WELCOME TO MY CRAZY LIFE

Friday, October 31, 2025

TRACTION: Coalinga-CA


I listened to Victor Davis Hanson, while drinking my morning coffee ☕️, today - I like Victor; he is a knowledgeable man with extensive "higher education", and comes from a long line of people educated/practicing in American History, Education, & Law knowledge 🧐

Victor Davis Hanson: The ‘Schumer Shutdown’ Gains Traction Each Passing Day: 
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSUwHdLVcNI)

And I did a little self-care introspection 📖💡🙏, & got stew going in the crockpot …

Self-care to curb the spinning wheels of my thoughts.

VAL'S CROCKPOT BEEF STEW Recipe; Coalinga-CA https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2025/10/vals-crockpot-beef-stew-recipe-coalinga.html

Supper taken care of, and my spirit tended to - I spent some time toning my body 🏋️‍♀️

Lunge Step-ups Exercise

Marching exercises work a wide range of muscles, primarily targeting the legs, core, and hips. It strengthens the hip flexors, glutes, quads, and hamstrings while also engaging the core (rectus abdominis and obliques), erector spinae, and shoulders. This exercise increases cardiovascular endurance, balance, and joint mobility.

Shoulder Muscles

This exercise is a gentle, low-key motion that improves circulation and strengthens the legs without putting stress on joints. It is especially good for those with limited mobility. It is generally safe for a senior woman to do the marching steps exercise, as it is a low-impact movement that can improve balance, strengthen muscles, and increase cardiovascular health. However, it is important to listen to your body, modify the exercise as needed, and start slowly.

The Lunge Step-Ups exercise works the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. The exercise also engages the calves, core (abs and obliques), and stabilizing muscles in the legs and feet for balance and stability.

External Abdominal Oblique Muscles
Foot & Ankle Muscles

Lunges and step-ups can be safe and beneficial for senior women, but it depends on their current fitness level, health, and any pre-existing conditions, such as knee or hip injuries. Lunge step-ups build lower body strength, improve balance, and enhance stability by working the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes  It is crucial to consult a doctor before starting. Modifications like chair-assisted lunges or reverse lunges are highly recommended to reduce strain on the knees.

Calf Raises primarily use the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, also known as the calf muscles. The gastrocnemius is more active during standing calf raises because of the straight knee, while the soleus muscle is more engaged during seated calf raises, which use a bent knee.

Calf Muscles

It is safe for a senior woman to do calf raises, as it is a beneficial exercise for improving balance, walking stability, and ankle strength, which helps reduce the risk of falls. It is recommended to start with a seated or standing version that uses a chair for support and to listen to your body, starting with a comfortable range of motion.

Side Leg Raises primarily work the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles (outer glutes), which are essential for hip abduction and stability. They also engage the tensor fasciae latae (TFL), hip flexors, and the core and obliques for stabilization. Depending on the movement and variation, the adductors (inner thighs) and even quadriceps can be activated.

Tensor fasciae latae muscle
Adductor Muscles

Side Leg Raises are generally safe for a senior woman to do, provided she has good balance and no underlying hip conditions like a recent hip replacement. It's essential to start slowly, use support like a chair for balance, and listen to her body to avoid injury. Consulting with a doctor or physical therapist first is crucial, especially if she has pre-existing health issues.

Leg Swings engage the primary muscles of the hips, such as the hip flexors and glutes, along with the hamstrings, quadriceps, and hip abductors and adductors in the thighs. Depending on the direction of the swing, the focus shifts, and the core and some calf muscles can also be involved.

It is generally safe for a senior woman to perform leg swing exercises, provided they are done with proper form, controlled movements, and adequate support. Leg swings are a recommended, low-impact exercise for older adults to improve balance, hip mobility, and flexibility, which are crucial for reducing the risk of falls and maintaining independence.

Wall Planks primarily engage the core, including the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques. They also work secondary muscles like the shoulders (deltoids), glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the muscles of the lower back (erector spinae, quadratus lumborum).

Wall Planks Exercise

Wall planks are generally safe for senior women and are a great beginner-friendly exercise to build core strength, which is crucial for balance and fall prevention. However, it's important to start slowly, maintain proper form, and consult a doctor before beginning any new exercise program, especially if there are pre-existing injuries or limitations.

3 full sets of toning, plus wall planks; very little calories burned.

Supper underway ✅

Spirit & body tended to 💖

I set my Thanksgiving cactus & chrysanthemum in the sunny window brightening the dining nook, where I was settling in to work a couple more g st panels on my current little project:

Plants placed in a sunny spot - hoping for holiday blossoms on the cactus; and seeing new growth on the clipped back Chrysanthemum.
Back portion, finished up.

And, while I knitted my rows, I also did a little under table peddling for a little extra exercise ooph & calorie burn traction 🎯; my folding cardio mini cycle is not fancy, but it gets the job done 😉

Folding Cardio Mini Cycle.
Do Mini Exercise Bikes Really Work?
(https://www.tousains.com/blogs/news/do-mini-exercise-bikes-actually-work-benefits-and-drawbacks?srsltid=AfmBOorGb0Lkrz_FTg95akWclLZdpmdD-i1uPxMzTB0A8FYHheAzhWdj)


After supper, a couple loads of laundry was done … then it was time to enter onto my 24-hr. period of Shabbat Rest ☝️🕊️

Shabbat Shalom
Timeless Hebrew Tunes - 'In Your Healing Hands/B’yadecha Ha-Merappe’ot'
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgnDEfiGjPI)

OCTOBER PLAYLIST #4; Coalinga-CA

Death was a natural occurrence, and nothing to be afraid of … not at all like the death cult mentality of today's movies: when movies were innocent, demonic blood-thirsty scripts were not written.

I don't watch slasher movies.

I don't listen to demonically inspired {music}.

I try to keep things light around this time of year.

The Tomko's - The Spook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24UGtRDeMTg&list=RD24UGtRDeMTg&start_radio=1

Leroy Boman - Graveyard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08xQjT3IA6k&list=RD08xQjT3IA6k&start_radio=1

Hollywood Flames - Frankenstein's Den: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx3NVXohJBU&list=RDlx3NVXohJBU&start_radio=1

Joe August - The Blob: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFVECThciqk&list=RDlFVECThciqk&start_radio=1

Montgomery Gentry - Scarecrow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZjAvRZ5c8M&list=RDMZjAvRZ5c8M&start_radio=1

VAL'S CROCKPOT BEEF STEW Recipe; Coalinga-CA

I like stew - it doesn't matter what season it is 😊 And I like no-fuss cooking: my slow cooker crockpot is my best friend in the kitchen 👌

Today, I added some extra's … the Lowry's seasoning packet, because my husband is partial to it; I added purslane for the healthy benefits imparted, and bacon grease & dried orange peel for an interesting flavor 😉

This stew is very easy to pull together, and cooked in the slow cooker crockpot, will fill your home with a warm and cozy atmosphere. I like my stew "as is" - but it also pairs well with cornbread, biscuits, butter horns, or slices of buttered bread 👍

Val's Crockpot Beef Stew ~makes 5 or 6 servings

1 pound Beef cubes * 2 TBSP Bacon Grease * 3 med. Potatoes, cut into 1½ -inch pieces * 2 large Carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces * 1 medium Green Bell Pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces * 2 medium stalks Celery, cut into 1-inch * 1 c. Peas * handful of small Bulb Onions, sliced from green stems & left whole * about 4 stems of leafy Purslane, sliced * ½ teaspoon Himalayan Salt * 1/8 teaspoon ground Black Pepper * 1 tsp. Orange peel, grated & dried * 1 Bay Leaf * 1 pkt. Lawry's Beef Stew Spices & Seasonings dry mix * 3 cup hot Water * 2 TBSP Butter * 1 Lrg. Crockpot (8-10 qt., oval) * 1 Lrg. Skillet * 1 Lrg. Cooking Spoon, slotted * 1 Lrg. Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup

Bay Leaf, broken & placed into a tea ball; Orange Peel; small grated & dried.
Stew Ingredients.

1) Prepare vegetables & purslane; place in the slow cooker crockpot.

Vegetables ready for the crockpot …

2) In a large skillet, cook and stir beef cubes in bacon grease, until beef is browned.

Bacon grease - with nicely browned pieces.
Searing the beef cubes, in the bacon grease.

Add browned beef - with accumulated drippings, to the vegetable medley.

Add beef cubes … with accumulated drippings, to veggies in crockpot.

3) Slice butter & add to crockpot.

Add butter slices to crockpot mixture.

4) In the Pyrex measuring cup, blend together the water, seasoning packet, salt, pepper, & orange peel: blend well and pour over mixture in crockpot. Add tea ball with bay leaf.

Blend water with the stew seasoning pkt. & pour over crockpot mixture.
Stir to blend thoroughly; add bay leaf in tea ball.

5) Place lid over crockpot - set temperature at HIGH until mixture boils (about 1-1/2 hrs.) … then reduce heat to LOW, and continue cooking for an additional 4 or 5 hours (or until veggies are fork tender).

Place lid over crockpot; cook for 6 hours.

YUM!