Tuesday November 7 2017

Weight 117.25, calories 1359.

The dinner last night was meh... it was okay but probably not worth staying out so late (I wasn?t home until 10). I was ready to leave earlier but they were doing awards and it would have been awkward. It was very strange to be in the office again and will be more so when I just drop in on Monday.

On a more positive note, remember when Linda (Spenceralla) recommended Parker Smith Bombshell Skinny jeans and several of us bought them (still one of my favorite pairs btw)? WELL, Cecily C has a contribution. She had Rothy flats on at the OH conference which I recognized because I have been looking into them. She said they were super comfortable and they were definitely cute! I ordered a pair and so far I LOVE them! Picture below. They are $125, but you can get $20 off for the first pair.

Devon, changing your course may be hard but sounds like you need to do that and make more time for singing (and relaxing and enjoying what you are doing).

On the PS front, I asked around locally and a couple of people were pleased with the local guy. I really liked him when I met with him. He didn?t believe in remaking people, just helping them look their best. He actually talked me out of a brachioplasty because he felt the scars would be worse than the arm wrinkles I have (I agree now). He does not specialize in WLS, but has worked with other WLS patients. His rates were WAY cheaper than Boston and being able to go local was a big plus. Which is why I?m going back to him to do the eyes in December. Basically I agree with B.B. that once you hear some strong positive recommendations, you have to just make the decision based on your gut after you talk to them (does their vision match yours)?

Visit with my family was good. My mom turns 89 next month, and is really beginning to look frail. When I hug her good-bye or say good-bye on the phone, I try to focus on enjoying the moment with her, rather than thinking about the shortening time I'll have with her.

Devon... sounds like a productive session, and some powerful reasons for self-care. I, too, have a significant restorative connection to music... thanks for the reminder, as I'm not integrating music into my daily practice as much as I had been. Positive behaviors can extinguish when we aren't mindful of their benefit.

Hope to mow my back yard ONE LAST TIME, to empty the gas tank for winter... and because it needs it. The high Friday is supposed to be 29, and the low 12 !! Snow flurries forecast the remainder of the week.

All US friends... don't forget to vote today ! "Being the change" begins at the local level !!

Diane

Weight: 131.2
Macros: Cals - 1,697, Carbs - 163, Fat - 59, Protein - 110, Fiber - 19
Veggies/Fruits (goal 8): 8
Sleep (goal 8 hours): 5 hours
Exercise: Aquarobics

I woke up much too early -- after a nearly 2-hour nap yesterday afternoon.

Yesterday, V/Fs were back on the menu and included grilled mushrooms and sweet baby peppers (lots), avocado, tomatoes, broccoli (lots), and red grapes (lots).

Don't have a lot to say today. I'm in energy-conserving mode for the big trip tomorrow to the teaching hospital in St. Louis for hubby's meeting with an oncologist there. Although we don't know if diagnostic tests can be scheduled while we're there, or what kinds of tests might be done. But we're packing for a three-day stay, just in case.

By the way, I agree with Devon and Diane O that music has great power to elevate our spirits and the simple pleasure of our daily lives. On our tenth anniversary hubby gave me a beautiful grand piano that I don't play NEARLY enough! So, yes, music needs to become a much more regular part of my daily practice, too.

Garrison Keillor deserves a hat tip for today's theme: "... the strength to get up and do what needs to be done."

My husband listens to music a LOT, and I think it helps him in many ways. His old iPod is failing, so I need to move as much as I can to his iPhone. The problem is that he doesn't learn new stuff now so it is difficult for him to utilize the phone (no voicemail, txt or email use anymore because he can't remember how to do it).

I wonder if you could get a replacement iPod that matches his old one but isn't failing? What version is it?

The new iPods are really just iphones without the phone. I suppose I might be able to find one of the older models like his. I'll have to check that out!

Check out Amazon. There are a bunch of refurbished older generations of the iPod for sale on there.

Weight: 170.8 (woohoo)...my next appointment is a week from tomorrow. I would love love to be at 171 (keep my weight gain to 4lbs.) but I'm now feeling confident that it's not going to be like 185 or something crazy like the trajectory was suggesting the first week after my last appointment!

I totally agree on music. I love playing the piano. My grandmother bought lessons for me when I was in school, and she and my parents both had baby grands I could learn on. My grandmother's beautiful piano is promised to me someday when she's gone, but I hope that's very distant. So in the meantime my husband and I bid on a baby grand at an estate sale. Sadly it's in pretty poor condition. It looks great, but I've had it tuned twice and it just won't hold the tune, and the pedal now has ceased to work :( So I have not been enjoying it like I used to, but I cannot see any sense in buying a piano when I will inherit one. My BIL is totally different from me--he goes on and on about "why don't you just buy a player piano." When I finally politely told him it was because I enjoyed playing and found it therapeutic, he paused, dumbfounded for a bit, before replying "why would you ever want to play it when the player could play it infallibly." I could not come up with a polite response. Most of my hobbies are things that other people are better at doing. But I enjoy them. Full stop. But I do love live music. And I might even enjoy a player for parties...but it would not be mutually exclusive.

I grew up on loads of piano lessons and wasn't too bad at it. Don't play as much in my adulthood but after suffering with a sub-standard piano, AND having problems with the piano being too loud (young kiddo at the time and sensitive DH) I bought a digital piano and have been thrilled. (I would have turned my nose up at it pre-kids and pre-marriage.)

Don't get me wrong, it isn't a Steinway but it has pretty good action, weighted keys, decent sound and I can play it with headphones on and not disturb anyone. Not all digitals are created equal (don't be put off by the one at Costco! It is yukky!) but even the good-to best digitals (not at Costco!) are way cheaper than a decent piano. It is beautiful to look at

Some of the digitals are also player pianos but I am not sure that I have ever used that function but kids have. It is sort of kid friendly as long as the kids are respectful. And wonderfully silent if you have a kid learning to play and they want to practice in the middle of the night. (Middle of the night for DH is 7pm) I'm likely to spring for an electric violin for DD for the same reason....

Anyway, might be an option until you have your grandmother's. And it wouldn't hurt to have a quiet one as your daughter learns to play.

This is true! I guess the trouble I have is that the really nice digital pianos can be quite pricey. But there is no way I'd have a digital piano without weighted keys/pedal, etc.

And I am up and my grandmother's every morning for breakfast, so I suppose I could just get my practice in there ;) But good point about noise level. But we have to keep a baby grand now. Where would the Halloween Village go! lol