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| This morning's sunrise |
I took this picture this morning as we headed out for our morning jog, after having watched the dark skies turn to blue and gold with beautiful puffy clouds. We were returning from our swim at the YMCA. Norma Jean's habit is to be there when it opens at 6:30am and swim for 45 minutes. I swam laps for 30 minutes and watched the first light appear in the skies on my last day in Florida.
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| Lifeguards Josh and Ellie |
After my shower, I chatted with the two lifeguards while Norma Jean finished her swim. Ellie had a piece of play doh which she had fashioned into a pretty blue moustache. I'll miss the morning routine, but frankly, I'm ready for a break. After we returned home, we changed into our jogging clothes and Icarus joined us. I actually must jog alongside Norma Jean to keep up, as she walks at a 4.6-mile-an-hour pace. She also goes for 50 minutes, while I cut it off after 30. Since we are in her community the whole time, it's easy for me to find my way back home.
I took this picture with my iPhone on an earlier excursion, and I tried the "zoom" feature, which worked pretty well. I just enlarged the picture using the patented two-fingered zoom, the opposite of a pinch. I need to brush up on my iPhone terminology, I fear.
After that was over, off we went to the Y again, this time for a Pilates class. Oh, I will be sore tomorrow, but I'll be recovering on the plane, so it won't be too bad. I'm sitting here with my laptop and two doggies (Icarus and Doris' dog Jingles) both waiting for my lap to become vacant again. They fight with each other for any available petting opportunities.
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| Icky and Jingles |
I've got a doctor's appointment on Monday as soon as I return, since my left ear seems to have plugged up with earwax. This happens to me periodically, and I think it was exacerbated by swimming and trying to keep water out of my ears. I bought some earwax removal stuff, some kind of peroxide, but all it did was make it worse. I last saw a doctor about this in May 2010, and I wrote about it
here. After poking around in my ear carefully with an ear-cleaning instrument, I gave up and called for an appointment. It's a strange feeling not knowing where a sound is coming from and feeling pretty darn deaf, to tell you the truth. "What did you say?" "Huh?"
I'll be packed up and ready for an early departure tomorrow, with a full day of travel ahead. My second flight in Denver originates in New York, so I'm hoping it won't be delayed by the Nor'easter headed to the East Coast. It's 47 degrees F at home, but it's in the low 80s here. I think I'll go for a bike ride after I finish this. Talk to you soon!
:-)
Those dogs are just adorable. Your lovely sister sounds... exhausting! :)
ReplyDeleteBe sure to chew some gum during your takeoffs and landings. A blocked ear can become pretty uncomfy with those sudden changes in altitude.
i know the flights are going to exacerbate your ear problem! i know you need a rest from your dynamo of a sis! sheesh!!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post. I loved the images - admired your energy and hope you had a wonderful, wonderful break.
ReplyDelete(As a brand new iphoner, the terminology and the technology are making my head hurt.)
the ear wax thing happens with my youngest son all the time...and we have to go get it cleaned out...sounds like a fun day...hope the travels go well as you head home...
ReplyDeleteSome Sudafed might help you get home on that plane..If your ear totally blocks and is real painful..plug your nose and puff up your cheeks and blow gently until you feel relief. You probably know that trick already..I had an ear block one time on a plane..how painful. :(
ReplyDeleteSafe travels. Good for the pair of you and your exercise routine!
ReplyDeleteGood luck! Hope your flight to New York doesn't get canceled because of the storm.
ReplyDeleteSafe travels home. it looks like you had a fabulous and jammed pack vacation.
ReplyDeleteThose are some VERY cute pups!
Hope your ear is okay and doesn't bother you on the trip home.
xo jj
Why does she go jogging AFTER swimming? I'd do it the other way around so the swimming will relax the jogging muscles, plus that way you only need to take one shower not two! (I live in a place where water is an issue so...)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your last day and have a nice flight home!
A most pleasant time to be in Florida. It was minus 17 here in Minnesota one day we were gone....:)
ReplyDeleteHave a safe trip home, my friend. But I have to tell you, I'm going to miss those warm and sunny photos! Especially since I'm currently sitting here shivering!
ReplyDeleteI am thinking that you need to return home to REST! Whew....sounds like Norma Jean is a go getter...and I know that I wouldn't be able to keep up with her. I would simply take photos of HER doing the swimming, jogging and Pilates. And that's a fact.
ReplyDeleteI'm worried about you flying to NY tomorrow. I do hope that all is well with your flight in and out of there considering the storm that will be there. Please, take care.
Hugs,
Jackie
Have a great and safe trip home
ReplyDeleteI'd be dead trying to keep up with Norma Jean.
It looks like you've already been warned about your ear while flying. I find drinking and swallowing water helps most to balance ear pressure. have some handy when you land in Seattle.
ReplyDeleteYour sister's exercise routine is daunting!
Have a great flight home, with no interference from this storm!
ReplyDeletePerhaps the flying will shift your earwax? I hope so, if not the doctor will for sure. Probably all that swimming did it!
ReplyDeleteYou certainly kept fit while you were there, didn't you. Wish I'd got half your energy D-Jan.
Traveling mercies, DJan.
ReplyDeleteThat is a gorgeous sunrise. It sounds like Norma Jean has been keeping you busy. I hope your ear does not bother you too much on the flight home. It sounds like your flight plan goes the long way. I always flew from Atlanta to O'Hare then SeaTac. I hope you aren't stuck in NY.
ReplyDeleteAnd the pinching and zooming isn't just for the iPhone, my Android uses it too. Cool feature huh?
Those are beautiful dogs. It's a Papillon and a Westhighland Terrier? I recognize the ears.
ReplyDeleteHave a safe trip home, DJan.
Dear DJan, I think you must be home by now--that is if the East Coast storm didn't cause the airline to cancel the flight that was arriving in Denver to take you for the final lap of your journey home. You've done so much exercise with your sister that I find myself being almost tired from the mere thought!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try to begin to do Tai Chi Chai regularly because it so centers me although it doesn't do anything to help me develop upper body strength. I have a DVD that I think will help with that.
Menieres and age have both changed my physical thermostat and I now feel the cold so much more than I used to. So I haven't been doing any walking. But as soon as the weather warms up I hope to establish, after being away from walking since 2006 when Meniere's began, a routine in which walking will play a daily part. I know you'll wish me well with this. Peace.
I have to keep after my ears too, and use some ear drops the doctor gave me years ago. I still use them and whatever is wrong is cleared up.
ReplyDeleteThe best ear treatment was from our old Doctor Thomas, an old time doctor who stuck a bent paper clip in my ear and pulled out a wad of very dark ear wax. That felt great the next day.
We flush my ears out with a syringe an warm salty water, from time to time. I hole a hospital puke pan up under my ear and patty uses the syringe to squirt in the salty water and it flushes out some stuff and then I feel better for a while.
Flying witha plugged ear seems a bit hard to imagine. The pressure in take off gets me but then you are a sky diver so you likely handle it well!
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