SHORT GIRL~Self Care 2026; Coalinga-CA

Putting dishes away this morning … and getting coffee pods down to refill the pod container near the coffee pot - I smiled each time I climbed my little ladder; thinking of what my 6'4" husband would be saying if he was awake and watching me. He'd say, "Let me help you with that, shorty."

Ladder to reach the supper dishes & cooking bowls.

Ladder to reach refill coffee pods.

And he'd just reach his arm up and retrieve whatever I needed.

He's got the height - retrieval is easy-peasy for him.

Billy Swan - 'I Can Help' Lyrics: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdpuDPPBNJ8&t=13s)

Sometimes I let him help 😘 because he worries about a possible fall (even though I am very careful). I am careful because I'm 69 years y.o., and I've never had any broken bones … and I don't want any now.

And, being full of machismo 😎, I know he likes to flex his muscle, being all helpfully manly 🤠: afterwards we both enjoy a hugging cuddle:

Most of the time, I say, "It's okay; I can do it." Carrying the ladder from the back room & setting it up, is using muscles akin to weight lifting 🏋️‍♀️ Climbing the ladder treads is akin to stair climbing 💪 It's a small workout. And I feel his eyes on me, the whole time I'm up there, on my little ladder 👀 - probably not sure which way I'll fall, if I do fall: traveling the USA with my handsome husband of 3 years, I've slacked off some in the toning refinement: I've gotten "fluffy". I'm short & compact - my curvy hour-glass figure is kinda big coming & going 😂🤣 … it's a toss-up which end will topple me if things get wobbly off-ground 🤔 I honestly, have never sported a notable waistline; my torso is as slight as my height.

The other day I read online, that for a woman my age, and my height … [older" & 5’2] = 136-147 is an "ideal weight"; I figure my [mature] chest balloons weight, is about 1/3 of my "ideal weight", so I think I'm being reasonably realistic in aiming for a 150 pound goal. I'd be happy with that: at this age, I look good at that weight; and lightening the load a bit, might help my husband relax some, when I climb my little ladder.

This morning, after placing my ladder back in the spare room, I finished my morning coffee ☕️ while researching 💻 holistic alternatives to dealing with fibroid flareups … my husband is a carnivore, a junkie food junkie, and a desert lover. In short (no pun intended), he likes to eat everything that inflames my body. I have no desire to be a short order cook - so, I need to track down recipes ✍️  and out-of-house food sources that will satisfy both of us, at the same time.

Both of my sisters have had hysterectomies - I prefer to tough it out: I've never undergone a surgery, and I have no intention of changing my mindset on the issue. Foods, herbal supplements, & lifestyle changes where possible, are my choices in dealing with what Life deals me.

What are fibroids, and are they a serious problem? https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/healtharticle.what-are-fibroids

Easy-peasy as a solo lobo; not so easy when married.

Then, I busied myself with some light toning workouts - it's the weekend, so I just did "accessory work" toning. Very light, but effective 💪 just the same.

Today's exercise line-up is a couple sets of resistance exercises; light, but beneficial to bone health 🦴⚕️, as well as muscle relief - I've been working my hands pretty steadily every day trying to accomplish a certain task, and complete the project before we head back to the PNW. Aching hands put a cramp in that anticipation.

Front Cross Over Shin Stretch: Hold for 10 to 30 seconds per side (count the seconds using phrases like "one thousand and one, one thousand and two," which approximates one second for each count. This method helps maintain a steady pace); if necessary, you can perform this move near a wall or counter - holding on for support.

Reaching Up Shoulder Stretch: For a 69-year-old woman, it is recommended to perform the exercise for 15-30 seconds on each side. This duration allows for adequate stretching and relaxation of the shoulder and upper back muscles. It is important to perform the stretch gently and not to force it, as this can lead to injury. If pain is experienced during the stretch, it is advised to stop.

The Darebee Keyboard Warrior hand exercises is a workout that helps your wrist health and increases the dexterity of your fingers. We may have muscles all over our body but the moment we can't use our hands to easily do things - we feel totally handicapped. The dexterity of our species is based on our having opposable thumbs and being able to grasp things in order to manipulate them; or use our fingers at will to type, swipe, click, or initiate a simple lifting action.

Repetitive work like typing, mouse clicking, knitting, crochet, or washing dishes is a killer for wrists. It takes remarkably little pressure to inflame the tissue running through the narrow carpal tunnel and compress the nerves in that area. These hand exercises are a workout designed to prevent that from happening.

Only do these stretches and exercises if you can move your wrist without significant pain.

I was happily enjoying my stepper this morning before Holland woke up. I have a heart arrhythmia, so I don't stress it any more than necessary: when I reach a certain point in exercising, I stop for a bit … and pick it up again later, if my heart rate and breathing have leveled out. Heart and lung issues has been a lifelong thing: I have learned to pace myself, no matter what I am doing. When I finally counted 500 steps, and my heart rate was a little racy and my breathing a little labored - I quit, and put the stepper aside until later.

Stepper = 3-5x week, 5-10 mins; aiming for at least 15 min's.

Personally, I keep my stepper pace at a medium pace to mimic a walk along nature trails. While fast, quick steps, are the ticket to burning calories and building endurance … slow, even steps, are perfect for strengthening those glutes and hamstrings (as well as keeping my lungs and heart from going into over-drive).

The stair climber's weight-bearing momentum, also improves bone density while toning and shaping the lower body. This aligns well with general step targets. For a 69-year-old woman, the recommended daily step count for health benefits is between 6,000 to 8,000 steps. This range is based on the general guideline for adults over 60, which suggests that taking at least 2,300 steps per day lowers the risk of death from heart disease. Therefore, aiming for 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day can help maintain a lower risk of mortality and improve overall health = by noon, I had racked up 4,000 steps 👣 spread out among workouts and general in-motion activity; and that's a pretty good count ✅: no one lives forever, no matter the diet, workout, or lifestyle - everyone eventually dies from something & it's usually because the body comes with a limited mortality clause 💀

This aging shorty feels that at my classic, vintage age, I'm doing good & holding up relatively well 😉

And I'm glad to have my tall manly man, to share my life with, too 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨