shoulder Throws, and finished with Heavy SB Carries. The workout only lasted twenty-minutes, but thoroughly kicked my ass. If you're a glutton for punishment on a schedule and you're looking to get strong...I suggest trying a sandbag workout.

The realization that Chris just described marked the turning point in my quit. I had pledged to dig in my heels and fight like hell. Then I asked myself: what am I fighting? Cigarettes and cravings, an inanimate object and some passing thoughts. The things I was fighting have as much or as little power as I give them. I knew if I smoked again it wouldn't be because the cigarettes launched an offensive and caught me unprepared. If I smoked again it would be because I made the choice to light up another cigarette. The choice was mine and I had all the power. The day I quit fighting was the day I won the war.

Between dirty diapers, a dog that is a voracious eater, and the the donkey pen...I'm sitting on a goldmine here. There's poop in them thar hills!

Yep.

It's my understanding that cooked spinach is better for you than raw spinach. The cooking process does something that makes it easier for the body to absorb the nutrients in the spinach. Admittedly, I don't really know how that works, but a couple of different nutritionist types that I trust have said the same thing. These are guys I'll take at their word. I whip up a pretty good Florentine omelet with spinach and feta cheese. The better half cooks up toasted ravioli with spinach that is fine eating. There are a lot of options with spinach.

Good job Linda.

Congratulations Steven.

Took advantage of the long weekend and finished the playhouse. At least I thought I was done. Then Jordan posted the picture of a playhouse with a deck. Now, I'm thinking an addition might be in order. Maddie spent a good bit of yesterday playing in her new house. I don't know what important piece of mail she's waiting on, but she checks her mailbox every couple of minutes. We wrote her some little notes and put pictures of penguins that we found online in there. She put several small rocks that she found around the yard in her cabinet...I guess if she needs them, she knows right where they are. We also had a small bag of apple slices on the front porch. Maddie would grab a slice and walk over to give the donkeys a treat. I tell ya what...moving into a new place leads to a bunch of new chores.

Spinach is rich in both lutein and zeaxanthin. Spinach is a bona-fide "superfood." Don't take my word for it. Just ask this guy...

Good job Ace. Look at him go!

High five Robbie.

We're doing some interior work on Maddie's playhouse before I put the roof on. Sugar Britches refurbished a small kitchen cabinet. Now Maddie will have a countertop with storage space below in her house. I added a wall-mounted mailbox next to the door and put a small woodpecker door knocker on the door. The playhouse is very close to being finished. The completion date is a fluid one as we keep coming up with new ideas. Meanwhile, Miss Maddie is busy figuring out how to climb stairs. She uses her right leg to push up and get her left leg on the first step. Then she drops her left leg to use it to push and get her right leg up on the first step. Right now, her problem is that she ends up right back where she started. She'll figure it out. The little gal has a stubborn streak. Monday night, we had a thunderstorm here. As I've mentioned before, Maddie does not like thunder. Sugar Britches was holding her. I was reading her a story. Even Cash piled up on the couch next to her. During the height of the storm, Maddie pointed outside and said: "Deke, Deke." In spite of being scared, she was worried about the donkeys...such a sweet little girl.

Welcome aboard the Quit Train Freedom53. Good call on giving up the smokes. You can change the beat you're dancing to anytime you like. The choice is yours. You have all the power.

Can you hear me now?

And now I know. My star is on the rise, I'm a "rising star."

How do you get a point in this new system? My profile says I'm a mere one point from achieving my next rank. I don't know what comes after "community regular", but my curiosity has been piqued. I'm not above doing a song-and-dance number to get the attention I need...

The remnants of Hurricane Ida are rolling through here today. So, you might notice a theme here.

I used to date a girl that never learned to swim. I asked her: "Are you afraid of the water?" She answered: "No." I said: " You should be, you can't swim." She called me a "smartass."

I'm not really in a position to tell anyone how to deal with boredom. With a toddler in the house, boredom is never an issue. And I do call my lovely and talented wife "Sugar Britches." She told me early on in our relationship that she doesn't like pet names. So, me being me, I bestowed her with the cheesiest pet name I could think of. My mom does some volunteer work at a place that helps disadvantaged folks with the basic necessities of life. It's mostly clerical work or some very light sorting. She has flexible hours and they have been really good at working with her. She has benefitted greatly from her time there. Places that rely on volunteers are thankful for any and all help they receive. Most would be more than happy to work out a schedule that is mutually beneficial.

If you're looking at committing to an exercise regimen, you need to plan for those "punch the clock" days. Not really feeling it, but you get in the gym and do the work anyway. I've had days where I didn't feel like working out, but just by starting the process and doing some work, I ended up having a good workout. Felt better the rest of the day for having stuck to my routine. Every now and again you'll have days where your mind and body are perfectly in sync. You feel motivated and ready to get after it. Might even feel like grabbing life by the balls and swinging it around. Enjoy those days, they are few and far between.

Elizabeth Cook played this one earlier today during her "Apron Strings" show. Took me back, my grandfather thought these guys were hilarious.