STRIKE

Today I did my very first group fitness class up at Lifetime.  My new friend Patricia convinced me that I should give it a try...and so try it I did.   It's a bit like body combat.  There are the punches and kicks...but only crosses and jabs.  No hooks or uppercuts.  It has a bit more of a turbo kick feel to it really...it's fast and bouncy-ish.  No big deal really.  The little extra that Strike offers though, are two pound weighted gloves on each hand and the addition of a weighted bar.  6 pounds of weighted bar, to be exact.  You do all of your punching with the weighted gloves.  And after about the 4th song they start to get pretty danged heavy!  You alternate punching moves with bar lifting moves.  One six pound bar hefted up by two hands strapped with 2 pound weights on each hand makes for TEN pounds of overhead lifting!  WOW!!!  I was totally feeling that nonsense!  My shoulders were wide awake and on fire when those rounds ended!  It was a definite shamu kind of experience in more ways than one!  For one...me, the whale, was there!  In all by blubberous state!  And two, the amount of sweat I generated...I looked as if I had been front and center in the splash zone at the Shamu show at Sea World!  It was really quite nasty!!!  One of the best and hardest workouts I've had in a long time.  Well...at least since I cut the grass on Monday!   The room was PACKED tight with people.  Geez...I only THOUGHT I had space issues in Arizona.  My oh my!  It  was standing room only!  Needless to say, I was fretful and breaking out in a sweat at the sight of that crowded room....but was pleasantly surprised to realize that all of the wild, crazy, space invading people obviously live in Arizona and work out at Gold's Gym...leaving me in the midst of a very coordinated, space conscious group!  It was really a nice experience to have everyone remaining in their respective work out areas and staying in step as a GROUP...there was no "marching to the beat of anyone ELSE'S drum".  It was nice.  Somewhat more boring as there were not nearly as many lively personalities to watch!  The instructor was great.   I'm pretty sure she's related to the Energizer  bunny!  Class wasn't AS fun as combat...but it was still a good class.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Tomorrow I get to go back again and will be taking on Total Conditioning in the group fitness arena.  I hear it's dreadfully hard and very painful.  Bring it on!!!

The house is pretty much done.  We are finishing just a couple of very small projects over this next week and then I think I'll be ready to take and post some pics for you faithful blog followers!  Maybe?  We are feeling quite settled now and have found nearly everything.  There is a small lamp still missing out there in the garage somewhere.  But that's the only thing I am still actively looking for!  I'm planning to find that one tonight!  Wish me luck!  

I still love Texas.  People are just so lovely and nice here.  I adore them.  I love it, love it, love it.  My only thing I am currently missing from Arizona are my Skinny Jenny workout buddy, body combat (yes I do still miss it despite my successful strike class) and my dark brown patterned tile from the kitchen!  The light honey vanilla tile I have here in Texas is pretty to look at but is rather unforgiving in the arena of spots and spills!!!!  I prefer to NOT be acutely aware of just how dirty my floors are!  Brown does forgive a multitude of dirt sins!  All in all I LOVE my new house.  I mean, I CRAZY love it.  It's obnoxiously big and I DO get tired if I have to trek all over it too much...but truly...I love and adore it.  I love the way the finished product is coming along.  I love the way all of our things have come together in it.  And I love the new little things we've added.  I LOVE the red silk drapes in the dining room.  They are SOOOO pretty.  And I love the new picture I got for the fancy front bathroom today.  I love that I was also able to recycle several panels of those same red silk drapes that are hanging in the dining room and use them in the boy's bedroom.  They look SOOOO elegant and cool in there!  Slowly but surely it is all coming together.  Life is good in the Lone Star State!!!