Everanything: Journey's End

[Merrin]

Hi. I'm Ever, and once upon a time, I lived and worked close to a magic castle. There were so many Characters there, and lovely Guests to see. I went to the castle for my own reasons, but one way or another, it was the start to what has been, until now, the longest chapter of my life. Along the way, I acquired a wonderful Stepmother, and a slightly bratty Stepsister. There were concerts, balls, trips to take, performances to be made.  I learned that love cannot break all spells. I lived like Cinderella for a time, caring for a family that at turns barely tolerated or liked me. I convinced myself that the girl in the mirror was no one, nothing. Out of the blue, I met a Thief, who wanted to steal me away. I let him, because I realized it was finally time to cut away all the things that were holding me back.

 

Some days, I'm still unsure how I got to where I am, in a little house near a meadow, where I finally feel at home. And free.

 

We Went Through a Mountain

 

Sometimes, taking the path less traveled presents unexpected challenges; hiking, climbing, and bouldering over uncertain terrain requires a lot of muscle groups. I want to work on a stronger core and stronger arms. (Getting lactic burn after just a few rounds at the range has become frustrating.)

 

• 15 sec plank
• 10 Dumbbell rows
• 20 Lunges
• 10 L-sits
• 20 Squats
• 10 Pushups

 

2+ sets 3x/wk + STR @ .25

 

Hide and Seek

 

Walking through the woods is nice and all, but sometimes, activities require a little more...stamina. I want to move faster, with more confidence and awareness. I have chosen dancing, because it will require me to pay attention to my feet, and to work on coordinated movement.

 

Just Dance 2x/week STA @ .25

 

Don't Eat the Mushrooms, Don't Drink the Swamp Water

 

Once my next full work week begins, I'll be attempting pure keto for the rest of the challenge. 'Mushrooms' are any and all carb-based food; after this weekend I'll have them purged from the house (at least, the ones that tempt me.) 'Swamp Water' is, of course, liquid-based calories with no nutritional value (I love big canned tea and I cannot lie.)

 

+.1 to CON for each day of clean eating

 

Wishing on a Star

 

During this challenge, a long chapter of my life will be ending. It's been an emotional and exhausting process, and I'm doing all I can to move through it, keep my mind off of it, put the energy into positive actions, and the like.

 

Each time I feel like yelling about it, or crying, or being destructive, I will attempt a positive action or activity for ten minutes. These will include:

 

• Photo album organizing
• Spring swap declutter search
• Patterning work
• Yard stuff
• House cleaning
• Smash box
• Scooter ride
• Making tea
• Cross stitch
• (Others as they occur)

 

 

[NeverThatBored]

Following  

[Merrin]

Optional Bonus Content: Worked in the yard today with Ifrit for upwards of four hours, with breaks. I practiced swinging an ax, moved several pounds of bark/branches/etc, ripped up milkweed everywhere, trimmed up the forsythia, and chunked up some debris for tinder.

 

I put a few branches of forsythia on Callisto McBossBun's marker.

 

Ifrit got my tender set up, and my scooter did charge, but the battery won't hold. So, it's time for a trip to the parts store!

[Merrin]

My triceps are very, very sore today. Apparently, swinging an axe is one hell of a workout.

 

I want to do it more often.

 

I finished a couple of pages in my photo album. I need one more photo for a collage frame.

[Ravis]

I'm Keto, too. Definitely takes a week or two to get beyond the "haze" and, if you're new to it, I'd avoid too much coconut oil in one sitting. What kind of recipes are you working with? Always interested to see what other Keto-ers are making!

[ellis_e]

Lovely story, I hope you do well with the new chapter. Following.

[Merrin]

6 hours ago, Ravis said:

I'm Keto, too. Definitely takes a week or two to get beyond the "haze" and, if you're new to it, I'd avoid too much coconut oil in one sitting. What kind of recipes are you working with? Always interested to see what other Keto-ers are making!

 

Recent recipes I've done were several mug cakes, sour cream pudding, chia pudding, fake shamrock shakes, mug omelettes, and chia crackers.

 

I do coconut oil in my coffee every day all day. The fat bomb keeps me going until lunch. 

[Merrin]

4 hours ago, ellis_e said:

Lovely story, I hope you do well with the new chapter. Following.

 Hail and well met! Glad for the company. Only a little bit longer!

[Merrin]

 

 

THANK YOU HIPPIE JESUS. THE TAXES ARE DONE. It only took seven weeks, twelve text messages, two botched errands, and threatening to do it myself (thereby losing him the refund we agreed upon). I hate that it took so much hair pulling on my account to get this simple, adult thing done. This has been a completely unneeded stressor. I'd like to note that I haven't had a migraine since July of last year. You know what causes those? Stress. And you know what Beast would say if I told him, yet again, he's badly affecting my health? "You're just guilt tripping me with your illness."

 

11 days left, guys.

 

[Merrin]

Thursday was supposed to be lift day. Instead, it was Migraine Day. Ifrit and I did get over to the media swap store. Now I have a copy of Miss Peregrine's to read before the film comes out, and a replacement copy of American Gods. We also hit the bank, because my financial goal from the last challenge (or two) has now become good habit, so I wanted to keep up with that.

 

When I got home, though, my right field of vision immediately got an aura. Took meds, lay down, knocked out for three+ hours of sleep. Apologized endlessly to Ifrit. Sigh.

 

Kissing Town!

 

We finaaaally went and saw Deadpool! And we snuck in snacks.

 

Hide and Seek (Gypsy Camp)

 

Worked on my poi for almost half an hour Friday afternoon. I have a bruise on my shin, somehow.

 

Wishing on a Star

 

One photo collage is complete and ready to be hung. Two albums have several pages done. Found a few more goodies for the clutter swap. Tried to pattern but couldn't stay focused.

[Merrin]

Swamp Water and Mushrooms: Dear Ever, it kinda sucks diving back into keto without having enough snacks to take to work. It kinda sucks a lot. That said, I didn't get tempted by anything at home, and made a quick omelette for dinner. My Saturday night is too short to do anything but eat, shower, and have a bit of downtime before I have to sleep to get up again at 0430.

[ellis_e]

Migraine days suck, but good job getting your terrible tax stuff done. It's always such a relief when something that's been hanging over you for a long time is finally done with. Hope you manage to stock up on some good snacks for the coming week!

[Merrin]

 

Migraine days suck, but good job getting your terrible tax stuff done. It's always such a relief when something that's been hanging over you for a long time is finally done with. Hope you manage to stock up on some good snacks for the coming week!

 

Thank you! It's just such a dumb terrible Adulting thing. And now it's gone! I went to the store today and now there are lovely cheeses and fancy meat and low-carb yogurt and Quest bars!

[Merrin]

Thousand Mile Forest: Walked to and from work Sunday. Will be to and from work Monday also. Sunday night saw me drenched for half an hour, with a puddle in my boot, because the sole had cracked and also I didn't have an umbrella. Now I do. Harumph.

 

Wishing on a Star: Ifrit had to work on a truck today, so I spent probably four hours puttering around the house. Dishes got put away, found a bunch more clutterswap stuff, vacuumed, moved a heavy nightstand up some stairs, purged the pantry, sorted the drawers, did some craft purging/sorting, and finished some laundry. Whew!

 

Mushrooms & Swamp Water: Went to the store! Bought all the keto friendly things!

 

Mirror Mirror: Spot check today, shower scrub + pore gel today.

[Merrin]

Through a Mountain

 

Hit the heavy bag for almost twenty minutes today. Took breaks for squats, lunges, rows, and pushups. Did one full rep of each before finishing on the bag. 

[pureleeawesome]

 

Through a Mountain

 

Hit the heavy bag for almost twenty minutes today. Took breaks for squats, lunges, rows, and pushups. Did one full rep of each before finishing on the bag. 

 

Nice job!

 

[Merrin]

 

 

Nice job!

 

 

Hee! Thanks. I did jump into working out without proper gear, meaning I should've braced my wrist and I didn't so um. Holding things is kinda awkward right now.

[Merrin]

Thousand Mile Forest: Today was a long, icy, windy walk to the bus stop. The culvert was flooded, so I had to go the long way around. It meant I was slightly late to work, but my coworker didn't seem too upset. The stupid wind broke my cute umbrella from Paris. It was just a chintzy souvenir, but I liked it.

 

Mirror Mirror: Scrub and moisturizer last night. Spot check tonight.

[Merrin]

In today's stupid divorce news, I have to go with Beast to a Verizon store for him to transfer ownership of a line into my old name. Primarily because it'll help build up my credit and I'd like to move in the fall, and also because I don't want to be stuck giving him money every month for the rest of whatever. It's bad enough he can still see my primary account, which was left open to pay the phone bill and the travel bill. I actually get nervous paying for things on my Paypal because I worry he'll flip at me about it, and ask why I'm not paying him sooner. I think I've worried over this before. We'll probably do this on Thursday. I'll put it in my logbook as well.

[Merrin]

Thousand Mile Forest: WHY COLORADO WHY. WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO MEEEE! Another long, snowy, slow walk. I had winterized my boots, but then stepped into a slush puddle up to my ankles, so my feet were cold and soaked. Thankfully, work has a space heater.

 

Also, I have DOMS in my hip flexors. This makes me sad, because I'm noticing how much they hurt from everything. Walking, sitting. Ugh.

 

Swamp Water & Mushrooms: I have a Quest bar. It is Banana Nut Muffin and it actually tastes really close to the real thing, minus the texture, which I don't hate.

[Merrin]

I let myself fall asleep in Ifrit's room right now, and his mattress currently being on the floor did something terrible to my shoulder. It's stiff and just aches like the dickens.

 

Mirror Mirror: Spot check today.

 

Kissing Town: We finally watched Crimson Peak today, after I'd heard lots of good things. We both loved it.

[Merrin]

Thousand Mile Forest, Frost Edition: Never let it be said that we sylph are not stubborn and proud. I should've walked the fifteen  minutes around to get home. My umbrella was only a little broken (the second in a week, I seem to have a new hobby), and the snow was light. The culvert was rushing, but I thought I could jump it. The culvert was also shockingly freezing.

 

My boots were soaked up past my ankles. The culvert was stupidly slick from the slush. I had to climb in my socks, which then got mud all over. I walked home carrying my boots, the umbrella slack at my side. When your feet are sopping wet, an umbrella seems awfully silly.

 

Mushrooms and Swamp Water: Fourth day going strong on keto. I've lost another seven pounds after a month. I'm super in love with spicy food right now. I wonder if I can make sriracha almonds at home for cheap.

 

Kissing Town: Ifrit worked on the muscles in my shoulder for almost an hour. We listened to Night Vale's new Alice Isn't Dead podcast. It's creepy and lovely so far.

 

Wishing on a Star: Found a few more things for the clutterswap. Worked on pinning one thing.

[Merrin]

 

 

Welp, it wouldn't be a Tuesday without Beast being a bother to me. I get a text at 11AM. I'm asleep because grave shift, whatev. I answer back at 3 to confirm that I'm home. Hour and a half later, no answer. Try 3 hours, still nothing. I don't know if he's got some stupid question about the phone shit, or something else, but I haven't heard back.

 

The divorce is official tomorrow. It's like he's decided he legally has just a few hours left in which to annoy me, and simply must use them! AAAAARRRGH.

 

 

[Merrin]

The divorce was official on Wednesday. I've been dealing with that all week.

[Merrin]

Thousand Mile Forest: The walk today felt good. The culvert was dry. It would've been a good morning to scooter.

 

Swamp Water and Mushrooms: I took five minutes to cook some pb eggs this morning, ate half, and stuck half in my pack. I was downtown super early so I picked up a big SF cold brew from Starbucks.

 

Wishing on a Star: Lots of pinning and snipping work yesterday. Also, Ifrit's bed and closet door both got fixed. I did about five loads of laundry. Killed some wasps. Started to pack up the clutterswap to get it sent out.

 

Kissing Town: Cuddled up and watched The Visit; was expecting it to be both way cheesier and a bit more creepy than it was.