Reflections

It has been a great long weekend. This year is different because I actually took the day off. Labor Day is a firm holiday but usually I am so swamped with September 15 tax return deadlines that I have to work the whole weekend. I think I have worked on Labor Day for the last six years. This year I’m all caught up…or I should say I think I’m all caught up. This morning I did wake up at 5:30 am to talk to Emily. However, instead of scanning the paper I was able to read it and enjoy my cup of coffee. It was wonderful. I did come across this little tidbit from the paper.

Why was  Labor Day invented?
Labor Day came about because workers felt they were spending too many hours and days on the job. In the 1830s, on average, manufacturing workers were putting in 70-hour weeks. Sixty years later, in 1890, hours of work had dropped, although the average manufacturing worker still toiled in a factory 60 hours a week. 

As the U.S. economy expanded beyond farming and basic manufacturing in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it became important for businesses to find consumers interested in buying the products and services being produced in ever greater amounts. Shortening the workweek was one way of turning the working class into the consuming class.

The original holiday was meant to handle a problem of long working hours and no time off. Although the battle over these issues would seem to have been won long ago, this issue is starting to come back with a vengeance, not for manufacturing workers but for highly skilled white-collar workers, many of whom are constantly connected to work.

I found  two things to be of interest. 

1. The shorter workweek turned the working class into a consuming class. There is merit here. When I’m working long hours I do not have to spend money.  Today, I had to tell myself to delete all those emails regarding “Labor Day” sales. I did not need to buy more stuff even though it was tempting.
2. Sometimes I feel so tied to work. If I am not constantly staying in touch with the office that I will get so far behind. This is especially true during a busy tax season. That is what feels strange….I’m not behind for once. It is a great feeling to have the day off.

So I spent the day cleaning my office and catching up on bills and correspondence. I know I could have gone somewhere but it felt wonderful just to be home.

I discovered that Maximus thinks he is the man of the house when I am not home. He is already to spend the day relaxing on my  nightly TV spot. 

Check out the photos I sent you in the moments app: https://fb.me/1JBLAmEDBcRGKFk

Not sure how user friendly the Moments app is….maybe it is me😕

Goodbye August….Hello September. I can’t believe another month is over.

My exercise time has gotten out of sync. I used to exercise six days a week pretty regularly but lately it has been spotty. I have thought about exercising 30 minutes in the morning and then try to fit in 30 minutes in the evening. The evening exercise usually falls by the wayside. This morning since I was unable to exercise I determined I would find time for 30 minutes of a HIIT routine. I read that HITT routines would be good to do. Of course, I put it off and was contemplating not keeping my word to myself until I check my email. I have been researching menopause and weight loss and I must have signed up for various newsletter. Tonight’s newspaper stated that choosing not to exercise was choosing to be ill. Just what I needed. A kick in the pants to get my butt up and head upstairs to the exercise room. I did not last 30 minutes but the point is that I did get up do it. You know what. It was not so bad. 😆

I wonder how I can sit at a desk all day long and feel so exhausted when I get home. I had grand ideas of doing an exercise video tonight since I will not have time to exercise tomorrow morning.  My plans changed when I walked into the house and dear hubby decided we need to both talk to the car repair man about some imagined car issues and then go out to eat because it would be too late to cook something up. I am so ready to go to sleep. I wonder if I were to fall asleep right now would I sleep through the night (not counting the bathroom breaks) or would I wake up and them not be able to sleep….I don’t care I think I will drift off. My eyes want to close…goodnight.

What can I say…I paid bills and I’m now poor and exhausted.  Makes me thankful for work tomorrow. 

The joke in our family is that the men cannot use power tools. Many times we have gone to the emergency room due to an injury caused by using such tools. Today dear hubby was using the chop saw to cut the new molding on the hallway remodel. As you can see from the picture the watch saved him from a serious cut on the arm. He was a little disappointed that his watch will need to be replaced.  I’m most thankful it was the watch that was damaged and not him.

Earlier in the day we went to see the movie “Ben Hur”. I know it was not given good reviews but we enjoyed the movie very much. Overall a great day.

Since it is National Dog Day I thought I would feature the dogs in my life.

Here is Maximus with his very serious dog face. I love all the different dog eyes that he makes. When Maximus was a puppy my son adopted him. However, my son did not consider apartment life and his hectic work schedule so Maximus came to live with us. At first we were not too excited about this but Maximus has wormed himself into our affections and we love him very much.

This is Corky. We rescued him when he was 18 months old and we have had the pleasure of his company going on 12 years. It is getting hard for him to jump up on the couch and sometimes he gets a little grouchy but we love him anyway. Corky and Maximus are best of friends. Maximus is alway checking on Corky and making sure that Corky is okay.

The newest edition to the family is Toothless. He is my son’s new puppy. My son now has a house but we are always are going over to walk and tend the puppy due to my son’s shift work. Toothless is very excitable. It was hard for me to get a picture of him. We did discovered the way to wear him out…he loves to chase a laser pointer. Now before our walks we let him chase the laser pointer. It sure makes for a calmer walk.

I love this cartoon….

I do take Estroven to help with hot flashes, mood swings and my energy level. The other day I was reading in the Houston Chronicle how exercising can minimize the severity of hot flashes. I have noticed this to be relatively true on the days I exercise.  The article also said that weight loss may also lessen hot flashes but losing weight after menopause is “difficult”.  I do need to lose a few pounds since the two years since my hysterectomy and the one year since my knee surgery. I can with all honesty say that losing weight though seems impossible. I know in my head that I’m to keep a food journal and I do try to keep track of it somewhat. Also in my quest to figure out why I am having such a difficult time  I did some research on the internet about menopause and weight loss. The calorie intake to loose weight was only 1200-1300 calories, along with burning 1000-1500 calories a week by exercising.I probably burn 1000-1500 calories a week by the exercise that I do.  The problem is when I exercise I get hungry and it is hard to stay in the 1200-1300 calorie range.

I know that I can do this. I need to change that horrible self talk that is in my head.  Losing this extra weight is not difficult or impossible.  I can do this…I just need to focus…

I love these pants. I love them so much I broke my fashion rule. The rule that says you know you are old when you find a clothing item and you like it so much you have to buy all of them that you can get your hands on. Well, I found these pants at Kohls and purchased all the ones in my size. Then I went online and purchased a couple more. I  have fallen in love big time. The best part of these pants is that they are pull on pants and they feel like yoga pants. I think they look good enough to wear to the office. The best part is that they were on sales for $16. Man, I love these pants….