yep, i'm in J'burg. Our lab is in Ferndale, so staying at hotel on golf course nearby which is lovely. Africa truly has a special feel but agree, couldn't live in J'burg because I 'need' to walk around freely, and that's super-important to me. Enjoying the trip though, even though it's been 12-straight days work with no break so far. Hoping to schedule a day off on Sunday for some fun though.

Hmmm, normally i'd agree re listening to my body, but in this case I have a history of it telling me that everything is hunky-dory until it has a catastrophic incident...… So keen to play the safety card this time around!

I agree with your approach, ange. Too many times people are overdoing without realizing it, until something breaks down. I guess it's a combination of endorphin rush plus the desire to pretend one is still young and invincible...

Very true. I do push myself (sometimes) more than I should. I guess it depends on personality.

Very cool that you're in Joburg! When we lived in S. Africa, we got our Great Dane, whom we named Jozi (what people call Johannesburg). What a sweet girl she was. We still miss her-- she moved with us to California (along with our other dog and cats!). We joked that she understand Zulu (due to our housekeeper)...

awwww, sweet.
you've just made me realise how much i'm missing my dog now!!

Did my monthly weigh in this morning. : 135 lbs. - right on target to the summer weight range of 132 - 135 lbs. Now if the weather would co-operate I'd like to start eating more salads and summer things. Right now it feels like November here - bleagh!

Dagmar

Dagmar - it has been chilly here this week, too. I don't expect that to last much longer. LOL

back home! Planning a lieu day today, but it feels weird and I feel kind of guilty to have not started work already - after working 16 out of the last 17 days it's been a bit of a habit to just keep working. Don't worry i'll get used to weekends again very soon
Hubby overseas on a work trip too so I've actually sneaked in a 3-day pack-walking trip this weekend with the walking club whilst he's away - I love camping but definitely not his thing so we try do things together mainly on the weekend (which wouldn't be including much in the way of pack-walking!).
I've put weight on this trip for sure, but haven't braved the scale yet and might continue to avoid it til after the weekend. Happy that I made it to the hotel gym every day apart from two, but the running experiment didn't go down so well with my knee. Managed 3x 1km sets the last time I did it, but the knee said "whoooooah, not happy" - at least I got the early warning. Planning on a steps training session tonight with the walking club (yup, the same one), but might have to walk them, not run and will lay off ramping up the repetitive jogging thing I think, or just go super-cautiously.
Not meaning to brag or anything (she lied) but it's still warm and super sunny and beautiful weather here, like summer doesn't want to let go

Ange-- welcome home!
I would definitely not weigh for at least a week after returning home. Whenever I do weigh myself earlier than that, I just end up angry.....

Today is the day that Biscotti and Gelato get their kitty surgeries (spay/neuter). I'll try not to worry! Tonight should be interesting with them out of out....

I went to a new doctor (endocrinologist) yesterday. I'm grouchy because she wants to do a ton of tests but maybe she will figure something out-- she says I shouldn't have osteoporosis at my age without their being an underlying cause, so she's ordered a battery of tests. One fun one is to collect all of my urine for 24 hours. Oh joy....

Michele, does the urine have to be in separate containers by time? That could be fun... Not...

Good luck to Biscotti and Gelato! Michele, I think it's good that the doctor is ordering tests.I will be interested to know what tests they are and what they reveal.

Ange, it's good to be home, even if you are heading out again soon. I assume pack walking is what I call backpacking. Our snow pack is large this year and I won't even think of packing at high elevation until at least mid-August. There are some lower elevation options, but nothing matches the scenery of the high country so I'll just be patient! My younger friends don't mind camping in the snow but it's not for me. IMO, you should give up running in favor of more walking and hiking. Your knees will last much longer that way.

I think walking is a lot easier on the knees Alice. I have been doing the dogwalking for 25 years now and my knees are still fine. Part of that might be the yoga and part might be that I mostly walk on softer surfaces, rather than concrete. My feet are not doing so well but my knees are fine. Odd how that works. I wish I'd started wearing light hiking boots a lot of years sooner and putting extra supportive insoles into all my work shoes too.

Better late than never! Off to do today's dogwalks # 6 & 7 now - whew!

Dagmar

Howlin - i'm not super-keen on the idea of camping in snow either. I love skiing etc, but want a hot shower afterwards when it's cold! Totally agree with you also regarding high-country delivering the 'wow' buzz, and the endorphins, compared to lower levels. Actually i'd probably call it backpacking too, but then that suggests I could be going from hostel to hostel and jumping in cars! This is total wilderness areas, and even water is a bit of a challenge and only one place we're likely to get it this weekend, but basically carrying everything i'll need for 3 days. I already do lots of walking, so don't worry I've already bought in to that as my primary activity! The walking is for fun, the running would've been for fitness to support the walking activities, but I guess there's other things I can do (and have been doing) instead.

michele - hope you get some answers with all your wee-collection efforts. Not heard of anyone having to collect a 24hr stash before! Agree it's good if your doctor thinks there's something additional that might help you though.

They are testing the calcium in my urine apparently. I'll have to stay close to home on Sunday for sure-- plans are to collect Sunday am- Monday am, and then go for fasted bloodwork Monday morning. Oh joy. JayEll-- I have one big container to store it all in-- plus a device to catch it when I go.

Had back xrays yesterday. It's interesting in the digital age now-- I can see the radiologist's report, but haven't heard from the doctor yet. So of course, I go to google to try to analyze. Looks like arthritis and bone spurring mostly in my back, but I don't know if it is "normal" for my age or not.

Kitties did great with their surgeries and are already up to mischief. We are supposed to keep them relatively quiet for awhile--ha! They said they might not be hungry last night-- they were ravenous! I had to keep holding one so the other could get a few bites of food and then switch!

Went in this morning for my fasting bloodwork-- now the wait and see starts.

The collection process was um...interesting... apparently me drinking copious amounts of fluid results in copious output!! I should have gotten a larger container! I was supposed to collect everything for 24 hours and of course on Sunday there was no one to call with any questions-- so.... I ended up rationing my water and collecting some but not all of each output-- and still turned in a FULL container this morning! So many people have trouble getting their water in each day-- Not me!

Kitties are still doing great. We had terrible weather this weekend which resulted in the dogs being miserable about having to go outside to potty-- which means Ellie the Doberman now has diarrhea-- I think she stressed herself out-- not the first time.

Hope everyone is having a great start to their week!

We are on holiday here - Victoria Day. Or the "May 2-4" as most of us know it. Making a nice dinner tonite as I was dogsitting away from home since Friday. Time to spend some time with the hubby.

Dagmar