Vacation With Dad

Now here's something new.  I'm on a long weekend vacation with my dad.

I've been on vacations with my mom before -- mom likes going to the theatre and dad doesn't; so mom and I sometimes go on whirlwind theatre trips together.  And I've been on some trips with the both of them together.  But travelling just with dad is a new one.

But, right now, my father and I have a common interest -- he can't seem to lose that "last seven pounds" and I have a big fat butt.  So dad booked us into this health spa/resorty sort of place for the weekend.  (Not a "fat farm."  A whole "lifestyle" sorta thing.)

We drove out this morning.  Took about 2 1/2 hours.  I think we're both somewhat proud of ourselves that we managed the entire drive out without turning on the radio to fill awkward silences.  Don't get me wrong -- it isn't like I'm estranged from my dad or anything -- it's just that, normally, mom is in charge of phone calls and late-night conversations (and she just passes on all relevant info to dad).  But we had a nice drive out and did some of that "bonding" stuff so I'm sure mom will be all smiley when she reads this.

We checked in, got a tour of the premises, and had lunch.  (Healthy food.  I had a salad.  It was quite tasty but I made the tactical error of eating a protein-free meal.  Not good.)  We're in Tucson so it's toasty (although not triple digits) and I drank, like, three glasses of water at lunch.

We had some time to kill before our rooms were ready so we went over to the gym.  Dad went for the treadmill and I went for the Elliptical machine and we worked out our respective hearts.  I hadn't been to the gym in, like, prolly at least a year -- and I remember when I'd started I was doing 12 minutes of cardio and had worked my way up to 20.  I figured I'd see if I could do 20 today, which I could, but I had to totally slow down my pace because about 4 minutes in, the little light indicating my heart rate was blipping at the very top of the "acceptable cardio workout" range, and I had to keep adjusting the pace to keep it this side of the "don't go there" line.  (I know my heartrate is too high when the machine can't count it.  It'll be telling me my heart rate is 151 or 153 ... and then the next thing you know it thinks my heart rate is 77.  Um, dude ... you're counting every other beat there.)  So, 20 minutes of cardio and then I reintroduced myself to the abdominal crunch and back stretch machines. 

(And then I started going to the bathroom every half hour because this is what happens when you drink all that damn water.)

Then we met with our counselor-type people who made sure we were signed up for the right classes and wouldn't kill ourselves.  (The very nice nurse lady said I could take any of the classes at "Level 1."  And she thinks I could do a hike at level 1 or level 2.  Don't be that impressed; the fitness classes only go up to 3, but the hikes are from 1 to 6.)

We then checked in all official-like and got settled in our rooms.  (My dad ended up with a room really close to the main building.  I ended up with a room much further away (wasn't sure I'd ever find it again), but, um, way better room.  I was a little ashamed to tell my dad about the flat-screen TV.)

Met dad for dinner.  A grilled chicken breast marinated with lemon-grass.  (With bamboo rice and wok-cooked carrots.)  It was really good.  Actually, it was really good excepting for it being spicy.  Now, normally, I don't eat spicy food.  (Normally, I probably wouldn't give a second thought to bamboo rice either.)  But, y'know, it's all about trying new things and being open to new lifestyle changes and, hey, if the only thing I get out of this weekend is an ability to enjoy spicy foods without, er, having my digestive system rebel, it will totally have been worth it. 

That's about the day.  I signed up for a hike on Sunday morning -- level 2, but only "low to moderate intensity."  (Don't want to hold the group back or anything.)  The one big huge major downside to the hikes is that they leave at 5:30 in the morning.  This because you don't really want to be hiking in the Arizona sun during the day, but still.  So, hopefully, I'll be able to get to sleep a little bit earlier tonight and tomorrow night, so I don't feel like committing murder when I get up for that hike.

:::Yawn, stretch:::

G'night.