Exercising at this altitude (8600 feet, according to my Lowrance GPS) takes a lot more effort and burns a lot more oxygen than at lower altitudes. Hence, for people like me with coronary problems that extra demand for oxygen is hard to satisfy. Nevertheless, I try to do the exercises I recommended to you last week three times a week. Today was the first time this week.
Today was the first time this week because we were away on vacation visiting family in Denver over the Labor Day weekend. I don't usually exercise when visiting at other people's houses. It's embarrassing when you vomit on their carpet or fall exhausted on the floor. (That doesn't actually happen, but I sometimes feel as if I might collapse on the floor and I would rather do that in my own house.)
To report: I managed to get through 20 minutes of the program before running out of steam. I could not go on. The demand for oxygen on my lungs was more than I could supply.
Plus, I add some exercises to the program I hope you printed out. Year before last I had a problem with my left shoulder. My orthopedist suspected a torn rotator cuff. After several weeks of therapy we settled on surgery as the final option. My cardiologist, however, vetoed that option because I was on Plavix due to having recently had two coated stents installed. So, we went back to an exercise regimen designed to help strengthen the shoulder muscles and, hopefully, allow the shoulder problem to heal with surgery.
I still do those exercises as they seem to be helping; I have almost full range of motion in my left shoulder.
After 20 minutes of exercise this morning my body said, "Enough!"
I must share with you, however, the joy of doing exercises on the deck of our mountain retreat. On clear, crisp dry mornings like this one (sunny and 59 degrees), I prefer to do my exercises out on the deck in the fresh mountain air. Below is a view of the valley I get to enjoy when looking to the southwest.
And, yes, we are starting to see some "color" in the Aspen trees. Fall is rapidly approaching here in the high country.
Yesterday after arriving home from Denver we found ourselves house bound for a while when an afternoon shower raced through the area dropping large and very cold drops of water. I was outside re-loading the bird feeder when the rain started and I was chilled to the bone before I could get inside. Fortunately, though, I got inside before the hail started. We were pelted with marble-sized hail (some smaller) and, I swear, a few snow flakes.
True to life in the mountains, the storm passed and 30 minutes or so later the sun was out. The temperature, unfortunately, remained cool through the evening and I was compelled to build a fire in the fireplace this morning to take the chill off. I can't get my wife to run around the house naked when the outside temperature is below 40, as it was this morning. (I can't get my wife to run around the house naked anytime, regardless of the temperature, but it's one of several fantasies I harbor.)
NEWS FROM THE BIRD FEEDER: The stellar blue jays continue to be frustrated in their desire to get to the bird feeder trays and gorge themselves on the seeds there. That they find plenty of seeds on the ground -- the other birds flip out the larger seeds such as sunflower seeds that they can't eat -- does not sway them from wanting to feed at the trough. To this end one jay we have name Jake has found that he can fly up to seed tray from underneath the shelter ledges I added to keep the jays out and then by gripping the tray, while hanging upside down, he can arch his head over and grab a few seeds before gravity forces him to let go and drop to the ground. He is determined even though he could, no doubt, get more seeds easier on the ground. He is also comical to watch.
The stellar jays were joined this morning by three mountain scrub jays. Don't know where they came from, but they are welcome.
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