Not sure why I didn't get a post typed up yesterday, just kind of got overlooked I guess. Food was on plan but very little exercise. My car is still in the shop but hopefully I'll be able to get it today. I think it's the fuel pump. I guess they want to sort it out well since it will be kind of an expensive repair. It's 33 degrees here, so Otis and I will do our walk later and that's if he'll go. No real plans for the day except more housework, since I'm home bound. I'm listening to a book, so that helps pass the housework time.
Curlyjax I'm glad you're daughter is home to help with the tree and that you had a pleasant drive home.
Bill I've still never had avocado toast. I do like both ingredients though, so I suppose I would like it. The hygienists in my dentist office seem to change kind of frequently. The one I've had the last couple of times is the best ever. I hope she doesn't leave.
Maryann I'm so glad the at risk student was identified and is being helped.
Like karenrn, I didn't manage a post yesterday. For no good reason. Mostly, I think I had nothing to say. Which is good, in the way that boring / routine can be good. But checking in is even better, even with nothing to say.
I ran errands this morning just to have a reason to stay in and cozy for the afternoon.
I had a half-fail at Target. I own 5-pound dumbbells, but they're too easy for some exercises, now. It's time to own 10-pound dumbbells. So, I ordered to pick up curbside. When I got home, I realized that while I think of using dumbbells in pairs, they're actually sold in ones. So, now I need to order another one and what I thought was a bargain price, wasn't.
Survived a school potluck and I have one final to give tomorrow. I have some correcting to get done. I hope all will be done and dusted by the time I leave tomorrow.
Food is not horrible, reasonable portions. Dh and I have a Waterboard Xmsa party tonite. Yes, he sits on on of the 1,000s of very important waterboards in California. Tiny little politics everywhere. I hope to focus on fillong hakf my plate with veggies.
Joy: LOL with one dumbbell.
Curly: Does DD want to move back to your town to practice?
Friday - Last recorded eruption of Mount Fuji (1707, Japan)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Lifting exercise, CREDIT moi, was hauling the pumpkins from the front porch around back so they can get chopped up into our compost bin. They've been sitting there in pristine condition since mid-October - make an attractive addition to the front of our house and the (2.5 yo) DFGD loves to pet them when she's brought over to visit. I'd volunteered to remove them because we're in for a few days above freezing. They had become frozen solid - a fine state. It's the next stage that's a problem. When they unfreeze from their state of decay, they unfreeze into a puddle of pumpkin goop - a most unpleasant situation to clean up. Just in time for DW to put up the cedar branches Christmas wreath on our front door. "We're beginning to look a lot like Christmas."
Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi with afternoon snack. I had to write the notes from our Tuesday night Zoom meeting. Had to face that my stenographer skills are limited. When a meeting consists of discussion with single conclusion, I can document that easily. This meeting consisted of different members summarizing the progress reports received from different organizations. I was trying to construct a summary of a verbal summary of a report. Got it done, but not efficiently. A friend gifted us a homemade fruitcake. It's quite good. My evening snack will be a small slice of fruitcake until it's gone. It's one of the few fruitcakes that I like because the candied fruit isn't wall-to-wall.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Really funny story about the half-pair of dumbbells. Trying to imagine who buys only one. Hope the second one you order matches the first.
maryann - Hats off to your DH for sitting on one of the Waterboards in California. In our area, that kind of job often goes to one of the lesser informed folks around resulting in bad decisions.
Karen (karenrn) - I stress every minute, every hour, every day that my car is in the shop. Never think that they might be waiting for a part but rather that they are tinkering about at some $120 per billed hour.
curlyjax - Interesting that your drive from Boston with your DD was pleasant when traffic was low and you both had eaten. Microwave brownies are still in my future.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 6Stage 3 - The Challenging Situations Plan
Special Advice for Entertaining at Home
Here are some ideas for you to consider: . . .
Have a firm plan. Avoid making spontaneous decisions. Read your Response Cards and Advantages Deck ahead of time to remind yourself of the reasons it's worth it to stick to your plan.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 153.
Food was on plan, but portions a bit too large. For me I figure it's a little better to eat too much of the right thing rather than go off plan entirely and find or make some sweets. Scale is up a smidge. I got the car back yesterday afternoon. It wasn't the fuel pump. They turned off the check engine light and I'm supposed to call if it comes back on. I kind of feel like they put the new student mechanic on it or something. They didn't charge me anything but then again I don't feel assured that there isn't a problem. I did just go out to the garage and started the car and the light did not come on. I went to Costco after I picked up the car and it is driving just fine. Actually it always was. I'll head out for a hike a little later, maybe as late as 9, since it is supposed to warm up a bit by then. Hiking Suzanne and I are hiking/climbing Camelback tomorrow so I might try to buy a red turtleneck to wear. Saturday is a horribly busy day to go, but she transports her granddaughter to school during the week. Hiking Camelback at Christmas is a tradition for us and we don't do much together anymore.
Bill I'm glad you got the pumpkins moved. It is definitely time to be looking like Christmas. Your fruitcake makes me drool. I made it for years, but was something I had a hard time leaving alone. I do wish I could find just a piece to purchase. Maybe I'll check our high end grocery store, AJ's. They have a nice bakery and may have some and it's right on the way home from my hike.
Maryann When I first read your note I thought paddle board and not Waterboard. I thought, "Oh my, that will be a cold party."
GardenerJoy So funny about the dumbbell. I guess that's one of the downfalls of curbside pickup. My friend used to tell me about the strange groceries she would get when she did pick up. Sometimes a lot less than she ordered and sometimes a large order that wasn't hers.
Curlyjax Happy Friday to you and I hope you were able to get some shopping done.
I keep talking myself into and out of a planned Christmas treat. With a little luck, I'll just keep playing that game through the whole season and never actually indulging. A one time indulgence would be fine, but it would be fine if I didn't do it, too. So, we'll see how that plays out.
I'm pleased that for the third year in a row, I'm not indulging in something that I had labeled a tradition but was not serving me well and went beyond indulgence to overeating. I have a whole journal entry about it that I printed and put in my Tickler so that it shows up every year at this time to remind me how bad that actually was. It's working!
I am DONE. Grades are put to rest and I will not open my email account again until Jan 3. Ta Da!!!!!!
Last night's social party was very old behavior with sweets. Oh Well. i move on and hope that I drop below the 80s quickly. Sigh! I wish all the things I don't eat or the portions aren't nearly as big counted. But alas they don/t.
BBE: Just read about storing cooking pumpkins into a mock apple pie. You could surprise DW.
Joy: Good Idea to let go of traditions that no longer serve you.
Karen: Great idea with the red turtleneck. Even a red ribbon would be jaunty.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Christmas shopping happened at Home Depot. We had a specific list of items requested by our adult kids who graciously gave us requests so that we could give them something they wanted. Adults running households just aren't in need of "things" that can be wrapped under the tree. Most fun was selecting a 50 foot extension cord that was requested. Chose 15 amp rather than the light-weight 13 amp or the heavy-to-lift 20 amp. Paid a couple of extra bucks for the one labeled "Flexible in cold weather." It does get cold around here and I've experienced an extension cord that became so stiff it had to be brought inside to warm up to get wrapped up. The only good news is that I didn't really want any of the stuff there for me. Just not in a Home Depot buying mood.
On the other hand, we stopped at Trader Joe's to buy a tin of cookies to take to visit friends this afternoon. In Trader Joe's, I wanted EVERYTHING. That place has my number. All food items can be covered in dark chocolate and sold as treats. They have a better selection of nuts than any store around here. Bought a bunch of "stocking stuffers" for the adults coming to Christmas Eve dinner. Gonna be hard for me to keep myself out of the bag between now and then.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Good news that you've decided to drop the notion of a tradition that doesn't serve you well. Is writing still part of your days?
maryann - Congrats for being done for the semester. May you enjoy the holidays without burden. The notion of "Mock Apple Pie" has been low on my list since I discovered an ad for one to be made with Ritz Crackers. I'm a big fan of apple Apple Pie.
Karen (karenrn) - Yay for no charge for your car; Ouch that that leaves you feeling concerned that a hidden problem lurks. Hope everyone in Arizona isn't hiking Camelback today.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 6Stage 3 - The Challenging Situations Plan
Special Advice for Entertaining at Home
Here are some ideas for you to consider: . . .
Change the food you serve. Offer healthy choices that you can eat. So many people are health conscious these days; your guests are likely to be grateful that you are serving delicious, wholesome food that makes them feel good instead of overstuffed and guilty. And if you find a particular food or dessert too tempting, don't serve it!
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 153.
I went to a meetup last night and had such fun. about 9 of us had dinner first and I ate quite reasonably with a hearty salad and no alcohol. Then a bunch more met to hear a band with about 15 musicians, playing in a big band style. I got brave and asked one of the meetup guys to dance after I saw that he knew how, then I asked some other men that were with another group, who clearly knew how to dance and seemed approachable. I haven't done swing dancing in eons and it was so fun. Then I felt stupid because I asked the one meetup guy a few times before I realized he wanted to spend time with another woman and I was probably dragging him away from her, but oh well. I can be a bit too assertive at times. I got quite winded and have to get back in shape, because I do want to get back to dancing, it makes me so happy.
Today's tasks are helping DD study for a final, making cookies, paying some of my dad's bills, picking up, laundry, going to the dump etc. And a nap for sure!
Karen- nice to have a Christmas hiking tradition. Hopefully the car is indeed fixed.
Bill-I love lists for christmas, for adults. I hear you about Trader Joe's, its a tricky place normally but even more so around the holidays.
Maryann-yay for a nice long break. I hear you about those old habits with sweets.
Gardenerjoy-great to talk yourself out of a treat.
Today's challenge is that I'm on my own for my usual Saturday event -- and it will be the coldest of the season so far. One of my usual accomplices had been planning to miss this week for a couple of months. The other got COVID this week. I feel obligated to show up, in case anyone else does, but I'm giving myself permission to leave half-way through the normal time if no one else joins me.
I've planned a particularly cozy afternoon at home, including my yummy routine foods which I have fully prepped. So, this is my reminder that stopping for a treat is not going to be better than coming straight home to eat what I planned.
Exercise +65, 890/1700 minutes for December
maryann: Yay for DONE! And, for a real break until January 3.
BillBlueEyes: I broke my writing streak last week in service of some other activities that I enjoy in December that took the same sort of energy. I think I may get back to it next week, though, rather than wait until 2023. There are holiday scenes in my novel, next week might be a great time to write my new draft of them.
curlyjax: Good for you for finding an opportunity to use your dancing skills. That sounds fun!
JOY: Credit for showing up because you said you would. We do that in AA as well. You never know if someone will walk through the door.
Curly: I often get a little "after burn" when making myself vulnerable by drawing attention. Asking guys to dance who are interested in someone else is how I spent my early 30s. It is also how I ended up dating far more than my other more timid gal friends who really wanted a partner.
BBEl Yeah for Christmas shopping as a strategic attack. Then one can wander to enjoy the decorations.
Woke up late this morning. Yeah! I am starting a weekend list because Monday I head to San Francisco. I booked a night at a fancy hotel on Nob Hill for my Bday. Then Tuesday we will head to the De Young Museum and then pick up Atticus at the airport. A perfect day.
Weight is at 180. I am changing my ticker to get real. I have put targets on my list. the walnut gift packages I sent for Xmas seem to have made it to their destinations without incident.
Suzanne and I hiked Camelback this morning. We started a little later cause it was cold and decided to take the trail from the east side, Cholla, which neither of us had done before. It always looked like the easier trail cause there isn't as much rock climbing. We figured parking might be better cause at Christmas Santa hikes a tree up to the top and then back down again at the end of the day. It is very busy. If you hiked this you wouldn't believe how hard it would be to carry a tree to the top. Anyway, much of the trail is easier but there are some rock climbs that are quite exposed. Suzanne was really slow cause she felt like her equilibrium was off. I was doing fine, but it was a little nerve wracking and would have been better if I could have gone a bit faster. We decided we liked the other side (Echo Canyon), which is supposed to be harder but is more familiar and less exposed, and went down that side and then around to the car. Although it is typically a pretty short and steep hike, with the hike around to the car we was 8 miles. Good to know.
Food has been on plan. I am having a couple of beers today though, but that's okay. Dh has a new prescription for gabapentin so we'll see if it helps the nerve pain. Otis is good. That's all the news.
Tomorrow we have a dinner gathering with my former co-workers. I usually take the goodies, but I've already delivered them. This time I'm just making a good salad.
Sunday-Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan", starting the Yuan Dynasty (1271, China)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Guess it's not too late to learn that kids revere Christmas traditions. Adult kids! DW put up the notion that we wouldn't do stockings at our house on Christmas Eve, "Let stockings be for Santa at home." Expected no response from our adult children. One year our dinner and dessert ran late and stockings weren't "opened" - contents were just dumped in plastic bags for folks to take home. Well, the DD resisted. She wants her stocking with the 5 one-dollar coins in the toe and the clementine and the food items that "dad buys." OK, so she's noticed. OK, we'll do stockings. I'm now tasked with finding enough items to fill the adult's. Thinking of an avocado, a clementine, maybe a pear, 5 gold coins in the toe, some tree nuts in the shell (a favorite of MY childhood), beef jerky for the guys and a top-shelf chocolate bar for the ladies. Maybe some dried cherries and bags of shelled walnuts and other delectables. Breaking a tradition is just a no-no.
Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi, with an afternoon snack when we visited friends who had completely remodeled their house. They gutted it to the extent that they moved the outside windows to best fit the light. They enclosed two "three-season" porches. In our area, "three-season" only means two where you're not freezing. Each kid now has their own room. Each adult has their own office. Solar panels on the roof feed the Tesla Power Wall in the basement. All the most modern heat pumps and on-demand hot water. It was so much fun to see a house done so well. I ate exactly one cranberry cake square from the array of food they offered, CREDIT moi. He had a second and the teenage son who dropped by to say 'hello' had at least two.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Ouch for a one person event. In the bitter cold, even. Seems smart to give yourself permission to adjust. Fun thought of writing a Christmas scene while the holiday is happening.
maryann - Your de Young Museum looks fabulous. Sign me up for the VR Journey to Osiris. Good times that you'll be picking up your DD for the holidays.
Karen (karenrn) - Neat that your friend is able to do the climb despite the bits of exposed rock. Carrying a Christmas tree up and then down the mountain is asking a lot of Santa.
curlyjax - Super Kudos for stepping out of your comfort zone to ask a guy to dance. Getting into dancing is such a good idea for exercise and meeting people.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 6Stage 3 - The Challenging Situations Plan
Special Advice for Entertaining at Home
Here are some ideas for you to consider: . . .
Request help. Ask a friend or family member who is coming to your house to arrive early to help you prepare and set out food. Ask someone else to stay late to help you put away extra food and clean up. Be extra careful to resist rebound desire after the party. It's not worth it to overate once everyone has left.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 153.
I got my dad's bills out, made peanut butter blossoms (the ones with hershey kiss), cleaned up all the dishes which had been sitting around awhile, dump run, good nap, and relaxed most of the evening. I am caught up with all the Call the Midwives Christmas specials, and looking forward to the one on Christmas day. I caught up on my sleep last night and am more ready for today's tasks, which include: picking up DS from college for the break, possibly hitting the grocery store on the way home, paying my own bills, coordinating groceries to be delivered for my dad, doing some paper work for my dad's long term care insurance, making some kind of dinner, getting some laundry done, finally getting some lights on the tree with DS help and then decorating it. And possibly helping DD study. we'll see what gets done!
Gardenerjoy-good idea to plan for yummy things to avoid stopping for a treat.
Maryann-I'm at 180 also, ugh. your plans sound wonderful.
Karen- great you could get the hike in. Nice that you have a lot of your goodies out of the house. Santa must be in amazing shape, wow!
Bill-that is adorable that DD still wants her stocking at your house. Although I'm groaning because mine will no doubt be the same for years to come Chocolate covered dried fruit is good too, and places like Walgreens sell tiny bags of Lindt chocolates with just a few in each. There is a lot less available now to choose from, as i discovered when I went to get some for my young adult kids stockings.If I buy it too early I eat it, so its a dilemna.
BBE: Super congrats for you and your wife building a lifetime of cherished memories to the degree that adult children don't want to give them up. Not the case in my family of origin. Many of my siblings refuse to mix ( for the best) and when our house burnt down a few years back all I thought was good riddance. I know, terrible. However, cheers for DH and I creating a different world for DS which includes stockings that carry his childhood drawings. Also, Credit for individual relationships my sisters and I have built and the new relationship I have with Mom after she got sober at 80. We can build the world we want. I am a firm believer.
Karen: That is a riot about Santa and the tree.
Curly: That is one heck of a to-do list.
I had a nice sushi lunch with an old friend. She gifted me a purse I borrowed last summer. I had fallen in love with it.
So I am declaring today, Sunday, to be the official start of the Christmas season. I have not been even close to the mood. I am putting Yoga at the top of my list. I will not go back to the chiropractor. He has made things worse. Now my upper back hurts as well. Serves me right for trusting yet another one. I will do my own research plus he did do a few things that did work. But when he got after my neck it was nothing but pain. Drat!!! I feel so stupid.
So for health:
Made a California chili with artichokes for meals.
Focus fruit and veggies
Water
Movement.
Friday - Last recorded eruption of Mount Fuji (1707, Japan)
Chocolate covered dried fruit is good too, and places like Walgreens sell tiny bags of Lindt chocolates with just a few in each. There is a lot less available now to choose from, as i discovered when I went to get some for my young adult kids stockings.If I buy it too early I eat it, so its a dilemna.