Tuesday 7 July 2009

In need of caffeine...

I didn't sleep last night, well... unless you count some restless bursts of interrupted snoozes lasting no longer than 30 mins... harrumph

Since I got the flu I've had a relentless ringing in my left ear. Yesterday it was a mixture of high pitched whine, plus ringing, it sounded like a car alarm or something similar, but very far away, but still loud enough to hear... sooo frustrating! When I went to see the doctor to get antibiotics for my lurgy she said that I had some fluid behind the ear-drum but thought that the antibiotics would cure that as well as my virus - unfortunately the drugs proved not to be quite the panacea I was after and the ringing has continually increased. I don't notice it in the day time because, well... I work in London! But we live on a very quiet residential road and at night it's quite unbearable :-( I've got a doctor's appointment next week so will hopefully get some good advice about what I can do to remedy this problem.

So, yesterday was meant to be the first dress rehearsal and I didn't get back home after until midnight! It went quite well in terms of acting and nerves... however there was a slight cock-up with some of our dresses. Although the costume lady requested hips, bust, waist etc... she didn't ask for my arm measurement.

I'm not a willowy-armed waif and, to be quite honest, I never ever intend to be! I'm actually incredibly proud of my newly-(reasonably)defined arms and shoulders... but yesterday they proved troublesome when I couldn't actually get my dress sleeves over them. Hmm

of the three dresses I featured the other day, only the middle one fits! The first is too tight on the shoulders... but even if it wasn't it's way too short - I'm 5'8".. did they think with the inner leg measurements I supplied that I'd be 5'4" or something?! The third dress, my 'Mrs Collins' dress, does not pull up over my arms... I could close it at the back but then there's no point when the armpit of my dress is several inches lower than my own!!!

the middle dress fits okay, in fact it's too loose round the waist! but the length and sleeves are just dandy.

So I'm now wearing 'Jane Bennett's' dress, which is rather inappropriate being a lovely pale pink colour - I'm really meant to be rather plain as 'Charlotte Lucas' so this isn't working as well... the pretty dark pink jacket that goes with it is really out of character too.

I may not have a second day dress now, oh well!

It's a bit annoying as I was previously worried about how the dresses would fit my waist, hips, bum etc... I didn't envisage there being a problem with my arms, they're not that large surely?! Rarrr

In terms of exercise over the weekend, well it really didn't happen. I was hungover on Saturday and ended up coping with this by employing the age-old hair of the dog method... I was out with two of the girls I'm going to the Secret Garden Party with and we were having a good old natter about our costume plans, and then it just continued for far too long, ended up in a local late night bar and didn't roll in til 4am. Joe was less than pleased as he had a 100 mile bike ride the next day and I woke him up when I got in, whoops!!

So with Saturday's drunken late night/early morning shenanigans (sunday's rehearsal was quite a struggle) and last night's insomnia, I have built up quite a hefty sleep deficit and I'm feeling rather shady right now. I'm off the booze this week I think. Might have a glass of wine with my meal on Saturday night as Joe's parents and my lovely son are staying at the grounds where the play's being held from Thursday to Sunday... but not sure as will still have Sunday's performance before I'm officially off play duty!

I'm excited about the performance now but will be so relieved when it's over and I can get back to my training.

However, bit of a problem with the lovely hotel we're staying in for Joe's Etape Du Tour... it doesn't appear to have a gym :-( What am I going to do?! I think I might buy some weights and sneak them with me, the problem with that is that I use up to 12.5kg dumbbells and I don't know quite how I'd be able to sneak 25kg worth of extra weight with me... I may have to sacrifice clothing, which would be a real killer for me as I'm the queen of overpacking!

My right shoulder is hurting quite a bit from yesterday's workout. It was my Upper Body Workout No. 2. Although the exercises themselves weren't too taxing, I have a upper biceps/shoulder injury from years ago when I started out doing triathlon. As I've mentioned before, I'm hypermobile so there is a serious lack of stability in my joints. At the moment I'm doing these exercises exercises to strengthen the area, specifically Shoulder External Rotation, Shoulder Internal Rotation which were demonstrated to me by a physiotherapist, and also Lateral Raises which target the specific muscles around the ball of the shoulder... they're very subtle and I can only use a maximum of 5kg dumbbells for them!

The thing is that using weights aggravates the injury, but, by the same token, and bizarrely enough, not using weights also does too as the area becomes weak. Even when I've not done any form of upper body exercise for a long time my upper arm/shoulder can hurt so it seems I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't! I figure that if I can build up and strengthen the muscles surrounding the affected area then I stand a better chance of improving the pain, perhaps to the point of alleviation... fingers crossed!

Anyway, I'd better get on now, but before I do I'll share my plan for the week with you. This is all dependent on how tired/sore I feel as this week is going to be busy indeed!

MONDAY
AM: - Rest
Lunch: - Upper Body Workout No. 2 (done)
PM: - Play rehearsal

TUESDAY
AM: - Rest
Lunch: - Lower Body Workout No. 2
PM: - Play rehearsal

WEDNESDAY
AM: - Abs
Lunch: - Run
PM: - Restaurant and Cinema (hopefully!)

THURSDAY
AM: - Spin
- Upper Body Workout No. 1
Lunch: - Rest
PM: - Play performance

FRIDAY
AM: - Lower Body Workout No. 1
- Run
Lunch: - Rest
PM: - Play performance

SATURDAY
AM: - Rest
Lunch: - Play performance
PM: - Play performance

SUNDAY
AM: - Rest
Lunch: - Rest
PM: - Play performance

Will definitely need a holiday after all this!

I might not be able to write again between now and next Monday, so, if not, hope you all have a fabulous week!

TJx

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