So the kitchen is still under construction. I’d like to blame the lack of updates on that, but my lameness is probably more to blame.

today the plumbers were here and they:

• installed faucet, disposal button and switch control, and soap dispenser

• installed disposal and requisite piping

• updated undercountet sink hot and cold water controls

• ran copper tubing behind cabinets for ice maker in fridge

• installed old dishwasher

• adjusted gas line to range as the old configuration want going to work with the new one

Who knew plumbers could also work on gas lines?

I’m sick with a hacking cough and general aches and pains. to sick to go to gym. I am hopeful I can make it tomorrow though.

the rest of the family went hiking. whilst I slept in a bit longer until the plumbers arrived. Amanda and LK later went swimming whilst I watched toddler J.

We had leftovers for dinner.

I am in bed sitting this entry on my phone. Amanda is sleeping beside me. Armando is laying on my feet.

It’s been a while since the last post. Been busy with life and have not been around home much recently as we are getting our kitchen renovated and have been spending a lot of time at my mother-in-laws.

Today I there was a special workout at the gym as it is its second anniversary. Tiring.

We went to ZV kid’s birthday party in Ravenna. That was fun.

We went back to the gym later for the second aniversary BBQ and party. I made a kale and brussel sprout salad and everyone loved. It was fun, too, although I did not get a chance to talk much with anyone since we had to watch the kiddies.

I need to write in the weblog more. I always say that tho. I have been tweeting more, though, but not much recently. Have to get that hooked up to the weblog again, too.

The month has turned, and I have started yet more life modifications (and not medications). I am counting daily calories again in order to lose weight, although I expect to hit another plateau at 180. Last year I almost lost my goal of 30 pounds, but fell a little short, and then stopped counting and bounced back to my historical normal of around 190.

I also started crossfit at the same place Amanda has gone for a while. Today I had the first session of the intro month. Basically, they go through the typical exercises that the normal classes use and how their place works. We went through one of their typical warm ups (2x 10 pullups, pushups, situps, supermans, 300m row) plus a “METCON” workout-of-day. METCON means metabolic conditioning, I think. That was basically a 200m run, 15-12-9 squats, pushups, and ring rows, and another 200m run for time. Of the eight people in the class this morning, I was last with a time of 7:28. Alas! Amanda said I did great as when she first did it she finished in 11 or 12 minutes. I would like to say that everyone else was rushing and not really doing the exercises with proper form, but the reality is I am not in great shape. Besides, you are not competing with other people, only yourself.

So, yes, I drank the kool aid joined the “veganism of fitness”. It was fun, although I felt like throwing up immediately after the WOD and it took me a while to feel normal again.

And maybe eight hours later, I could not lift my arms. I did not think the workout was all that bad strength-wise while doing it (as cardio seemed more the problem with me), but after thinking about it I did not a crazy (for regular people) amount of back exercises. Good thing the gym is closed for the fourth, so I will have more time to recover. I should do the pushups at least everyday anyway.

I got back from our camping vacation to the Oregon Coast a few days ago (Monday). We aborted our trip because there was an “atmosperic river” hitting the West Coast, and the level of wind and rain that was anticipated made camping with a five-year-old and an infant rather not fun. The last night be camped out (at Beachside State Park south of Waldsport, Oregon), the rain came down hard and it was quite windy. As the weather reports predicted even worse weather the following days, we just left. I went back home immediately while the rest of the family came back a couple of days later. They took a slower route back along the Columbia River and through Western Washington.

I would like to point out that I found out about the “atmospheric river” when I got home; the weather reports merely predicted rain, wind, and more rain and wind.

I got up early with the Bonasaurus and amused her until the rest of the family woke up. We had pancakes and veggioe strips for breakfast; made from a huge bag of just-add-water mix that we had gotton from Costco. I then got her down for an early nap (she did get up wicked early after all), but she refused to be put down and I was forced to hold her in her dark bedroom for and hour plus.

During that time, AC picked up Amanda and the Kai and they went to Goodwill. Lonan got some sort of robot toy, and I think Amanda got some other things.

After they came back, we all relaxed at home until everyone decided to go to some sand pit place in Georgetown and entertain the kiddies. I gather the place is used mainly for indoor beach volleyball games, but in betwen those people just come and bring their kids. Our kids had a good time. Or least that was what I was told.

Back home I cleaned up. Other than the usual house chores, I had been trying to clean up and put away all of our camping gear. When I had gotten home, I put everything out in the backyard to clean and to dry out and it had rained for a lot of our camping trip. Every had dried out by yesterday, but I was fooled by the sunny weather, and left home to pick up our car tabs and check out the townhouse attic (for access to the HVAC system as I need to clean out the ductwork). A crazy thunderstorm came in fast and soaked everything before I could make it back home. And it has been raining since then, so all the camping stuff has remained wet.

The next week or so is supposed to be sunny, hot, and rain-free, so I should be able to put everything away by tomorrow evening.

I also kept an eye on Brulee. This morning there was a lot of noise coming from the henhouse, and when I went to let the chickens out, I witnessed Comet completely beating up Brulee. She had blood all over her neck feathers and it looked like a bit of her comb was missing. Bad chickens! It is behaviour like this that makes it a lot easier to contemplate culling them in time. Anyways, I kicked Rock and Comet out of the henshouse and left Brulee inside where she would not be bothered and could heal up in peace.

I went to Seward Park to run. It was ok, but I am in noticably worse shape than I was a couple of months ago.

After the run, I got gas for the auto and went to the mother-in-laws as they returned there after the sand pit experience for the Bon’s second nap. I played the Star Wars Lego Xbox game with the Kai. After a while (and a Ross trip by Amanda and Lonan that resulted in a bedside clock and cutting boards), we went back home.

I made pesto and rotinni with garlic bread. It was all good. I was also going to make kale salad with our non-thinned out plants in the garden, put after picking some, the leaves proved to be tougher than expected (mainly because they were growing straight up since I had not gotten around to thinning them again), so I just cut everything up and marinated it with olive oil and lemon juice and stuck it in the fridge for tomorrow.

BK came over and picked up Lonan as he is spending the night at her place.

I removed Brulee from the henhouse and put her in a kitty carrier for the evening so that the other two chickens would torment her. She is in the downstairs bathroom at the moment. I am sure she is totally stressed out, but at least this way her comb and neck will heal up. Tomorrow (and probably longer) I will keep them seaprated again. The blood drives the chickens bonkers

The Bon is asleep. Amanda is asleep on the couch. I have finished writing my daily stuff. Maybe I’ll play a video game before calling it a night.