Monday June27

 Happy Surgiversary!!!  There is no shame in regain!!!  I've decided it's the road I was destined to travel.  I would have, of course, liked to have avoided it but I didn't.  So, I'm focusing on all the things I'm doing right and trying to find the balance of life.  

We can do this together!  

Good for you for walking!!  You're not where you were two years ago...celebrate that!!!

200 is a number. It is neither good nor bad. The number on the scale only reflects the pull of gravity upon our bodies. A little extra mass, the number on the scale gets higher. Weight is not static. It will fluctuate - sometimes a lot, sometimes just a little, but it will ALWAYS fluctuate. 

Please don't be angry with yourself. Instead, why not try understanding why you are doing what you are doing. There is a reason for it and the reason is rooted in coping the best way you know how. Changing these years of programming is a very difficult process for some of us (I am one). If you are able to find compassion and understanding for yourself and actions they are much easier to deal with and change. Please trust me on this. I know what I'm talking about. 

I hope your day is free from strife today. I hope your walk is just what you needed. Yes, put yourself first. Like the song says, " ...how can I be right for somebody else, if I'm not right for me?" 

Congrats on two years!  

Greetings lovely people

131.5 today. Yesterday was an absolute carb debacle. We had the memorial tea put on by friends of SIL. They insisted on making all these little cucumber and cream cheese and egg salad finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off, tea pots on every table, fancy cloth napkins, scones with cream and all the detail. I ate about four and also a half peanut butter cookie dipped in chocolate. It was delicious. Fortunately I do not feel carb cravings today but it will take a bit to work that off. I ended up washing a drying a zillion dishes by hand and made sandwiches, moved furniture and all manner of tea stuff.  But it was all a big success and we left feeling uplifted. Friends shared memories. All good but glad thats over.

Her husband wants to clean out stuff and there are gobs of misc art and craft supplies to sort through. More junk in our house that already looks like a landfill. Fortunately there is a place called "SCRAP" that accepts all sorts of supplies and up-cycles them.  A good thing.  

Tesla is becoming a dog, except she chewed up my old glasses and there are a few gouges in the lenses. These are all I have as the new ones are in being fixed. 

Well, kiln unloads today. Can't wait to see the fun.  All the best to my skinny friends for the new week.   Diane S

I am back! Not much damage done. As Diane knows from my FB posts, my eats were up and down. It was yesterday on the way home, exhausted and drained from the long weekend of 12 and 14 hour days, that the "old ways" really kicked in.

Sunday overview: up at 5:30 or so, at the show grounds by 7:00, left show grounds at 2:00 pm after grooming, showing, washing out dogs, walking dogs, and loading everything back in the van. Stopped to get lunch at In 'n Out Burgers (FIASCO) and finally got on the freeway heading north at about 2:50. Traffic in the LA area was horrendous and it took us two hours to get out of LA. Once in the central valley of CA it should have been smooth sailing all the way home, but sadly there was a big rig explosion that held us up for another hour at least. When we saw what was left of the big rig our hearts went out to the driver. Hope he/she survived. We think maybe the driver was transporting fireworks. Not sure.

We should have been home by 10:00 pm, but didn't get home until about 1:00 am. I sort of sugared and caffeinated my way through the trip home. Ron and the dogs napped and snoozed a good amount of the way home. I was fading fast by 11:00 and had to stop and get out of the car. I bought a MOUNTAIN DEW (which I NEVER EVER drink) just for the caffeine and some peanut M&Ms for the sugar. As I munched and sipped on this last leg of the trip home, I was struck by just how deeply coping mechanisms are rooted.

Got on the scale first thing this morning, swollen legs and all. I am up a pound for the 4 days of travel and showing and non protein centered eating . I can certainly live with that.

Today will be a day of rest and taking a look at what I want to accomplish in the coming weeks. I know I will need to set some goals or else I will **** away the summer weeks doing nothing constructive. Counseling appointment at 4:00. Maybe I'll fit the gym in today, too.

Back to it. Happy to have you all to come home to today. I mean that with sincerity. Our daily check ins, no matter where we are in our journeys, are an important part of my day.

Cheers!

129 today. Was up at 3:30 am and won't get to our condo until after 1 am WI time. Long day of travel. So far eating choices have been good but I still have yet to board a plane. Did get my 10,000 steps in doing laps in the airport. 

I'm late posting today. My scale still says 111. Who knows what numbers the next slightly unlevel campsite will give me so I'm liking it for now. 

Decided I shouldn't leave town without a hair color refresh, so went into the city on my bike for the mercy mission. Beautiful day so it was very nice to ride.  

Tomorrow we have to take care of some yucky business stuff before we leave the area. Not looking forward to the business but definitely looking forward to going further afield on Wednesday

Hello from Alaska!

126 the morning we left which was 2.5 lbs more than the day before.  All muscle I am sure ;)

Alaska is freakin' fabulous. Seriously. I love everywhere I travel to but the grandeur here is over the top. 

Long, LONG periods of no data/wifi. We seem to have it now that we are back on a main highway on the way to Denali. I'm typing as we bounce along.

 Spent the last couple of days with an old Peace Corps Buddy of mine who is an Alaska native, tho not of the indigenous variety.  We hadn't talked for several years but our common PCV DNA means that we can float in and out of each other's lives with ease.

We hiked not only to a glacier yesterday and ON the glacier (!) then today went on an 8+ mile hike that included a mile of climbing over a field of boulders.  I felt like yelling I AM SCRAMBLING OVER BOULDERS but that would have been weird so I only was yelling in my own mind.  As my post VSG therapist noted, I have a noisy mind. 

Let's pause for a second for a moment of VSG gratitude.  I would like to wrap the whole cosmos in a skinny hug. 

Linda, mostly loving the RV although I haven't been the one driving, yet.  DH tells me that 30 ft is much more difficult to navigate with than the 25 ft we had in Yellowstone.  Very comfortable in every way.  Thrilled with the rental.  Refrigerator is big enough that we have it stocked with our typical foods.  The first night we were camped next to tent campers and it rained all night.  I remember being in my 20's in a tent in a downpour.  I much prefer glamping. 

By the way, was wearing my bubble azz rain pants within 24 hours of arriving.  I will never complain about them again. 

Eating has not been terrible but also not VSG perfect either.  I enjoyed a 1/2 portion of homemade brownie sundae last night with my peace corps friend.  I didn't tell him or his wife about My last several years of medical history.  No need, I think.  

Will definitely post pics soon if we have connection at the next camp.  I actually didn't mind having my picture taken --- no more hiding!  DH (our official photographer) got great pics of a moose mom and calf that looked as if they were placed at a turnout especially for us. 

Big ol' skinney hug to you, too,  my fellow traverlers.  Also, special shout out to you with surgiveries.  I look forward to reading thru posts the last couple of days. 

Shel

Alaska is on my "LIvin' List"... Can't wait to see your pictures.  Have fun!!!