En pleine air
Unless you count the last two weeks of suffocating heat and humidity, the weather in Los Angeles, CA, has been fan-friggin-tastic!
It was so nice one evening, on the drive home from work, that I pulled off of Mullholland Drive, then turned down to Franklin Canyon Park. It’s a tree lined park in the canyons, complete with hiking trails leading into the rolling hills that draw everyone to Mullholland, a lake and lots of happy duckies. I know they were happy because they didn’t swim away from me, but said hi (okay, honked), then returned to their duck games. (No, I’m not high — it really happened!)
I walked three-quarters of the lake before I came across a trail leading into the hills. I’m not sure of it’s name, but look for the red steps over the concrete divider on the left of the road. Head cross the street, then up the hill, keep going up for about twenty minutes, then try not to die! It’s a strenous hike. It has everything you’d expect: buzzing bees, a steep, sometimes crumbling path and (according to park signs) the occasional rattlesnake (I didn’t see one, thank you, Jeebus!). When I reached the top, I was rewarded with a phenomenal view that only the neighboring ba-jillionaire homeowners, the hawks and I shared. I hope you get to see it, too.
After that, I was hooked. I found myself looking for reasons to get outdoors. If I wanted to rent a movie from Blockbuster, I walked the long block over there. Same with Starbucks, but I chose the one three blocks away and practically speed-walked to the Galleria. I borrowed a bike from my best bud, Jean Luc, one Sunday, then drove down to Zuma Beach. Though it doesn’t have a bike path, it is Malibu, so it was safe and clean and super duper cool. I biked the length of the parking lot, before walking bow-legged down to the beach, and collapsed onto the sand.
I’ve been active every couple of days — sometimes twice a day — since then. I actually get ansy if I go three days without working out. That’s why I climbed that steep set of stairs off of Beechwood Drive a few days ago. I think Rocky Balboa had it easy compared to my climb!
With all of this activity, you’d think I’d be diligent about eating well, keeping all the yucky toxic junk out of my system. Yeah, that makes total sense, but you’d still be wrong! It’s not unusual for me to order the Big, Fat-Dripping Breakfast burrito (but hold the mayo, cuz that’s just gross!) from Del Taco, a half pound cheeseburger from Fudruckers for lunch, then end the evening with something equally fatty, covered in cheese then deep-fried. Yeah, I’m disgusting.
So imagine my surprise when I stepped on the scale and found myself ten pounds lighter. At 5′ 10″ — okay, 5′ 9 and 3/4,” but who’s really counting? — and 156 pounds, I’m still a big girl…but a big gal who is back to the weight she was when she, sorry, I, met my soon-to-be-ex husband, Endicott. Even overweight, at the tender age of 25, I was curvy, and kinda cute (I’ve seen the photos — it’s true!)…Now that I’m back at my fighting weight, it makes me wonder how I carry this at the not so ripe age of 35.
So, of course, I phoned my best bud, Jean Luc, for support. Guess how that worked out!
“Dude,” I squealed, “I’m 156 pounds! I lost ten pounds!”
“Cool. Let me know when you’re 125 pounds!” He laughed at his own joke.
Oh yeah, no one will notice when I lose a quarter of my body weight! “Oh, something tells me you’ll know. I may not return your calls or emails, but you’ll see me on the evening news. ‘Flo gets a new beau. News at 11!’ ” Then I laughed at my own joke, before adding, “Paris who?!”
Yeah, I’m a dork, but I’m a lighter, slightly healther dork, who feels a little more confident in my bright orange one piece Speedo. And that feels awesome!
It was also pretty cool when Jean Luc added, “Congratulations! That’s awesome! Good job!” Honestly, who couldn’t use some of those well wishes every day of their life?
See you later!…at the beach, the park, the moonlight hike…
Flo
Add comment July 26th, 2006