Good morning We dodged the first frost. I didn't bother to cover my garden but I'm glad the local farms will still have peppers and zucchini. Today I'm cleaning and organizing my food storage closet to see what I need and what I have.

Debbie - I hope today provides a little R&R for you! Sounds like a fun but very exhausting day yesterday.

Ruth - Playing in the garden is a pretty good way to spend an early fall day

Cottage - Did you dress up for the Ren Faire? Now you have me thinking about that spaghetti squash pie, yum.

Just a chore day for me today. I'm trying to keep the dehydrator full all the time now that time is short. Today will be tomatillos and more zucchini. I'll pick up some peppers for tonight. I keep reminding myself I have all of October for apples, so they can wait. I love the smell and want to do them now!

looks like a perfect fall day on tap for us.

Hi all,

I've been hiding out since I went off-plan last weekend (well, including Friday and Monday!) when I was at a conference in Seattle and I wanted to get my actual weight back to match my ticker before reappearing. The good news is I'm down a pound past that now. Yay. So does this mean I can revert to Phase II instead of Phase I now? I was on Phase II when I went off plan...

Almost fall, I can't wait!

Cottage, tell about the Ren Faire. Any steampunk stuff there? My dh and I are really interested in that Victorian/Edwardian steam-tech sci-fi stuff and are trying to figure out how to be involved in some kind of community. Not much going on in Grand Rapids.

Cyndi, what do you do with the fruit and veggies once you dehydrate them? I may try to talk dh into going to a local orchard today. But there will be cider and pumpkin donuts there... Ack!

Deana

Good morning everyone,

Ruth did you enjoy the quilt show?

Debbie glad to hear that the pooch show went well though sounds like you were super busy.

Cottage sounds like you had a wonderful day yesterday and I am like you have to do chores today.

Chelby and Kierie I had a similiar incidence when I was around 16 babysitting at a neighbors the kids were asleep and I was half asleep watching tv and heard someone trying to come in, scared me too death. I creeped into the kids room made sure they were okay and then grabbed a hugh glass ashtray, didn't have the presence of mind to call the cops. But then I heard the cops they were searching for whomever it was. I never even told the parents when they got home isn't that stupid...

Sunshine hope you got to enjoy your quiet night last night

Cyndi how did the hawk watching go yesterday?

Barb I am one of those people never have time to go out with friends.

Yesterday was a busy day- DD1 had a soccer game in the morning and then we went to the Scott AFB airshow and stayed there for the whole day, then went to try a new Mexican restaurant and it was great and the food was op even better. Today I need to tackle the dust and mildew living on the siding, this town put oil and rocks on the roads and this year they used something different and our street has been a complete dust bowl everytime a car drives by. We can't keep the cars or house clean- covered in dust. Hopefully a few more rains will wash away whatever they used.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

ETA: Hi Daisy that is great that you are back op as long as you don't have any cravings you can stay with Phase 2 otherwise a couple of days of Phase 1 should tackle those cravings.

Hi Deanna! Nice to see you again The only reason to stay on Phase 1 is if you are having issues with cravings. Otherwise move back to Phase 2, slowly and carefully. Do you know why you went off plan? The more you can understand your own triggers the better you can plan to face them without sliding.

Most of the dehydrated vegetables end up in the crockpot. We do lots of stews and soups in the winter and I like having local veggies to bulk things up. The apples are all snack food. Apple rings are very popular in our house and with our friends so we will use all the apples I can dry.

I know what you mean about cider donuts. The thing is even when I ate stuff like that they were never as good as they smelled. Every year I'd get pulled in once and eat several then regret it. There's nothing as good as a crisp apple right off the tree. Enjoy those

Pearl - OP Mexican is a great find. It's hard enough to find good Mexican food east of CA! I just spent an hour on the mountain but it was a good hour Had about 60 birds with a few good looks. It was the perfect day to be up there - cool, clear and just a few wispy clouds

Thanks for the encouraging words, Pearl and Cyndi! I went off plan because I found myself relying completely on others for transportation/access to food. Part of the conference was at a National Records building with no restaurants nearby and the only food available from 9-5 was a box lunch that the organizers provided. If I hadn't gone off-plan I would have had to survive the whole day on the filling of the sandwich! I had arrived the night before and had no access to any kind of grocery from my hotel so I couldn't bring my own stuff either. Once I was off-plan, I was off-plan, mostly intentionally. My mom flew up for the conference Saturday night (it involved some of our family history), then took me out to dinner to celebrate me getting tenure on Sunday night, and while I was OP with my entree, I did have a hurricane as a cocktail.

Even Dr. Agatston acknowledges that things come up, so I'm not beating myself up about it all. But it was interesting how off-plan things weren't as enticing, even as I ate them. I thought I'd fall apart about finally eating white bread again, but I had very little pleasure in it for instance.

Hey ladies:
Up Early this morning Bonding with Publisher software GRRRRR
We're potentially going to a car show today with a friend of ours

Chelb That's terrifying! I'd kinda like to get a tazer/stun gun for protection. When I'm out and about My mouth works best I once scared off a mugger that way!
Debbie So glad you had a good time!! Can't wait for pics!
Ruth Sounds like you have a full day on tap!
Cottage so glad you had a good time! that pie sounds divine
Cyn Now you have me craving apples!! I wish I had room in my pantry for yummies
Daisy Great work! its all striking a balance
Pearl OP mexican!! Yummy Airshows are so fun! We're going to Michigan in November for a wedding
ok DH is calling me time to hit the showers
Kierie

I have to keep reminding myself of that. I have bananas in the dehydrator right now. I have too much to do between now and Tuesday evening to mess around with apples!

Took Jazz to Church this morning for the second time and he was delightful. He loves the hymns almost as much as his job of cleaning muffin crumbs off the floor. We went for milk and he had some more socialization and walking lessons in the store parking lot. Now I need to get on with human work.

Glorious out there so I'm going to change into garden clothes and head out. I can pack china this afternoon.

I did! Thanks!

Today I will work around the house and prepare for the new week.

May you all enjoy this beautiful day.

All this talk of fall makes me look forward to it. But, just so you remember, I complain every day it's below 40 degrees.

We found the dead mouse. Finally. Thankfully! It had gotten in the water catcher in the bottom of the refrigerator. I won't go into details, but it was BAD! I am so thankful it is gone!

It has finally stopped raining here. It's rained every day since last Saturday. The sun is out and I'm very excited. Auston and I are going on a ride when he wakes up from his 'day nap'. (As opposed to the 'night nap' we all take.)

It's been a nice weekend. Glad to have shared some of it with you guys.

Chelby, I'm glad you finally found that mouse. That must have been a disgusting mess to clean up, eww! And congratulations on your new Tahoe!

We had a good day and got a ton of chores done. The pool is all closed up for the winter and all the pool toys are put away, the air conditioners are all put away, and we pulled up a lot of vines and old plants in the veggie garden and tidied it up and have a good start on our new lasagna garden. I just had a long, relaxing bubble bath and am settling in with a mug of tea before I head to bed.

Cottage, Closing the pool.... It's so final!

I know! It's so sad to know the summer's over.

Come visit me. We have plenty left. We're going to the beach October 9th. WooHooo!!!