Yesterday I had hoped to post about my run with the lightning and my Monday exercise, which I plan to do each week: Kettle Bell crunches.

A few things happened, though.

I got back from my fantastic run, which took me through the streets of town for 5 miles. In the distance, lightning crackled against the sky every few minutes, peeking behind a large cloud. This was really spectacular since we never have lightning here in Southern California. I stared at it like a person in the desert who has just stumbled upon some water: In awe. I ran toward it, rather than from it. I know, stupid, right? But it was far away, I could tell that, and it was incredibly beautiful, filling up the night sky, and then the pre-dawn as the sun came up over the mountains in the east. I’ll miss these mornings. I love the mountains, and it is going to be hard to say goodbye to them.

I looked for a video or picture of the kettle bell crunches I have been doing and couldn’t find one, and then the girls woke and we got started on our day. Our day consisted of ordinary Monday stuff, like grocery shopping, a Target run and a walk after quiet time in the afternoon.

Then my mom called. You know how you can sort of tell when people are pulling one past you? She was being very evasive about what she was doing today with her day off of work, and did say her doctor, the one who has taken care of her since her stroke in December, wants her to go to an ob/gyn appointment today because she hadn’t been since she had her hysterectomy about thirty years ago.

I agree with the guy. I have this thing: I go to the doctor for regular checkups, get my skin checked once a year. I am terrified of the big C, as she had it when she was my age and others I know have had it too. I remember my girlfriend telling me when I was just seven or so that my mom would probably die while in the hospital because she had cancer and that’s what happens. It was the girl I was staying with as my mom had the cancer removed.

So I offhandedly asked about her mammogram, which I figured had gone okay. Being a daughter raised by a single mother, we are really close. Then she said, “Well, they found something. Just a little something. I forget what they called it.”

Later she remembered they called it a nodule and that she goes in today for a sonogram.

So, that news fairly stopped me in my tracks.

I had planned to find that crunch video or at least sit down and post last night, since my husband went out to a going away party for a coworker and I had the evening, and the remote, to myself. Instead I looked up breast nodules.

Then I began to watch Oprah’s story about heroin in a small Ohio town and I about lost it. The entire video made me sick to my stomach. Haven’t seen it? You should. It’s about this community in Richland, Ohio where many of the people, families even, are addicted to heroin. They showcased two families. One, a family of five. The parents and two teenage sons, addicted. The baby, thirteen months old, along for the ride.

Okay, I totally get the fact that they are addicted and need help, but why is that child still in their care? He was in the car as they shot up, as they drove to Columbus to get more drugs. I really felt sick after watching this show.

So, that is why the post yesterday never materialized. I was so busy considering breast nodules and heroin that I totally forgot the beautiful lightning I saw in the morning sky.

I’m heading off this morning to swim. I hope that the exercise will make me forget for just a few minutes about this nodule thing. My mom says they are often non cancerous, and that is my hope. She has had so many health issues since last December that I think it’s time she take a break.

My favorite kettle bell/ab exercise. I actually enjoy this ab exercise more than most others because I can really feel it later that day.

Crunch with Kettle Bell:

Standard crunch holding the kettle bell. I start off with a 15 pound kettle bell, and I hold it over my head and back just a little as I’m down on the ground. I lift with my abs up, pulling up the kettle bell and ending up with the kettle bell above my head. Down. Up. Down. You get the picture. Talk about a fantastic burn later that day! Hope you enjoy it. If you don’t have kettle bells you should really get some.