It certainly has been colder then years past here this last week or so.  We even have snow flurries in the forecast for tomorrow.  I guess even IF I was ready to ride outdoors tomorrow, that most likely won't happen.  It was a thought earlier in the week that I'd try a ride outdoors on Friday.  Between the cold and wind and my hand still not right (which means with the cold it will be worse on a ride outdoors), that come back ride is still going to have to wait.

No trainer today.  I had a busy day however which meant no time for the trainer.  I did get a work out in this morning.  I stripped the sheets and towels, changed those and washed them as well as the two loads of laundry I couldn't do yesterday due to the gas problem.  I had to take the dogs into the groomers today.  A stop to get some wine and dog food at the vets.  Home to let horses out and clean stable.  I then cleaned the house and vacuumed.  My day didn't end till around 6:30 p.m. working.  Then time for a shower and dinner and clean up of that mess.  I finally sat down to catch CSI and ER on TV.  It just seems the days really wiz by in Fall and Winter.

I had cleaned today (usually Friday is my cleaning day) on purpose due to possibly going to a friends house tomorrow, but that has been canceled.  I have several phone calls to make tomorrow and some computer work to do.  My list is at least 10 chores strong and that doesn't include a work out or a trainer session.  I hope to get them in though tomorrow.

We'll see what the weekend brings for my come back ride.  It's not looking good however.  The weather can be an issue, but most likely it will be because my hand is just not ready yet.  We shall see...

Strange indeed.  Things started out sorta normal.  Once again I woke up around 6 a.m. this morning and couldn't fall back asleep till after 8 a.m. for some darn reason.  At least today I got up at 10 a.m. rather than 11 a.m.!

I get up and do my usual stuff on the PC eating my bagel and a cup of coffee.  I decided I'd have a second cup of coffee and work on the PC some before doing my work out.  Some "Eli Stone" captures for my mentors fan site. 

I go to get another cup of coffee firing up the stove...what's this?  It won't light.  I use a lighter ... still no go.  "Oh shit" I think "the pilot light went out."  I tell myself I'll deal with it later.  I heat up my coffee in the microwave and get my PC work accomplished.

Onto a work out, which was rushed to say the least.  Out to clean the stable and then mow the yard on the riding mower.  Mission accomplished. 

Back into the house to check e-mail and do a Carmichael thinking I'd get a shower then and eat dinner and do a couple loads of laundry yet this evening.  Well I got the Carmichael in anyways...

All seems well doesn't it?  Till I find out the reason WHY the stove didn't light this morning was because I HAD NO NATURAL GAS!  Seems the morons at Penn DOT decided to sever a gas line while putting in one of the drainage pipes up the road this morning.  All day with no heat, no hot water, no stove, and no dryer...thus no laundry got done and no shower! 

A call later for an ETA on them with no answer other then "we are working as fast as we can" and "leave your lights on for the technician so they know you're awake" to re light pilot lights and get things running, I was still waiting at 11 p.m. for them.  I would gladly have re light the pilots, but they needed to restart the gas from the meter and needed to re light everything and check for safety reasons. 

Midnight shows up...finally I get a lady at the door.  She comes in and I show her all we need re lite.  I gave her a couple new mantels for my outdoor gas light to install since she had to re light it anyways.  I also gave her the keys to the church up the road to take care of the furnace there and in the school house. 

Well ... another hour later she shows back up with the church keys.  She did however give me a couple of new mantels for my outdoor light....that being about a $25.00 savings to buy my own.  So now I have another spare pair.

Since the water heater needed to re heat water...I decided after she left and I paid for my new Liquigas socks and gloves on eBay that I won, that I'd just go hot tub.  Yeah that's right it's actually 2 a.m. Thursday morning right now.  I'll be up at least another hour to wind down now.  What a day!

For some reason, I didn't sleep well last night.  Up just before 5 a.m. and back and forth to the bathroom, drinking a soda and watching TV in bed till 9 a.m. when I should have gotten up....instead I did fall back asleep and did not get up till almost 11 a.m.!  Strange...whatever...but it put me behind today obviously.

No matter, I got enough done.  A work out and a Carmichael first late morning into early afternoon.  I ran the dishwasher and then out to cleaning the stable. 

I then proceeded to start the last mowing of the grass for the year.  I figured I'd attempt the hand mowing and do the riding mower tomorrow after the same work out deal in the morning and cleaning the stable. 

Hand mowing?  Yeah, that entails HANDS!  Well I got through it.  Pushing and shoving with my bad hand as well as my forearm and even my chest! 

I'm hoping I'll get a better nights sleep tonight and everything accomplished again tomorrow I want to.  We shall see. 

I had thought about possibly riding late this week like Friday maybe, but the weather is sooooo cold an windy and the way my hand dealt with mowing today, I'm having second thoughts.  Day by day with the first ride back I guess.  Hopefully it will be sooner than later.  I'd like to ride some before the end of the year!

Yep, I could have, but didn't.  I've been on that damn thing for six days in a row.  I decided today after doing a work out and the stable cleaning accompanied by dumping two composters of manure, that me and my hand did enough for today. 

Dumping that manure hurt like hell.

Unfortunately, I over ate ONCE AGAIN this evening!  I think I'll stay off the scale for at LEAST one day now.  I don't need to get any more depressed than I already am.  Winter just sucks the whole way around it seems, AND IT'S NOT EVEN WINTER YET!

I have a lot planned on the plate for tomorrow IF weather permits, and no it doesn't entail riding outdoors yet.  Hell, I may not even get to the trainer either again.  Who knows what the hell I'll actually get accomplished.  Whatever will be will be I suppose.  Just another day in "HELL"am, PA 

The title says it all.  Tired of doing a Carmichael all the time, I decided to just do a 40 minute easy spin session in the second gear middle ring after a five minute warm up in the smallest gear middle ring.  No big gears, but I kept the cadence up at a fast pace throughout the session.  So I sweated a bit, and hopefully did enough to just keep my weight in check so I can continue to eat as I have been as of late.  A work out as well today.  Cleaned bird cages, gathered trash and took it out, did laundry, gave Ginger her "underneath" bath, stable cleaned and dinner.  End of day.  Tomorrow is another...

What a shame it had to rain today.  Weather was warm.  Certainly tempting to ride, but of course I didn't.  I did however pick up "Miss Just Natasha" at my LBS.  I chatted with Jay and John a bit.  John explained what he did with the brakes for me and tuned her up along with the metal chips out in the rear wheel.  Lastly the crank shaft which he took apart and said it was really dry.  He lubed that up and put some tape on the threads he said.  Just short of 13 dollars later, I was out the door after a jovial thank you and goodbye for now to the boys.

After my usual stable cleaning I did my work out and another Carmichael.  I adjusted the tension even a bit tighter today and did what I'd call an in between effort.  Not too hard, but not too easy.  Just another attempt to at least minimize my weight gain or at least keep it were it's been at lately!

Probably do the same boring thing tomorrow.  It's going to get cold and windy this coming week.  IF I were to ride outdoors feeling up to it, it most likely wouldn't happen till late next week.  So if you wanna just read my boring posts till then with the same work out and Carmichael sessions...go for it.  I'll type regardless   Who knows, maybe I'll have something exciting and for the GOOD for a change to post.

Mission accomplished indeed.  I did everything I wanted to get done today.  Now it's time to chill soon for a movie and hopefully pizza

House cleaned and even a bit more thoroughly today.  Did a full work out, cleaned the stable and hit the trainer for a strong Carmichael. 

I've deducted the difference between a "strong Carmichael" and a "easy going Carmichael".  Strong = keep the cadence constant and fast.  Easy going = keep the cadence semi constant and slower paced.  Well...minus the fast pedal sections of course

We'll see what the weekend brings.  I'm sure I'll get on "She Spy" at least one of the days, maybe both. 

Have not heard from my LBS on "Miss Just Natasha" yet, hopefully next week early she'll be ready, just in case I feel up to riding on the road by then and weather permits.  I still think it will be at least a week or two before I'll feel comfortable out on the road.  An explanation is below for a reader whom commented on a post below with a question.  The basic question was training doesn't hurt yet real riding will?

My answer to Kerri a reader:

**********

You're welcome on the Carmichael explanation Kerri.

Actually there is a huge difference between a trainer and the real road and why the trainer is not hurting my hand so much.  Obvious reasons being having to deal with traffic and paying attention for hazards.  I'd need to slow down and brake and stop etc. for a road ride.  No using brakes on a trainer, meaning less hand use.  Not having to brake on the trainer or pay attention and thus no emergency relying on an injured hand makes sense to me.  I can sit and lightly hold the tops and rarely use the hoods and drops if I want.  I can even sit up without holding the bars at all and spin as well.  I think you get the idea now

I hope my recovery goes well too.  Thank you!

**********

Update:

My LBS just called around 6 p.m. about "Miss Just Natasha".  It was John and he just asked what kind of noise I was hearing in the crank shaft.  I explained a squeaking kind of noise mainly in the big loop if I remembered correctly.  He said he already tuned it up and adjusted the brakes with the rear hitting first again and got out two pieces of metal chips from the spoke holes in the rear rim (which I thought was the only problem to begin with).  He said he'd probably have her ready tonight yet, I won't be picking her up till probably Monday...since it's supposed to rain tomorrow, but we shall see

I really thought I'd be off from everything today, yet I found time and it's good I did.  My weight just keeps going up and not staying maintained lately. 

I did my work out but minimal again, no hand or upper body weights work.  Just stretching and core work this morning before my Doctor appointment. 

Doctor appointment went fast as usual.  I showed him were my hand and fingers were still numb.  I told him that when I over do things it spreads and gets worse and that the suture area was still a bit sore and tender.  He still feels that everything will come around eventually.  He explained some folks it heals quickly and others it doesn't.  He asked if I was doing my exercises with it he gave me to do and I said yes, maybe not as much as I should I guess.  I have been keeping in mind that I had more than just the Carpel Tunnel and that I had the Ulna nerve severed as well.  That means longer healing time obviously to me.  I was told 4 weeks minimal originally but most likely 6 to 8 weeks.  It's only been 4 weeks.  I'm to go back in a month probably for my last time.  I was told I can probably do just about anything now using it to my comfort level and common sense, a little more each day.  I will say that riding for me is going to be out of the question for at least a week or two I think.  When I told the Doctor this, he agreed.  I do not feel that I'm ready yet, and I'm proud of myself for not pushing that.  I'm so in need of riding for various different reasons, yet I'm smart enough to know it's not worth me crashing due to my hand not functioning properly.  I will wait till I feel better, however long that takes. 

In the meantime...I got home in time to take care of the stable and then get a Carmichael in as well before a shower and dinner tonight.  All to no avail today I'm sure.  I promptly started out with...oh let's say about 28 or so roasted and salted almonds.  Needing something sweet then, I had a small box of raisins.  Oh...now I needed something salty again.  That would be six pieces of cut cheese and seven whole grain crackers.  Done you think?  NOT...on to my final sweet of a sweet and salty combo granola bar.  Yeah...I finished up at about 9:30 p.m. and was still tempted to binge on something!  AHH...I HATE WINTER!!!

The Carmichael went well and was strong.  I had adjusted the tension on the trainer a tad yesterday when I had finished and I could feel that just a bit.  Enough that it made a slight difference each gear change.  Of course that may just be due to having rode on the trainer for the last three days straight too and my legs were just feeling it...who knows.

I still hope to do maybe a more full work out tomorrow and a Carmichael as well as clean the house and the stable before my movie and pizza night.  Another night were the exercise of the day means SQUAT! 

Just another day...well sorta. 

I guess I eventually got everything in today I wanted to accomplish.  Maybe not as I expected though.

The day started out normal, until one of my dogs, Shiloh, started going nuts downstairs as I was working on the computer this morning.  Brad had shown up to DELIVER my wormers!  What a guy!  He said he tried to call, but he was calling our old phone number.  I gave him my business card so now he has my number along with $ to pay for the wormers.  We chatted a while about hunkering down for the Winter with our horses and the preparations to do so.  Not too long a talk thank goodness.  I had one of my phone calls to make shortly after he left.  I also really wanted to get my work out in and a Carmichael at some point today. 

After my first phone call, I took care of the stable first, then I did a work out, but minimal.  I don't think I should be pushing my hand so much yet.  It's still sore and not right yet.  I may even be pushing it too much.

A Carmichael followed the work out.  I pushed it a bit harder today, yet it didn't seem so.  Thus, I adjusted the tension a bit and think when I really want to push it, I'll go up in the middle loop to one short of the highest gear from now on. 

I was pushed for time again today however.  This time change still not working for me yet.  I did get my other call in and even another later in the evening though.  I just don't like the dark so soon  

This session, as with most of them, are really just to burn calories and keep myself in shape some. 

I should post here what a Carmichael is just in case some of my readers do not know.  Chris Carmichael is a trainer.  Not just any trainer.  He worked with Lance Armstrong and was the first guy to tell him he would win the Tour de France.  The "Carmichael" is a training session that I do from him.  Below is the 45 minute routine you all are reading of any time I say I did a "Carmichael" on "She Spy" on the trainer:

*Warmup: 8 minutes

*Fast pedal: 1 minute

*Recovery: 30 seconds

*Fast pedal: 1 minute

*Recovery: 30 seconds

*Hard effort (7 on a 1-10 scale): 2 minutes

*Harder (9 effort): 1 minute

*Hard effort: 2 minutes

*Harder: 1 minute

*Hard effort: 2 minutes

*Harder: 1 minute

*Easy spin: 6 minutes

*Hard effort: 2 minutes

*Harder: 1 minute

*Hard effort: 2 minutes

*Harder: 1 minute

*Hard effort: 2 minutes

*Harder: 1 minute

*Cooldown: 10 minutes

So there you have it.  In nice big print just in case any of you may want to copy and paste it to try it yourselves. 

Tomorrow is my next follow-up Doctor appointment.  It should be interesting what he has to say.  I'll be sure to post here within a day or two.  It will be a day off of everything tomorrow I believe, I won't have time.  I hope to get another Carmichael in on Friday before I pig out on pizza and a movie

Yesterdays dentist appointment went well.  Teeth cleaned and all fixed up although I can't floss one area till next Monday.  Some sort of antibiotic crap sprayed into some deep pockets due to my wisdom teeth being taken out years ago.  Never fails...it's always something.  Other than that, I got a clean bill of health

Today I decided to do my work out and then take "Miss Just Natasha" to my LBS for her tune up.  It was sunny for a change for part of the day so I figured do it now.  Jay was the only one in when I showed up.  I told him she was making noises in her crank shaft (that doesn't sound right somehow LOL) and the noise in the back wheel again.  He said it may not be a piece of metal there but would have John fix her up.  He wrote up a work order for John.  I guess I may have to pay a bit for this tune up.  No matter, Jay and the boys have always been good to me.  Being a slow time of year, I'm happy to support my LBS being family owned.  Jay needs to make a living after all.  I left "Miss Just Natasha" there for John to fix her up.  I'll get a call when she is ready for me to go get her.  No matter, I doubt I'll be able to ride this week yet  

A reminder Thursday is my next check-up, and I doubt the Dr. will o.k. me to ride yet.  Even if he did, I don't feel I can yet.  I'm too numb and sore and I don't feel that I'd have complete control out on the road to ride yet.

On return home, I did some computer work and then headed to the stable.  I cleaned up after letting the horses out and then started a fire for the evening back up at the house. 

Late this afternoon I jumped on the trainer on "She Spy" for a very easy Carmichael.  I sweated a bit, but I didn't push it at all.  I did the routine in my normal gears, I just didn't pedal as strong.  The thigh muscle felt fine too.  Much needed session though, I've been over eating, and tonight was NO exception! 

Tomorrow I'd like to do my work out and another Carmichael but stronger this time.  I have a good bit of computer work to do and some phone calls, but I'll make sure I get what I want to get done in

On a final note.  I've made Journal of the Week this year again if you'll note up top.  I guess someone at Bravenet has me in some data base or enjoys my posts and/or blog