Showing posts with label Dodge ball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dodge ball. Show all posts

June 6, 2012

Just a Doggone Minute!



This week's K9 Kamp challenge is: Just One Doggone Minute to Win It as described here and here. Basically the idea is to sneak extra bits of cardio or whatever into your daily routine - e.g. do jumping jacks during a commercial break, or run up and down the stairs with your pup, etc. Since I'm trying to build on the prior weeks' challenges, my legs have been a little more sore than usual, so I decided to use my spare minutes this week mainly for stretching.

That's right - stretching.
I know that doesn't sound like much of a challenge, but I'm pretty lazy about stretching (especially since I've fallen out of my yoga routine), and since I'm married to Mr. Gumby-man who loves to stretch, I knew it would make him happy if I stretched more.

[Breaking news: While looking for an image of Gumby to include, I found out that the man who voiced Gumby died just four days ago. Huh. I'm showing my age to say I remember watching that show... I must have watched reruns tough, because I sure don't remember 1968. The article says, "though his voice always retained the tenor of a 10-year-old, he was 85." I bet the chicks at the nursing home were all over him.] 

Anyway, my Mr. Gumby-man thinks the keys to health and happiness are drinking enough water and stretching. No matter what I say is wrong with me ("Honey, I have a headache/sore back/bleeding ulcer"), he will counter with "Did you drink enough water today and stretch?"

Mike at Rubio's. Yes, it's embarrassing.
And, even though he's pretty bad about the first one himself, he stretches any time he has a spare minute. In front of the TV? He lays on the floor and does hip/leg stretches. Waiting in line for his chile-lime salmon burrito at Rubios? He stretches his arms. Walking the dog and she stops to sniff? He stretches his calf on the curb.

Also, Rita starts off every day with a little downward-facing dog, so I figured if I can't beat them, I'll join them. So: I stretched more in front of the TV; when Rita stopped to sniff on a walk, I stretched my calves; at the animal shelter this week, while the dogs ran around in the field, I stretched my quads. (Okay, I know I'm using the word stretch entirely too much in this post, but "I elongated, lengthened, or extended my quads"?? Nope, none of that sounds right.)


I also threw in some jumping jacks and squats here and there, just cuz I wasn't sure the stretching thing was going to "count." I don't want the K9 Kamp police in here busting me on a technicality. I am nothing if not a rule follower! We look forward to the final week's challenge, to be announced this Friday. I mean, not cuz we are looking forward to it being done - but because we are up to the challenge!

Final Four!
In other news, I mentioned last week that Mike's work was having a dodge ball tournament. Well, I'm happy to report that his team, Dodgy Style, has made it to the Final Four by defeating first the Dodgin' Devilicious Divas and then the DNAs (it's a biotech company - but DNA in this case = Deadly Ninja Assassins). The finals are Friday, so tonight and Thursday we'll be carbo-loading and then massaging/icing his firing arm.

There's even a video on YouTube with "highlights" of some of the action. It's long, so certainly don't feel obligated to watch the whole thing, but it's funny to check out some of the costumes and hits. The Dodgy Style team are wearing the tuxedo t-shirts (cuz it's dodgy style. Get it?). (The hubster briefly appears in a couple of background shots.)
My fave team is the people in the Mexican wrestling masks. I can't believe they played with them on! Seems like a detriment. But, hey, they look good and that's what's important.

I know you'll be on the edge of your seats waiting to hear if Mike brings home the trophy like he did last summer with the badminton tournament. Fingers crossed! (Fingers doubly-crossed for no injuries!!)


This is a blog hop

May 30, 2012

Ball-Der-Dash

This week is K9 Kamp's "Play with your balls" week. Since I couldn't bring myself to borrow that title, I figured I'd go with the play on balderdash instead. And I'm not talking nonsense - no, I'm talking about getting some exercise dashing around with your dog and his/her favorite ball.

I have to admit, this has been a tough one for us, since Rita's not a huge ball player, but we managed to come up with a few things.
  • Sunday at the beach, we happened to find a bright pink beach ball. Musta been K9 Kamp kismet. Now, I ought to have some lovely photos here of Rita herding said lovely bright pink ball, but the hubster talked me out of bringing the camera. Oh well. Anyway, we were booting the ball back and forth, and watching Rita run after it and herd it, when a chihuahua ran up, chomped it, and it popped. Waa-waaaaa. Well, it was fun while it lasted. (Later we wrestled her for a dead gopher - we won!! - so that was some bonus cardio.)
  • Monday, we played a game of fetch and the hubster and I did squats while Rita ran after the ball. (And I think we might have messed up Mike's bad knee doing that, so maybe that wasn't a great idea for him...)
  • At Helen Woodward where I volunteer, I played a game of soccer with one of the adoption dogs. I'd post a pic of her gorgeous cattle-doggish self, but she got adopted right after our game. I'd like to think it was me helping show off her mad skills that helped find her furever home. :)
  • Finally, yesterday, I was trying to get Rita to play some ball in the house (our yard's not great for ball - too small, with a BIG slope that I've never even been down) when the ball accidentally landed in the laundry basket. Luckily I'd been lazy about getting to my folding, because our version of "basket ball" turned out to be pretty fun. I'd sneak in some arm curls while she'd fetch the ball, and it was good for her self confidence since she was a little afraid of the basket at first. We'd also play a little tug (upper body workout!) when she brought the ball back.
"It's a little scary in here..."

"...but I did it!"
She's strong for a little thing!

Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge
In other ball-related news, Mike's work is having a dodge ball tournament next week. They have a super classy team name - Dodgy Style. Nice, huh? After one practice session (one!), Mike came home with major pain in his shoulder muscles; he ran into a co-worker icing her finger that was bent at an odd angle; and one poor guy went to the hospital. So, if this is how things are after one practice, I guess we'll see if any of them are still standing/mobile/fit for work after the actual tournament. It's all fun and games, until someone ends up in tears. Or the hospital. But it's all in the name of Team Building! And who wants to miss out on the chance to throw a ball at their boss's head??

And Now For Something Completely Different
Enough with the ball talk. My sister and I hadn't felted a dog in a while, so last week when we met up for our usual Thursday morning session, we decided to create a random dog, rather than try to make one of the actual known dogs we have on our to-do(g) list. We came up with this little gray poodle-esque pup. If they'll have him, we're planning to donate him (and hopefully another pup or two of some sort) to the San Diego Humane Society's silent auction fund-raising gala this summer.
 

 



What's a Blog Post Without a Shameless Plug?
Another book-review blog posted a review of What the Dog Ate. She rated the book a "perfect beach read" and wrote:
As a pup owner, I loved the emphasis on dogs and their abilities to help a person heal.  The author used the dog at the right times to show unconditional love, this could be a great book to give to someone to encourage them in times of trouble to get a pup!
Pups certainly can help us out in times of trouble. And they can help us get some exercise! Rita and I are looking forward to the next week's challenge! Now, get out there and play with your balls. (Or do it indoors if you prefer.)


BTW... this is a blog hop!