Good afternoon coaches,

Still above calories yesterday, but not by much. My over the calories were the dates that I bought to put in my backpacking oatmeal. I love them. I bought the smallest package I could find. I did my greeter duty at the trailhead and really enjoyed it. The weather was perfect and because it was a holiday there were more people and families out enjoying a hike.

This morning I hiked a shorter hike, 4 1/2 miles, with a friend that I usually see as part of a couple. It was nice to have a good visit with her alone. Sometimes we just don't get to talk about the things we would like to when the husbands are there. Besides that I knew her husband first, clear back when we worked together in the ICU in Washington. They have been married less than 4 years, after he moved down here.

I'll be leaving by 6 a.m. tomorrow for the Grand Canyon. We'll arrive by 10 or 10:30 and hike down to Indian Gardens. I see the weather at the top is pretty cold at night, like under 30 degrees, but we aren't sleeping at the top. It seems so odd, but as you go down it is warmer. The temps at Indian Garden will be about 50 at night or just under. That's fine and I'm even taking some fleece pants for the evening. We'll get to see the first of the super moon from there, which should be fabulous. The next night we'll be in Bright Angel Campground which is kind of in a canyon, so we may have to walk out just a little to the Colorado River to see the moon.

Carrie was really determined to get a couple of meals at Phantom Ranch and after numerous phone calls she hit it when they had some cancellations. It's fun because we'll get to visit with lots of people and it's also less food to carry. We'll have Monday night dinner and Tuesday morning breakfast.

Maryann My weight has gone up and down my entire life. I remember when I was a teen and weighed in the 140's often and felt sooo fat. Of course I've been heavier than that. I think I was in the 180's for a time. I do know when I see my skin now I believe it would look better if it hadn't had to expand and contract so many times. My stomach has been a mess after getting so many stretch marks when I was pregnant with my only son at age 17. And then I think of how much endurance I have, even though I don't feel quite as energetic as I wish, and feel fortunate for my mostly excellent health.

Bill Yes strawberries have been very expensive all of a sudden. Dh is a produce broker so usually gives me a heads up when things will be really pricey or not good. Doesn't always work though. Right now I'm doing the smoothie thing and can use frozen berries for that. I did get some nice raspberries today though for a good price.

Onebyone I hope you're having an extremely successful sale and that you have all the energy you need for this busy time.

Nationalparker Have a safe trip to Florida. I'll be thinking of you. I hope your brother is feeling better when you get there and that there is some good news. In the meantime do the best you can to take care of yourself.

I'll be back on Wednesday and won't have internet until then. More later.

154.2 yesterday - 155.2 today. I'm OK where it's bouncing around. Packed up today - for warmer temps. Got biscotti made for my brother, and choc chip cookie dough prepped but my oven seemed to be going wonky, so I'll bake there. Made turkey Italian sausage and veg soup for dinner - it's been simmering this afternoon, as well as turkey burgers for the freezer, veggies prepped, etc. All day - will sleep well tonight with an early wakeup. I am thinking I may just buy a scale there if i can't fit this one in there... (Have you ever put one in a checked bag????)

Karen - Good luck with your GC hike - all your adventures this year!

Sunday - Robin Hood declared communistic (Indiana, 1953)
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Dinner with our two kids and spouses last night was a joyful occasion at a fancy restaurant that's known for using fresh, local foods. I did well by refusing the tempting desserts (CREDIT moi) - accepting only a single bite of the house specialty bread pudding from my DS's plate. It was good, but my brain has just never got around the idea that bread belongs in a dessert. There was a tray of business-sized cards noting the floor of the parking garage to take away to help folks find their car after their dinner. I've never encountered that before - a neat idea.

The day's other event was a show of Electric Vehicles in a nearby town that is trying to convert its citizens. I got to inspect a few more EV's that I haven't played with before. The Tesla model X is so big; it has six bucket seats, although the two in the third row are smallish. I've become so fond of my Nissan LEAF that I need to do homework to prepare myself to possibly buy a different brand if my car dies. There's good stuff out there.


maryann - Thanks for "Now it is helpful to remember I can buy any food I want but choose not to do so." Hope your DS did well in his cross country yesterday.

nationalparker – Congrats for getting that biscotti made for your trip to visit your brother. Kudos for accepting scale wiggle as a part of life.

Karen (karenrn) - Waving toward the Grand Canyon as you're getting ready to leave. I love that I know all the places you name in your itinerary. Getting into the queue for meals at Phantom Ranch is pretty impressive. We got off our raft and stomped around there for just a bit. Kudos for buying the smallest package of dates that you could find.

Readers -

Good Morning, Coaches.

Food has been very loose. The pattern of eating with no restrictions on the weekends needs be addressed. Feast and famine doesn't work in the long term. Back to basics. Sit down while I eat. That is today's plan. One salad a day. One meal replacement a day. Already did that one for breakfast. I plan to bike with the boys to a nice salad bar for lunch. That keeps me out of the kitchen until dinner. Dinner will be giant chef salads after church. This plan keeps me from snacking on leftovers which has been a pattern on weekends when I clean up the kitchen.

DS beat his best time by 4 seconds. This was his first race against just the fastest in the state. He learned a lot - especially how it feels to get passed up by a bunch of boys and have to battle back. came in 36 out of 51 which I think is terrific for a kid who as never faced any kind of similar competition.

BBE: Congrats for buying the strawberries. I certainly have been know to buy a four dollar coffee or frozen yoghurt. Why do I pause at a $4.00 cup of blueberries?

nationalparker: I have carried on my scale several times.

Figured I'd check in before the next group of family comes in ... no one has seen my brother since he was discharged - gave him a couple of days to gain strength. It's still taxing with toddlers zipping about. He looks weary and in pain, but oh, so good to see him. Food will be a challenge because it's just hard to truly make yourself at home at someone else's kitchen and with this plan, we DO eat a lot - not like a steak every meal, but a lot of volume and for example, fruit four times tomorrow and Tuesday, so I'll make food runs as needed to stock up. Will just do my best. I ended up not bringing the scale but if needed, I'll pick up an inexpensive one. Scale at ticker - at 155.8 barely. More water today should help after two days not drinking enough.

Bill - I love hearing the electric car info ... But my fave was spending money at a bookstore (?) to while away time as you charged it up for free :)

Maryann - Your wisdom always touches me. Thank you for your insights that you post - I think a lot resonate with many of us.

Monday - Supermoon - Largest Full Moon in 69 years
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Standard Sunday walk with DW, CREDIT moi. Standard, but skipped for the recent weeks for a series of good reasons. It still isn't cold around here so gloves weren't even needed for the hands.

Eating was OKish. DW reheated a lentil soup for dinner that we chased down with fresh asparagus. Had an afternoon snack to fight tension rather than hunger. It's amazing that it doesn't work, and even more amazing that I try anyway.


maryann - Congrats to your DS for beating his best time. Kudos for clear plans for eating going forward.

nationalparker – Kudos for recognizing that "Will just do my best" is a good strategy while making yourself maximally available to help your brother and his family.

Readers -

He's taking a rest now and I was going to get some office work done before a few things here. I just wanted to post a credit: baked up my toll house cookies yesterday for those coming in to see him, and didn't even eat one warm from the oven. I'd allotted myself one if I wanted it and thought, no, let me just try to stay on plan with the snacks and if I have to edge away from 100% on a meal, so be it. Dinner was stir fry with tons of veggies and red rice. I looked up to order a scale and then though, if I am doing the best I can, every meal, every day, for my health, a scale will not make a difference. (Of course, tomorrow, I might be changing my mind.) But in the past three months, a higher reading on the scale has never made me stay on plan more or less. Part of my challenge here will be to entice him to eat as he has no appetite. Today I'll make black bean soup as he likes it and just put his in a small bowl, pick up watermelon, which I think he'd like, as well as pears - juicy stuff and stuff with fiber.

Yesterday he told me that Dad really fought against dying and wasn't at peace with the process - he said he wanted to be more at peace mentally with it and not be in a turmoil. That skewered my heart. He looked at me for confirmation. I struggled to find any words. Each of us walks our own path.

Bill - DH and I walked Friday and Saturday night, both times bundled up with gloves, scarf, long underwear, coat, hat, you name it. Be ready - it should be getting to you soon! Must've been a cold wave that hit us. The moon was stunning yesterday morning, laying on the horizon as we drove to the airport in the dark. Would have been a gorgeous night to be camping under the stars. A frigid one, though.

Maryann- Forgot to send congrats to your DS who ran a personal-best. Thanks for the perspective of the $4 berries. I, too, rethink them before putting in my basket. Or I rethink organic or not for a brief time when I see the difference.

Enjoying Gunilla Norris' A Mystic Garden. A lot of insight in few words.

Tuesday - Articles of Confederation approved (1777)
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Called and offered a ride to an evening event to a recent widow who wouldn't have gone otherwise. Felt good about myself that I went out of my way to do what was obviously needed to be done. It did, however, prevent me from walking there under the Supermoon. The tradeoff was worth it.

Eating was good enough, CREDIT moi. DW grilled salmon steaks proving, once again, that we can grill even when it's too cold to eat out on the patio. Can't eat on the patio anyway because the patio furniture is in the basement and the patio is a mini-nursery of plants that need to winter outside covered in wire to protect from critters and ground oak leaves to protect from rapid cold fluctuations. I can learn a lot about plants just by looking out my kitchen window at what DW's doing.


nationalparker – Super Kudos for avoiding hot toll house cookies that you'd just baked for your brother's visitors. Watermelon should be a great inducement to eat. [Thanks for the warning that the Midwest is sending us frigid weather.]

Readers -

The thermometer says it should be warmer than I'm feeling down here, as it's in the low 70s, but I'm chilly. Stayed busy throughout the day and dinner prep is started now. My DB asked me to stay a few days after an upcoming procedure after Thanksgiving and it's good to be able to say, "Yes, I can". I DO want to book the flight home, though, to at least reserve a possibility at a decent rate ... then adjust if need be. I hate to ask about what time could someone drop me off (because I'm a dinosaur and haven't uber-ed yet...) because I don't want it to look like I'm trying to get out of town! DH booked his flight here, so we're looking forward to seeing him ... SIL was very happy he's joining us - she is never very excited, so that was really nice. Still on plan!

Bill - That was very kind and I'm sure most appreciated providing the lift last night. I wish I had your DW's plant knowledge!

Waving hellos to all -hope this week is going well for you - GardenerJoy, Karen on your hike, OneByOne, Maryann and Lexxiss.

Wednesday - Skylab 4 launched (1973, Cape Canaveral)
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Did well with a FREE buffet dinner last night, CREDIT moi. Surprisingly, it offered the opportunity to eat like I would at home. It just wasn't difficult to have small servings of only three things - and not go back for seconds. Admittedly, the salad had embedded croutons that were hard to distinguish from the chunks of cukes in the dim light, but that wasn't much. The entertainment was a refresher course in all the steps one must take to get ready to die without being a burden on your kids and surviving partner. Reviewing that assisted living facilities cost upward of $200K per year is sobering. And that living at home with 24/7 care can approach or exceed the costs of an institution. I hope it motivates me to get more serious about parting with all the 'stuff' that I own while it's physically and mentally easy. Well, 'mentally easy' - not so much.

We had serious rain. Serious enough to make evening driving treacherous. Folks dressed all in black were jay-walking with complete focus on their predicament getting wet with no concern with the drivers' predicament trying not to hit them.


nationalparker – So good that you're able to be available for your brother through Thanksgiving. I'm in your club in the "haven't uber-ed yet" - wish I'd just do it since it isn't that difficult.

Readers -

Good morning coaches,

We got home a day early from the Grand Canyon. I hiked the longer way to Indian Gardens, via the South Kaibab trail and the Tonto Trail, since that was where we were going to stop for the day. When I got there and met Carrie she said it was going to get colder last night and how did I feel about hiking out. I was fine, so we ate lunch and headed for the top. On Sunday evening we hiked down to Indian Gardens and set up camp. Then I hiked out the Tonto trail to the west for a bit, just to check it out and then met Carrie at Plateau Point. We stayed there to watch sunset and moon rise. It was absolutely fabulous. That alone was worthy of the whole hike.

I have to say it was good for me to know that I haven't lost my mojo after all. The first time I hiked out of the Grand Canyon, it was a major effort. Now it's no problem at all. I will say my pack is probably about 10 pounds lighter than it used to be. Anyway, back home today and getting the gear cleaned up and put away, laundry done and some meal planning and grocery shopping.

I think I'm going to modify the food plan somewhat. I am liking the smoothies and I'll keep them in the mix, but I plan to stray from the gluten free a bit. I like the Xtreme Wellness wheat tortillas that I have with eggs in the morning, and I think the calorie count is no more than the gluten free. Also, I'm not going to worry about a measured amount of cheese in the eggs and the little bit of feta cheese on the spinach salad that we have at night. I do count the calories of these things in MFP. Other than that, I'll stay to it and try to really watch the portion sizes. I think too much of my eating is related to boredom. I don't even get very hungry when I'm out on the trail.

Bill Sounds like an interesting course, but it still feels so odd to me to think that I'm the audience for that sort of thing. But you're right, it's better to do some of the downsizing of stuff while we have the wits and energy to do it.

Nationalparker You're in my thoughts while you're in Florida helping out. I hope things are going well and that your brother is feeling a bit better. My dh uses Uber and says it's easy. I haven't downloaded the ap since he has it, but I'm sure I'll need it one of these days.

Waving to everyone else out there and hope your week is going well!

Phone check in.
Traditionally this is an anxious week for me. We hold a big party which I am VERY uncomfortable with always and then it threatens to rain ALWAYS. Now I have grades due as well.

I am not particularly hungry and have 2 days straight of no sweets at work. I will focus on one moment at a time. Food is planned. I do not have to stomp out ignorance single handed today. I just have to show up, be fair, be connected, teach the curriculum they give me.

OP day again - these two phase 2 days are the ones that test me the most. I came prepared with cooked turkey bacon and some chicken jerky for the two snacks. Dinner will be salads prepped with rotisserie chicken. DB/SIL are very willing to eat according to my plan, which is so gracious. I imagine they'll add in some carbs tonight, though. Able to get in a lot of work in between two errand runs, one over lunch, so that's good for my time.

DH reached the 40-pound down mark today - who hoo. So proud of him. It's been 14 weeks and all natural, no calorie counting, etc. I'm psyched.

Thursday - Elizabethan Age begins (1558, London)
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – A full day with NO snacks, CREDIT moi. Helped because it was the day to care for 1 year-old DGD. She wore us both out. Since it was rainy we took her to a play space where for $15 she could run around two floor of toys, structures, and other squeaky kids. She loved it; jumped on the trampoline for a full minute - about infinity in her brain. New words are coming each week - a real joy to experience. When DW takes her out of the car, it is demanded that the DGD be allowed to pat GrandDad's car, then GrandMom's car, then the granite post. In that order. All three. Or else there are wails. So her sponge brain accepted my little game as the truth in life to be honored without fail. I just boggle.

It feels good to have been 100% on eating plan. (I'm listening to the Kingston Trio’s “Tom Dooley” on YouTube as I type since it's exactly 57 years since it brought folk music onto the #1 slot on the pop charts. You young folks can just read about it in your history books, LOL.)


maryann - Good luck staying centered during your big party. It must confuse the weather-god for a Californian to be praying for no rain.

nationalparker – Yay for that much flexibility in your DB and SIL to just accept your diet. Congrats to your DH on his loses.

Karen (karenrn) - Kudos for "I haven't lost my mojo" - it's great to be going forward. Life improves when one declares that feta cheese has no calories since it's white.

Readers -

Good morning coaches,

Food just barely over calories yesterday, credit anyway. No exercise yesterday and there won't be any today either, but I think I got enough the previous 3 days for the week. Today the contractor comes to begin the bathroom project, so I have to be home for that. I'm thinking once they are settled in I can be doing some housework which will be some exercise. I'm also hoping to talk to them about entering through the side garage door so I can get back to my exercise without having to be here when they arrive each day.

Bill What have you got going there with DGD, is she getting a little OCD with her patting? I remember the Kingston Trio; I'm sure we had that record albums when I was a kid.

Nationalparker You and dh are doing amazingly well. Good for both of you! And to be following your plan with all that is going on is really commendable.

Maryann Good luck with the party and here's hoping the weather is good. We're supposed to get some rain next Monday. Isn't it great when you aren't particularly hungry? I was a little more hungry yesterday, but I think today is going to be easier. Mostly I need to keep myself busy.

Where is everybody? Waving to all of you.