Taking Care of The Parents….Gumby AO
Six Pax, took the Daily Red Pill (DRP) this morning and got stretchier.
The Pax: Wrangler, Hammerhead, Vault, Aruba and Berry (Q: Squirrel)
The Scene: Dad Gum it’s cold! Still, it’s a gift to wake up and be out in the Gloom!
The Thang: A good bit of core and Gumby stretching.
MOBILITY ROUTINE
Cobra to active back bend hold –thumbs up, pinch shoulder blades & pause. Two breaths here. Repeato x5.
Low Lunge – Right foot forward, left back. Left knee to ground. Shoulders stacked above hips & left hip pushing forward. Arms to goalposts or press on thigh. Move to runners lunge – Straighten front leg, w/ proud chest hinge forward to feel the hamstring stretch), 5 breaths. <Flapjack>
Hip rotations – On your butt, right knee forward @ 90, left knee back @ 90. Bend forward with a proud chest. Should feel in right hip. 5 breaths. <Flapjack>
Good morning Squat – Hinge @ hips then low squat, focusing on a flat back. Stand up – repeat x10.
STRENGTH / CORE – 40 seconds on, 15 off = 12 minutes of abs
- Mountain Tops – On your six, knees bent, no slouching, squeeze should blades. Twist and tap ground behind you.
- Plank
- Crunch – You know you only have to lift 10 degrees to hit all abdominal walls? Arms reaching up to the sky. Imagine an orange under your chin.
- SSH
- Mountain Top + Boat Up
- Elbow Plank
- Knee Overs – On your six, hands run over the tops of your knees
- Slow Mountain Climbers
- Boat Up x2 + Mountain Top
- Peter Parkers
- Crunch + Knee Over
- Side Straddle Squat Jumps
- Straight Leg Situps – arms come from overhead, then up & raise to the sky
- Side Plank – Bottom leg down at 90, opposite hand lifted to sky <flapjack>
- Toe taps – On your 6, knees at 90. Tap toes, L – R – Both. IC – x20
Aruba had a lot to say during this portion of the workout….very foul.
TWIST
Supine Spinal Twist – On your 6, left leg flat with left foot flexed. Inhale. On exhale, cross right leg over, turn head to look at the right hand. <<Flapjack>>
Standing Spinal Twist – Hinge at waist, don’t round over. Hands out to sides, rotate to the left…left hand high, rotate to the right…right had high. Repeato
HAMSTRINGS
Standing Forward Bend – Start in mountain pose. Hands on hips, exhaling, bend at the hips to fold forward. Pro Tip – lengthen the front of your torso
Hamstring Stretch – Right foot over left. Bend at the hips to fold forward. Pro Tip – lengthen the front of your torso. <Flapjack>
LATS
Childs Pose Cross body – Walk hands to the left, Four breaths here. << Flapjack
Standing Side Bend – Start in mountain. Right hand overhead, left hand traces the line on your pants. Reach high, bend to left – push hips to right. Flapjack
CALVES – Down dog
The gang Moseyed over to the Stronghold to join in on the Name-O-Rama and COT
Announcements / Prayer Requests:
- Continued prayers for Wrangler’s grandmother in Maryland
- T-Claps and thanks for all you men who prayed for Squirrel’s mom who underwent two surgeries recently. All went well, great docs and nurses. She’s now on the mend.
- 22 January, Roadside cleanup. Beano will put out details as the date nears
- 12 February, Habitat Build with the men from Pilgrim’s Progress. MeatSweats will have details
- 16 February @ Southern Pines United Methodist church, Men’s Fraternity begins. Vault has information if you need it. Great 3rd F event!
- 19 February, Clown Car Convergence as we head to Albemarle, NC. Chitwood is leading us there.
Squirrel prayed us out
Moleskine: Taking care of the Parents
Your Humble Correspondent’s (YHC) mom was in the hospital this past week. Lots of the Pax knew of this and provided much needed prayers, which were so appreciated. She has a ballooning at a weak spot in her ascending aorta. Another way of thinking about it is if the artery was a garden hose we’d replace it! This is a widow maker kinda thing…if it goes, well….you may live to feel yourself hitting the ground. This artery thing made a routine gall bladder removal procedure fairly tricky.
She went to St. Louis and the good thing is, the surgery was a success!
My M and I were scheduled to go to our niece’s wedding. With Mom coming out of surgery we made the choice that she continue on to the wedding and I help Mom & Dad at home. That’s when my work started. Doing the standard chores around the home, cooking three meals a day, shopping, etc. Then there was the conflict between the parents.
It’s so hard to sit by and watch when our parents aren’t at their best. We feel the full weight of responsibility for what happens to them but, at the same time, we have no control over their actions or choices. As I tended them and their home I realized the work didn’t have to be dark, gray, and depressing all the time. This was the time a dose of humor was most needed, besides, being angry, miserable, and tense won’t change a bad situation or make my parent’s life more pleasant.
For those of you who may find yourself in this, or similar, situations in the future I’d really like to encourage you to notice when funny things do happen and encouraging your parents to laugh. It eases the burden and makes life more positive for all of you. I’d like to say I was full of grace, had contemplative prayer and let go of the outcome…but I wasn’t. I’m working on living 3rd. WORKING ON…. Don’t hate me for not being full of grace when my parents weren’t at their best. I’m really not that important. The universe doesn’t revolve around me. I am a better person when I live for others and realize it’s not about me..it’s never about me.
At the end of the day, I did the best I could. When/if you have navigate this incredibly challenging situation that’s out of your control. Just try and focus on letting go and living 3rd and throw in a good joke or even one Scout has shared…it might get a smirk, chuckle, guffaw or even an actual laugh.
Aye!