Monday, December 11, 2017

Weight 117.6, calories 782. Like Diane, I am hoping I am at least partially full of you know what.

I finished the curtains and swapped out the recessed lights over the peninsula with pendants yesterday. The first conversion was a bear but the other 2 went smoothly (thank goodness). Picture below. I am really feeling my age though. My arms, shoulders and hands are aching so much that I had to take ibuprofen to get to sleep (which I really never take). Oh, and a blister on my big toe is infected, so I was soaking that in ho****er last night but it was also aching when I was trying to go to sleep.

Dave, interesting that you have Raynaud's. MIL had it, as do DH and SIL (in their hands mainly).

We leave for the airport @ 8:30am and should be home on Cape Cod by 4-4:30. I have mixed feelings about going home as mentioned yesterday. Most all is packed (not much needed to take home for only 3.5 weeks). Perishables are either eaten, frozen or thrown out. Towels are in the wash and sheets going in as soon as DH is up. Our friends here will have family members staying in our place for a few days at Christmas so I wanted to leave it in decent shape.

Have a mainly good Monday!

Weight: 133.0
Macros: Cals - 1,683, Carbs - 203, Fats - 52, Protein - 94, Fiber - 32
Veggies/Fruits (goal 8): 8
Sleep (goal 8 hours): 6
Exercise: Walked

Liz, your new lights are gorgeous! Great job. Safe travels to y'all today.

I continue to feel more stable after eating well yesterday. Hubby felt better yesterday, too. We hope his post-chemo effects are truly abating.

Yesterday, my 8 V/Fs came from an apple, baby carrots, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, kale/spinach/chard, plantains, black beans, onions, and blueberries.

Today I will drive to The Big City to do a few errands and to give a talk at my surgeon's bariatric educational seminar for pre-op WLS patients, which I've done a few times already. When I look out at the audience I see in their faces the fear, confusion, and doubt I felt three and a half years ago. More than anything else, I see their desperation to solve, finally, their weight problem. Boy, can I relate! Not long ago I was sitting in one of those chairs feeling everything they felt. These classes are sobering, humbling experiences for me.

Sadly, I also imagine I see among them great variance in the resources they need to succeed -- family support, psychological resilience, intelligence, access to good health care, financial resources, and more. I can't lessen any of their burdens, but I do share with them how critical for me it has been to learn to care for myself, to meet my needs first, and to create and live a lifestyle that supports my self-care. I can tell them how self-care (which feels counter-intuitive and even counter-ethical for so many of us) has become easier the longer I do it and as I continue to chip away at my own co-dependency tendencies.

And, as usually happens, I'm really just lecturing myself. :)

Today's theme: Be good to yourselves.

Your posts always have so much wisdom and wit, I bet you are a very popular speaker at the seminars!

Weight: 178.2-179ish

It has been a busy weekend! I need a weekend! DH and I took my parents to the Nutcracker on Friday night. We ate out at an Italian restaurant beforehand and pasta is still so difficult for me. I used to love pasta :( Every once in a blue moon I'm tempted to try it again. And I do and it tastes good but feels awful and then I'm full shortly thereafter!

Saturday was filled with lots of grocery errands, did some online shopping for the steps, and then getting ready for fancy schmancy Christmas party. The party was noticeably slimmer than in previous years. It was still a wonderful event that I'm very appreciative they put on, but the contrast was striking, and the whispers about a morale problem were audible. Even just 3 years ago the large venue was busting at the seams and people had to be seated in the hallways and a couple of tents in the garden. There were multiple (I think 3) bands in different locations. This year only the one ballroom and even it did not feel very crowded. I can tell people are nervous of what this reflects for the company going forward :( BUT we still had a good time, and felt very elegant and got to see so many friendly faces.

Sunday we finally made it to church. It's so easy to decide that Christmas is too busy for church. But for me that's why it's even more important to make it a priority this time of year and get refocused on why I'm celebrating. Plus the Advent services are so lovely. I put in a roast with carrots and parsnips and DH made mashed potatoes (into the crockpot!) before we left. So we came home to a lovely cooked dinner and had my parents and 2 friends over for lunch and then to watch Little Women afterwards.

DH and I then embarked on the great baking challenge. His job title changed a couple months back so he's in this weird spot of still being semi responsible (and definitely attached!) to his old team, but having a new team as well, so he really wanted to make Christmas goodies for BOTH groups. It was quite an undertaking--he needs about 40 loaves of pumpkin bread!! I figured this is the most economical and easiest thing to do. Each batch makes 4 loaves, so we'd make 3 batches (12) and divided them between the ovens. Unfortunately we had to learn on the first batch that the second oven rack was too close to the heating element :( So about 5-6 are a little burned on the top. But we worked the kinks out and now are contemplating starting a pumpkin bread business lol. I'm glad he was so helpful. Not every husband will do that. We will make one more round (3 batches) tonight and be done. And luckily I think I can either toss or save for us the burned bits.

I'm kinda over sweets already. I felt I was obligated to test the pumpkin bread today, but could only make it through half a small slice. Mmmm veggies sounding good about now.

I'm consistently in awe of your industriousness! 40 loaves!

Good morning, all!

Liz, your Florida condo looks fab! Great job on those lights. It is easy to see why your upper body was so sore.

I'm home today. I am hoping for studio yoga and then hair color FOR SURE. (Ain't nothing getting between me and my color). Also, trying to get my daughter to practice driving to and around Kirkland (home of Costco store #1) so she can drive herself to her dance supply store and violin lessons (so I don't have to.).

SuperNeighbor and I hiked to Bridal Veil Falls/Lake Serene yesterday. It is an 8.2 mile butt burner. The joyful camaraderie among all hikers was infectious. My microspikes made me feel superhuman stepping up and around big ice covered rocks.

Pics below. That is truly what "sunny" looked like at 11:30 AM. Because of the angle of sun and the surrounding peaks, there is little little direct sun overhead. The lake is is frozen. It was like visiting a monochromatic world. Magical.

Peace and Hope,

Shel

So beautiful! I want to hike where you hike!

I have lived here >20 years and didn't really get into hiking til last summer. I know your area is rich in hiking tho clearly very different. Even the tarantula looks dry!

Good gravy, Shel! That's a serious butt-burner lookin' hike.

I want me some microspikes now. No ice-covered rocks here yet. But I still need them for whenever ice-covered rocks do show up around here.

With my first step I thought "where have you been my whole life?" Would have been so handy in Midwest, and even for parking lots. My microspikes. Red, of course