Image obtained from kingdomreading.com and looks much like my life has felt over the past three weeks.
When we left off, I had come back from visiting Middle Son at the detention center, and it was one week post-5K.
FITNESS: My back was feeling about 95% better, and I was tired of looking at my Olympic bar and plates and watching them collect dust, so I jumped back into my StrongLifts 5×5 program. Sadly, I had to start with just the bar (45 lbs.) as if starting from scratch, and was a little frustrated at that because I had been squatting 95, deadlifting 115, and rowing almost 70. Given that bench and overhead presses were/are my weak lifts, 45 pounds was kind of a relief. It felt soooo good to lift, again, after almost a month of not doing my entire routine. 
Also worth mentioning, is that on the 17th, less than a week after the mud run, Jennifer called me and told me that they had registered for another 5K. This one is in Raleigh on June 22 – it’s a Color Vibe run, and while mud is an attraction to me, so is colored corn starch, so I signed up for team “Peace, Love & Colors” and paid my registration. Never say die, baby! So I KNEW I would need to re-start my Couch to 5K program and, um, you know…stick with it this time. I made a mental note to start it the following week, once I knew I wasn’t going to throw my back out again on my lifts. (To date, I have completed the first two weeks of this program and have not had a heart attack yet…week 3 starts Monday. Say a little prayer…just sayin’.)
During this time, Belle, still wearing the cone of shame, was doing her best to stay chill, though it was pretty obvious to all of us that she was ready to start jumping on the couch by herself. We had been carrying her outside and down the steps to the grass, back inside, lifting her to the couch and the bed so she wouldn’t pull those stitches. As long as she was taking her pain meds, she was mellow, but once she came off of them? Holy crap!
GETTING OUT: On Monday, the 22nd, I was winding down my work day when my cell phone rang and it was a number I didn’t recognize, so I sent it to voicemail. A few minutes later, a vaguely familiar number called, but I sent it to voicemail, as well. The first call’s voicemail indicator went off and I played it back. I caught about half of the recorded message. It told me that an inmate I was tracking, Middle Son, had been released on a probationary status. O.M.G! Middle Son was out. Then it clicked…the second number was the same one I called to set up my visits! I called it back, and told the friendly voice on the other end that I’d missed a call from this number and wondered if it pertained to Middle Son’s release, and then identified myself. She told me to come get him. I told Cindy to let everyone know I was leaving, as Middle Son was OUT!
Picked him up and went straight to the probation officer’s office. (These guys are commonly referred to as PO’s in certain circles, I learned.) This was a learning experience, also. Firearms must be removed from the home. (Check.) My home, where Middle Son would be staying until he gets on his feet, would be subject to unannounced visits from the PO at any time after Middle Son’s curfew, which is at six p.m. nightly. (I’m thinking I need to get home and tidy up, hardcore!) Also, that my home is subject to warrantless search at any given time as long as the offender is staying here. I’m ok with that, though the hubs wasn’t loving it. Our PO is really nice. Lots of tattoos and his ring-tone is Sweet Home Alabama. Called my boss and asked to take a couple more days off, given we had a list of things a mile long to do; DMV for a valid ID, Employment Security Commission to register for work on the former offender program, clean the back room and convert it from storage to an actual bedroom again. We did all of that.
BELLE: During my mass cleanup effort on Wednesday, the vet called regarding Belle’s biopsy. It wasn’t a spider bite. It turns out that it was a tumor, the type of which I canNOT for the life of me remember. They said the biopsy revealed some existing live cells on the outer parts of the tissue, and that we would really need to keep an eye on her and that they would more than likely have to go back in and remove any remaining malignancy. Not the best news, but we have a good chance that she’ll be around for quite a while.
Image courtesy: Screamin’ like a banshee – Abu Dhabi by Krizz Kaliko
rapgenius.com
WEDDING OR NOT: On the following Saturday, the 22nd, I had to go in and work the day job for a little while. This was the scheduled date of Oldest Son’s wedding. Now, when Middle Son was released, I texted both his father and his older brother, both of whom reside out of state, to let them know, per their request. To this point I had not spoken to Oldest Son since our blow up after his refusal to see a problem with his “beloved” verbally coming unglued on his mother (me). He did finally call to speak with his brother the Wednesday before the hanging…err wedding. I answered the phone and let him know that I hoped he’d had a nice birthday the weekend prior, that his brother wasn’t home as yet (he was at the other house cleaning, which Oldest was pleased to hear), and that I was sorry that it upset him that I couldn’t be there the following weekend, and he assured me that was fine. Please know, I wasn’t sorry I couldn’t be there (only sorry he was hurt in any way by this), simply because SHE burnt that bridge and burnt it good. The first couple of times you verbally accost me? Shame on you. The third time? Shame on me. Third strike and she’s OUTTA THERE! If I give you three chances and you blow every. single. one.? It’s on you, now, baby. So I’m at work that Saturday, wondering if perhaps he’d woken up the night before and might leave her at the altar. If that wasn’t the case, then I would have a new daughter …errr…banshee-in-law. After getting home, taking Baby Boy’s first series of senior portraits (he was in ROTC fully decorated dress uniform, per his request), I checked the Facebook pages of any and everyone I thought might be at the joyous occasion. Nothing. Not a status change, not a mobile upload, NOTHING!!!!! I started looking at court clerk records in their county, hoping against all hope that there wouldn’t be a marriage license on file. So far there hasn’t been. Was it possible that perhaps they didn’t go through with it? It was really starting to look that way, and then Middle Son called to talk to his dad, and it seems that there was, in fact, a ceremony, and for some reason, NOBODY thought to bring a phone, camera, or anything. I found this fact out overnight. Oh, well. Can’t win ‘em all, I guess. I imagine things will be a little awkward at Baby Boy’s graduation, because 1/2 of that happy couple is not welcome in my home. Fortunately they have a home of their own to stay in…and who knows? Maybe there will even be utility service restored by then.
MOTIVATIONAL READS – “Diet” and Exercise: I was going to close this at the end of the above paragraph, but figured since I only have a short blurb left to share, I’d just go ahead and finish it up.
So, I have been keeping up with the following blog, Trying Not To Be Fat, for quite a while, and while she seems to be on hiatus right now, her backstory is crazy good, and I’ve really gotten motivated by following her progress during this time.
My second motivational blog/read I simply stumbled upon while looking for something else, entirely. This lady is a personal trainer, runner, weight lifter, and boom, I had to start reading. Bonus for being ridiculously popular AND local! I present to you Cherie Runs This. This blog is a really recent find for me (as in, last Wednesday), and while it’s a good jump back in time if one starts from the very beginning, it’s well worth it, because this allows you to see where this super woman comes from and how she got where she is today. I found myself relating to her in a lot of ways, and while I am only a few months into my own lifestyle change, she has really made a huge success out of her own, and if you haven’t already discovered this gem, you need to follow the link and check Cherie out.
So that’s it…I think we’re all caught up, now.
PS…anyone know any good smoothie recipes that include…*sigh* kale? If so, hit me up, huh?
Until Next Time…
