I won NaNoWriMo! And, typed "The End" on my story -- although it's mostly zero draft work, rather than first draft work. I learned that I don't know nearly enough to write a novel about women codebreakers living in Arlington, VA during WWII, but I'm looking forward to learning more!
Credit for a hike this morning. I have eaten breakfast and will put the food in MFP. I am going to begin that again today.
Packing up the cabin and heading out. Tomorrow morning early I will shop for food for a camping trip to the Mojave desert. We will four wheel there. Food planning will be an adventure itself. I am use to backpacking food. Camping food is different. I’ll have to think about it.
California is in full shutdown mode. People are like ants however and trailing around the barriers. It makes for crazy living.
curleyjax: Glad for a negative test.
karen: I am just not feeling the Xmas music yet.
Thursday - Pilgrims and Wampanoag Thanksgiving (1621, Plymouth, MA)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Exercise was chase the (5 yo) DGD day, CREDIT moi. Journeyed to two different playgrounds trying to burn up the energy. Most fun was making the Thanksgiving cranberry relish in our old manual meat grinder that looks somewhat like this. The recipe is simple: grind whole cranberries with whole oranges. Add sugar after chilling. The DGD exuberantly added chunks of oranges while DW added cranberries and I rotated the handle. There's a popping noise as each cranberry explodes. Juice squirts. Due to experience, a tray with newspaper is under the table to absorb the drip and make cleanup easy.
At one of the playgrounds, she became an Eagle and made a nest. Spent a long time carefully collecting twigs and leaves to make a masterpiece. Her mom was delighted that we only brought home a picture rather than the whole nest itself. This place had a large, nylon climbing structure with the reward of a curved slide back down to the ground. Upped and downed many times as her hands, ears, and belly repeatedly were exposed to the cold air and we bundled ourselves ever the more. Wish my mitochondria still worked like that. Few other folks were around; they just evaporate for Thanksgiving.
Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. I ate her uneaten apple on the drive home as a substitute for my evening apple. For dinner, DW added a sample tasting dish of the sausage-cornbread stuffing and the cranberry relish. Got me drooling for today's meal.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Super Kudos for "The End" of your NaNoWriMo novel. Love the notion of the story of women codebreakers.
maryann - The Mojave Desert seems like a good place to go when California is in full shutdown mode. Camping food is so much better than backpacking food.
Karen (karenrn) - Nope - can't do Christmas music yet; the rule is gotta wait until after Thanksgiving. Except that I can't remember who made that rule and why I'm attentive since I'm not a big rules guy.
curlyjax - Yay for a negative COVID-19 test. Neat that you'll have both kids for Thanksgiving.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 3Get Ready to Lose
Before you start, however, I would like you to do the following 10 essential tasks:
task 8 Talk to Your Family
Explain that you are reorganizing the kitchen: "You can help me so much by keeping certain foods out of the house or out of sight."
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 41.
Food was on plan yesterday and I did do a lot of housework, so that felt good. My hiking buddy is under the weather today so I'm not sure if I'll go or do more things around the house. Dh is home from work of course. We have our meal planned and I did purchase a small pecan pie. I wasn't sure he liked it, but he does. I'm planning to have a piece today and another one tomorrow and whatever is left will go down the disposal. Better to be in the trash than on my ***.
Yesterday first I listened to Il Divo "The Christmas Collection" that is on my phone with my ear buds on. That's when I decided to see what was on the You Tube. I will admit I enjoyed the Il Divo much more than the television tunes. I just love really good voices and classical music too. My Dad used to sit in our living room with classical music on the stereo, so I think it reminds me of home.
Bill You must have had good weather yesterday when you were out with dgd. I need to make some cranberry sauce soon. I bought the cranberries before I knew we weren't going to make a turkey for Thanksgiving. I love it on turkey sandwiches though and the cooked kind lasts forever.
Maryann It sounds like you're busy and doing lots of fun things. I'm trying to use MFP more lately too. I used to be very much in the habit, but I have fallen off. It does help me though.
GardenerJoy I did borrow The Code Girls audiobook but have just barely gotten in to it. If I do go hike today I'll try to get a good start. I'm not sure I can finish it before it needs to be returned.
Curlyjax Hope you're having good days with your kids.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. This year has been a challenge in ways, but I feel like I have so much to be thankful for. I am thankful for each of you!
I meant to get going on thanksgiving prep yesterday but that didn't happen. I was busy working at home, and also discovered DD's tires were extremely low on air, and went on a search thru my neighbors to find a pump. Then I ran to the dump and got takeout for dinner, and was tired.
A funny thing happened: The doorbell rang around 6 and there was an unexpected bouquet. I was thrilled until I read the card- it wasn't for me. The delivery guy already left. I called the number of the person who sent the flowers and left a message, planning to be a good citizen and drop it off to the intended recipient, who lived a few miles over. Then the doorbell rang again- the delivery guy was back with an even nicer arrangement, which was for me! He had switched the flowers by mistake. I was thrilled again. It was from manfriend for my birthday; I think he felt guilty at keeping me at arms length during the uptick of covid Anyhow it was very nice of him, he is a good friend and he does listen to me when I need an ear.
So today is busy: I'm going to take a shower then get going on: two more pies, the stuffing and the turkey, the mashed potatoes, acorn squash, cranberry orange sauce , steam some beans, and warm up the rolls. And set the table nicely. By 2:00. Not sure this will all happen but we'll see. Its a 12 pound turkey so shouldn't take too long, and the kitchen is clear.
So happy thanksgiving all! And like Karen said, I am thankful for each of you too, its such a great start to my day to check in.
I am grateful for family who made it easy to choose to stay safer at home. We'll start a Zoom call at 2pm and stay as long as people are having fun (and the technology holds out -- DH thinks we're going to collectively overwhelm Zoom today).
I am grateful for DH's skills with the grill and mine with the bread machine. We'll have grilled turkey legs, stuffing made in the bread machine using bread made previously in the bread machine, homemade cranberry applesauce, and roast brussel sprouts with mustard sauce.
I am grateful for all of you who make this a brave space for exploring how to be sane and healthy in our food environment. Especially this year, I have truly benefitted from working out my thoughts and feelings here.
Friday - Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel's will establishes the Nobel Prize (1895)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - The magic Thanksgiving swaps happened: DW brought our contributions to the DS's house; his SO took those to her mom's; then brought both house's contributions to ours. So we had a feast after only making one third of it. Pictures of each table were swapped via phones. Maybe this is the future. Cleanup after a big turkey dinner where we didn't do the turkey was super easy; turkey is a mess to dismember and all its cooking pans and cutting boards washed.
I ate as planned, CREDIT moi, where planned included more than usual - more than usual but only one plate with no seconds. I had some of the mashed potatoes before remembering that I don't like them. Fortunately, I only had a little. Left some of the baked Acorn Squash on my plate when I reached full. Turkey white meat was juicy. Gravy on DW's sausage-cornbread stuffing was just right. As I had dreamed all day, I had too much orange-cranberry relish with everything. And enough of everything is left over for another meal of just the same.
We deferred on the apple pie that DW had made, "maybe later." By 8 pm, "later" was here and I was ready. We each had as small a slice as an apple pie can yield. Was just the right amount. I did miss that we didn't have vanilla ice cream to go with it.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Stuffing made in a bread machine is a new one to me. Neat to have grilled turkey legs - great menu all around. I heard that Zoom was opening its bandwidth to one and all and wondered if it might not crash and burn. Look forward to your telling.
Karen (karenrn) - Drooling over your pecan pie - one of my favorites. When I was a kid, we had super big pecans in the pie. So good.
curlyjax - LOL at your story of no-flowers then flowers. Like a romantic movie plot. Yay for having a friend who sends flowers when you need a cheer-me-up.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 3Get Ready to Lose
Before you start, however, I would like you to do the following 10 essential tasks:
task 8 Talk to Your Family
Be nicely assertive: "I'm starting a new eating program, and I don't want to feel self-conscious, so please don't comment on anything I eat or don't eat."
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 41.
We had a nice thanksgiving. We ate at 3 and I got everything done except the squash, which will keep. It's nice to eat early on the one hand, it frees up the rest of the day, but then I ended up overeating twice, so I'm not sure its such a great idea. I foolishly cut my hand on a can so left the big pile of dishes for today, but that's okay. I definitely feel over stuffed and bleagh today; grateful I have the day off and am going to take it easy. We've already agreed Christmas dinner is going to be salmon- something quick and light.
There was a lot of checking in with friends via text photos, so that was nice. I feel like people are making more of an effort with that this year because of Covid. It was sooo nice to not travel, and I love having all the leftovers. The kids don't like cranberry sauce or gravy, so I have that all to myself. Or whipped cream, which I will let myself eat today then toss.
It's the third year without my husband and it was easier mentally-I did my crying on the days ahead and also physically, not being in pain with my hip. I'm more in the mood to be festive and include some silly things like silly hats, and I think that is helpful for my kids too. I may join my neighbors and start decorating early for Christmas, we'll see.
Looking forward to a lazy day with a nice nap!
It turns out that a four-hour Thanksgiving Zoom call is just as exhausting as spending four hours (or more) with the in-laws, like we usually would. We may see if we can do that a little differently at Christmas. It was good, though, to see everyone and be part of their day and have them as part of ours.
DH wasn't that happy with how the grilled turkey legs turned out (overcooked and a bit tough). The smoky flavor was nice, though, so it was a worthy experiment. We may do a variation of that for Christmas.
I'm avoiding Black Friday shopping like the plague. Ha!
The tricky part for food for me right now is a big desire not to waste it. I should think about how to use the freezer to help with that goal rather than overeating to accomplish it. Thanks, y'all. I didn't have that thought when I started writing this paragraph.
Exercise +45, 1240/1400 minutes for November
BillBlueEyes: We had no problem with the technology. I guess tens of thousands of family Zoom calls still don't equal the number of Zoom calls that businesses do each day.
Saturday - Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan passes South America to the Pacific (1520)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was an exact repeat of Thanksgiving dinner. I learned why the turkey leg had been so juicy. It had been made as duck confit using both duck and bacon fat - then made crispy with a blowtorch. So much for low calorie turkey, LOL. And so much for easy cooking. Again, I had only one plate - this time skipping the mashed potatoes and roll accepting that the sausage-cornbread stuffing and Acorn Squash were enough starch for the meal. After dinner was apple pie - this time not as thin as before.
Excitement was 'blocking' out our backyard for an outdoor wedding in three weeks. After 17 years together, our DS and his SO decided to get married. They'll do a micro-ceremony now with only the parents present and do a "honking big party" when the virus allows. Blocking was done with a steel tape so that everyone could be placed six feet apart with room for the photographer to walk behind everyone and get good shots. Both of them have background in amateur theater so it was conducted as if staging a play. It's fun watching grownups preparing for a wedding just like kids. I'm afraid that some parents might even get teary-eyed.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Four hours is one long Zoom call. I'm amazed that there were no technical problems with the load. I join you in not getting into the Black Friday craze.
curlyjax - Yay for a nice Thanksgiving dinner despite the cut on your hand. Share the thought that not traveling was a treat.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 3Get Ready to Lose
Before you start, however, I would like you to do the following 10 essential tasks:
task 8 Talk to Your Family
If some family members are skeptical about your ability to change, shrug it off. They just don't know (unless you choose to tell them) why this time will be different.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 41.
The Thanksgiving dishes are finally done, and DD was sent off yesterday around dinner time with leftovers. I spent part of the day getting a last minute oil change for her car. We had a very nice visit. I spent some pleasurable hours looking at cookie recipes and thinking about making some new ones, and/or making a bunch extra to send to my dad or friends, etc. But this morning I'm realizing that is not the best idea for my health :I'm almost back to my highest covid weight, and this isn't the year to run around giving food to people (even though it's said you can't spread the virus that way). I will make a few favorites for us and a little care package for my dad and aunt, and that's it. I ordered some nice pop up Christmas cards for the special folks in my life, and will enjoy celebrating them in that way.
I've decided to join everyone else and start the decorating mode early. I'm planning on getting our tree today and letting it chill in the back yard for a bit. I've ordered a wreath and table decoration from a garden club as well. I have to clean up the rest of the living room to fit a tree in there so there's my motivation! Gardenerjoy- Using the freezer for leftovers is a great idea. I have no problem with tossing out food like the extra cream, that has absolutely no redeeming qualities. Bill- How wonderful! And brave; an outdoor wedding in December! Actually if it snows a little it would be beautiful. What made them choose to do it now? DGD will be disappointed not to be a flower girl
I'm trying to pack in as much outdoor exercise and cooking today and tomorrow as I can. After that, we're predicted to get the temperatures that I expect in December.
Exercise +65, 1305/1400 minutes for November
BillBlueEyes: The wedding preparations sound lovely. I'm fervently wishing good weather for the event. Will it be Christmas-themed? I had a Christmas-themed wedding in December and it made for such lovely photographs!
curlyjax: We often skip decorations entirely, but I want a little something this year. And, I'm doing it today. Probably just lights on the railing of the balcony off my office. Our house has lots of windows, so I'm looking forward to seeing reflections in unexpected places. First up, some vacuuming and dusting!
Yesterday's food was off plan at dinner and accompanying dessert. We had our friend over, the only one that comes over, to have dinner and drinks for her birthday which is actually today. It is her 60th birthday, which is a pretty big deal. I had cake and ice cream, which I purchased, and then sent home with her. I did get a nice hike in the morning. My hiking friend had ordered something from Macy's and was able to do curb side pickup at 5 a.m. That seemed just crazy, but it saved her shipping fees.
My plan isn't made for today, but I will do that as soon as I finish here. I just ordered my Christmas present which is tickets to the Arizona Speaker Series for 2020-2021. I went to see Madeline Albright last winter with a friend and decided to put my name on the waiting list. This year the the events will be virtual, but by next year hopefully it will be back to in person. The speakers are Colin Powell, Wynton Marsalis, Annie Griffiths, Anderson Cooper, Rick Steves, Theresa May and Ken Burns. I'm excited to hear every one of them.
GardenerJoy Enjoy your outdoor day. Curlyjax I'm glad you had a nice Thanksgiving visit with dd. I'm realizing I'm not up for baking too many things this year either. I just don't seem to have the resolve and my weight is higher than I wish to begin with. I'll scale down a bit. Bill When will the wedding be? What fun.
Well I guess I had better get on with my making my food plan and then pulling out the Christmas decorations.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was broiled Cod Fish - by this time a welcome respite from the two nights of heavy Thanksgiving dinners. Alas, it concluded with an evening snack of apple pie. I will take an extra CREDIT moi because DW called me from the supermarket to ask if I wanted ice cream for the pie. "No." "Whipped cream?" "No." "Low calorie whipped cream?" "No." "Heavy cream so that we can whip a small quantity?" "NO!" Pie is enough outside my standard eating plan; goop on top would only serve to make me want a second slice.
Update on the wedding: DS and his SO returned for a rethink of blocking out the ceremony. DW had devised a way to make the whole thing more comfortable and to make her "gardener's winter yard" less visible. Her yard is glorious for two months of the year and pleasant for a few more months. Right now it's in a transition to dormant state. Rain barrels are visible as are some permanent hoses. She found a way to make all invisible. Can't explain why they decided to marry now. Having decided, this month rather than wait until next year matters for the year-end tax break. My guess is that a driving consideration was one-more-time realizing that if one of them was sick in the hospital, parents could visit but not the SO who wouldn't be next-of-kin. The bride-to-be admitted that she's having a ball planning the micro ceremony.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Ouch for the reality of December temperatures arriving; we might well see them also. The wedding will have 'Christmas colors'. DW had volunteered to pick up some flowers at Whole Foods to make the yard a tad more festive and, almost off-highhandedly, asked the bride-to-be what colors she preferred. Well, the bride-to-be had clear notions of colors and discussed them at length with DW. I should have figured it out: doesn't matter if you're in your forties, one's first (and presumably only) wedding is to be planned!
Karen (karenrn) - Curbside pickup at 5 am would work for me but does, indeed, sound crazy. Neat Christmas present. Love that Colin Powell is still active on the lecture circuit.
curlyjax - So neat that your DD heads back to school with packaged leftovers and that you had a good visit. Glad your hand is healed enough to wash the dishes. Yep, extra cream "has no redeeming qualities." It is a shame that the DGD will miss being a flower girl.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 3Get Ready to Lose
Before you start, however, I would like you to do the following 10 essential tasks:
task 9 Build a Sense of Entitlement
To succeed at lasting weight loss, you have to put yourself first.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 41.
I ate wayyyy too much whipped cream yesterday (I put some in my coffee and had the last pumpkin pie piece) but its finally gone. I only made whipped cream when I make a pie, which is only a few times a year. I am very impressed Bill that you were able to keep it from coming into your house! I went to the dump and then dropped some things off at Savers; it felt great to get rid of so much stuff. Grocery shopping was done at night and I was reminded that is not a good idea to go at night in the winter; I was sad coming home to an empty house (DS was at his pod friend's house) and was thinking about how I will be alone for the first time in years, when he goes off to college. I have been looking forward to that, but I think the floodgates of emotion will also open up, especially since its dark winter instead of the beautiful fall.
I have a walk this afternoon with a friend so i'll finally get some exercise and socialization as well. Then healthy salmon for dinner, and I really need to sort thru some more paperwork and do office type tasks. I did not end up getting the tree, we'll do it some time this week. Karen-glad you had a nice time with your friend. That Arizona series sounds wonderful! Gardenerjoy-lights reflecting in the window sounds lovely! Bill-looking forward to more wedding planning news! Yes, a bride is a bride, no matter the age.
Okay, enough lolling about in bed, up and at em!
Thursday - Pilgrims and Wampanoag Thanksgiving (1621, Plymouth, MA)
Anyhow it was very nice of him, he is a good friend and he does listen to me when I need an ear. 