2021 – Is it safe to come out now?

So, hey, how’s everyone been?

I know it’s been a long time since I posted and I actually started a post some time ago, but didn’t finish it (funnily enough part of it was about writer’s block), but I’m ready to join back in on the blogging fun. Whoo hoo!

It’s been 2.5 months since we got the key to our new house

We had a lot of work to do and are still quite busy with it, but a huge chunk of work is done. My workouts went by the way side, though walking has become really important to me and I have been doing my best to get 10K steps a day. If you follow me on instagram, then you know all the fun projects, big and small, that we work on regularly.

Leo inspecting the dishwasher (we have never had one!)
Priscilla approves of the stairs (tip: stick with one color to paint your stairs… it’s a beyotch to do otherwise!!)
We love this neighbourhood as well; they are very social here so 2020 has been hard for the neighbors. Here we are at a socially distanced holiday gathering – our first, I hope of many (when we are all vaccinated thankyouverymuch)

Workouts? What Workouts?

We still can’t go to the gym – it was on again, off again – but there was a short period where I went to a few indoor rowing sessions, which was really fun. If we could ever officially go back (fingers crossed this month) then I’m hoping to get there at least once a week.

I was injured back in August and thought it was just a bit of a glute strain, but turned out to be my piriformis which led to a really sore and swollen knee somehow. When we went to Italy it was sore and swollen and I was basically in PT from the beginning of September to the middle of November. No running, pretty much only walking and a bit of cycling. And the 4 times I went to rowing…

Running Rehab

Luckily the last week of November I was allowed to start running again, with a specific plan – no more than 2 times a week running at specific intervals for 8 weeks. And I promised my PT I would follow it 100% (and have done so far). It’s amazing that I have had no pain whatsoever during the 6 weeks that I’ve been following the program. But, I do think that my walking in between really helps!

super happy to be back in the park for (not) parkrun!

Ready for other activities

Right after new year’s, I got back on my spin bike and did a virtual ride with some of my favourite fitness friends Coco, Kim H and Kim G, Michelle and Marcia. I haven’t done a Les Mills class in months – but I’m ready to do RPM again now!!

My workout space is sadly not as big as I thought it would be and it looks like I’ll be doing BodyPump in the living room again. It’s fine, but I haven’t done it yet because all the Christmas stuff was up AND we only have had curtains for a couple of weeks. But no more excuses now, it’s time to get busy. Watch this space!

NEVER thought it would happen, but here we are with a new treadmill in the house! But it does take up a huge chunk of the room

New Year, Same Me

I know it’s the time of year when everyone is setting goals, making resolutions and choosing a word of the year. I’m not going to do any of that. I am just going to keep on working on my mental and physical health. 2019 was awful, we all know how 2020 went down; I’m just going to have a year of moving forward. How’s that for a goal? That’s not to downplay how others decide to set goals and focus on their word of the year! I commend and admire that a lot! Maybe later on the year? We’ll see!

Jumping back in to the blogging world

I hope that I’ve kept in touch enough with my blogging friends on other social media channels, but I know I’ve missed quite a lot of people who aren’t active on Instagram (where I’m normally found as far as fitness stuff goes; for shouting into the void I go to twitter), so with that I am jumping straight into the Weekly Run Down hosted by Kim and Deborah (even though this post has nothing to do with the past week!).

Weekly Run Down Blogger Linkup
Join us for the Weekly Run Down!

A NEW link up – Fit Five Friday

It’s time for a brand-new Friday Five, and I am excited to be a part of the Fit Five Friday Link-Up!

Join hosts My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Runs with Pugs, Zenaida and me, every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Who’s ready for some fun?

Here are the guidelines: Your link should center around some kind of fitness (exercise, wellness, mental health, nutrition… the possibilities are endless!) Please link back to your hosts! It’s the right thing to do! Share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers! Feel free to share about Fit Five Friday on your social media! Tag #FitFiveFriday to get the word out! And let’s go! We can’t wait!

New Friday Link Up

How’ve you been? Do you already have epic goals for this year? A word? Or planning on just moving forward each day? Will you join the Fit Five Friday?

Have a great week and here’s to re-connecting!

Comments

  1. Yay!!!! So glad to see your blog again!!! Maybe we can inspire each other with our workout spaces… my “alcove” really needs some funk LOL

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Kim! Hopefully we can both get our spaces sorted out soon!

  2. steveamos says:

    Love your blogs

    1. Renée says:

      thanks Steve-o!! I see your comment now, it went into spam :(

  3. Coco says:

    Even though I keep up with you on FB (I’m on IG but the algorithm seems to show me posts a few days late), I’m glad to see you blogging again! I’ve loved watching you work on your new home!

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks so much Coco!

  4. Congrats again on the new house. It is always a lot of work! But well worth it. Nice to have you back on the Sunday threads and look forward to the new linkup

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Deborah! Definitely worth it! I have good intentions with blogging, let’s see how it goes!

  5. Birchwood Pie says:

    I loved seeing your house come together on IG…what a lot of work! Enjoy your home gym, and I’ll definitely be watching the space evolve.

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks! the space is still a work in progress but we’ll get there!

  6. runswithpugs says:

    Welcome back! I am so glad to see all the awesome progress you’ve made with your gorgeous new home, all the goals and plans you have for the upcoming year AND that you’re joining us for the Friday link-up. It’s going to be awesome!

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Jenn! So glad we are still regularly connected with each other on IG and FB! Looking forward to Fridays for sure!

  7. Lisa says:

    Glad to see you are blogging again but its also been fun seeing what you’re up to on instagram! I’m excited for the new Friday link up!

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Lisa! Looking forward to the new Friday link up as well!

  8. Michelle D. says:

    So happy to have you blogging again and looking forward to co-hosting the Friday link-up with you :)

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Michelle! me too!

  9. Liz Dexter says:

    Lovely to see you back blogging even though we’re connected on FB (I try with Insta but am rubbish at it!). Glad the house is almost sorted and that’s great work, well done! And I have totally had a knee that was to do with my bum, so am with you on the piriformis thing. Happy new year and here’s to progressing forwards through the year, indeed!

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Liz! I am glad too we are connected on FB so at least we can see what’s going on in each other’s lives. We just have to keep moving forward as best we can and hopefully things will be “normal” again at some point. How’s your knee doing now??

  10. Marcia says:

    Welcome back! I feared I was missing your posts. Glad you’re settling into your new house. That’s so stressful. Sadly 2021 so far as been more of the same as 2020. This too shall pass….eventually…..but I’m not holding my breath. It was so nice to ride with you!

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Marcia! I think most important thing is that we do not give up hope. I believe it will get better but patience is needed and that’s not a strong quality of mine. Hopefully we can ride again together soon! Did you figure out the bike resistance yet? I guess it’s similar to mine? It is different than the bike I used at the gym.

  11. Darlene says:

    Welcome back! Missed you!

    Congrats on the new house. I’m stressing about getting a new kitchen so I can’t imagine.

    Hope all your aches and pains go away. At least that is something good for 2021.

    Can’t have epic goals. I’ll be happy to stay healthy and do some races. So Resilient is my word.

    I got a bike (just a regulars stationary one). A big step for me who just runs and walks. So I may b able to ride with you virtually.

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Darlene! We aren’t fully done with everything so I do get the stress! But a kitchen Reno would (and eventually will) definitely be a stress!! We’re just going to do our best this year and see what happens. Would be great if we could virtually ride together!

      1. Darlene says:

        that would be fun and race at some point. This will end and in the future maybe you will come to the US. I also am planning another trip to Paris.

        1. Renée says:

          at some point we are destined to do an event together :)

  12. kookyrunner says:

    So happy to see you blogging again – you were missed! I’ve been following along on your house renovations on Instagram and it’s so cool to see everything coming together. You are both doing an amazing job with everything!

    I really enjoyed our virtual cycling session and hope we can do another one soon :)

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks so much Kim! I’m glad to still keep up with you on IG so at least I haven’t missed *everything*. would be great to do another virtual bike session for sure!

  13. I’m happy to see you blogging again! I love to hear what is going on all around the world. Looks like you have found a really great neighborhood. And a new treadmill? How fun! Your kitties are adorable, but especially Priscilla. We have a grey cat too, but no where near as fluffy as yours!

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Lisa! And funny I’m not hating on the treadmill yet haha! I’d love to show you the 4th kitty Nena but she despises the paparazzi!

  14. So happy to see you back blogging, but can’t certainly understand your previous time restraints with all of the work you were doing on your new home. I have loved following along on IG and seeing all of the fun changes you were making. How wonderful that you love your new neighbors. That’s such a plus!

    Leo looks like he’s thinking, “Why can’t milk be dripping from that glass?”

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Debbie! For sure; I was certainly doing things in all the time I missed, just not a lot of running and other fitness!

      And yes :D Leo does look like that! And believe me if there is **any** food or drink available, he will find it (he’s run off with bread and an entire chicken breast in his mouth already)

  15. Keeping it simple works too! Sometimes that’s needed. Last year I had huge goals and having them all disappear due to the coronavirus was devastating to me so I was a little apprehensive about making goals for this year- but I don’t do well unless I’m training for something so I decided to try it and see what happens! Just taking it one week at a time at this point I guess!

    1. Renée says:

      I also do better with something to work towards and maybe that’s why with buying and then renovating the house that kept me going but in a different way! But now, indeed I want to have something to motivate me and I do have that, it’s just not a race or a time goal. Fingers crossed it’s a bit better this year!

  16. Excited to see your blogging again. I am even MORE happy to do the Friday link up with you as well. I loved following along reading about your new home (congrats again) and the remodeling. Gosh, I hope one day I can visit.

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Zenaida! excited too for Fridays! And wow it would be so great if you could come here one day and see everything for yourself!

  17. It’s nice to see you back, Renee. I appreciate you commenting on my blog since I’m not doing IG right now — only so many hours in the day.

    I’m so glad that your comeback is going so well. Yes, I have a word, that’s something I’ve done a long time, but everyone is different and you have to do what motivates you. Moving forward is a good goal. :)

    No grandiose running goals, other than also to keep moving. At the moment that’s still just walking because I’m still dealing with fatigue, but I know I’ll be back out there once the time is right. Too bad, for Winter, we’ve had a long stretch of decent weather the past couple of weeks!

    1. Renée says:

      Thanks Judy. I have missed everyone but it is hard to keep up on all the various channels. I admire those who come up with words and goals, but I know myself and don’t need to pile more on top of what my brain already has going on. I’m loving my walks, even though yes I’d like to run more, but I feel like we can only do what we can do and not push it too much. It can and surely does backfire.

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