Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Gerolsteiner gymnasium … go!


At last. I’ve been back in Sefton for two whole months (where did they go?) and, today, I finally got my garage-gym into action. It helped that it was a nice day. Warm, sunny and humid. And, that, for once, there was no emergency or tragedy on hand. We’ve had our fill of them these last weeks: Wendy’s black-eyed, cracked-crown encounter with Thomas (the horse), the presumed death of Boofie, the 4WD, just as we set out to the races, pulling Agnes and Mikie. The demise of the outside water pump, followed swiftly by the demise of its switch, and then by the loss of all water to the house. The next thing to go was the telephone …

Well, they’re all fixed (at a cost stressful and financial) now, the horse population has been imperatively decreased, and today I determined to start exercising. First the warm up: while Wendy fast-worked Agnes, I stood guard on Mikie. And, there in the sun, on the barn forecourt, I started marching, followed by all Nik’s various exercises that I could remember, while Mikie gaped at this unaccustomed entertainment. 



To my delight, the horses’ tie-up rail is just the right height for my lunges and press-ups (once one has shovelled away the latest horse-pats). Ooh, those press-ups were tough after two months’ holiday. And I don’t think I did them quite right.



Agnes and Wendy arrived back just as I was finishing my arabesqueical leg-swings…

Un-gear Agnes, then off to the ‘gym’. Dumbells. Only 5k, but they felt at least a kilo heavier. Fifteen repetitions both arms. My plastic kettlebell (I’ve forgotten how many kilos. 12, I think) for 15 of my best squats, then on to the TRX. He doesn’t seem to mind being on a square beam. A selection of Holmes Place routines. I enjoy the TRX. Then on to the floor. It was impossible, in Rangiora, to buy a decent floor mat. But hey! What is this in the barn, covered in hay? A spare floor covering for the horsefloat. A bit grubby, and covered in peacock droppings, but worth a go. I had to get Roger, the blacksmith, to lift it for me, but having been installed, de-peacocked and given a swift brooming, it is perfect!


I must have done my standard 30-40 minutes. Room for improvement. Quality and quantity. And .. urgh! I’m 80k again! After having descended to 75. No nude pix this week!


Oh, hell. A peacock just flew full bore into the window. Not ‘in through’, ‘in to’ … time to go and smell the roses..