Wednesday, January 24

151.2 - 3 days in a row!

Calories 1495 Carb 182 Fat 53 Protein 94, 30 minutes of exercise on the treadmill 3.5 mph@5% grade. Not as good of a day as it could have been. A little (okay, maybe a lot) of indiscretion with the oatmeal cookies I baked. At least there is the fiber in them, right? Fiber....yeah, that's the ticket! I know I'm dating myself here. BB probably doesn't even get the reference!

Off to work bright and early today. I will check in on all of you a bit later!

Have a great day!

Weight: 130.4
Macros: Cals - 1,809, carbs - 206, fats - 63, protein - 98, fiber - 34
Veggies/Fruits (goal 8): 7
Sleep (goal 8 hours): 7
Exercise: Yoga class

I finally got some pie! It was coconut cream pie at a locally owned coffee shop. I ate the innards, but not the crust or the whipped cream on top.

Yesterday (Monday) was a much better day than Sunday.

Yoga class was just what the doctor ordered -- vinyasa (fast) style.

After yoga, I asked a classmate who was widowed 15 years ago to go to coffee with me (that's where I found the pie). I've realized I could be helped by hearing others' stories of loss and grieving, to build a context against which to view my own. So this was basically an informational interview. And based on that visit, which was enormously helpful, I'm going to do other widow interviews. This is something specific I can ask for from those who have walked this road and who do want to help.

In the afternoon, my college freshman niece came over to visit for a few hours, brimming with youth, news, and new-semester excitement. Her visit was better than a B-12 shot.

And after persevering and persevering and persevering I finally finished the tough Saturday crossword. I also figured out that the only way guaranteed NOT to finish a hard crossword is to give up on it. #SimpleThings

And finally, yesterday's 7 V/Fs came from carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, more carrots, water chestnuts, celery, mushrooms, and blueberries.

Today's Theme: Persevere.

It sounds like you are doing some healthy self-care (just keep the damn doll person away). Isn't coconut a fruit or vegetable, bringing your total to 8?

;) I did consider the coconut's presence, but I cannot tell a lie -- it was more a dash than a serving.

But I truly appreciate your support. :)

So glad you continue to take care of yourself Ann. I read your post from yesterday. It stinks that some people think grieving should be on a timetable. How we grieve and when we grieve is so individual. I've always said that if a person tries to be stoic and "buck up", it only delays the grieving, and the process is more difficult, or is grieving "with interest" when it finally happens. It sounds like you are doing just what you need! Hugs!

You have such a beautiful and wonderful perspective. It's okay to not have everything figured out. It's okay to grieve or not or have a good day or not. I think you are doing a very good job of identifying what you need, or at least working towards finding out and so many people aren't willing to do that. I hope I can have more of your perspective. Death is such an uncomfortable topic and yet it's universal. Maybe we have a tendency to keep these things so private because it's so scary or we're afraid of hurting feelings. But your talking with widows sounds very therapeutic for you, and for them. And will no doubt help you empathize with others even more in the future.

And I think coconut cream pie is very good for the soul. Honestly. I've not been shy about my belief that I think food can be used to comfort and to celebrate etc. and I don't think that's a bad thing. It may actually be good.

I am so envious of your f/v intake. Mine has been depressingly low recently. I do tend to have trouble with digesting veggies, particularly uncooked veg, since VSG. But that coupled with being tired in the evenings means husband cooks and husband's idea of veggie is spaghetti sauce :( I really need to get this digestion thing figured out after baby. Nothing diagnosed yet but somewhere in the realm of IBD or colitis I think. And I LOVE practically every veggie under the sun! No fair

Oh, and I think a cruise is a great idea if it would help you in healing. Besides the which, it's always good to have something to look forward to.

There is a joy to your words today. Your post gave me comfort and an inward smile.

I have never had coconut cream pie. Is it like a coconut pudding?

I was so disappointed the first time I tried chocolate cream pie! I had no idea it was chocolate pudding in a crappy ass plain crust with whipped topping!. Who knew??? I had visions of a light mousse in a tart shell with vanilla ganache - something truly chocolate cream. Imagine my surprise! Since then I have shied away from any XX cream pie. If I want pudding, I will have pudding!

Oh no no my dear friend. You did not have a true cream pie. At least not one that I'd serve at my house!

FOOD PORN WARNING

I would start with a pate brisee crust. I would fill it with a homemade chocolate pudding which started out as very very unassuming chocolate squares, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and milk. My personal preference is to take the egg whites (which you saved from the homemade pudding) and do a meringue instead of cream. But either way. Although I would NEVER go to all that work and then stop with coolwhip. Oh no. Nothing but homemade whipped cream. First time I made it at Thanksgiving, you'd have thought I was churning butter from the look on my husband's face! Chocolate meringue pie is my daddy's favorite. I like it serve slightly warm. Like a s'more.

The coconut cream pie is similar. In this case I prefer cream pie to meringue although some people do meringue. I like to use a can of coconut cream (like people put in drinks) in place of some of the milk in the filling. And of course beautifully toasted coconut on top. This is my husband's favorite pie.

Which means at least once a year I save up and have half a sliver of both (Father's day).

But I wouldn't waste my calories on canned filling rubbish. You need to find yourself a place known for pies. Actually, yesterday was pie day, not to be confused with pi day (for us math loving nerds). I know this because I'm friends with a pie place on facebook. That is a dangerous game.

Amen to everything you wrote above, BB!

Well made coconut cream pie is to die for (IMO). I love flavors like vanilla, almond and coconut. There is a place here in Florida that makes the absolute best I've ever had so I try not to go there often (but did for my birthday celebration last year). Since B.B. can cook, hers is probably even better!