Thursday, August 1, 2024

Let’s Gather, Let’s Chat


The  pleasure from a warm mug of goodness really makes my day.

Even in the heat (and humidity) of summer, I find myself still reaching for that daily hot beverage each morning. After all, I’m usually within the confines of an air-conditioned dwelling, so why not?

Even better, I love my chat time with friends, family, and other special peeps. Sharing a laugh (or several) is always a fun time as we catch-up on the latest happenings. 

 I say we gather for a bit and combine the two…

If we were gathered for a chat, I’d tell you about my July stats. Ugh, the running was less than stellar. I'm not losing any sleep over it, though (I think all the biking is keeping me sleepy, LOL). Walking continues to be a constant, most days. And, what can I say? I'm now living right next to a fabulous trail, and I'm pretty close to many others in the greater Des Moines area. I am taking full advantage, and am loving every minute of it.


If we were gathered for a chat, I’d also share that I’ve brought back the daily leg lifts and push-ups. The time commitment is minimal, so I’m not sure when (or why) they were filtered out of my daily regimen. I'm also joining forces with a few peeps for a daily core challenge.



If we were gathered for a chat, I’d express (yet again) my annoyance of the extreme humidity of late. While we always have humidity in Iowa, it’s not usually so heavy and so steadfast as it’s been recently. For all intents and purposes, I have mostly given up on hairspray since it exacerbates the situation rather than combating it. I guess I am actually saving time on my “getting ready” routine since I’m not washing & drying my hair very frequently. My fine limp hair is usually going into a ponytail or messy bun of some sort, so that that saves me a solid 30 minutes most days. Glass half full!



If we were gathered for a chat, I tell you that I'm contemplating adding a little more indoor cycling to my regimen. Although I MUCH prefer being outdoors, there are those days when there's rain and/or excess wind (neither of which are present in my basement). It's a great cardio option when I'm stuck inside since I'm currently without a treadmill..


If we were gathered for a chat, I’d tell you a bit more about Krystal. She’s been with me two years, and has ridden many miles in that time (including two appearances at RAGBRAI and a century ride). This week, she spent a night in the “bike hospital,” where she received two new tires, a mirror and had her seat raised a bit. We celebrated by going for a 16-mile ride, Wednesday evening, only to be locked out of our house upon returning. It turns out there was an apparent power surge, and it tripped the GFI outlet in the garage…thus rendering the garage keypad useless. BTW, the going rate for a locksmith is $180 in my area (just in case anyone is wondering). 


So, there you have it. Just a few things I'd bring to the table, if we were gathered for a chat.

How about you? Are you game for some gathering and chatting? What would you care to share? Is the humidity a deal-breaker for your hair? Got any daily exercises you do just because? Ever been locked out and needed to summon a locksmith?

 Since it's the first weekend of the month, I'm linking this with Deborah and Coco for the Ultimate Coffee Date.


I'm also linking this with MichelleReneeDarleneJenn and Zenaida for the Fit Five Friday Link-up.


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24 comments:

  1. Yes the humidity has been a beast this summer for sure! Knock wood, I've not been locked out of the house, however may years ago I managed to lock my keys in my car ALONG WITH Thing 1, who was toddler, already strapped in her car seat. A call to the police got that taken care of pronto. Ugh!

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    1. That would be so scary locking a little one in the car!

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  2. Let's see...if I had to guess when the daily leg lifts and pushups went out the window I'd put my money on around the time that you moved. There's nothing like extended chaos to get out of simple habits.

    This time of year a ponytail is the only hairstyle that makes sense.

    I need to take Bikie to see the doctor. My front brake is out and I'm curious to see if a tuneup would put a little pep in his step.

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    1. Oh, I hope Bikie is alright! It is a ummer when things are not working correctly...I have no clue on how to troubleshoot with my bikes.

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  3. Oh no on being locked out and yikes on the $180 fee! Our front door has a battery operated keypad and I’ve been locked out when the battery died.

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    1. I've often wondered about the battery. I think there's a battery in the keypad, though it's ''connected" to the main unit (which is electrical). What a confusing mess, LOL!

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  4. My husband has somehow locked himself out of the house a couple times this summer, and had to climb through a window. I guess that means a burglar could also climb through that window... we should probably look into that.
    Indoor cycling might be my least favorite thing ever, so kudos to you for WANTING to do it! And, to answer your question, recently I've been doing daily PT-type exercises for hip stability. I need it!

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    1. Yeah, when the locksmith got access tot he rope (via the garage door), it instantly made me wonder how easily it would be for others to do so.

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  5. My running stats also took a slide last month. I’m also opting for other activities until it cools off. I don’t know why I stopped cycling outside?! I have to wash my hair everyday with all this sweating but it just doesn’t behave in the humidity either

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    1. The humidity is just ridiculous! My hair is so flat, it really needs product to have a little bit of volume...but the humidity turns it all to frizz.

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  6. This humidity has been no friend to my hair - I have embraced ponytails and updo's for the foreseeable future!

    I need to get back on my indoor bike. As the reno wraps up here my bike will be getting a new home soon - I miss the cardio boost!

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    1. I take the indoor bike for granted, especially this time of year. I hate being confined indoors in the summer...

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  7. I don’t think any amount of running is less than stellar. That would mean my stats were less than stellar too as I ran 50 miles this month.

    The humidity is insane here as well. No bueno!!! And for me, sometimes I straighten my hair for a super straight ponytail… 20 min later it’s already curling again!!

    I love my spin bike but we are currently renovating and everything is a mess right now. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I’ll have my workout space sorted again.

    You got a deal on a locksmith!! Going rate here is around EUR350!!! That’s about $380!! Bummer that you got locked out though.

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    1. Well, my running mileage is usually in the 80-90 range, so being half of that feels low to me, LOL. I do agree, though, any running is better than no running.

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  8. I used to do triceps push-ups on a bench during our daily walk. At some point, I stopped doing them and now I ask myself why? It's funny how good habits can suddenly disappear.
    It's good that we hold ourselves accountable in our blogs - it keeps us on the straight and narrow!

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    1. Right? Every time I'm tempted to slack off, I remind myself that I have to be honest in what I post on my blog, LOL.

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  9. I've been going with full blown curls for my humidity look. Why fight it?! I have found a new curl cream that has been working well too. Yay! I think your hair looks amazing in the up-dos. If I had your hair I think I'd wear it that way very often. :)

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    1. You're lucky to have some curls! My straight hair feels boring, but any curls I try to add are gone within 15 minutes in this weather.

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  10. I think your walking stats are impressive - my mileage divides between actual running and cycling. :) I am sorry about the humidity... it would drive me nuts for sure.

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    1. The humidity is really a buzzkill. I can handle it, but it's been pretty extreme recently.

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  11. No matter what, your stats are always impressive! I always take my house keys for a run or walk. I have forgotten them a few times but luckily my sister was home and she opened the door for me.

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    1. I usually leave a house key "hidden" outdoors when I go on my runs (if I don't have a pocket), but always use the keypad for the garage door when I'm biking. Lesson learned!

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  12. I do try to carry a key if no one is in the house. Florida gets power failures like nobody's business, especially this time of year. Do you notice that I always wear my hair in a messy bun? There's a reason for that: Humidity. Ugh.

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    1. I can relate to the messy buns, LOL. I'm sporting them a lot these days.

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