The Paw

I was given the paw yesterday morning. One of Diesel the cat’s many ways to wake me up is gently pawing at my mouth with concerned eyes his belly’s not full. Other ways include jumping on my face, chewing a plant or plastic bag loudly if I’ve left one out with clothes in or massaging my hair and purring loudly. They’re the nice ways. Normally he meows loudly in a meow that’s not even a cat meow, meows, meows until I can’t take the meows anymore. The paw’s usually accompanied by meows. He learnt eating plants loudly from his brother for attention. Does anyone else’s cat when they’re hungry do everything louder than usual? Yawn loudly, like they’re smacking gums, paw steps are louder, everything just louder?

I hope you had a great weekend. I felt a little guilty Friday I had for me a great day. I had my fastest run in ages and I was running on the beach! I was late getting to the zoo and ran up just as they were closing the gates. The ticket lady kindly stopped the gates, checked my card, reset the automatic gate so I could enter! A stark contrast to Sunday. The zoo was quiet, it was a sunny day. Afterwards I did something quite rare for me, a 99% non food shop! I can’t remember the last time, I went shopping when it mostly wasn’t for food. I seem to shop in about 5 different shops in different locations, so no to clock watch before the supermarkets shut and be able to enjoy browsing is something I look forward to. Later I heard about the Paris attacks and felt guilty I had such a great day. Madonna summed up I think how a lot of people are feeling. Don’t give in.

Run view

Monkey mango love

A new lipstick/gloss launched in Sephora. I can’t remember the brand, but this stepping kiss shade and another Out For Run caught my eye!

Christmas’s coming!

Saturday, was spent mostly catching up on chores, glued to the news and escaping Diesel’s afternoon snack demands to the roof to workout. I use the washing line frame for pull ups, chin ups. The bar’s square, not ergonomic like most pull up bars, but you work with what you got! I let out my inner monkey with commando pull ups. 

Ever since I was asked if I wanted to run the Spartan Race, I knew I had to work on upper body strength. As you’re pulling yourself over walls, since February I’ve been working on pull ups, chin ups, monkey bars (since May) and noticing the different to just working with shoulder presses, TRX rows as I have been. Both my back and abs feel stronger with better definition. Shoulder presses and rows are important, but functional strength I think is more important, especially in obstacle races. Basically I like being able to lift my whole body weight!

Saturday evening, I paid the price for a luxurious food free shop. I popped into the local shopping centre for a top up. I usually go Monday or Tuesday evening when it’s relativity empty, so it was a shock to see it so busy. I managed to hold my patience before getting out of there!

Sunday, I toyed with going for another 16km run like last Sunday, but time verses running time verses monkey bars won. I hadn’t been on the bars for a few weeks and was itching to go on them. I ended up being out there as long as 16km, but I got back my muscle up mojo. Last time I couldn’t even manage one on the lowest bar that’s up to my shoulder. I redeemed myself on the lowest bar! I even messed around with a few forward rolls, which I haven’t done since primary school. I’m following Barstarzz on Instagram which is kinda fuelling bar work so to speak. That type of calisthenics work is pure strength! 

Later, I thought I was late for zoo. After a sprint cycle there, I ran for the gates as usual. The city hosts lots of events every weekend, but I like the zoo as it feels like I’m getting out the city. Not today. The green arrow flashed up letting me through to a packed zoo. It’s in-between warm and cold weather which if the forecast is right, the cold starts next week. I’ve noticed here that people only really venture out on sunny days in the winter. Slight rainclouds in the summer, some put on jeans. The beach is only packed during the summer and on sunny winter days they parade up and down the promenades. Any other day if the weather’s not so good i.e. not sunny, forget it. Basically, when it gets cold, cold, the zoo’s perfect for me!

Anyways, I hear a breathless voice behind me saying, ‘You jumped the gates! You jumped the gates! Did you jump the gate?’ As I ran for the gates thinking I was late, they must’ve thought I jumped them. I proclaimed my innocence thinking surely they recognise the girl who always runs for the gates as she’s late on virtually set days? Security checked my ticket, waved me through with no apology, not that I was expecting one. Complete 180, to the ticket lady Friday, stopping the gate closing for me! Maybe karma balancing?

Is it me or are kangaroos so cute hopping?

Otter paw

If you have pets, how do they wake you up to their demands to be fed, taken for walkies? Favourite shopping: food or non food? Have a great week!