Getting Buff! October 2020 Challenge To Keep Moving Weeks 39-43

[Helen]

VANNIE
Glad you're finding joy with Halloween. I'm like Sandy - don't do it. It absolutely wasn't a 'thing' when I was growing up, nor for my children (now 23) but younger generations have embraced it more through exposure via US media.

SANDY
Do you read fiction? We use streaming services, but very fussy with it - prefer dialogue driven with a plot that isn't too linear.

BUFF
How are you going - skin settling I hope?

1st for the month is done.
52min Keli Roberts - Step It Strong - Circuit Section Mix
21min Cathe - Step Boss - Step Synch - Step Bonus Addon
no dog walk - poured all day

[buffmama]

Hi everyone. Halloween was quiet here. We're on a triangle facing a busy street and don't usually get many kids. Not one yesterday. I had raisin boxes since I wouldn't mind having those in the house. Cleaned up my kitchen trying to make do without a remodel only to then have the countertop crack sometime during the day. Sometimes we make plans and the gods laugh. Scared once I start on things I won't want to stop.

My rash is better, thanks Helen. The itch is coming back with the steroid taper so now I'm just trying to manage it. I see the dermatologist Mon and continue to work on managing the stress.

One silver lining to all the crazy is the quality time I get with buffboy. Priceless. I can imagine looking back and feeling extremely blessed by it especially at his age. And I push us both out the door as much as possible.

[SandyO]

Helen, I used to read quite a bit, but I've never figured out a setup where I liked reading with my progressives. After I got my reading glasses 3 years ago, I read more, but now their prescription works more for a computer screen distance, and I don't know how to grow my arms longer... I am picking up my new progressives on Monday, and they are supposed to be the latest and greatest technology, so maybe reading will be an option, otherwise I'll be getting new reading glasses in the new calendar year.

buff, these years are special. Many years ago I lost my software engineering job and didn't look too hard to replace it. I went to work part time in the paint department at Home Depot. We had always been frugal, so this was an option. My son and I did homework together then compared answers in math and science disciplines. We continued this all through his college. My daughter really wasn't that interested in studying together, but she and I did more things like trail running together. Some times I think I wasted my degree, but in the end my most cherished memories will always be time with my kids.

Vannie, not a single kid came to Carol's house last night, so we just gabbed from 5-8 pm. Linda said she got about 30 kids.

Sandy O

[Vantreesta]

Helen, I have always loved Halloween and have very fond memories of trick or treating as kids. We lived on a farm in the country so Mom would drive us into the town where we went to church and we would go to houses there since we knew almost everyone. I think most years we then went the few miles to the town where we got groceries and any other shopping and would stop at my grandparents' house and my great grandma's when she was alive plus the stores. Maybe those memories are part of why I love Halloween so much. Going through my mom's stuff I found one of my very favorite books as a kid, which is called Trick or Treat. We had looked for it before, thinking it was with our stuff but it actually was with her school stuff. I'm so happy to have found it! I plan to read it today since I was too caught up in movies and stuff yesterday.

Sandy, I hope your new glasses will allow you to read. I would love to read more but if I settle in with a book I can't seem to stop and then get nothing done. I had around 140 kids last night, which is down quite a bit from usual but seemed like a really good turnout for this year.

Buff, that stinks about the countertop cracking. How did that happen? I love that you're looking at the bright side and spending so much quality time with your son. I know pets and humans aren't the same but since I quit working and am with Cyric all the time I am so appreciating the opportunity for it, but I also regret not having that time with my other dogs. Honestly they were also one of several reasons I wanted to work from home. Just sharing the space with them is so good for me but also taking a break from what I'm doing just to pet or play with them. No matter who our loved ones are, it's so important to cherish any time we have with them.

I have all sorts of thoughts in my head for the month but never got an actual plan laid out so I will be doing that today. I did sign up for Rowvember and got the first workout email today. I was hoping they would be YouTube workouts but they are just written. Fortunately today's is for time. I don't have a monitor on my cheap rower so if he starts doing them for distance it won't be as easy since I'll have to find a way to guesstimate.

I sat outside last night for the trick or treating, about 2 hours (usually more like 3 hours). The temp wasn't too bad but wind was over 20 mph so it was still pretty cold. I ended up having to pop into the house for gloves and then for a blanket and then to swap my sneakers for boots. I had talked to a neighbor and she said they and some others were sitting outside just figuring it would have some less covid risk. I had enough candy for about twice as many kids so we have a lot left. I made myself feel kinda rotten last night from eating so much. I made popcorn to go with my movie so I hate to think how much more candy I would have eaten without that! It was ridiculous, I really was bad as a kid. I have separated out some candy for myself so that hopefully it will help me control myself. Everything is going in the freezer so it won't stare us in the face till it's gone. By having my stash the hope is that I will use it wisely and not feel like I have to eat some NOW before hubby eats it all. I hope this works bc I am at my highest weight and feeling very discouraged about it.

My 80yo great uncle is in the hospital with double pneumonia and his covid test came back positive yesterday. They are treating him with steroids and breathing treatments and he says he is feeling some better. His son has it, daughter-in-law is sick but supposedly negative, daughter tested positive but is asymptomatic. A friend of mine found out her whole family has covid. I wish a magic wand could return us to the way life was in 2019. Well, I wish for a better world than that, but this one is particularly rotten.

[Vantreesta]

Rowvember challenge day 1 done. I didn't want to bc I waited till after our last walk but I wasn't starting the challenge off missing the first day. My head is killing me so it wasn't very enjoyable.