[curlyjax]

Whew, the work day flys by which is great. Now that the word is out i'm here, people are dropping in and its hard to get anything else done that I planned to do, so i'm getting behind already but oh well. I do forget that people tell me their version of the truth, and I have to get the other side as well. I was charmed yesterday by a very frail 84 year old who hadn't lost his southern accent. Being one on one is my favorite part of the job. Eating is rather terrible, I've been getting into treats again.
Maryann- that was a hilarious story about DS which I'm sure he will never live down! Have a great trip!
Gardenerjoy-that would be the downside of those delivered meals, especially in the summer.
Karen- peanut m and ms are the work of the devil indeed! Cooler temps will be great for you.
Bill- yes, getting used to socializing again is difficult. My friends and I still pause for a minute before hugging- its like we have to give ourselves permission to do so again.
Penny- yay for staying the course indeed. Have you made it thru all the Harry Potter books?

[karenrn]

Good morning coaches,

Food was perfectly on plan yesterday. Weight is still up, but better. I slept like a log last night and didn't wake up until 4:15. It was still 89 degrees, so I decided no hiking again today. I'm going to do housecleaning, all the floors and the dusting which will be some exercise. I'll also do some of my step ups on my wooden box like I did yesterday. That will leave tomorrow for any last minute grocery shopping for dh and also things for me. I'll take a collapsable cooler to have drinks and lunch for the trip over on Thursday. It will be a 735 mile drive up through Las Vegas and continuing northwest to Carson City. I have a couple of books on tape to listen to on the way. I'm not looking forward to being away from dh and Otis, but I sure am looking forward to getting out of the heat.

Curlyjax Your new job sounds really interesting and it's great that the days go so quickly.
Bill Yes, that was awful about the woman who died in the Grand Canyon. I don't think people even pay attention to those signs. They must have had a permit for their trip too and they also have precautions on them. I think part of the problem is that the permits are so difficult to get that people choose to hike when it's too hot because the permits are available.
GardenerJoy Bummer that the meal planning box didn't arrive. Will you be reimbursed?
Penny I'm staying the course with you. I want to see my scale back under 150 before I leave on Thursday.

[gardenerjoy]

Grocery shopping went well. Mask-wearing was down to about 50% -- a rapid drop-off that might not be warranted in Missouri where we're lightly vaccinated and the Delta variant is surging.

Our Home Chef meals were refunded in the form of credits for future meals. Good enough. Some people might want to drop the whole service after that experience, but we mostly realized that we missed it. It gives a variety of food that we won't replicate on our own.

Exercise +55, 1035/1400 minutes for June

[Penny.]

Good morning!

Yesterday was on plan, with exercise, and weight is up again. It has to drop sometime.

Curly, we're on book four of Harry Potter. She keeps complimenting me on my French accent. Haha! We have fun with the voices.

Joy, the sudden drop in masks is a bit jarring. I'm glad you are still enjoying the meal service.

Well, I'm off to get an early hike in before the heat. Like Karen, except 9am instead of 4:30. I started the audiobook version of A Man Called Ove and it seems great! Audiobook is not my preferred media but the kindle version has such long wait times on the library app. Hopefully my mind can stay focused on it.

[onebyone]

Dear Coaches

At 1:15 today I got my second vaccination shot! Here we've had poor messaging from the Powers That Be to those of us who stepped up.and received the Astrazeneca vaccine. The latest was that we were not to get a 2nd Astrazeneca but an MRNA vaccine instead. At.first they said get Pfizer. Now with Pfizer deliveries to Canada being delayed, the message was it's all good get.Moderna. An MRNA is an Mrna is an mrna... The real.choice to.DH and I is get 2nd shot now or later. We opted.for now. ASAP. And.so we have mixed Astrazeneca and Moderna coursing through us.

Science, I want to give you a big kiss for giving the world vaccines.

In other news the scale is showing steady drops once again. Hopefully past the current ticker weight on the way down. I remain on plan but not without fighting for it. Resistance.muscle.needed every.aingle day.

Busy week ahead. I teach my last ceramic class.on Saturday. Then a one-off zoom printmaking class.for an hour.on Sunday at my print studio.about 45.min away. This was a kickstarter award from a kickstarter my printing group successfully ran earlier this year. I don't know what I will.specifically teach yet. An hour will fly by. And then Monday I am dropping work off to a gallery owned.by a friend. She has a gallery shop and is happy to show.and sell anything I have. That's a big.vote of confidence that I am grateful.for.

Super tired.now. I was up and out very early today to troubleshoot the kiln at the maker space as it fired a glaze load. This meant that I had to keep an eye on the temperatures in three areas of the kiln which correspond to three peepholes with covers on the side of the kiln. Using pliers (too hot to touch) you can move aside the covers to view "cones" (while wearing a welder's mask to protect my eyes) which are triangular pieces of ceramic material that physically slump over as the heat rises. the cones correspond to the type of clay the pots are made from, also rated in cones. We fire cone 6. So the three cones I was looking at on each level were a 5, 6 and 7. When the 5 goes you pay attention. Your goal.is get the 6 to fall without the 7 "getting soft" or slumping at all. That would.be over firing..Bad.for clay
Bad.for the glaze formulated.to be at its optimum at cone 6.The kiln was way over fired on the bottom last time, and under fired at the top, so I had.to step in and.find the issue ..Today.already provided a clue, but I need to watch several more firings to see whats happening.

So yeah life is getting a bit busier. But that's ok. I felt useful.today and that felt good.

Bedtime.

Night everyone!

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - An overbooked day that worked out well. Best was an in-person visit with a friend who'd had a stroke that paralyzed his left side. He was upbeat about the future, cogent, and delighted to talk about a range of topics we share. He proudly showed me his new Sara Lift - the modern version of the Hoyer lift that allows a care giver to move a person between a wheelchair and a bed. Seeing him made me grateful that my biggest problem of the day was seeing a nurse to remove the three stitches in my elbow. I left wearing only Steri-Strips - another new thing for me. I have so little experience with medical stuff that everything is new to me. The Steri-Strips can be worn in the shower or anywhere until they fall off on their own. Not clear to me what they do.

Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Still feel like I'm in recovery mode from a week of eating out at restaurants and friends' houses. The fridge is stuffed with lettuce from our garden - a joyous problem to deal with. Trip to the library, brick-and-mortar library, picked up the chapter book that I needed for today's visit with the DGD.


onebyone - Yay for your second jab even if mixed Astrazeneca and Moderna. Congrats for a day spent watching little cones through little windows wearing welding goggles. Art has surprising tasks.

Joy (gardenerjoy) - Neat that your Home Chef thing is a positive experience in your life. I enjoy dishes at a restaurant that DW says are too complex or too specialized to ever come out of our kitchen.

maryann - Waving toward wherever - hoping that you're carrying plenty of water.

Karen (karenrn) - You sound ready for your trip. Good point that folks who have to get a permit for a specific date and time are less likely to cancel a hike due to unsuitable conditions. Similar to what happens on Mount Everest.

curlyjax - Thanks for the reminder, "people tell me their version of the truth."

Penny. - Yep, Kudos for on plan - your weight will get the message in its own time.

Readers -

Success Skill 6 Overcome Hunger, Cravings, and Emotional Eating

In the following pages, I'm going to ask you to conduct six experiments that will help you prove the following to yourself: . . .

Experiment 2: Hunger is not an emergency. It's no big deal, and if I get involved in something else, it will go away.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 73.

[curlyjax]

I slept in today since I have a car appointment. I'm grateful to have 3 cars so everyone can have their own car but something is always happening with one of them it seems. I've made plans to meet my friend in Maine in a few weeks and am very psyched to have a plan. We will stay at a conference center/retreat/camp called Ferry Beach where we met a few years ago. I'm going to do a long weekend which will be enough time. I've been doing terribly with eating/not exercising and have got to get back in the swing-at least the weather is cooling down here.
Onebyone- I love the fact that despite all the technology in the world, people still use things like ceramic cones. Makes you feel like we haven't lost all our connections to nature and to the past.
Bill-wow, I can't believe you have that much lettuce already. Great you could see your friend; yes, reminder of how good we have it physically is always helpful.
Penny- that is a great author. They did a good job with the movie. They made another movie of his book called Britt-Marie was here which I enjoyed as well.
Gardenerjoy-yikes on the variant surging. I'm getting more lax with my mask but need to remember its still out there.
Karen-woo that's a long trip. Glad you have books on tape to make the journey better, and that you'll be escaping the heat.

[gardenerjoy]

I walked with a friend yesterday. I'm going to try to make that my major mode of reconnecting with people. It's healthier than meeting for lunch or coffee, anyway.

Today's adventures are PT for DH and a long list of errands -- some of which can still be done curbside but others will require entering stores. My Johnson & Johnson vaccine is possibly not as protective against the Delta variant as the mRNA vaccines, so I'll wear my mask and try to get in and out as quickly as possible.

Exercise +60, 1095/1400 minutes for June

[onebyone]

Spoiler

Dear Coaches,

Good news on the scale today. I saw that 285. I decided that I would reward myself for milestones reached like Beck suggests and my Amazon wish list is my go to for rewards. When I see 285 or less 3x I will have earned a reward. I think that my criteria. So 285 x1 today. Maybe a reward for every 11 lbs lost. 11 tells me that next 10 is solidly gone as I am at 11. So 274 is my next mark to shoot for beyond the 285 "sticking".

Good news re: second vaccine shot. So far no side effects, except a sore arm, from shot #2. I am now Astrazeneca/Moderna. I can hardly believe that part of this pandemic is over for me. Now to wait for full efficacy which happens July 6. Yay!!

And yet another good thing is I have discovered the low carb bread isn't triggering food thoughts or obsessions (except for the first day) or stalling my weightloss. And the decaf coffee has made me feel more grounded. I don't even have to tell you what seeing the 285 number means to me. It's like I'm peeking over the horizon that is 280 and looking at the slope of the 270s and the valley of the 260s in the distance. OMG. Can I do it? This is not a question that matters. I just need to keep doing what I am doing. I feel.completely at ease with my foodplan and it suits my life. This is supergood!

Will be back for personals later!

Bye for now

[Penny.]

Good morning!

Yesterday was on plan with my big hike and, guess what? Weight is up again. Another 0.2 pound. It's really holding on!

I used my new bone conduction headphones on the hike and love them so much! My ears are free to hear people say good morning and they are more comfortable.

Onebyone, congrats on hitting 285!!!! and getting a second vaccine.

Curly, the book is so good! I had no idea it has been made into a movie, so I'm glad you mentioned that. I'm already halfway through and had many chuckles and moments of restrained tears listening on my hike. Your plans with your friend sound like a good time.

I'm hanging on the beach with a friend today. It's supposed to get super hot this weekend while I work. Hopefully I don't sweat to death in my n95 mask.

[karenrn]

Good morning coaches,

Food was on plan and weight is holding. I'm still hopeful I can be under 150 by tomorrow, but it isn't the end of the world if it isn't. I finally went hiking this morning. Just a 5 mile moderate hike, but I had to be sure I could still do it after so many days off. It was no problem and it was a little cooler than it's been, 88 and 45% humidity. It was actually cooler by the time I finished and even started raining on my way home. It's cloudy and we might have more rain today and that is soooo good.

I currently have all the things I'm taking in the further spare bedroom. I've made a few changes and will repack my pack and take everything in to the spare bedroom that is near the door to the garage. I don't want to put most things in the car until tomorrow, because it is quite warm in the garage. They will be ready though and I am planning to leave at 4 a.m. My friend dropped by this morning and told me of a book their book club just read, You Should Have Known. It was made into a mini series with Hugh Grant and she said the book was very good. I was able to get the audiobook from the library, so that will be my entertainment tomorrow. In fact I'll still have 5 hours remaining.

I will check in when and if able. Think a good thought for me from 6/27 thru 7/4 if you would.

Penny I loved that book and loved the movie too. I also liked Beartown and Us Against You by the same author.
Onebyone Congratulations! On both the weight loss and the second vaccination. I know I felt so much better after having the second vaccination.
GardenerJoy I think walking with friends is just the greatest. I loved that it was something I could do through the pandemic too.
Curlyjax It's so nice that you'll have the Maine trip to look forward. I just can't bear it when I don't have a trip to look forward to.
Bill Nothing like seeing someone who is no longer in good health to truly appreciate our own good health. So nice that your friend is still cogent and enjoying the visit. I have steri strips in my hiking first aid kit. They can actually hold a cut together pretty well if there are no stitches available. For you they are probably just a little insurance.

Waving at you Maryann and hoping your hiking is going well.

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Exercise was chase the (4.5 yo) DGD day, CREDIT moi. She loved the new Ivy and Bean chapter book that I'd just picked up at the library the day before. What's not to love about two second-grade girls getting into mischief? Excursion was to Staples - yes, Staples the office supply store. She needed a binder for the book she was creating from old calendars. Not just any binder - our house is full of binders - but a purple binder! The only one of satisfactory color was the store's most expensive. But it was worth it since it's like I'm being paid by the hour to entertain her. A few minutes mucking about in the binder section is on the clock. She also got a new pair of scissors. Again, my house is bursting with scissors but . . . she is too big for the blunt nosed pair designated for her. So she needs a bigger girl pair. "I'll be careful, Grandpa," she says knowing what words are expected by the nearby grownup. When the day was done, she brought back to her home a binder full of pages cut out of the stack of FREE 2021 calendars that we receive from every organization that we support or know about. Some of the best nature photographs ever.

Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was second dipping into the rotisserie chicken. DW absolutely refuses to serve the same meal two nights in a row . . . except for the evening of a DGD day when getting any food on the table at all is considered a success. All the brouhaha for the past week has delayed trips to the community veggie garden; some of the Sugar Snaps had overgrown. Ouch! Hate loss of any good food. We do, however, have a fridge full of Sugar Snaps and DW is rapidly giving them to friends who don't have their own gardens. Life is good.


onebyone - Congrats on your new scale reading. Good to hear that your low carb bread isn't triggering.

Joy (gardenerjoy) - Neat to use walking rather than eating as a way to connect with friends.

Karen (karenrn) - Wonderful that you're getting rain. Do folks just go out and stare at it? Take pictures to send to their grandkids?

curlyjax - Yay for plans for a trip to Maine. Eat your fill of lobsters while you're there since, although high priced right now, they'll be cheaper than anywhere else.

Penny. - Had to google bone conduction headphones - new one for me. Wonder if they work for the same set of deaf folks who can use cochlear implants? Yes, do take care of yourself working out in these temperatures.

Readers -

Success Skill 6 Overcome Hunger, Cravings, and Emotional Eating

In the following pages, I'm going to ask you to conduct six experiments that will help you prove the following to yourself: . . .

Experiment 3: Fullness always sets in within 20 minutes of finishing a healthy meal. I may still feel hungry immediately after I've eaten, but it will soon subside.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 73.

[karenrn]

Good morning coaches,

Just a short post before I head out the door in 30 minutes. It is 76 degrees here this morning. It never hit 90 yesterday because of the rain. Our power was out after a couple of huge thunder sounds yesterday and I don't know if there was some lightening or what cause I didn't see that. The power was out for 90 minutes and thank goodness it was a day that was much cooler than it has been.

I packed all the things that didn't matter if they got warm, like my clothes, yesterday and this morning just need to pack my collapsible cooler that I'll carry drinks, lunch and some PB&J's for the next couple of days. I took a tiny piece of a sleeping pill and went to bed early and slept well. I'm having some coffee now and I'll be good to go.

Take care all.

[Penny.]

Good morning!

Yesterday was on plan and weight jumped up again, almost a pound. The scale is mocking my efforts.

I was out checking my plants and discoved a clutch of eggs and babies clinging to the underside of one of the leaves. Some research tells me they are bitty baby stink bugs. That was a new one for me, and fun to learn what the babies and eggs look like. I'm sorry to say, I murdered them.

Karen, safe travels! and have fun!

Bill, that's great you have so much produce already. The calendar photos binder sounds like a fun project for dgd.

[gardenerjoy]

As I was planning my day today, I realized that I didn't have a good time for my strength-training session. So, I stopped and did it! I'm feeling appreciative of my problem-solving brain. My reward is that I get to take this energy and strength through my entire day.

Today's adventure is my second post-pandemic hair appointment. I got lots of compliments after my first one -- including "I like your natural color." Ha! No one said that when I was actually sporting my natural color.

Exercise +40, 1135/1400 minutes for June