Trudging on

I'm at a point of trying to decide if I'm going to keep with weight watchers another month or just use a free food tracker.  I'm not sure if one is better than the other, but I do like being able to see how much exercise I have done for the week in terms of points. I have begun to make sure that I exercise enough to cover whatever extra food that i'm eating above my 31 points and not touch the "free" points that they give me. No matter than I am not losing any weight still. I find that I don't mind so much anymore. My inches aren't shrinking either...However, the working out is paying off in spades. Liberty spun out on me last weekend and I didn't fall off. Today he spooked several times and my new core strength kept me from falling off.  He threw a little buck today and I stayed centered. So whether or not I lose another pound (I have lost a total of 7 since I started back in April) I can tell that my work is paying off.

I got to go to Alanna's place in the grasslands last night and ride with Vicki Fraser and Alanna. Annette Griffin and Deena Moore were to have come, but it didn't work out. It was so nice to leave the city behind, sit outside and gab and talk. I even ran a little with Vicki and the horses (very little b/c I got winded) but we had a nice walk around the pond on Alanna's 80 acres.  Today we got up early, at a big breakfast (emphasis on big) and went riding from 8 till about noon. we rode the yellow trail and checked out the new bridge. We took turns leading, mixed up the pace a little so that no one got overheated, but we did manage to hit every pond. Liberty did his best to cool us all off, but blessedly did not lay down. We shared lunch and we went our separate ways.

It seems like it took me forever to get home today...traffic and all, but it was worth it for the get away. 

I will work tomorrow and part of Saturday.  I will get up and lift weights and swim or run tomorrow. I'll try to hit a class on Saturday,but I have to do my CPR certification on Saturday morning, so it will be whatever I can fit in.  I need to step up my running, but I like the swimming so much more.  I will just have to wait and see.

I have 3 clients tomorrow for a total 4:30 music and massage combined. I have some new massage contracts I have picked up that start tomorrow, so I'm pretty excited about that as well. God has blessed me with more work!

Maggie and I are supposed to be meeting up with Christa and Michaela to ride a couple days next week as a mini-vacation. It happens that the days we're meeting up are project to be under 100 and possibly raining...I don't mind to ride in the rain in they don't. Christa and Michaela have been gone to California for almost 3 weeks. We have missed them.

Working out

An amazing thing has happened. I actually like to work out. I'm not sure what has happened to me but I like it. I went to hip hop dance class last night and it was great fun. If I miss a morning I actually find another time to work out. Ok so my weight loss is slow but I am fitter and stronger and that makes me happy.

Alice Yovich
Sent from my iPhone

Help for horses. Bluebonnet Equine humane society

Howdy everyone,

 

I'm hoping you'll forward the below message to email lists, message boards, Facebook, friends, family, etc. who might be able to help.  This is the most sincere, from the heart plea for help I could write.   I'm scared for so many horses out there across Texas and I worry about our ability to help them.

 

****

 

I've been involved in rescue since 1998. I have faced many challenges:  halter breaking and taming wild horses, learning to run an organization, overcoming a nearly crippling fear of public speaking to speak out about rescue horses, testifying at seizure cases, etc.  I have held horses' heads in my lap and cried over them when it was time to let them go.  I've cried tears as some of my favorite horses have left for new homes, and I've smiled and laughed and felt overwhelming joy when I hear wonderful success stories about our horses and their adopters.  I've met some wonderful people.  I've faced horrible burnout and overcome it to help more horses.

 

I am not alone in this – there are many people in BEHS who have walked similar paths and help many horses.  There are people across the country and around the world helping horses.  I'm so grateful so be part of that brotherhood (sisterhood? Personhood?) of humans helping horses.  And I want to extend a huge, giant, ginormous thank you to the foster homes, adopters, members and donors who make BEHS possible. 

 

But 2011 is the most challenging year I've faced.  The economy has affected so many of our members – people have had to return their beloved horses, they've had to stop fostering and some have been forced to let their membership lapse.  Donations are down, adoptions are down and we rarely have anyone new sign up to foster.  The drought has made grass non-existent and hay is nearly impossible to find. 

 

But the need for help continues to grow by leaps and bounds.  We're receiving more neglect reports than usual, we're turning away people who want to donate horses they cannot afford to keep, and we're unable to help starving, abused and abandoned horses when sheriff's departments call.  We won't agree to take in horses from cases when we don't have the homes or funds to care for them.  And this means we're turning many, many horses away.  More than I've ever had to turn away before.

 

 

So I am begging from  help.  If you are looking to add a horse to your herd, please consider adoption.  Our fees are very low (and July is adopt one, get one free month).  Many of our horses disprove the myth that rescue horses can't be successful.  If you have extra room and can foster, please sign up (BEHS pays for pre-approved vet care, pre-approved medications, $10 of each farrier visit and paste de-wormers.  Other expenses may be tax-deductible).  Join the rescue – you don't have to volunteer, live in Texas, or even be a horse person to join BEHS.  Your membership says you support BEHS and the horses in the rescue.  Or make a donation to help care for the horses in the rescue.

 

I have never been this worried about the future of the horses in Texas or so scared about our ability to help them.  Please help me and help Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society continue to help needy horses.

 

Thank you for your time reading this,

 

Jennifer

 

 

------

Jennifer Williams, Ph.D.

President & Executive Director, Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society

www.bluebonnetequine.org

 

Join us for the annual Bluebonnet Horse Expo on October 22, 2011 in Austin, TX -www.bluebonnethorseexpo.com

 

Learn how to start and run your own rescue - www.howtostartarescue.com

 

-- 
If you need approval for routine vet work (vaccinations, teeth floating, castration, etc.) please contact Jennifer Williams atjenn@bluebonnetequine.org or Denise Crosthwait atdcrosthwait@sandersandwest.com. 
 
Emergency contacts - Please attempt to contact Jenn first. If you cannot reach her, then try Denise or Paula. If you try all three but cannot reach any of them, leave messages for them and then call your veterinarian.
 
Jennifer Williams - 254 881 2180 or 832 425 8129 (emergencies only)
Denise Crosthwait - 979-272-7404, 979 777 0768 or 979-846-5700 Option 2 (emergencies only)
Paula Weisskopf - 713-705-5343 
 

Alice Yovich

Sent from my iPhone

Saturday

Last night we went to Johnnie High's country music revue in Arlington. It's just down the street from where we live. It's a country music show that has local talent, but has also helped to launch the careers of several country stars.  There was a singer there last night that was on the voice. his sister was singing in the show and he had come to hear her sing. His name is Patrick Thomas.  He was on his way to Nashville as of this am. He was pretty amazing. I also ran into one of my friends there. I found out she was there b/c she posted on facebook, and the little bubble came across Peter's phone. It was pretty funny.  Peter had been wanting to go to this place for ages.

We went to Babe's fried chicken for dinner first...and yes, I could have had grilled chicken, but why would i when their fried chicken is so tasty. However, I looked up the 'cost' in weight watchers for one fried chicken breast and it was 19 points. Geesh!  Oh well, I had planned to try it Lynne's way this week and have a cheat day followed by all good days. We'll see what happens with that.

I'm afraid I'm getting a cold. I have woken up with sore throat and goo in my lungs two days in a row. I'm hoping it's just allergy and I can hold it off.

Yesterday we saw off a good friend, Toni Roland, before she let for her move to New York.  The weekend riding and hanging out didn't go as well as planned since Toni's movers were slow to arrive and then Karen Haile had to work late Friday and then Teresa had a family thing to take care of, but we managed to mostly get it done.  We rode at Teresa's on Friday evening, just on the "soft" side of her place. We went into the Paluxi River and let the horses play in the water.  Liberty was very funny! He swam in the river, rolled over and dug up moss from the water and flung it everywhere. It was absolutely hilarious. Olympus is getting to be great on the trail. He walks calmly, takes his other gaits calmly and we even managed to work on a gate yesterday, though it took forever.  He never got upset about any of it though.  He just kept letting me put him back into the situation he wasn't crazy about and eventually settled and did what was asked.  He's such a nice horse!

We will really miss Toni in Texas! It was great to see her, but all too short. She is on her way to Bar 50 ranch. I wish I were going with her. She is going to wind her way to New York via bed and barns and riding. 

Boot camp

Second time at boot camp went much better than the first. I made it through 75% of the ab work and 80% of the rest of it. I'm going to sore tomorrow so it occurs to me I may be swimming instead of running but I'll see how I feel in the morning. My food has gone better this week. I still have weekly points leftover. I weighed tonight which was a huge mistake since it said I weighed 220. This morning it said 216 which is .8 higher than last week. I am not eating extra because I am working out more. I should be losing weight. I'm starting to wonder if I need a doctor. This is just crazy. Maybe my muscle tone was so pitiful that it's tKing forever to rev up my metabolism. But this is just nuts.

My secret weapons have been 5htp and kon jac root. Both keep me from being so hungry. Maybe it's sugar? I still eat a treat within my points every day. It's just nuts.

I got up and did some riding this am. Sat on fiera while she grazed and did ground work with Liberty. Linda is coming to hang out for the weekend starting tomorrow. I like Linda. We are going to Teresa musgrave's to see out friend Toni off. She is getting divorced and moving to Ny state. I hate that she is leaving.

Alice Yovich
Sent from my iPhone

Running

Today I finished week 2 of couch to 5K.  Next week is a big jump. I go from running 90 seconds and off for 2 minutes to doing that 2 times and then doing 3 minutes on with a 3 minute recovery. I hope that I can keep my pace slow and do it, but I'm concerned I'm not ready. I will do that on Thursday.  Tomorrow, I will be swimming, Wednesday biking. Hopefully I can do it! 

So, I weighed today...and I'm four pounds higher than last week, which makes no sense. My eating has even been good.  I measured myself and some of my measurements are actually higher than the last time. Geesh, I can't seem to get a break. I like doing Weight Watchers because I like knowing how my food is affecting me in relationship to my exercise and I like having the points to see if I'm giving myself too many treats. However, it's really frustrating to have the scales go nowhere in spite of my efforts since April. It may be that I have to not use my weekly points and I may need to cut my carbs a bit more. I have been trying to keep the sugar at bay and I have been eating balanced meals of a protein, veggie and healthy carb each week.  it just doesn't seem to always get me anywhere.

However, I'm not going to quit. I'm going to keep working out, more weights, more time in the pool and more time on the bike. Something is bound to move eventually. If not...then I'll be the fittest fat woman in America.

Boot camp

This morning I decided to conquer boot camp. I think, perhaps, it conquered me. I actually did pretty well and found that I enjoyed it. I put the Wednesday night class on my calendar so I can go again and I hope to take Maggie. I may not make it because Maggie and I tend to ride Wednesday nights. But if it's on my calendar I have half a chance of making it. Especially it's hot outside.

This morning i got up and made Peter and myself breakfast. He picked up Maggie from her friends while I was working out. Then I made us all lunch and we have cleaned house. Now Maggie and I are watching the tv show "v" from last season. When it cools we will go to ride. In the meantime I'm enjoying some downtime.

Bicycling

Today was my first day to bicycle. peter fixed the bike I bought from Amy Crane last summer and then never rode. He got the brakes fixed and the tires are new and improved. So, today, I wasn't feeling like the pool, so I decided to take out the bike and do that for the first time. It was so much harder than I expected. I rode for 26 minutes. I have no idea how far I went or how fast I was going.  I rode from the house, down the street, across Collins to the bike and walking path by the football stadium. From there I rode up to division and almost back to randol mill, but I couldn't make it up a big hill, so I turned around and went back at that point. I had to stop a couple times and rest for about 30 seconds or so, but I made it back home. I even rode past the group of dayworkers waiting for work that I have always been intimidated to walk by.  So, I only burned 3 points on the weight watchers scale of points, so I know i have to do some riding, walking or swimming or something else later today...but at least I got out there and did it.

I have been at it for 3 weeks now and this week has been hard to be as intense as I was the past two weeks. I find myself being tired this week and wimping out on the workouts a little. I have done my work out every day, but I haven't worked as hard.  I read in one of my books that the third week was the hardest one, so it could be that I'm just hitting that hump. After 21 days the exercise is supposed to become more of a habit.

In other news: I had someone ask me if I could watch their disabled family member in the mornings and I said yes. But when I gave my price of $10/hour, she didn't get back to me. I did say that I wasn't sure what people charged, so I was willing to negotiate, but she never replied. It may be too much money for them. But, I will be having to revamp my whole daily schedule and find a new time to work out (which is becoming important to me) so I don't feel the need to work for nothing when it's going to turn my schedule upside down. The other side is that I really could use the extra cash, even if it's not as much as I would like to have. I'm not sure yet which one is the best choice. I could come back and offer $8/hour and I could offer to do his therapy when I'm there on one of the days so they would only be paying me for three days...but then I still have to rework my schedule. I could sure use that cash in my debt snowball. 

Today I am seeing one client, but it's far away. Maggie is going to hang with her friend Abby and go swimming. Then I hope, since it's "only" going to be 99, we'll ride this afternoon. If it's too hot, we'll come home, have supper and go out this evening.

we had a great time last night playing with the new Glee Karaoke game.  We had a great time singing Glee songs with each other. I usually do really well on those games, but I was consistently flat last night and Maggie and Peter and Maggie kept beating me. We had fun anyway.

Maggie and I went to see Buck the Movie last night. It was so awesome. We really enjoyed ourselves. It wasn't really a horse training movie, but it was neat to see how one of the most revered natural horsemen lives his life.