I had a pleasant hike with a friend and then got home to walk Otis. Food has been on plan and weight is holding. Not much planned for the rest of the day. Maybe a little housework and some reading. I actually went to Costco yesterday so I don't have to do that today. Mainly I guess I'll just enjoy being home and doing what I want since I'll soon have company.
Nationalparker Yes Arizona is the place for snowbirds from the northwest and I think clear over to Minnesota and some of Canada. It gets pretty busy here in November until the first of May or so. During that time the restaurants and golf courses are really busy. The Barrett Jackson and other car auctions and the WM golf tournament really draw a lot of folks too.
Penny I hope the work day isn't too crazy.
GardenerJoy I totally believe the Seven Habits that Lead to Happiness. I also think I'm probably happier than I have ever been in my life, at least most days.
Curlyjax Maybe the soon to be spring time is bringing you some more energy to be productive.
Bill I'm glad you were able to change the lightbulb without an accident. I think we may need the gadget that Nationalparker mentioned. We have some really high ceilings (18 feet or so at the peak) where there are a few spot lights. They are new four years ago and so far so good.
Glorious day no mask day at school. What a relief. Many students still wearing them as are teachers. I tempered my enthusiasm to allow for peoples responses.
First day Prolon fast nearly in the books. I have my soup pancakes to make then done for the day. It feels good to have a plan for five days.
Hello Coaches
It was a busy day. Good busy though. I think this nicer weather makes it nice to be outside exploring the area. Food and exercise written down, as well as gratitude journal. I felt much better with the time change. Sleep was great. It was nice for it to be light much longer today. They were removing all the snow off our streets and sidewalks in our area so it made it much better for walking.
BillBlueEyes - Great that you got the light bulb replaced safely. It was surprising how light it was eating dinner.
Nationalparker - That is great you are getting so much done. I think a burrito bowl sounds wonderful. I am not sure why I did not think of making them. They are so healthy.
Karen - You do seem like you are a very happy person. A lot of people from Canada go to Arizona as they say it is a really dry heat. They feel it is good for them. One of my friends had a daughter that was really sick and the only place she felt good was in Arizona. She had lyme disease. I think any warm weather is good. My sister had a place in Arizona before but now goes to the Bahamas for winters. When I had the fajita bowl I had, I thought it might be like the budha bowl.
MaryAnn - Oh my goodness. When you mentioned about your experience at the spa it reminded me of a time I was getting an acupuncture treatment I had an experience like that. When I told the Dr about it. She told me it was normal. It was not normal to me.
Penny - I hope you had a great day. Yay for yesterday being on plan.
Curlyjax - It is nice DS was home last week and DD is home this week. You are kind to make brownies for DD. Do you ever freeze them into single servings. They freeze nicely and you can put them in single serving portions.
GardenJoy - Thank you for sharing Seven Habits that Lead to Happiness.
OnebyOne - Hello, how are you doing?
I have to go, I forgot it is trivia night. It starts in 15 minutes.
Have a great evening everyone.
Tuesday - "Beware the Ides of March" Brutus stabs Caesar (44 BC, Rome)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Job to be done: put away the completed 1000-piece puzzle that now dominated the dining room table. Apparently, the rules of life require that every piece be separated. Reality is that is a boring job. But two people together got it done in a few minutes. One of the most logical engineers I ever worked with dismantled her jigsaw puzzles by carefully separating them into huge chunks that exactly fit in their box; then sealing the chunks in a zip lock bag. Her reasoning was that the next person would be able to see with their own eyes that all pieces were there. I was impressed with her idea but unable to sell it to DW. Her notion was to seal the pieces in a plastic bag within the box then tie the box securely with string in both directions like a box from a bakery. But with a knot instead of a bow. CREDIT moi for one small adult step in life.
Spent most of my day preparing for my evening meeting held on Zoom. Our group has met for years; I've written here many times about facing a coffee table laden with top shelf cheeses and crackers. We do OK on Zoom because we have that history. (And benefit from Zoom's ability to gather up folks temporarily visiting Cape Cod, Kansas, and Florida who'd miss the in-person gatherings.) The suggestion was made to have an in-person meeting this Spring in one member's gracious back yard. We're all for it.
A first for us: DW felt a little something in the back of her throat; worried about possibly spreading COVID to the DGD or DFGD. So, she took our first home COVID test. The nasal swab comes on a 8 inch stick - just to make one tremble because the instructions are to stick it one inch up the nose. Got NEGATIVE. Then realized that the instructions suggest a second test to be sure. So, next day she used a second test. Again, NEGATIVE. Glad she's, apparently, NEGATIVE, but even more pleased that one of us has finally taken a home test.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Thanks for the link to the Atlantic article about happiness with age. I have a 90+ year-old friend who is particularly good at making friends with younger people - even as he watches his group of peers passing away.
maryann - Glorious day, indeed, to be able to teach without masks. Kudos for having a plan for five days.
nationalparker Not surprised that you're exhausted with the amount of physical labor you're doing. Thanks for the tip to pay a fee to the family-member Executor (now called "Personal Representative"). We watched DW's sister and BIL put in a zillion hours handling their parents' house. Neat way that you used the payment for the vehicle as a way to contribute to his work.
Karen (karenrn) - Glad that Otis still gets his walk even after you've done a serious hike. I, too, have one of those telescoping light bulb poles in my basement. Picked it up at a yard sale. Quite proud of it. Not the least bit deterred when DW pointed out that we have no bare-bulb fixtures. My kids can fight over it when they clean out our Estate, LOL.
curlyjax - What a productive day! Great bargain with that $9/lb salmon from Trader Joe's.
Penny. - Yep, the period right after work was always a time that eating called - I'd "earned" it.
Ann (AnnC123) - I agree, a tad of nicer weather makes it fun to explore outside as if discovering our own neighborhood again.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 5Stage 2 - The Think Thin Initial Eating Plan
Dinner Guidelines
Use this advice as you transition to Think Thin Dinner Options: . . .
After dinner, make sure your measuring cups and spoons are clean and ready to use the next day. Wash the dishes, clean the countertops, and get tempting foods under wraps and out of sight. Then leave the kitchen.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 119.
I slept better last night and that made today seem brighter. Daffodils showed up in my yard, too. We expect a high of 68 degrees today, so I'm looking forward to our walk, too.
Last night had some hiccups with food. It didn't help that I worked so late geting everything done.
I'm seeing a disturbing trend of people attempting to go back to work with health issues big enough they should be able to stay home and recover. I couldn't see one of my patients until after he got home from his non-desk job. He has an IV and is dragging a "wound vac" machine around with him. (It's a special wound dressing that applies vacuum suction to wounds. Google at your own risk lol).
Another woman needed to start back at her waitressing job before she even knew how to change her new colostomy bag and it was sometimes leaking everywhere. Yikes! In both cases, they need to work or they fear becoming homeless.
and now I will enjoy two days off. I'm making a few recipes to restock the fridge and relaxing at home. Have a good day!
Hello! A good day for me so far; sunshine and mid-60s so a gift that I'll gladly take. I went for a solo walk on the trail, listening to a very light book, "The World According to Tom Hanks". I'd asked DH if he wanted to join me as he's off a couple of days this week, but he said not then, maybe tonight. I've learned to not wait and I can walk twice if he does decide he'd like to. I needed that time to myself, anyway. Came home, ate lunch and got bathed for a dr. visit, seeing a nurse practitioner. Six months ago I'd had labs done, concerned that my thyroid was underperforming (hair loss and very dry skin, etc.) ... the number came in higher than the average, so that NP said no worries. However, this NP said when the number is higher than the range, that indicates low performance, not high performance, and wanted to check it again, so more labs today. I came away a bit irritated that the other NP didn't know that. Got my tetanus vaccine while there as well; wildly overdue for that I suspect. For the first time, it seems, I ate lunch and drank and thought, the scale can read what it wants to...I'm not playing that game. Then cursed myself for that when the scale was higher than at home. Oh well ... that game didn't last long.
I'm also reading "Enough Already" by Valerie Bertinelli, and while not a FAN of hers, I am very much enjoying this book - enough already on beating herself up to lose 10 pounds. Much of it has spoken to me. I typically have about 5-6 books going and this is the one I suspect that I'll plow through - light and just almost what I want to hear - judge on thoughts, compassion, acts and give ourselves some leniency in other areas.
I was planning to make an Italian veg stew that DH especially loves, but with these warm temps, I'm tempted to just do the Impossible Burgers again as the buns are still fresh. Not nutritious but ample protein and can add roasted carrots and potatoes with a tomato salad, and that'll save it.
Bill - When I did my at home COVID test, DH missed the part about swabbing both nasal passages, not just one side. When I administered his last week and finally read the directions, I noted that we missed that for me. Now to keep fingers crossed that your in-person meeting this spring is greeted with some good weather!
Joy - I completely understand how bright spring flowers cheer up a day - I took a photo of a pretty clump of crocus in my front garden this morning. Every spring I say I want to plant more of those small bulbs, but every fall I skip buying more. This spring I'm on the hunt for lettuce seeds. The price of lettuce is increasing each week and predicted to continue, so I'm going to try to container grow it throughout spring/summer/fall and see what I can harvest.
Penny - That news about people having to return to work so quickly with medical issues is heart-breaking. That certainly puts a perspective on my day. Enjoy the lead-in to your two days off!
Ann - Your sister wintering in the Bahamas sounds like a wonderful retirement! Sunshine! Warmth! No snow to shovel! Ahhh... I might have to play the lottery one day this month. Tell us about your trivia night - sounds like fun!
Maryann - The other day I overheard three young teens as they were walking across the parking lot discussing their ability to remove masks in school now and one said they told a teacher to put it back on - they liked it better when they couldn't see the teacher's face. Reiterating that I COULD NEVER be a teacher nowadays. My tolerance for that rudeness is nil.
Karen - My friend went out to Arizona for a couple of weeks this winter and just had the best time - golfing and meeting up with friends there. I visited two years ago (?) with work and it was just so gorgeous. It was a fall day, so not sweltering in the blazing summers you have.
OneByOne - I hope you are doing well and enjoying better weather this week...? Good reminder you wrote the other day to me that I need to close my kitchen at times.
Better check the sheets and see if they're dry yet to remake the bed. I am far behind on chores today.
nationalparker: LOL at the teens. The truth is if they have a relationship with me they are wonderful, peppy, respectful human beings. If it is a run in with a kid I don't know it can get ugly. Just today a passing gal was trying to enlist one of my student for mischief while he was IN my class. I asked for her pass three times and she responded FU and went running. Sheesh! So a call to security and she has been suspended for three days. That kind of thing usually rolls off my back. 15 year olds are in general poor decision makers. Penny: Yikes with the medical stuff. You reminded me how lucky I am to have sick days and job security. BBE: Congrats on a positive "negative" testing experience.
Day two of fast is almost in the books. Kitchen is closed. Mushroom soup is made so I'll sip it watching tv. Yesterday I took a walk and today I will take a hot bath. Nice to take care of myself.
Update on the American Express travel offer - I totally scored. I book five nights in San Diego twenty mins from the diamond grading lab which is on the beach and one night in the world famous Hotel Coronado for $22 books total including taxes. At summer peak rates. Wow I spent the bonus points and the free night offered with the introductory points. I saved about 5 grand. So now I can use that money toward our Thanksgiving trip to New York to see some broadway shows. very excited.
I had a great hike this morning, part of it with my friend and then I went on to Bell Pass and she turned around. She always feels bad when she doesn't want to go as far as I do, but of course I enjoy hiking by myself and I listened to a book. I got home and walked Otis who was terrified of the garbage bins today. It took a lot of encouragement and some street crossing if two were too close together. He doesn't do this with dh, but he knows I'm a sucker. I've done some last minute cleaning of the bathroom and bedroom where my niece will stay. I'm taking the neighbor to the surgery center at 5:15 tomorrow morning and she expects to be done early. Our niece arrives tomorrow morning at 11:30. Dinner will be Hearty Lentil Ragu with Rigatoni.
Maryann That's a great deal for your travel.
Nationalparker Yes it is beautiful here for many months of the year, but summer time isn't one of them. I'm glad to get out of here for 4-6 weeks during that time. I'm thinking maybe I'll get started on some quilting this summer. It's also a good time to go to the movies.
Penny That would be so distressing to see people needing to get back to work in the kind of shape you are seeing them.
GardenerJoy Not much beats a good nights sleep. We have daffodils down the block and I just love them.
Bill I guess I'll have to take a closer look at our spot lights to see if that gadget would work. Maybe not. Oh I hope you can get together with your group this spring and I hope someone brings the top shelf cheeses and crackers. I used to wonder how you could pass up or control yourself with all the meetings with goodies that you used to go to.
Ann It's 82 degrees in the shade on the patio. Hard to imagine snow getting shoveled. In our Buddha bowls we put lettuce or arugula or something in the bottom and then on the top some roasted vegetables, some kind of grain, some beans or baked tofu, and maybe some cut up grape tomatoes. I put some beets on mine, but dh doesn't like the beets. Then if there isn't anything with a little sauce we put a little salad dressing on some of it. If I have some baked sweet potato I love that on it and might leave the grain off. It's also a great thing for cleaning up those little bits of leftovers.
Wednesday - U.S. Senate ratifies the Geneva Convention of 1864 (1882)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Walked, CREDIT moi, to the dentist for the easy part of getting a new crown having already done the drilling, measuring, and making molds parts. On this visit, they just stuck it in with glue. Then the tech bathed it in UV light to set the glue. All done. On the walk there, I passed a neighbor; we stopped to chat. She had just come from her dentist . . . getting a new crown. Turns out to be the same dental office and exactly the same dentist. "Tell him it's still working just fine," she laughed. So, I did. Dentist was appropriately flabbergasted that two patients knew each other and had sent him a message.
Since I had to wait two hours before chewing on that side, I awarded myself a Mango milk shake from Panera Bread for lunch. Good enough but not enough ice cream to be filling. What I really wanted was a McDonald's frappe like the one I'd get in the Dulles airport in Washington, D.C. each month after I'd made my report to our customer. It was thick, tasty, and filling. Since I had no idea what was in it, I called it a plastic frappe. Maybe dairy. Maybe seaweed. Whatever. But they knew how to tickle my happy bones.
Otherwise, eating was on plan, CREDIT moi.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Daffodils make me feel like Spring, also.
maryann - Ouch for the reminder that "15 year olds are in general poor decision makers." I'm impressed that so many of them make it through those years. Your American Express card bargain is just over the top amazing. Big time Congrats.
nationalparker LOL that you only know that one side of you is NEGATIVE for COVID. Thanks for the warning to swab both nostrils. I do wonder how many folks apply the effort to perform a home COVID test correctly. Good luck with your lab tests.
Karen (karenrn) - I never stop laughing at Otis shenanigans. Drooling over your "Hearty Lentil Ragu with Rigatoni."
Penny. - Ouch that our system is so convoluted that folks with jobs are afraid to take sick time - or don't have sick time. Yay for a couple of days to restock your fridge.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 5Stage 2 - The Think Thin Initial Eating Plan
Dinner Guidelines
tip:
Ask your family members to help prepare, serve, and clean up. Even children as young as four or five can learn to scrape their own plates.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 118.
I think I need to post earlier, I went to bed thinking I had posted here. I had a relaxing/lazy morning. Routines work much better for me. I was craving a snack so I decided I would go walking and have the snack tomorrow as sometimes when I am craving something I don't eat it in a rational manner. The walk worked as I just wanted water once I got back. Yay, it works.
I did taxes yesterday. The thought of doing them causes more anxiety than actually doing them. Today I am going to hang out with DGDs. It is warmer today so I think maybe puddles will be fun. I won't suggest it but the youngest DGD can find puddles all the time. I am also looking forward to the lovely (pretend) treats we get to have with[ tea.
[b]Karen - It is nice you can hike with a friend and then continue on your own. Thank you for the description of your Budha bowls. They sound great. It gives me healthy ideas. Oh how nice 82 degrees in the shade. When we have gone to Myrtle Beach in February, they always know we are Canadian as we are not cold. The locals are wearing warm clothes we are in shorts and sandals. It is so nice with no snow. I think not going any where warm because of Covid is making me envious of your great weather.
Nationaparker - Great idea going for a walk on your own and the bonus of going for two if DH wants to go later with you. Enough Already sounds like it would be a good book.
I enjoy Trivia because it makes you think. There are questions that I guess at and when you get them right it is fun and others that sound so easy and then we get them wrong. It is online and just a lot of fun.
Gardenjoy - Yay for a good night sleep and for daffodils showing up in your yard.
Penny - That is very sad people having to go back to work when they should be off. Enjoy your days off. Great idea to restock the fridge. How is work going? I always think we are where we need to be. We many not know the reason we are there but in the bigger plan we are needed somewhere.
Maryann - That is such a great deal you got through American Express. It is great you can use the savings to enjoy Broadway shows in New York.
The kids in your class seem very respectful to you. You are a wonderful teacher. The kids are blessed to have you in their lives.
BillBlueEyes - Your mango milkshake sounds wonderful.
When I read about you going to an actual event/meeting instead of it being on zoom. I thought how nice it would be to actually meet with others in person. I too always wondered how you could go to all these meetings and control your eating with all the food that is there. Yay for DW testing negative for Covid.
I'm celebrating that I passed the half-way mark for my exercise, half-way through the month of March.
We get a couple of days in the 70s before it's rainy and cooler on Friday, so I'll enjoy walks while I can.
Thanks to talk of home COVID testing on this thread, I ordered our second free set of tests from the government yesterday. I was procrastinating because I didn't have the link. In case anyone else is having that problem, it's here: COVID Home Tests | USPS
Yesterday was not on plan and weight is up. I made a plan for today and don't have to cook.
Nationalparker, was that you mentioning the mean teenager? LOL! I bet teachers have to come up with cool responses to shut it down quickly.
Bill, I'm not going to think about delicious milkshakes while I claw my way back into weightloss mode. No, no. Ha! Yay for easy dental appointment.
Joy, I still have a mountain of covid tests on my dresser but should probably have as many as I can with two always-homeschooled kids about to take their immune systems for a stretch at public school. Thanks for the link and congrats on the exercise goal halfway mark.
Maryann, that's a great deal for your trip! Especially since you had to make it for your class and it would have cut into your leisure travel money.
Ann, have fun with the granddaughters. You seem like a super fun grandma.
Curly, I hope your time with dd is a relaxed, happy time without fighting.
Karen, one nice thing about having company is it keeps the house a little cleaner. Your foods are sounding delicious!
Food has been on plan, no exercise today unless you call walking Otis exercise.I took the neighbor to outpatient surgery early, did a few things around the house and walked Otis and have now picked up the neighbor and deposited her home. My niece arrives in just over half an hour, so I'll leave for the airport soon. It only takes 20 minutes to get there and I'm sure she checked a bag. I haven't told her yet about the changes to our food plan, but I do have chicken that I thawed for her to add to her Buddha Bowl and I imagine dh may have some too. I figure we'll go out a couple of times so that she can choose something she likes and we always go to the grocery store when she arrives to get some things she likes. She does eat healthy but with some added treats. With her youth and muscles she gets quite a few calories each day. All I ask is that she keep the goodies in the drawer so I don't have to look at them.
I guess I had better get on the road. Possible personals later.
One good thing about fasting five work days is I try to get as much work at school done as possible so i can leave early. Then I just make an easy afternoon, go to bed and watch a few shows and fall asleep. Kitchen is closed. Bath Awaits.
I am trying something new at school. I am showing the movie The Purge. It is dystopia where one night a year anybody can murder, steal or vandalize anyone. It is supposed to release the beast in all for the rest of the year. It is sanctioned by the US government who are of course immune from the purge. I want to make an impression on the students that DIRECT DEMOCRACY is not always right. (Similar to a lynch mob.) The movie offers some fascinating moral questions and I have the kids stop periodically and tell me what choice they wold make.
I had such success with my Hilton Honors Amex, I applied for a IHG card through chase - a free night with 125000 point. I have done a fair amount of research. IHG in the ends offers the most promotions and the pts requirement for hotels is less. So far I have picked a full free 9 days at a Thailand beach resort (Karen I'll get your advice) or a week in Paris. The research is what makes the deals so lucrative so I have added a couple of miles blogs to get alerts. One has already reminded me to join the ambassador's club to get over $1000 in upgrades for $200. I love the new blog age. People who do nothing but figure these things out share the wealth. Cool. It i also good timing because I have become disenchanted with airbnbs on the whole for several reasons. My top two travel stays asides from Tahoe and friends is camping/backpacking or hotel chains with great yelp reviews.
Ann and Joy: Yeah for planning exercise. that is a big deal.
BBE: Nice to live in a place that is walker friendly.
Penny: I love non cooking days.
Tuesday - "Beware the Ides of March" Brutus stabs Caesar (44 BC, Rome)
Tell us about your trivia night - sounds like fun! 