What's on your (PHOTO) Friday Menu, RNYers?

I read the recipe for this Spiedies you speak of here in Pittsburgh We call it Souvlaki (always served at our Greek church festivals.) same exact ingredients but we put it on lamb or pork not chicken. You should be able to get it in any good Mediterranean restaurant. If you happen by one you should try it.

You inspired me to look up recipes! I might need to do this next week :)

I hope your day is less stressful today. Great pics!

You look so fit and healthy, don't be upset with the scale - you look great!

I think it's HILARIOUS that you are famous for a Michigan hot dog. I am from Michigan and we have CONEY DOGS! Yes, seriously, all of our "diners' are called Coney Island, and I would venture to guess that 90% of people have never heard of the Coney Island in NY. And we just call them chili dogs. So funny.

Thank you Emily - most days I feel it, and then I get on the scale. I am thinking I may have a dexa scan done and perhaps that will give me some peace of mind. Health is good, BP, A1c....

LOL - I have no idea where the term Michigan Hot Dog came from, but only available in the North Country. I will have to try a coney island dog!!

You've got this Mike! You will get that weight off!

Happy Fri-Yay everybody!

I slew a dragon yesterday. Long, tall, lean and tawny, like the girls that would soon want to be "just friends", the climbing rope is scourge of overweight children everywhere. One of the scourges, at least.

By the way, I've noticed that a disproportionate amount of us were scourged in Massachusetts. We then made our way out into the world and all returned to this OH RNY page like eels to the Sargrasso Sea. Round, chubby eels, huffing and puffing, with our Dorsal fins struggling to grasp our side cramps and our Phanryngeal jaws clutching crumpled M&M wrappers.

I was never a child who hated gym class. Sure the November New England mornings were chilly and that Seventh grade gym uniform could have used a few more washings, but by and large, I enjoyed the games with balls: Kickball, soccer, flag football, floor hockey. Things would get weird after Christmas Break though. First came two weeks of ballroom dancing. I can only imagine the school administrators deciding to put ballroom dancing into the gym curriculum:

"What's up next?"

"Ballroom dancing"

"How will the kids like it?"

"For 95% of the children the ballroom dancing will lead to uncomfortable social interactions, and feelings of rejection"

"What about the other 5%?"

"Out of wedlock birth"

"Let's go with it"

After two weeks of dancing came six weeks of gymnastics. It started with tumbling and then came all matter of devices designed to injure and humiliate - vaults, horses, balance beams, uneven parallel bars, and finally, unfurled from the ceiling, the climbing ropes. The key to being a successful climber is strength relative to weight. Um, no.

Fast forward to adulthood and no matter how much I could bench press or back squat, I still can't climb those blasted ropes. Earnest young trainers would tutor me in the finer points of which type of shoes to wear for a smooth descent and class members would shout out helpful advice like "Its easier than a pull-up, Jim." My older, wiser trainer would advise that I did three rounds of ground to standing for each rope climb that the class did. Sitting on the floor, holding the rope and pulling to a standing position is good exercise and does build strength, but its hard not to notice that the rest of the class is soaring to the ceiling while I am mired on the ground.

A couple of months ago I was able to get up and onto the rope, then I was able to cinch myself up a little, and then to climb halfway. I knew that I was getting close. I watched You Tube videos on Spanish wrap and J-hook technique. Yesterday we ran our outdoor obstacle course and when I got to the rope I saw a queue of people behind me, made a token effort to climb, took my 20 Burpee penalty for not completing the obstacle, and went on to run my next lap. While I was running that lap, I resolved to try again after class. After a 10 minute rest and a drink of Bai water I tried again on the indoor rope. I took my time, used good footwork, and tried not to panic if I had an unsuccessful increment. This time I got it! Such a sweet feeling to touch that metal I-Beam on the ceiling!

QOTD: Chicago hot dogs, which I like,

and Deep dish pizza which I don't like.

Photo Friday - Jimmy Buffet at Alpine Valley a.k.a. visual proof that my trip to Wisconsin was unrelated to Trish's husband being out of town

Breakfast: Turkey meatballs and cottage cheese

Snack: Protein Bar

Lunch: Chicken

Snack: Meat Stix

Dinner: Ribs

Have a great day, all!

LOL - on all of this - especially the last couple of sentences! And a huge congrats on your rope accomplishment!!

Wow that looks like a great venue to see an outdoor concert!!!

Jen wants to go next year, and its fairly close for Trish and Amber if you want to join our field trip!