Monday, December 4th

Weight: 164.8, calories 1412

Today I'm off for another hike, but here are some pictures from Friday's hike (warning tarantula pic!):

Tonight is my surgeon's support group. Here's the meeting's theme: "Does weight loss automatically bring a new sense of happiness? What has your journey been like? Has it been a "smooth ride", a "roller coaster", or an "uphill climb?" This Monday we will be discussing how to define success after weight loss surgery and how some patients rediscovered happiness along their journey."

Paula, I'm thinking of you today.

Love the landscape!

Ignorant question of the day but no time to google: Are tarantulas potentially dangerous? Or, are they just big and hairy with no bite/venom. Maybe it depends on species?

I knew these won't hurt you, but I looked it up to be sure! The bites apparently hurt like a sting, but it won't kill you. The adults are super slow, hence the photo opportunity. The babies are faster...

Cecily, you and your friends (even with their blued out faces) are all so cuuuuuuuuute!

Ah, you young people. :)

Aw, thanks! The one next to me is 65 and leads 12 mike hikes through the mountains and hangs from Pilates apparatuses several times a week. I want to be her when I grow up!

Gorgeous mountains!

Greetings Dear Ones

142.5. Yet another evening of crackers. I should go toss those right now. At least I got a fair amount of steps in yesterday between Costco and going to the arts and crafts fair. I used to have a booth at the fair but gave it up a few years ago. I did that fair 3 weeks after my vsg and spent the whole time worrying about what I could get for lunch. It was some soup! Yesterday I went around looking for suitable food but found none. Came home and ate veggie barley soup from Costco.

Gallery duty this afternoon which is fine with me. Its sunny so we should get visitors.

Paula, wishing you a good day on your return to work. Emotional stuff is inevitable but at least you work with people who care and are supportive.

Interesting thoughts about perceptual enhancements when dealing with illness and life issues. Its somehow comforting to think that some mysteries will begin to be revealed at such times.

Ann have a great birthday week. Birthday cake should be on the menu.

Yikes Cecily, an actual tarantula in the wild! I would be so creeped out! The giant spider movies of my childhood were my worst nightmare. Glad you had a fun hike.

And Shel, Buster is so cute posing by the waterfall. You two are hardy souls for hiking in wet weather. My idea of a good hike is to visit all the fairground buildings at the craft even.

Well time for more coffee and to face the phone calls of the day. Diane S

Diane, drink some more of that veggie coffee and toss those crackers out the window! ;)

I've had a couple of times when something was calling me so strongly (and I kept partaking of) that I finally put it in the trash wrapped in a used doggie pee pad! The one I most remember was this salted caramel dip from Stonewall Kitchen that someone had brought and left. OMG!

Nice solution! A friend puts dish detergent on things she doesn't want to eat. Yours sounds even more foolproof!