Thursday 8/25

114 for me today. Slept late, still nursing my coffee :) With what looks like a cool rainy day ahead, will probably do a little cleaning, cook something a little more ambitious than usual for dinner, etc.

I've become a bit of a hermit over the past few years, which I'm not convinced is healthy for me, but I don't seem to be able to push myself much towards creating more meaningful social connections. I guess. If they appeared in front of me, I'd likely take them, but that's about the extent of it. 

Still making yogurt in the RV, despite limited space, etc.  Just read that some people freeze leftover whey liquid and use it as a starter. Anyone here tried that?

I read a couple of articles about how to use the whey after making yogurt. I tried a couple and the results were less than satisfactory - using it as starter was an epic fail. I had milk at the end of 8 hours. Stirred in a TBS of yogurt and in another 8 hours had a lovely batch of yogurt. Just my experience. 

I have been more introverted / anti social over the past ten years or so.  Anxiety really increases in social settings.  I don't leave the house much unless it is necessary like to the doctors or grocery store.  I buy more on amazon just so I don't have to go out.  About a year ago I joined a bee club but that was more for my wife.  I push to go because it is the least anxiety producing social setting.  They always have food so a double discomfort.  I'm sure it is not healthy but we all seek out our own comfort zones.  

As for the whey, I never found a use for it other than feeding plants in the flower garden.  

181 today, so I guess all the patience paid off!  The loss finally came.  Going out for su****onight.  Need to stay in control.

Almost TGIF!

Weight same as yesterday. Eating was on point until dinnertime came and went without eating dinner! I was quite busy with a client dog then I popped over to a friend's house, picked up her dog, brought it back to my house to trim it up for the Santa Barbara shows this weekend. By the time my friend came to pick up her dog it was after 8:30. She brought crackers, which Ron broke out with PB. I ate a few of those and they were quite trigger since I was hungry so I ended up eating about 10 crackers - 2 with PB. Since our friend was over we got burgers for dinner and by the time we sat down to eat it was 9:30 - UGH...Even though I ate moderately and only ate the meat with condiments, I did eat a few fries, and just didn't feel nourished after eating. Probably the meat was too fatty or low quality.

I feel good about my adherence to my RULES. Otherwise, I'm just gearing up for transitioning to serious WL mode next week.

We have an owl box in our lower yard. The box is protected from the open by a canopy of Oak, Black Walnut and Creek Willow trees. Each year we have Barn Owls come to nest and raise a clutch of eggs in the spring and often a second clutch later in the summer. This year was odd because we had no spring owlets, but we had a clutch of owlets that hatched in July. Beginning last Sunday night the owls were very vocal all night long. This is normal during the time the owlets fledge. We thought the racket was particularly loud this year, but didn't think much about it until yesterday. Yesterday we found a fledgling lying prone on the ground with Ace a few feet away barking at the poor little thing. Ron got Ace and the other dogs put away and rescued the owlet. It was clearly injured so Ron wrapped it up, put it in a box, and rushed it to the local wildlife hospital (yes, we have a real honest to goodness hospital for indigenous wildlife nearby). Turns out the little fellow was severely malnourished, dehydrated, in shock and suffering from a leg and wing injury, and unfortunately, some puncture wounds made by another animal (I presume one of my dogs was the culprit). As of last night the little guy was doing okay, appeared depressed, and was in the ICU until secondary rat poisoning could be ruled out. When Ron got home he found a second owlet on our back patio, dead, with what appeared to be a broken neck. The vets at the hospital believe the parent owls abandoned the owlets or were killed and that the owlets have not been fed for several days. The other possibility is that the Mama or Papa fed the babes a poisoned mouse and were subsequently poisoned, got sick and could not eat. We were very saddened by this turn of events. We love "our" owls and pride ourselves on providing an environment in which it is safe for the owls to raise their young each year. 

Last night we heard owls out back. I went to investigate with a flashlight. I spent five minutes or so inspecting the canopy, but could not find an owl. I thought perhaps the Mama or Papa owl had returned to find an empty box and was calling for the owlets from the box. I shined the light on the box and lo and behold I saw two owlets in the box. One of the owlets was calling non-stop for its Mama or Papa. The little owl called and called until the wee hours of the morning. I woke up about 5:00 am and heard an adult owl (they make a specific sound when they fly). I was hoping that Mama or Papa has returned. I spoke with Ron at recess time and he told me he had heard the same noise before he went to bed. He went outside with the flashlight and saw an adult owl at the box. I'm hoping that the two remaining owlets will now be safe and will be well cared for. Asking for good thoughts/prayers for our little owls.

So sad about the owlets :( sending good thoughts for the health and safety of the remaining two. Undoubtedly you and Ron will be keeping a close eye on them, so their odds are better than most!

Poor little owlets.  Good thoughts flowing their way

What a sweet story about the Owls! I love Owls!

Shell, Happy hiking.

Wt 216.8 up 0.6   Calories 1152

Slept 12 hours last night.  2 days of extra sleep. 

Eating on target.  Noticed lately that I have not been craving the nuts/yogurt.  What a blessing.  I'm still powerless with it in the house and still want it.  But the intrusive thoughts are not there.

Window tint came in this morning and started doing the windows immediately.  The tint is very tedious but it was fun to try something different.  There was an obvious decrease temperature  change with each window. Worked right through lunch and my afternoon snack. I love love love to get lost in work like that but it rarely happens anymore.