Day 97 & 98: 13,034

My knee has been killing me and it's really affecting how much I've been able to move. It's a bummer. I have two days to make up 7112 steps! What a way to end! But I'll be ding danged if I'm going to miss my goal.

Day 90 - 94: 36,615

I took a hard fall on my knee on Friday night and I've been struggling since then. I am so clumsy and my knee is still killing me, almost a week later.

Day 90 - 7860
Day 91 - 11,812
Day 92 - 5738
Day 93 - 9260
Day 94 - 10,279

I made my goal most days but there were a few in there that just were not going to happen. I've felt bad for the puppy because she hasn't gotten her usual jaunts. I'm bummed out that my little experiment could come to a close on such a down note! My knee is starting to feel a bit better, so maybe I'll be in fighting form again soon. I'm 3164 steps behind.

Day 87: 9958

One of the things I've been marveling at is my own body's efficiency. The more I walk a route, the more my body will work to make that route as efficient as possible, which means I earn fewer steps. I don't realize it while it's happening but those subconscious little changes-- cutting across a corner instead of crossing the street properly, using a longer stride when I know the path is level and smooth, walking a little closer to the inside of a well-known curve-- really add up. I need to start walking in new places!

Day 85: 0

I couldn't find any spot on my body to hide my pedometer in my Easter outfit, so I had to leave it off. I don't think it matters much though-- as with most big holidays, exercise wasn't really at the front of my mind. I'd rather skip it and just make the steps up later.

Day 78: 2427

Yikes! What a horrible day! But it was a good day-- I was working hard on my super-mega post for my other blog and spent most of Sunday with my butt in a seat. Now I'm 3382 steps behind. Time to MOVE.

Day 76: 9878

Just missed it!

Day 75: 8903

I've hardly said anything about the No-S diet in a long time and perhaps you (whoever "you" are. I don't think I have a lot of readers over here and that's just fine) assumed I gave it up. No way, chief. I started, what? 15 days ago? It seems like a lot longer than that because the hard part is out of the way. (Grr, I'm trying to figure out the math on this a f.a.i.l.i.n.g.) I am finding I have a lot more time and energy since starting this and I'm working on about 5 creative projects right now-- I'm cooking, I'm sewing (wish I was doing more than that), I got a great idea for a BOOK and outlined it and wrote a couple pages. Feels great!

Day 71 & 72: 8402

Patrick and I had an excellent weekend and I slept a lot. I think I needed a recharge. I'm 351 steps behind, which is just fine by me. I don't like being too far ahead, though I think I would be less sleepy today if I'd been a little more active this weekend!

Day 65: 9345

Our orange tree is ready for harvest! I spent most of Saturday picking oranges, packing them into brown paper bag and then delivering them all over the neighborhood.

In the past, I have to admit that I probably would have driven from stop to stop, pointing to the black clouds overhead and then heavy bags of fruit. Now, those excuses seem to be just that-- excuses. Who cares if a little rain falls on my head or my arms have to actually bear some weight?

Day 57: 8677

I was really surprised to have missed my goal! Ginger and I went out early to the Rosebowl to beat the rain and we had a nice run/walk but I guess I didn't move enough in the afternoon.

Day 51: 6193

So much for not falling behind any more than I already have! The rain is getting really tiresome and now I'm almost a full day behind. Poop.

Day 41-45 - 34,459

It's been a little more than a week since Ginger's emergency. She came home on Monday night in very good spirits with a lot of medication. She was sluggish for a few days and the vet said to take it easy on her, which was tough. Every time I want for my tennis shoes or moved her leash, she was sure she was going out and I didn't feel good going out without her-- I was still worried she'd fall over dead if I wasn't in the same room with her. I forgot to put my pedometer on for a few days but I tried. All in all, I missed two days and I'm now 9485 steps behind. I think this is as honest as I can calculate it.

Day 41 - 3204 (Totally not back in the swing of things.)
Day 42 - 5829 (We walked two blocks and I could see Ginger starting to droop and pant too much, so home we went.)
Day 43 - 11,895 (This was the first day Ginger was able to go on a 30 minute walk.)
Day 44 - 3891 (Rain, rain, rain.)
Day 45 - 9640 (This was the first day we went walking for an hour and she really seemed back to normal.)

So, it's time to get back to it in earnest, with my little buddy at my heals.

Day 40 - 0

The pedometer did not go on, Ginger got into some Advil (which was entirely my fault) and was whisked away to the emergency animal hospital, where the workers are extremely kind and happy to talk with us, even at 2 in the morning. Ginger is going well so far and seems to have charmed the staff completely. We are hopeful that she will pull through this just fine and the only long-term damage will be to our credit card.

I'm alternating between guilt and acceptance and anger with myself like some kind of crappy oscillating fan. My carelessness (I left my purse open on the couch with the medication inside) hurt a creature I promised to protect. I'm feeling the need to change who I am and how I behave so that things like this never happen again but how this feeling translates into practical life application is something I need to figure out and soon.

Day 36: 6939

I took Ginger out early, hoping to beat the rain, but we were only one block from home when fat droplets started falling. I tried working out with the Wii but felt bored as bored could be. At this point, I am only 803 steps ahead, which is kind of nice. Too much of a surplus makes me feel like it's okay to slack off, which isn't good in the long term.

Day 35: 9492

I'm getting old. Three beers = hangover. So not fair.

Day 33: 7126

I spent the day working at a funeral and then a baby shower. A strange combo. I wore a dress I haven't worn in about 3 months and my waist looked so much smaller in it than it had before. I was thrilled!

This is going to be the last day of my "slacking". I don't want to get behind! Still 1329 steps ahead.

Day 32: 5144

Another low-step day, though I was on my feet for most of it, doing to baking for a baby shower and the Super Bowl. My friend Cori and I made cheese biscuits, truffles, muffaletta bread and king cake. It was also raining like crazy. Still 4203 steps ahead!

Day 31: 6365

My feet hurt. My toes hurt. My back hurt. I was tired. I needed to take it easy.

Even taking it easy, I managed to move more than I used to on a regular day before starting this experiment. I'm still 9059 steps ahead!

Day 27: 8441

It was gorgeous out and Ginger was very well behaved but I didn't have a ton of energy or drive. We still went for a little walk and there was a gorgeous tree, full of flowers, that I stood underneath and just felt the sun on my shoulders while listening to the buzz of the bees overhead. I'll try and get a picture of it.

I need to stop slacking before I find myself falling behind again! I'm still 2357 steps ahead.

Day 26: 9531

I was Not Feelin' It. I have no idea how I got to 9531.