Garmin Nuvi 350

Welcome to Gym Junkie's first product review.

I have no sense of direction. I must have been dropped on my head as a baby and the fall damaged whatever part of the brain is responsible for direction. I have gotten lost walking in midtown Manhattan; I have gotten lost in the city in which I've lived for more than 20 years. When every fiber in my being screams "turn right!" I should turn left.

So I've been investigating global positioning system devices for about six months. A friend who had bought one loved it, and when he was ready to upgrade, I bought his used model.

I now have a Garmin Nuvi 350 and so far, it rocks!

I decided early on to spend the money necessary to get a GPS device that speaks street names. With my direction impairedness, I need the device to say "turn left on Main Street," not "turn left in 100 feet."

The Nuvi 350 does this, and it does this fairly accurately. Of course, it's going to stumble on quirky street names. But in the week that I've been using the Nuvi, I've found it to be just what I need.

Setup could not be easier. One turns the device on (outside, so it can see the satellites) it loads the maps. I recommend immediately inputing one's home address and work address and adding them to your favorites, which is accomplished by pushing save.

The Nuvi 350 comes loaded with various points of interest, including Starbucks, hotels, restaurants, airports. You can add your own, and it remembers the last several addresses you've typed in.

The routes it picks to get from point A to point B, with on exception, are not the ones I would have chosen. The route it took me home from work had me traveling through some very dicey areas of town. The route to my mother's house had me getting off the Interstate about six miles sooner than necessary.

But if I have no idea where I'm going, I just want to get there. The Nuvi, I hope will do that. I haven't yet tried it that way yet, but I'm willing to trust it.

This device is simple enough for the most terrified technophobe to use. Its small size (it"s not much bigger than my Blackberry 8700) makes it easier to slip into a pocket, purse or glove compartment.

All this easy-to use technology comes at a hefty price. I bought the device used for $450; I've seen it auctioned on eBay for as little as $420. But if you buy it new at a retail outlet, expect to pay at least $550.

My leaf-covered backyard, with evil Japanese honeysuckle peeking out from under the carpet. It will take me two months to suck up and shred all the leaves on my property.

One of my backyard neighbor's oak trees, which drop acorns and leaves in my yard.

Training, waiting

I took two two-hour training classes at the gym this weekend. Sunday's was supposed to be two four-hour classes, but the teacher compressed it all into two hours. Fine with me; I still get eight continuing education credits toward my fitness certification, plus the gym paid me for my time.

The classes were circuit, or interval, training on Saturday, and resistance training, upper and lower body, using body bands. I can't say I learned much. I got a few ideas with the body to incorporate into the ab portion of step class.

I'll have another class, about preventing child abuse, on Saturday. Then I get a break from training until January. I'll probably be putting in extra hours at the gym, though. I volunteered to help the fitness center up, plus teach part of the Work Out before You Pig Out class, Thanksgiving week.

Otherwise, I'm just waiting for the madness that will be the general election to start on Tuesday. I always say early the next day after an election, “It's all over but the shouting.” This election, there will be a lot of shouting, probably for days or even weeks.

Unknown bush in sideyard. I wish I knew its name; I love the flame red fall color. This bush grows well in the shade and provides a privacy screen between my neighbors' house and mine.

A closeup of lamium.

A closeup of my holly bush and berries in November 2006

More fall colors on side and back of my urban estate

My house is surrounded by beautiful fall colors in early November 2006

Vacation at home

I'm in the fourth official day of my weeklong vacation. I don't count days that I would be off from work regardless, like the weekend. So far, I've sorted through the 209 aerobics cassette tapes I bought in bulk on eBay and set aside the ones that aren't appropriate for step; sold stuff on eBay and got screwed by at least one non-paying bidder; got about halfway through sorting paper files in my home office; had the home security system installed; rearranged some books and threw away magazines from 1999; watched aerobics programs on Tivo and incorporated combos into step routines for my classes.

Yard work is winding down. I have to chop up the impatiens and coleus, and then I'm done except for the endless leaf sucking, which I won't begin in earnest until after the general election.

I've also been shopping during my vacation, and got a cute little metal pole with a flying witch silhouetted against a yellow crescent moon. I stuck it in my front yard next to the address sign.

This is a closer view of the front of Gym Junkie's house, circa 1998. I sure wish that huge holly bush was still as rounded. The boxwood shrubs died, and I dug up their roots over the summer of 2006. The bushes to the right at azalea and they bloom beautifully in the late spring. Notice even then, before I could neglect it, the lawn is patchy and brown.

Maritime black history

I'm on vacation this week. I can't afford to go anywhere, so I hope to get stuff done around the house.

I spent several hours Saturday at the Frederick Douglass Isaac Myers Maritime Park with Ann. We heard two lectures on quilting, which were more interesting than one would think. We learned about black history and the port of Baltimore. We had lunch and met some interesting people, as well as encountered a former coworker.

When I got back home late Saturday afternoon, I spent about 45 minutes working peat moss and spent annuals into the backyard plot, the strip nearest the fence. I have still more barely clinging to life annuals waiting to be returned to the earth.

There was, in my snail-mail box, a notice that more 200+ aerobics audio tapes I won on eBay had finally arrived. I'm to pick them up Monday, which will be too late for Monday's class, but after that, look out! I figure I can play a new cassette every class for two years before I have to repeat the music.

Traveling Woman on the Big Island of Hawaii

In May 1996, my mother and I took the trip of a lifetime to the Big Island of Hawaii. This largest and youngest island of the state is known for its volcanoes, which we were eager to see.

My first glimpse of the Big Island was disconcerting. I had imagined it would be like other tropical locales we had visited -- palm trees, ocean vistas, white sand beaches. Instead, as we drove to the hotel, we saw nothing but miles of hardened black lava. It created an eerie, almost lunar landscape, and looked like coal slag fields in West Virginia. "This is the tropical paradise I traveled thousands of miles to see?" I thought.

The Big Island is volcanic, not sandy. But most of its resorts cater to visitors' fantasies by importing sand and creating beaches.

After a half-hour drive to the Kohala Coast on the western side of the island, we arrived at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. One sometimes hears or reads about so-called destination resorts. It sounded like so much travel industry jargon until I arrived at the Hilton. This 62-acre resort was built in 1988 by Hyatt International; Hilton took it over in 1993. It has more than 1,000 rooms in three towers, each with a unique lobby. There are six restaurants, several lounges and snack bars, a huge full-service spa, a 4-acre human-made lagoon with a sandy beach, three pools, including a river-type pool, waterfalls, water slides and glorious gardens.

The company bills this as the most spectacular resort on Earth. Hyperbole, for sure, but I have never been anyplace like this, and I stay in four-star or better hotels.

We rode a half-mile through the golf course to the main upper lobby. All the resort lobbies are open air. We quickly checked in, the bellman took our bags and we boarded the tram. The resort is so large that it has two monorails that travel its length, as well as a dozen teak boats that navigate the canal next to the tram track. Our room was on the fifth floor. The view from the balcony was lovely -- we could see a bit of the ocean, the lava beach, distant mountains and the glorious foliage on the grounds.

Mom and I were tired from the long flight and jet lag threatened. Hawaiian time is six hours earlier than Eastern Daylight Time, so by the time we got to the room and into our swimsuits, it was nearly 10 p.m. EDT. However, we got new energy after arriving at this amazing resort, and it was only mid-afternoon, so we did a little exploring. We walked over a small pedestrian bridge to the river pool and got two lounge chairs. This pool flows in one area of the resort, and has small waterfalls and grottoes along the way. It begins with a medium-sized, rectangular pool about 3 feet deep and frequented by families with young children. We drifted in the pool and rested in the chairs until about 6 p.m.

After we changed, we took the museum walkway to dinner. This covered passage, open on the sides, runs parallel to the tram and waterway for the length of the resort, about a half-mile. It features a $5 million art collection, mostly Pacific Island sculptures, with a few paintings and fabric works. Along the walkway, we got a better look at the resort. The tram and boats make several stops along the way. We passed several shops, which include a dress boutique, another sundries shop, a shoe store, jewelry stores and a tennis and golf supply store. The grounds include human-made lakes stocked with fish and beautiful tropical flowers gardens, where a variety of imported birds live. We stopped to look at the Kona pool, the most elaborate at the resort. It has a winding, three-story water slide, a waterfall, a suspended bridge and was absolutely huge.

There is a grotto in which is hidden a snack bar. Even though it was dark, there were dozens of people, mostly children, frolicking in the pool.

We had our first meal in Hawaii at Kona Provision Co., a steak and seafood restaurant. We split an appetizer of marinated mussels, raw oysters, boiled shrimp and sushi. We each had a broiled fish fillet with baked potatoes, green beans and bread, dessert and soft drinks.

This meal gave me my first case of sticker shock on this trip: For so little (one appetizer and no liquor) consumed, we paid $80! With 11 more nights to go, dinner alone could cost nearly $1,000 for the trip. We decided that we would save money by pigging out every morning at the buffet breakfast (which was included in the package and already paid for), skip lunch, and just have soup and salads, or entrees with no soups or salads, for dinners.

The other restaurants at the resort are Imari, a traditional Japanese restaurant, Donatello's, a very fancy Italian restaurant, and Cascades, a casual restaurant that serves buffets, salads and sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I was up at 7 a.m. the next day. I was eager to explore the resort while there weren't so many people about and before it got too hot, and I wanted to take the 8:30 a.m. aerobics class and check out the spa. I walked to the Buddha gardens, a large, hilly, grassy expanse with statues from the Chinese zodiac that looked out over the lava shore. Large blue lounge chairs with hoods and mattresses are scattered about. The setting was very peaceful, and fitting for tai chi classes held there every morning. The daily power walk also started there. Every day of my 12 days there, I found something new about the property.

At 8 a.m., I walked into the 25,000-square-foot Kohala Spa at the other end of the property. It's in the basement, but this is no dark, after-thought of an exercise room and beauty parlor. It has large wood lockers, clean, well-lighted dressing areas and wonderful, large shower stalls. Delightful Japanese music is unobtrusively piped in. Opposite the reception desk is the enclosed aerobics room, which was too small for my taste and poorly ventilated. It had wooden floors, mirrors and barres, and a closet in which Reebok Steps, mats and a few free weights were stored. An exercise room offered a full selection of free weights, some Universal machines, and treadmills, stationary bikes and stair climbers.

I got a pass for six aerobics classes for $36 and signed up for several spa treatments for $150, to be spread over my vacation.

The aerobics classes are offered from 8:30 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. and last 45 minutes. They include step, low impact and toning.

After class, my mother and I went to breakfast at Cascades. It is the only restaurant in the resort that serves breakfast and was in our building. The back of the restaurant features a little lake where exotic swans, geese and other birds live. Sparrows and other small birds fly into the restaurant and steal food.

After a five-minute wait we were seated and presented our coupons for the all-you-can-eat buffet, which included juices, milk and coffee. The buffet was medium-sized, with fresh fruits, cereals, rice, miso and other traditional Japanese breakfast foods, and steam tables with pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, oatmeal, and assorted breads and pastry. But bad news: The hot food wasn't hot; in fact, it was barely warm. We complained (as did other patrons), but it never improved during our stay. We ended up trying to fill up on fruits and pastries. The restaurant also served breakfast to order at an additional charge.

We used our first full day in Hawaii to explore the resort and book our day trips. My mother had booked two bird-watching trips for herself and a trip to the volcano for us before we arrived. We got brochures and went to ponder our next move while sitting at the lagoon.

The lagoon was our favorite part of the resort. The island is made up of volcanic rock, so there are no natural sandy beaches. The hotel dredged four acres, imported sand from other islands, and created a lagoon that is fed by the ocean. There is a small, sandy beach (the sand was hot enough to burn feet from about noon to 3 p.m., so beach shoes are a must) with lounge chairs. The Red Sail concession is located at the lagoon, where one could rent floats, inner tubes, motorized and manual paddle boats and snorkel gear. There is a snack bar located on the deck just above the lagoon, which also looks out onto the dolphin lagoon, where one can swim with the sea mammals twice a week. Opposite the lagoon was the grand staircase, which leads to one of the many convention areas of the resort. The lagoon also had a two-story waterfall.

We snorkeled at the lagoon several times, among its abundant seal life, which included tropical fish, stingrays and sea turtles. I rented a float almost every day and drifted in the cool water. However, because there are motorized paddle boats available, it pays to keep one's eyes open, or to stay very near the shore. One motorized paddle boat operated by an unobservant guest nearly hit me.

We booked a snorkeling trip for the next day at the Red Sail concession. We also booked a trip for that afternoon on the Atlantis submarine, at $80 per person.

To get to the submarine, we took a cab into downtown Kona to Hotel King Kamehameha. This excursion and the others, which required that we travel to the point of embarkation, showed that we made a costly mistake in not renting a car. We had traveled to several islands in the Caribbean, and in most cases, the cost of a snorkeling excursion includes transportation to the ship. On Hawaii, the island is so big (nearly the size of Connecticut) that this is impractical. So we paid hundreds of dollars in cab fare during our visit.

We arrived at the dock and took a short boat ride to the submarine. The sub went down 100 feet, and we saw lots of fish and coral, although they didn't seem to be much different from the species we had seen in the Caribbean.

That night, Friday, the Hilton held its weekly luau and show, "Drums of the Pacific," at $50 per person. The buffet and show are held outdoors down the hill behind shops at the near end of the hotel. About 300 people attended, so it took a while to get through the cafeteria-style line and get seated. Food included the usual roast pig (I don't usually eat swine, but I tried it and it was delicious), roast beef, chicken, rice, salads, several kinds of potatoes, fruit and a few desserts. Waitresses poured soft drinks and there was a cash bar.

The show lasted an hour and featured about two dozen singers and dancers. I can't vouch for how authentically Hawaiian the performances were, but it was a pleasant way to spend an evening.

The next day we took a half-day snorkeling and sailing trip aboard the 50-foot catamaran, Noa Noa. We caught a cab and traveled five minutes to the dock. There we boarded the spacious craft, which had long, comfortable, padded benches, all covered overhead so passengers could find refuge from the sun, a large deck and two large, clean bathrooms. There was a serving area near the stern, and a table was laid out with fresh fruits, juices and pastries. Six other passengers and a crew of three traveled with us. We sailed for about half an hour to the first snorkeling point. Here we saw many tropical fish, and a sea turtle, which came within 5 feet of several of us. The second stop brought us very close to large coral outcropping. Again, there was much to see. The water did tend to be a bit chillier than we usually experienced in the Caribbean, something we noticed everywhere we swam, even in the hotel's lagoon.

After the second dive, the crew served cold sandwiches, pasta salads, soft drinks, and homemeade macadamia nut cookies.

We had one more snorkeling stop, then sailed back at a leisurely pace. This first of three snorkel trips set the tone for our water-based tours, and herein lies a distinct difference from such trips in the Caribbean. My mother and I have taken about two dozen snorkeling trips. In the Caribbean, we considered ourselves lucky if we got a can of soda or some lukewarm punch; we generally had to perch uncomfortably on whatever bench or edge we could find on the boat; we often were left without protection from the sun; and always prepared ourselves to face, shall we say, less than ideal toilet facilities. (On one such trip in the Caribbean, the head was so small, I could not stand up in it.) On each snorkeling trip in Hawaii, we got lots of delicious, freshly prepared food, unlimited soft drinks, comfortable, sun-protected seating, and large, clean toilet facilities.

Another concern of ours on any snorkeling trip is getting in and out of the water. My mother turned 70 in 1995, and I am a woman, to put it delicately, of a certain size. We are both fit and active, but we cannot go clambering up and down tiny, poorly secured ladders set a few feet into the water, attached to a bobbing boat, without risking injury. On the Red Sail, large, wooden steps were folded down several feet into the water. Three people could sit abreast, put on their snorkel gear, and then slip easily into the water. To get back in, one walked back up the steps. Simple and safe.

Our final snorkeling trip was taken on Mother's Day with Fair Wind. The half- day morning trip aboard a 60-foot catamaran was $79 per person, with mothers admitted free, so the ship was crowded with families. About 50 people were on board. This was a two-level vessel (there was no covering on the top, and several people who spent time up there were as red as lobsters by the end of the sail). As on the previous trips, a large selection of fresh fruits, juices and pastries was available. We selected this trip because it went to Kealakekua Bay, a state marine sanctuary and site of the Captain James Cook monument.

On the half-hour sail to the site, we saw flying fish and dolphins. We moored about 30 feet from shore and had the site to ourselves. Fair Wind has a huge selection of water toys and equipment for use on the trip -- floats, inner tubes, snorkels, masks and fins, life jackets and flotation belts. The most ingenious device was a metal-and-glass view box, about the size of a large bucket, which allowed a swimmer to view the aquatic beauty without putting her head in the water. As my eustachian tube dysfunction was acting up (my ears had been popping almost nonstop for 12 hours before this excursion) I took advantage of the viewer. It worked wonderfully, and I spent nearly an hour paddling around the site.

This site didn't have as many fish as others, but the coral was the best my mother and I had ever seen. The water was cool and clear and there was little destruction of the coral. It was a delight to view and swim in. Some of the coral was so close to the surface that a few snorkelers got cuts and scrapes. These were treated onboard by the efficient crew. The crew lowered a slide from the top level, and the children and teen-agers on the boat had a great time sliding into the water.

After an hour of snorkeling, we were summoned to the craft for a lunch of grilled hamburgers, chicken and veggie burgers, green salad and cake. After eating, we enjoyed another 30 minutes in the water before heading back.

If you visit the Big Island, you must take one of Fair Wind's excursions. In addition to the morning sail, Fair Wind offers an afternoon sail (without lunch) to Kealakekua Bay and an adventure raft snorkel trip. The crew is great, the boat is fabulous, the food and equipment top-notch and fun, and the site is great for snorkeling and diving. I think of all the snorkeling trips I've taken, this was the best.

The snorkeling was wonderful on Hawaii. But we traveled 5,200 miles to see something we had never seen: volcanoes. Before we left the mainland, my mother arranged an all-day tour, which cost $300 for both of us, of the Volcanoes National Park with Hawaii Forests and Trails, a tour company operated by Rob Pacheco. Rob picked us and another couple up at the hotel in his van.

The Hilton is on the western side of the island, called the Kohala coast. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is on the eastern side of the island, near Hilo. It took 90 minutes to drive across the island, through the mountains. The ascent was so steep that at times, my ears were popping. We stopped first at the visitors' center and saw a short film about the island's volcanoes. Rob also talked about the birds and other creatures we might spot during our walks.

The park has many hiking trails and scenic drives. There is a great deal to see, and although we didn't do this, I would recommend that to get a real sense of the park, one should stay overnight. There is a lodge, and people are allowed to camp.

Our first real stop was at a huge, deep bowl from which we could see steam escaping from the fissures. More ambitious people hike down into the bowl (we saw some people in it) but it was amazing to see it from the rim. The trees are scorched skeletons. It looks like a lunar landscape. We drove on to a lava tube, which was formed when molten lava cooled on the outside first, while the inner stream flowed. The tube is in a forest-like area, which we walked through for about an hour. We also walked through a petrified forest in search of the nene, the endangered Hawaii goose that my mother, the bird watcher, had hoped to add to her life list. Alas, we did not spot the creature.

We stopped at the rim of the Kilauea Caldera, a vast indentation in the landscape, where the Hawaiian goddess Pele is believed to have lived. For several hours, we drove and stopped and walked and took in the eerie beauty created by the volcanoes.

The highlight, the life-affirming, nearly religious confirmation of the glory of nature, came at dusk. Rob parked the van (along with hundreds of other vehicles) on the road, leading to the edge of an active fissure (when I say edge, I mean about five miles from the crater), which ran parallel to the ocean, about 100 feet from the rocky shore. He brought out a folding table and chairs and served mahi mahi, rice, tortillas, salad and fruit from heaters and coolers in the van. As we sat along the road enjoying our picnic, tourists walked by on their way to the viewing point. Several commented on what a wonderful idea the picnic was.

After night had fallen, Rob gave each of us a flashlight and walking stick and we headed on to view the volcano. The paved road ended and we had to walk on jagged, hardened volcanic rock. There are huge cracks and fissures and the hardened lava had jutting, rough edges. This quarter-mile walk is extremely treacherous. One must wear sturdy shoes and take one's time. It was pitch black -- the lava combines with the dark for a seamless void. Flashlights are a necessity and the walking sticks were a big help.

After very slow walking, we reached the area where we could see the volcano. It was breathtaking. Huge orange fireballs tumbled down the side of the mountain into the ocean, which belched steam in response. We could see parts of the mountain breaking off and falling in the ocean to become part of the island. We saw trickling lava streams, and new streams forming. Even though we were far from the volcano, it was perhaps the most awesome thing I have ever seen. One cannot come away from this sight and not be moved.

We made our way back to the van, where Rob prepared cappuccino. I stared at the sky. It was a brilliantly clear night, and the array of stars was incredible. I've lived in cities all my life, and this was the first time I had a view of the sky unobstructed by smog, buildings and the horizon. It was truly a magical night.

During my vacation, I received and enjoyed several treatments at the Kohala Spa. They included half-hour and hour massages (choices included Swedish, sports and relaxation). I was given a too-small robe (after the first visit, I learned to bring my own). There are several rooms in the spa, with nicely padded tables. The massages I got were wonderful; both masseuses listened to what I wanted and paid attention to my right shoulder, which, I dislocated several years earlier and still bothers me. I also had a seaweed body wrap, which is supposed to extract toxins from the skin. I lay on a massage table, zipped into a body bag filled with a hot, leafy spread. For 15 miutes, I steamed, was helped out of the body bag and directed to take a quick, cold shower in the spa. There are other body wraps; the most popular is the cold wrap to soothe sunburned skin.

I also had a facial, the first of my life. This was a truly decadent experience, different from the many body massages I've had. I always rationalize that massages have a legitimate therapeutic function (massage helped restore flexibility after I dislocated my shoulder, for example). But this facial seemed to serve no purpose (my skin didn't look any better) other than to make me feel good. And I loved every second.

One day we took a cab to the shops in the Hotel King Kamehameha. There are the usual jewelry stores and T-shirt shops. We also went to Hilo Hattie's, which sells Hawaii shirts, dresses and mumus for men, women and children, all ages and sizes. I got a flowered mumu for $59.

We had dinner a few times in Donatello's, the Italian restaurant. It is fancy, with large, upholstered chairs, a strolling violinist and a large wine cellar. Because we were trying to save money, we had only the main pasta dishes. Our favorite was flat spaghetti in a fresh tomato sauce. The dish was $18, and in addition to being inexpensive, would nicely serve anyone on a vegetarian or low-fat diet.

Mostly, we ate dinner in Cascades, which in addition to serving lukewarm theme buffets, makes sandwiches and salads to order. We were able to get a full meal there for less than $20 a person.

A five-minute drive (or 15-minute walk) from the Hilton were more shops, a small grocery and a few tired-looking restaurants. The Hilton had a free shuttle to and from this area. I bought boxes of macadamia nuts to bring home, and my mother and I got presents and souvenirs from the vendors. We found the shops at the Hilton were too expensive.

About 30 percent of the guests at the hotel were Japanese. Hawaii is closer to Japan Hawaii than to the U.S. mainland, and the Hilton goes out of its way to attract Japanese visitors. There is a lobby, concierge desk and tour booker staffed with Japanese-speaking employees.

Bleached tree limbs look like bones in Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Tourists get a closeup view of sea life from a submarine on the Big Island.

Blowhole is created when waves crash on volcanic coastline of Grand Cayman

Gym Junkie in Grand Cayman

In May 1997, I traveled with my mother to Grand Cayman Island, a British Crown Colony 450 miles southwest of Miami, just south of Cuba. We flew American Airlines from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Miami International, then on to Grand Cayman, where we arrived at noon, local time. (The Cayman Islands are on Eastern Standard Time, but they do not observe Daylight Savings Time.)

We got through immigration and customs quickly and went to the line to get our transportation to the hotel. Tropicana Tours' bus was full; we sat on fold-down seats in the aisle. The luggage was piled dangerously high next to the driver; several times he had to put his arm up to keep the suitcases from falling on him.

After a bumpy ride (driving on the left ) with Spice Girls blaring on the radio, we arrived at the Westin Casurina Resort on Seven Mile Beach, next to the governor's mansion. Check-in was quick and we were in our room less than an hour after landing at the airport.

We had a room on the second floor of the five-story hotel, the nonsmoking floor, that faced the parking lot and the main street on the island. (This was charmingly called an island-view room.) The room was rather crowded for two, without enough drawer space. It had two double beds, a 26-inch color TV, with HBO, the Disney channel, ESPN, CNN, and the East Coast satellite feeds for ABC, NBC and CBS. A small refrigerator had the usual overpriced items. The bathroom was a nice size, with marble floor and a dribbling showerhead. A small in-room safe is available for $2 U.S. a day.

We quickly changed into our swimsuits and headed to the pool and beach. The Westin has a large, rectangular pool with a pedestrian bridge over the center. It was 4 feet deep the entire length. One side has a small Jacuzzi, and both sides had little canals of flowing water in which guests could rinse their feet after walking in the sand. There is a swim-up bar. Opposite this was a stand where guests can get large, fluffy towels. Plenty of lounge chairs and tiny, unsteady tables are arranged around the pool. To one side was a Red Sail concession, where guests can rent Hobie Cats, floats, Jet Skis, windsurfers and boogie boards.

Steps from the pool is glorious Seven Mile Beach (which is 5.5 miles long). My mother and I have been to Cancun, the Bahamas, Curacao, St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico and the Big Island of Hawaii, and we agreed that Seven Mile Beach was the best we'd been to. Grand Cayman has a barrier reef, so there are no huge, dangerous waves (and no surfing). The beach is immaculate, the sand soft and white, and the water is blue and very warm. We spent more time in the Caribbean Sea than we did in the pool.

Back on the lounge chairs at the pool, we wanted lunch, as we had not been fed on the 90-minute flight from Miami. There are waitresses in swimsuits who will bring sandwiches and salads from the kitchen on the hotel side of the pool. We had trouble summoning one, and once we did it took nearly half an hour to get a salad, a sandwich and two large bottles of Evian water.

This brings me to cost. I picked the Cayman Islands after being unable to find a trip for two to the U.S. Virgin Islands for less than $2,500. My travel agent at Mid-Atlantic AAA got us the Grand Cayman trip, seven nights at the hotel, round-trip airfare and transfers, for $2,200. I considered that to be a bargain. But the Cayman Islands are outrageously expensive. The Caymanian dollar is equal to $1.25 U.S. And because little can grow on this scrub of an island, virtually all food is imported. So our salad and sandwich came to $20 U.S.

We usually had the buffet at the hotel for breakfast, and that averaged $30 for two each day. The most expensive (and most delicious) meal we had was the Mother's Day buffet dinner. While it was spectacular (details will follow), the meal came to $130 U.S. Diners can eat inside or out, where they will share the patio with the Greater Antillean grackle, a bird that seems to live on handouts, and tiny, insect-eating, curly-tailed lizards.

After eating and resting and looking over the brochures that describe the myriad activities available to tourists, I went to the concierge desk. I was able to book an island tour, the Atlantis submarine and an all-day sail and snorkel trip with the help of Fiona, who had the most wonderful British accent. All of the hotel staff have their country of origin on their name tags. Most seemed to be from Canada, with much of the United Kingdom well represented.

Our first restaurant meal was at Ferdinand's at the Westin. The resstaurant is billed as a casual restaurant with South American and Caribbean cuisine. The setting is far from casual. The lighting is dark and romantic, the tables are impeccably set and there is an extensive wine list.

The prices are high and listed in Caymanian dollars. The specials sounded delicious but at $30 U.S. we skipped them. We split a pulled pork quesadilla with papaya, tomato and black bean salsa. That was $4.50 U.S. and was divine. My mother had swordfish with Parmesan cheese crust. I had rum-glazed shrimp ($18.50 U.S. each). Both entrees were served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes (bland), perfectly steamed veggies and onion straws. The meals were exquisitely presented and tasted delicious. The food is cooked to order, so expect to spend some time there.

The next day I got up and dressed about 6:45 a.m and went to the small exercise room on the first floor. It has two treadmills, two stair climbers, one rowing machine and free weights. There is a television perched in a corner. One could easily walk along the main street for exercise, as the island is level. Many people travel by bicycle, so I suspect one could rent a two-wheeler as well.

After my mother awoke, we had the buffet breakfast for $17 U.S. apiece at Ferdinand's. There were warming tables with pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, eggs Benedict, hash browns, sliced melon, pineapple, strawberries, papaya, cereals and yogurt. A chef will make omelets to order. Most of the food that was supposed to be hot was lukewarm. All meals have a 15 percent gratuity added, so there is no need to calculate a tip.

We had a full day planned. The bellman summoned a cab for us and we took a 10-minute ride to the cruise ship dock to the submarine Atlantis.

We went on the Atlantis, which cost $150 U.S. for two. We were the only two people on the 48-passenger sub who were not from one of the cruise ships docked just offshore. The 45-minute trip was nice enough, but didn't yield as many fish as we have seen on submarine trips on St. Thomas and Hawaii. We saw quite a lot of coral. I was seated at the end and was very uncomfortable during the voyage, and water dripped onto me when the hatch was opened after we returned to the surface.

Next, we went shopping in the central district, which was quite crowded because three cruise ships were visiting. We had a nice lunch in a pub, while it rained hard for about 45 minutes.

We took a cab back to the hotel for a brief rest, and then we were off again. We were picked up at 2 p.m. by Diana of Tropic Island Tours. There were four other people on the tour, all from the Westin. Diana said she was a former New Yorker who has lived in the Cayman Islands for eight years and is married to a citizen. Her van's air conditioning was not working, so that made for a very uncomfortable two-hour land trip. First stop was the turtle farm, which is little more than a lot of turtles in tanks. It was worth seeing for about five minutes. Then we went to Hell, a small area with a black, dolomite rock outcropping that looks like jagged flames. There are painted statues of the devil scattered about, just in case the Hades metaphor is too subtle for you. The outcropping is pretty lame -- it fills about an area of a basketball court. The main attraction is getting postcards postmarked as being from Hell. The postmaster dresses as the devil, and asks each customer, "Where the hell are you from?"

We drove through Georgetown and Diana pointed out the hospital, banks, the port, and the shopping district. We also stopped at a house with conch shells built into the exterior walls. Because we had seen downtown when we went to the Atlantis, that part of the trip was pretty much a waste of time, and at $30 U.S. per person, a waste of money.

That night, we walked the half-mile to the Holiday Inn and had its American backyard cookout buffet. The buffet included mushroom, pasta, rice, chicken and green salads, hamburgers (underdone), hot dogs, barbecued chicken and ribs and fish, corn on the cob, peas and rice and scalloped potatoes. At $19 U.S. it was a fair deal, although that did not include beverages or dessert. One could eat either on the deck surrounding the pool or indoors.

The next day, we went on Captain Marvin's all-day snorkeling adventure with eight other visitors. We took a five-minute bus ride at 8:45 a.m. to the dock and had to clamber over another boat to get to ours. It was small and uncomfortable -- a few padded benches along the side that were against a jutting edge, making it impossible to lean back. The rest of the bench was in the sun. The boat had a tiny head and a galley. There was only the captain to do everything. We were given no safety instructions. This was not a trip for first-time snorkelers.

After sailing for 25 minutes, we stopped to dive for conch. There was nothing else to see. Some snorkelers dived about 10 feet and retrieved seven conch. We then took off for five minutes to what is called the coral gardens. We stopped there for about 45 minutes. There was a lot of coral, but not very many fish. We traveled to a beach with picnic tables, some trees for shade, a restroom and a vendor selling soft drinks. The captain had marinated the conch the snorkelers caught and we ate that on saltine crackers. He also had rice, potato salad, green salad and baked mahi-mahi. It was good and filling and a nice stop. But we had to stay in the shade; the sun can get beastly and even with number 30 sunblock, my mother and I got slightly burned.

At $45 U.S. per person, I would pass on this trip. I like more comfort and more attention on my snorkeling trips, and there are other visits to Sting Ray City that don't cost as much and have nicer boats. We tried to go to La Havana for dinner, but it was hosting a private reception, so we went back to Ferdinand's. My mother had the nightly special (if it's served every night, how can it be a special?) of petit filet mignon, mahi mahi and lobster tail with garlic mashed potatoes for $42.50 U.S. She raved about it. I had lemon pepper fettuccini with steamed vegetables and grilled shrimp in clear broth for $24 U.S.

After an hour on the beach, we headed for the highlight of the trip. We stopped over a sandbar with waist-high water and were immediately surrounded by about a dozen stingrays, ranging in size from a baby about as big as a catcher's mitt to one the captain called Darth Vader, whose wing-like fins spanned nearly 5 feet. The slippery, slimy creatues brushed up against us looking for food. The captain grabbed one for each of us to hold and gave us food for them. This caused the rays to swim all over us. It was great fun -- everyone was laughing and giggling and squealing. Don't miss a chance to frolic with the stingrays.

After 20 minutes with the stingrays, we traveled five minutes to the barrier reef that protects Grand Cayman from strong waves. After three previous times in the water, I was too tired to struggle against the current. We got back to the hotel at 3 p.m.

Another day, we took an afternoon snorkeling trip. We took a cab to the cruise ship dock and boarded a fishing boat as the crew were putting the catch on ice. Ten passengers went with us. This boat was a little nicer than Captain Marvin's, but the crew was of no help during the entire trip. They had no information about the sites we visited and didn't help anyone, including my 71-year-old mother, get in and out of the boat. Fortunately, the passengers all pitched in. We were supplied with punch and nothing else. Luckily, we and the other passengers had our own gear.

Despite these drawbacks, this was a fabulous snorkeling trip. First we traveled about 20 minutes to directly in front of the Westin, about a mile off shore. There we snorkeled a wreck that was about 50 feet down. There were a few fish, and scuba divers were also visiting the site. It was fun to watch them. After 45 minutes we traveled back to where we had started, going past three cruise ships, and snorkeled very close to the shore. Here we saw magnificent coral, including brain coral and elkhorn and several caves. There were a lot of fish, including big ones. It was the best snorkeling we had on the island. We got back on the boat and sailed directly over a wreck which was only 10 to 15 feet down. It was a huge wreck, probably a cargo ship (here is where the crew's lack of information really interfered with our enjoyment of the dive) and we could easily see the spine, the mast, the holds, the anchor and could visualize how it looked before it crashed. There were several fish there as well. We made a final stop, again a few yards away, but it started to rain and got a little chilly, so I passed. That was a mistake, because those who went saw barracudas.

Next, we drove to the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Garden. This is a small preserve of mostly flora. It has a clearly marked one-mile walk through it. Chris was most helpful at pointing out plants, and when my mother told him she was a bird-watcher, he took great pains to point them out. (My mother, incidentally, had written to the Cayman Islands Bird Club weeks before the trip to ask about birding trips. She received no response, and was most disappointed.) The walk would be considered easy in most places, but at noon in the Caribbean, one must be sure to be slathered in sunblock and carry plenty of drinking water.

We drove to the east end of the island, the windward side, to see the blowholes, where the ocean crashes with such force through the limestone that makes up the island that the water is forced through manhole-sized openings and looks like a geyser. Across the street from the blowholes, a man sold us coconuts he kept on ice. He sliced the coconuts open and gave us straws so we drink the cold juice. I've never been a big fan of coconut, but this hit the spot. This tour proved what a big difference a knowledgeable, helpful guide can make in a visitor's enjoyment.

That night, we had dinner at the Holiday Inn and stayed for the show at the comedy club. The show was $12 U.S. per person and is in a nightclub setting in which waitresses try to sell you drinks during the show. The performance was supposed to start at 9:30 p.m., but didn't get under way until nearly 10 o'clock. The club showed clips from "America's Funniest Home Videos" until the manager started the show. He called himself the Big Kahuna and did a 10-minute routine. Two other comedians, both from the United States, performed, each about 15 minutes. All the routines were fairly off-color -- about what you'd see on HBO comedy specials, and not what you'd see on "The Tonight Show." Of course, this will vary depending on who's performing.

We spent the last two days hanging around the pool and swimming in the Caribbean. I rented a float each day (after 1 p.m., they were half-price at $4 U.S.) and drifted lazily in the wonderful water. I went into town on Saturday to do some shopping. There was only one cruise ship docked, so the area wasn't nearly as crowded as it had been on Tuesday.

Our last full day there was Mother's Day. Both restaurants, Ferdinand's and La Havana, were serving a spectacular buffet all day and evening to celebrate. We decided to have dinner. The food was beautifully displayed and seemingly endless. There were a dozen salads, sushi and a raw bar, a tray of cold cuts and cheeses, including Roquefort, Gorgonzola and bleu cheese, steamed mahi mahi, hot and cold pasta with red and white sauces, steamed veggies, a carving table with leg of lamb, beef Wellington and ham with sauces, and a dessert table to die for. Champagne was also served. Everything was delicious and nicely prepared despite being served on steaming tables. The bill for two, as I said earlier, was $130 U.S., making it the most expensive meal I had ever had (and after our vacation in Hawaii in 1996, that's saying a lot).

This trip was worth the cost, $45 U.S. per person. Just hope you get a more helpful crew.

With the exception of two dinners at the Holiday Inn, we ate all of our meals at the Westin. We did not rent a car. The island is only 20 miles by 6 miles long and has one main drag, so I don't think getting lost would be a problem. However, driving on the left would be tricky.

On Friday, we took another half-day tour of the island. This time it was just us and the tour guide, Chris, who was from Jamaica. He drove us in Island Tour's air-conditioned van to a Cardinal D's Park, a small, deeply weird zoo with very primitive conditions for the animals. It was built by a man whose brother was a pilot and it contained animals representing places the pilot had flown. There were a lot of birds, including parrots, peacocks, ducks and chickens. There were some ponies, rodents, and, inexplicably, two dogs in cages. The island's endemic iguanas were also on display, as were a family of agouti, an introduced rodent.

Grand Cayman is an international banking center with more than 600 banks on this island of 20,000 people, and they aren't the kind with drive-through windows and automatic teller machines. Because of all this money, the Cayman Islands have a very high standard of living and no property, personal, income or sales taxes. There is very little crime, most of which is petty, so this is a very safe island. But because the land is virtually barren, expenses for food and everyday items such as newspapers or toiletries are very high. Be prepared to spend a lot on food.

On departure day, checkout was quick. Check-in at the airport took quite a long time, with so many of us leaving at the same time and the American Airlines counter had only two clerks. There is a $12 U.S. per person departure fee.

The Westin is a wonderful hotel, among the best I've visited. The beach is perfect and the service, in most cases, was good. The power went out on the island only once during our visit, and was restored in less than an hour. One day, there was no hot water for about 18 hours, but because it's so warm, taking a cold shower was not unbearable. These things happen in the Caribbean. The Westin gets most of its trade, judging from our visit, from business groups. Almost every day about 3 p.m., a section of the deck around the pool was closed to guests while it was set up for some group function. Also, the pool tended to be the gathering place for these group travelers to unwind, so it frequently became crowded and rowdy. This didn't matter to us, because the beach and the water were so calm and lovely.

USA Today arrived about 5 p.m. every day in the hotel gift shop -- kind of late for a news junkie like me, but because I was on vacation, it didn't matter. Everything is priced in Caymanian dollars, so add 25 percent to the price to avoid the shock.

The Cayman Islands are a wonderful, safe place to visit. They are not for someone on a budget, however. Because of the high costs, we could not afford to take a day trip to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac, as we had planned. The islands are also not a place to party. There was a disco across the street from the Westin, but it seemed to be open only on the weekend.

In top photo, a denizen of Grand Cayman's Stingray City trolls for a handout. In bottom picture, an unidentified tour guide and Gym Junkie defy death by handling pissed-off stingray

Coral at Captain Cook Monument on the Big Island of Hawaii

Whenever I traveled to tropical locales, I always snorkeled, often several trips per vacation. Here is a shot I took, from the water, near the Captain Cook monument off Hawaii.

A learning experience

Each aerobics class, I learn something new about the gym. Today, while rooting around in the cabinets in the studio closet, I saw a small boom box. So I guess I didn't have to spend $100 buying one myself. Of course, mine is huge, sounds great and looks way cool, plays cassettes, and I can use it at home.

I also learned that the gym, operated by an international nonprofit, is mired in bureaucracy, and, frankly, stupidity.

Example: The time sheets must be filled out in red ink. Don't ask me why, and frankly, I don't care. But if it's a necessity, why doesn't the gym provide red pens? I carry several pens and pencils in my purse, and none of them is red.

End of rant.

I finally got the microphone to work (after class, natch) and I'm eager to use it next week. Of course, the boom is broken, and it wobbles all around. I shall bring some tape in hopes of jury-rigging a fix. I hope this will ease my vocal strain.

Beach at Hyatt on Aruba

Booming box

I took my newly purchased boom box to step class today. It sounded great and worked flawlessly. It's very big and heavy, though, and it's a major pain to schlep it from house to car to gym and back.

I felt unusually fatigued and short of breath during class today, to the point that I ended it a little early. But I added balance ball routines, and the class members seemed to enjoy it.

Yard sale success

I got up at 7:30 a.m. today, a Sunday, to hit a yard sale. I got 40 pounds of peat moss, 40 pounds of small rocks, and a small bag of spaghnum moss for $2.

I applied half of the peat moss in my garden plot in the backyard this afternoon.

During my hand tilling of the soil, I encountered another root that I have to dig up. It's got red bark, which is unusual, and I don't know what it's from, because there were no bushes at that spot.

(No) music and the mirror

Aerobics class was a disaster today. The stereo system didn't work, and despite my summoning the building facilities supervisor, stayed broken. I actually did about 20 minutes of step class without music. Below is the routine, which I did not get all the way through:

turn step 8
rocking horse right 8
rocking horse left 8
rocking horse right 3 (moving to other side of step), over the top 1
rocking horse left 3 (moving to other side of step), over the top 1

basic right 4
basic left 4
staggered basic right 4
basic right 4
basic left 4
staggered basic left 4

L step right-left
L step with kick right-left

glute squeeze corner to corner 8
glute squeeze straddle 8
T step 9
glute squeeze straddle 8

march straddle floor 8
inner thigh tap 8
march straddle floor 8
side leg lift straddle 8
side leg lift corner to corner

charleston kick right 8
charleston kick left 8

As if I don't go to enough meetings

I'm just back from a staff meeting at the gym. I learned how to fill out time cards; to tell members to keep their keys on their person or locked a locker (there have been car thefts, and all of them by the thief just picking up car keys left on the floor in the fitness center or aerobics studio); and to give generously to the charitable campaign.

I also volunteered to work the extremely popular Thanksgiving morning class.

Ad, I signed up for a weekend of training sessions (I must complete 10 hours of training within six months) the first weekend in November. It's a sweet deal – the gym pays the fee for training and pays my regular, paltry salary to boot.

Routine routine

Oops, I forgot to post this routine on Wednesday. One woman fell in step class, but she was OK.

knee corner to corner 8
knee straddle 8
knee corner to corner 8

scoop right 8
L step right
scoop left 8
L step left

grapevine RLR
step side 1
side leg lift (off right end) 3
knee back
grapevine LRL
step side 1
side leg lift (off left end) 3
knee back

basic right 2
V step right 2
repeater knee right
ham corner to corner
basic left 2
V step left 2
repeater knee left
ham corner to corner

jump shot right 8
over top 3, walk round 1
jump shot left 8
over top 3, walk round 1

Gardening; aerobics

In gardening news, my neighbor's son hauled away all the yard debris I had piled up over the spring and summer. Four bags worth of large but cuttable debris was left, as well as mulch-like leaves that I will work my newly cleared patch in front of my sunroom. I'm hoping with that and the spent annuals from my container garden, I will have enough organic material to enrich the soil without buying amendments.

I had my largest aerobics class so far today, six people, including my gym supervisor. I think I like the routine below the best of the five I've created so far. I had almost all the transitions worked out, and it's pretty simple.

V-step right 8
V-step left 8
V-step alternate 8

ham curl corner to corner 8
ham curl straddle 8
ham curl corner to corner 8

Charleston kick right 8
Charleston kick left 8

basic right 4
basic left 4
staggered basic right 4
basic right 4
basic left 4
staggered basic left 4

side leg lift right 8
side leg lift left 8
side leg lift straddle 8

glute squeeze alternate 8
glute squeeze straddle 8 (moving back to end of step)
T-step alternate 8

March on top 8
lunge right left 8
switch to front, lunge back 8
march on top 4
march on floor 4

Stepping along

I felt today's step class went more smoothly. I only had one mambo and one straddle. Simpler is better, so far.

I now have four routines. I want to have a stash of eight, plus two non-step routines, so I can memorize those and use them throughout the session.

Turn step 8
over the top 3, walk around 4

L step regular 4
L step w/kick 4

basic right 4
staggered basic right 8
basic right 4, basic left 4
staggered basic left 8
basic left 4, basic right 4

knee straddle 8
march on top 8
lunge 16
march on top 8, face front, march 4
step down 4

1 mambo right, 1 heel hit right 4
l mambo left, 1 heel hit right 4
alternate

Step complexity

I got several combinations from an step program on FitTV, but I think I made today's step routine too complicated. The four class participants seemed to have great difficulty with the mambo straddle, despite my doing the steps half-time and repeating them many, many times. Here is the routine. I didn't even get to the last two combos, because I spend so much time repeating the mambo straddle.

mambo straddle right 8
knee alternate 6
triple knee 1
repeat on left

2 knee repeater right
step tap right, step tap left
2 knee repeater left
step tap left, step tap right

side leg lift right 8
side leg lift left 8

step right, left knee straddle 8
step left, right knee straddle 8

march on top 8
left knee squat side, up, squat back 8
march on top 8
right knee squat side, up, squat back 8

L step regular 4
L step kick 4
L step box step 4

Knee straddle around the world 4

mambo right 1
heel hit right 1
alternate 8

Grounds for improvement

This was my backyard. Years of neglect left it overrun with misshappen boxwood and holly shrubs, trash trees and English ivy.

Below is my yard after I cleared the brush and dug up the bush stumps.

Hotel Reviews

I visited my brother and sister-in-law in the San Francisco/Oakland over Labor Day weekend. I posted a review of the Marriott Courtyard Oakland Airport, where I stayed:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g32810-d223961-r5802119-Courtyard_Oakland_Airport-Oakland_California.html

Mine is the one by the Baltimore, Md., member.

Here are links to my reviews of other hotels:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d99371-r2998745-Courtyard_New_York_Manhattan_Midtown_East-New_York_City_New_York.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d99391-r3598987-Courtyard_New_York_Manhattan_Fifth_Avenue-New_York_City_New_York.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g186338-d195155-r2785808-Hyatt_Regency_The_Churchill-London_England.html

Again, I am the Baltimore member.

I highly recommend TripAdvisor. Use it to select where you're going to stay, and contribute so others can benefit from your experience.

Lanai photo

Tangle of tree limbs on Lanai.

Saving money while gardening

After spending most of the spring and summer clearing the bushes, roots, trash trees and other overgrowth around my house, I'm left with a pile of yard debris about eight feet long, four feet wide and five feet high. It includes branches up to six feet long or as much as three inches thick, and some roots/stumps that weigh as much as 20 pounds. I checked a national junk hauler's Web site, and estimated it would cost more than $500 to haul the debris away.

But my neighbors cut down a tree in their side yard this month. Besides removing some of the dense shade, which will allow me to plant a wider variety of plants, they are also left with a pile of big, heavy yard debris. They plan to hire their son and son-in-law to haul the stuff away in their truck. So I'm going to pay for half and have the young men haul my debris off at the same time.

That's way better than my plan to cut the big stuff into smaller pieces and put them in bags to be hauled by the city.

I've finished clearing the patch that will be my fern and heuchera and astilbe garden that I will be able to see from my sunroom. I need to add some soil (digging up the roots left holes) and till the soil. I had first thought I'd need to add soil amendments, but the towering oak trees and layers of leaves have left the soil soft and dark and rich. So a little digging, a little raking, and after putting down mulch made from oak leaves I will shred, the plot will be ready for its winter slumber.

Step aerobics again

After being at work until 4:30 a.m. for the primary election, I taught my second step class at noon today. Below is my routine. I had an additional combination, but I just couldn't get the transition to work, so I abandoned it in class. I also added more repetitions because of a request of a class member. He said today that it helped and he got a good workout because he didn't waste time trying to figure out the steps. Progress!

mambo right 8
mambo left 8
jumpshot right 8
jumpshot left 8

turn step 8
over the top 3
walk around 1
(entire combo 4 times)

charleston knee 8 (right, then left)
rocking house 8 (right, then left)

basic right 4
staggered basic right 4
alternating knee 6
triple knee 1
repeat left

This in my largest container. It's a half whiskey barrel. I've filled it with coleus, impatiens, caladium and liriope. All my containers sit on my tiny front stoop.

Gym Junkie in Aruba.

Mauna Loa on the Big Island.

This was my backyard. It was overgrown with holly bushes, boxwood shrubs and a mystery tree.

Yard work

I dug up the last of the bush stumps in my backyard, including the gnarly one that I thought I wouldn't be able to uproot. I dug it up in about 90 minutes, although I did have to use the manual saw to cut off a particularly troublesome root. That thing weighed more than 20 pounds; I could barely drag it over to the debris pile.

Later this week, I shall hire junk haulers to remove the 5-foot high by 10-foot wide pile of yard debris from the back. Then I shall remove the last of the weeds along the fence, amend the soil, and let it slumber until spring.

One step at a time

I taught my first aerobics class today. There were four people in the class, which is normal, because the class meets at noon Mondays and Wednesdays. All four of them have been in Melanie's class (the former instructor), so they all know me.

I made several mistakes; mostly, I was not matching the steps to the phrasing of the music. I expended so much energy just remembering the routine that I couldn't really keep in step with the music. I'm sure that will come.

One class member said afterward that it would help if I did more repetitions. I shall add more; that will make it easier to stretch the class to 35 minutes of step.

Here is the routine i choreographed:

basic right 4, basic left 4
alternating V 4

1 basic right, 1 V right
grapevine right, left
1 basic left, 1 V left
grapevine left, right

staggered basic right 4
knee corner-to-corner 3
triple knee left 1
staggered basic left 4
knee corner-to-corner 3
triple knee right 1

over the top right 3
walk around 1
(four times)

L step right-left 2
L step with kick right-left 2
L step in box right left 2

hamstring corner to corner 2
glute corner to corner 2
side lift corner to corner 2
heel hit corner to corner 2

repeat above with straddle