Books, Dogs and Exercise

My sister was interested in my latest library book, and I am happy to report to her, as she is apparently the only one who reads my blog, it's pretty good. At first it was difficult at first to digest all the character and place names because I don't speak Italian, but now that I've distinguished all the different people, I'm enjoying it. It's the tale of two courtships set amidst the organized crime and arts landscapes of Sicily. The setting and characters of this book could be transplanted to Los Angeles very easily, particularly Betty, the mobster's daughter. She is an overindulged monster of a young woman who begged her daddy for a new car with a DVD player. Sadly. she doesn't appear to be intelligent enough to realize the screens are in the back seat and that she can't watch and drive at the same time. For a book I used such high standards to select, it's proving to be a good read.

Dumb Dog
Our dog tries to kill himself every time we walk him. He pulls so hard on the leash that he chokes himself and it isn't unusual for him to have to stop just to catch his breath. I looked online for collar options and none of them were very highly recommended. Choke chains are out because he has turned his regular collar into a choking device. Gentle leaders have very negative connotations in my family so they're out. I was thinking about the pinch collar but it seems a bit inhumane. I guess we just have to train him. I made my first attempt this morning. The instructions I read stated that when the dog pulls, you stop, tell them "NO" and praise them when they relax. I was stopping about every 3 steps. When my dog wants something, he wants something. We went about half our usual distance and I turned around. I'm happy to say he was much calmer on the return trip. I figured out why when we got in the house. He had a natural treat that he was anxious to get home and enjoy. His mission was accomplished and he was ready to partake in his spoils. We'll keep working on this. I would call the Dog Whisperer but then I'd have to clean my house.

Slacking off no more
After a break in my exercise routine, I'm happy to say, I've worked out 5 times in the past week. I even ran at the high school track one morning. It was awful. My muscles are a bit achy, but it's been worth it. It appears that I've burned some of my flabby stomach. And now all the weight loss ads will appear to the right. My 7 year old invented an exercise for me called the waddling penguin. Stand with your arms out to the side with a weight in each hand, feet about hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Now make tiny circles with your arms. Try not to let your hips sway too much. You'll get a nice burn on your sides. If you want to really challenge yourself, do it while standing on one leg. Excellent for the core! I try to do at least two strength exercises while standing on one leg. Not only is it good for the core, but it's an excellent way to improve your balance.

That's all for now. Enjoy your day!