Groan Weekend

I have finally attended my very first yoga class last weekend and the word 'groan' occupied my mind and body throughout the whole weekend. As I haven't followed a proper exercise regime for a very long time, all my muscles or what's left of it was creaking it's way through the whole class.

We first started with some breathing exercises, lying flat on your back and breathing in and out. The instructor made us breathe in and out using one nostril, supposedly to direct air through that specific nostril to its full extent. By the way, the instructor has got the most beautiful eyes, on a man to boot!!

Then, came the arduous parts of the yoga. As the class was a mixture of beginners (moi) and intermediate, the poses were a mixture of easy and most difficult. The most difficult here I would think is the one I call the bridge, there is another name to it though I can't remember it. The pose is where you lie on your back and push your body upwards so that it forms a bridge. This sounds so much easier when I put in into writing but when I had to perform the pose, my body just won't go up, even with the instructor's help. Supposedly my back was not flexible enough (like I didn't know this).

Then, it was the legs in the air and cycling for 200 counts. This part was easy at the beginning but when it gets to about the counts of 50, my legs started to get really heavy and my stomach was pinching because of the sudden activity on it. There was a lady beside me who did the 200 counts without missing a beat, I really salute that, 200 counts is really no joke. To her it was a breeze. I was later informed that some of the people who attended the class are there everyday. No wonder the 200 counts is just a breeze to some people.

Anyways, right after the class, me and my friend went for dinner and at this moment, I was already feeling the effects of the class. My calf was slightly sore and my stomach felt like it was being stretched slowly but surely. Then, the rest of the weekend came and the days were filled with walking slowly and with the very distinct groaning sound escaping from my mouth.

However, moi here is not giving up, I am going to be the one who can perform the 200 counts of cycling in the air without even batting my eyelashes. Aja!!

White tea, anyone?

In this age of technology where information is being fed to you whether you like it or not, I have just figured out about white tea. Apparently, white teas are more expensive and contains more active cancer fighting anti-oxidant than the green teas. Also, they taste lighter and sweeter than green tea. I have always thought that the green tea taste needs a bit of taking into. It's those kind of taste that either grows on you or not. I do know people who take their green teas with sugar as they would the normal teas. I guess that eliminates the bitterish taste of the green tea a bit. Well, whatever strikes your fancy.

Anyways, I am happy and elated to report that Ricky is back home. He was so happy to arrive home that the moment he is let out of his cage, he wanted to be let outside the house yard. I guess the cage confinement since Sunday really got to him. I'm sure he is happy being home and sleeping on his favourite rug. He is still having problems biting into his food and I can see his struggle during meal times. The vet did note that there is downtime and he would still experience pain these few days to come. I am just glad that he is home. Poor Ricky has mosquito bites on his ears.

Also, I took new photos. I wanted to do something special for my birthday and lots of ideas came into play. White water rafting, bungee jumping and trekking were all suggested to me. However, none came to fruition except for a sessions with the makeups and the taking photos thereafter.

I verily believe that these pictures are slightly misleading.

Firstly, I don't always have that slightly serene look on my face. Only when I am completely and utterly happy or am hiding a secret. Secondly, I have always hoped that I have the patience to wait for my hair to grow that long. Thirdly, my face is too flawless.

Regardless of all that, I thought that the pictures turned out quite well considering I took those pictures in a busy mall with people milling about me and wondering what I was doing going through all the weird poses. I must also state that the photographer who took my picture was right when he made me go through these poses, it does look nice, though at the time when he told me to bend my head, put my hand on my waist and move slightly to the right that I was doing yoga and that the pictures would turn out cheesy!!

Get well soon, Ricky

Poor Ricky. I sent him to the vet on Sunday to get his mouth checked. He has feline leukemia and he's having problems with his gums. He has trouble chewing his food and when he does need to chew it as he needs to eat, he will suddenly meow loudly looking very much in pain and stop eating immediately. He had lost a lot of weight recently.

I was told that Ricky should be able to leave the clinic by today. However, this morning, the vet called and informed that Ricky's gums are too swollen and the infected area is too large that a mere cleaning is not sufficient. He had to be lasered. The vet lasered parts of his gum that is really infected and sealed most of it from spreading further and making it swollen again. Ricky is now under steroid and it would not be advisable for him to leave the clinic. The vet informed me that he could leave the clinic if I supervise him all the time as he needs help eating his food. It had been painful for him before to swallow his food that now he is scared of even chewing much less swallowing his food. However, I can't supervise him all the time, as working occupies my time during the day. Leaving him with Bibik will make me worry even more.

I did however visit him today at the clinic. He looks soo scared. He is placed in a room with all the other cats and the cage is clean. There is another cage on top of his cage and the cat that was in it was on drips. He had a major surgery and looked even worst than Ricky but he still managed a smile for me. He even answered me when I called out Ricky's name. Ricky only looked at me after a few calls of his name. The vet assured me that Ricky should be able to leave the clinic by tomorrow. I do hope so.

I hated leaving Ricky at the clinic but I know deep down that it is for his own good. He had problems eating and
after the laser treatment, Ricky needs to be supervised.

I miss him at home. He had always been the one who greeted me when I arrive home after a long day at work. He would give me his head for a good rub and stay with me while I watch the telly.

Insya-Allah, I hope to have him home tomorrow.

These are pictures of Ricky during his gum ok days.

Smiling for the camera

His favorite sleeping position (pic, top and bottom)