Oh boy it’s Friday! Happy Day!
The snow FINALLY stopped late last night and the SUN is actually shining today. (Oh yeah!!) I just got in from another round of snowblowing and shoveling. This is the fourth time, I think. They are all starting to run together. All told we seem to have received somewhere between 20″ and 28″. It’s hard to say as I do not own a yardstick. It’d be easy to think we got like 5 feet since every time I snowblow, I seem to be going through an 18″ wall of snow.
Do you miss my normal weight training logs that I typically list on here? I’ve been so out of my normal routine. I’m still getting plenty of exercise. Just in different ways. My chest/shoulder muscles are toast from pushing the crazy snowblower. Imagine those sleds you see linemen pushing in football practice, where the coach stands on it and the linebacker runs at it and tries to push it. This has been my exercise for the past 48 hours. Some parts of our sidewalk have snow so high (thanks a bunch city snowplows) that the snowblower didn’t want to go through. So I’d back up and try to get a running start. Hit a wall. Push it down to climb OVER it and shave a bit off the top. Then take another run at it. I never thought snowblowing would be hard work. (Thank you MSP for having done it all these years… maybe if you’d complain a little I’d know how much it sucks!! You made it look so fun and easy.) 
MSP is too level-headed to rant about stuff the way I do…
Today I actually gave up on about a 20-foot section along the side of our house — nothing I did would make the snowblower go through it. And I started yelling cuss words out loud instead of in my head. That’s when I knew it was time to come inside.
I tried to be optimistic and think up ”silver linings” to fight my black cloud thinking…
Black Cloud: why on earth did we buy a house with a 3-car garage? Which translates into a 3-car DRIVEWAY to shovel?
Silver Lining: Just think of all the extra exercise you get with that.
Black Cloud: why on earth did we buy a house sitting on an outer curve so that our front sidewalk is extra long and takes forever to snowblow & shovel?
Silver Lining: Just think of all the extra calories you burn with that.
Black Cloud: what were we thinking buying a house on a corner lot which means we have to clear the sidewalk all along the SIDE of the lot too?
Silver Lining: Just think of all the extra cardio you get with that.
Black Cloud: why didn’t we realize that as soon as we’d get done clearing that sidewalk along the side of the lot, the snow plows would come through and cover it all right back up again? (boo hoooo)
Silver Lining: Just think of all that extra muscle building you get with that.
Yep that’s all I could come up with. Extra exercise, calories, cardio, muscle work. I am definitely ready to start looking for jobs in Arizona. If I’m thinking about how much I hate winter in October, then it’s going to be a L-O-N-G winter.
After all that work outside in the cold, I was a total “hollow leg” yesterday when it came to food. 
I had half a Larabar before going out for the morning session:
Then an apple with almond butter afterward:
Lunch at home between vet visits (mmm veggie wrap):
Once home for good it was time to ACT like it was a snow day – grab a cup of tea, a couple of cookies and a book. Notice that I am trying to attract warmer weather by using my Hawaii mug and reading a book where people are walking on a BEACH!
And then even more “acting like it’s a snow day” with a glass of wine, raw goat cheese with Mary’s Gone Crackers and some TV action:
At dinner I figured I should have at least a few more veggies for the day, since I neglected to make a green smoothie:
A little spaghetti squash, zucchini ribbons, raw marinara sauce, and spinach. Lightly warmed in the microwave to take off the cold edge.
After a few game of Wii “Big Brain Academy” I even had to have some Count Chocula cereal, in honor of Halloween!
Outside of the snowblowing and the $200 vet visit followed by a $45 pet pharmacy visit (which should have just been a quick eye stain and a ‘looks good, she’s all set’) we did have a very fine snow day. I was so glad MSP got to work from home! There’s just something about getting to stay home because of snow that brings back that wild excitement we had as kids when school was canceled. LOVE IT! When he got the email Wednesday night, we literally danced around with our arms in the air. You immediately think “wahoo I can stay up late and sleep in!” (And of course I didn’t make it past 8:45 pm… lame!)
So now tomorrow we have Halloween! I feel bad for the kids in Colorado who will have to trudge around in all this melting snow. I’m curious to know what you all do for Halloween? If you have kids do you take them around the neighborhood? Or to a local ‘safe’ place like the zoo, mall, etc.? If you don’t have kids, do you stay home and pass out candy? Go see a scary movie? Hide in your basement like we do? Drop a comment!
Have a FABULOUS FRIDAY and I’ll see you all next time!
– Shari B. =)
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#1 by Joan on October 30, 2009 - 1:17 pm
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That much snow is too cold for me for sure. Give me our mild winters, with the water near by to keep us warmish any day. Although I do get cold, last winter was frightful. I was dreaming of a warm sandy Christmas in 08. It’s about 60 today, nice. Usually in Oct it’s in the low 50′s and wet. Hopefully it will warm up a bit soon for you?
No kiddies, but we stay home and pass out OODLES of candy. The good stuff. Kids come to our neighborhood by the car loads, and most of the neighbors have wee ones…so fun to see the costumes every year.
I don’t go in for scary movies either.
Pumpkins to carve today…I tried toasting the seeds once, they were tough, poked me in the gums and were generally nasty. I’ll stick to the store bought ones.
Happy Halloween !
#2 by Cindy on October 30, 2009 - 11:15 am
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WOW that was long!
oops
#3 by Cindy on October 30, 2009 - 11:14 am
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I just can’t fathom. REALLY…I am glad though that you are out there and now you don’t need to get any more exercise in. What a chore. I get ice on my car (but not now since it’s snug and toasty in our bigger garage) but before that I used to have to give myself 10 extra minutes while me and the hubs poured warm water on my windsheld to melt the frost.
sorry…that’s as icy as things get in So Cal.
we umm, do have earthquakes. does that count?
I did last night…abs.. crunches..lots of them..till they sucked. and I RAN TOO. put on those shoes…and ran 2 miles in 20. than wheezed.
we have summers that are like 115…for weeks. thats suckish! (it’s VERY suckish)
So I have to tell you…because I need to hit the store and I ate the pantry clean already…lunch is on you today. I have a can of soup (already here) but with my new crackers….AND a lemon Larabar for later.
PLUS last night I baked for the first time Spaghetti squash…LOVE IT
so that is for supper later.
how are you eating so much raw foods still. I am trying to use smoothies for my fix but I need warm stuff (in my 40-50 and near 70 in the day time) weather.
I ama flipping baby!
Halloween? we are taking JJ to friends home nearby to play. maybe one or two doors but with that freaggin’ flu going around we’re not taking chances.
later we might put on freaky movies and eat popcorn (after baby goes to bed) and eat our candy! haha
Tonight we are carving pumpkins (or tomorrow am) and roasting seeds. It’s really our first Halloween with the baby and i am super excited. (even thought it’s a simple one)
last Halloween I had just had ear surgery and was in bed. boo. bad mommy.
Happy Friday
you need a new acronym for snowblowing and cardio
snardio! HA