Wednesday, May 16th

140.2. No exercise, no tracking. Time to get back on track a little bit now. DS#1 will have a meal plan of sorts with his mental health program so that will give me incentive to get back on track too!

The day was beautiful yesterday. I actually laid out in the sun for the first time since before I was married (except on vacation). Shhhhh, don't tell my dermatologist that did Moh's surgery on me for basal cell carcinoma last year. It felt good to rest in the sun. I think I was needing some Vitamin D anyway! I won't make it a habit with my blonde hair and blue eyes and skin cancer history, but it was nice!

Back to work today. Oh bother, says Pooh! Leftover seared Ahi tuna Asian salad for lunch. Yum!!!

Have a Wacky Wednesday!

Weight 116.6, calories 1129.

Nice to see your face for the first post this morning, Paula! I'm glad the family visit went well and you got a little relaxation in. I hope DS#1 program helps him.

Our DS's boyfriend was here the last couple of days from NH. I think they had a good time. DS wants to marry him and have a family (shhhh...I'm not supposed to tell). If that works out, DS will move to NH. Aaron is the pastry chef, so DS feels that Aaron could work out of there home and take care of the children. DS says he would definitely adopt (not use a surrogate) because he himself is adopted and thinks that is the best way to make his family. I hope it works out for him, as we love Aaron and I would love to have grandchildren, but I need to be patient.

Speaking of the future, I met with my financial planner yesterday to discuss how to manage finances now that my severance is done. Part of the discussion was the likelihood that DH will ultimately end up in very expensive long term care and investigating how to make sure I don't end up destitute. I hate thinking about that stuff because I am not a person who can continually live in dread of what's coming. On the other hand, I can't be a total ostrich so need to do what is necessary now to set up for that.

On a hopefully more positive note, I had a great lunch with my former team yesterday. The woman who I gave the reference for did get an offer and is taking the job. Today, I have my 2 year WLS checkup (well 2 years and 2 months), then am going into my old office to see some of the people still working. From what I hear most are very unhappy. The change in culture and loss of so many experienced people has made for an unpleasant work environment.

As Paula said, have a Wacky Wednesday!

Weight - 134.0
Macros - Cals 1,453, Carbs 180, Fats 53, Protein 90, Fiber 37
Sleep (goal 8 hours.) - 5
Vegetables/Fruits (goal 8 servings) - 8
Exercise - None (I meant to walk, but took a nap instead)

Yesterday it was great to hear from almost everyone here about their every-day routines, triumphs, frustrations, rage and pain. Sounds weird, but it's comforting to know that others' lives are also presenting in many forms in the same day-- good, bad, joyful, horrible, peaceful, anxious.

Here in my life another 0.6 pounds has left. Sometimes the efficacy of my eat-in-moderation-everything-that's-nutritious plan shocks the **** out of me! I don't mean that literally, although sometimes I wi**** were so literal. At times this eating regimen seems magical, like a blessing or a charm gifted from somewhere. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to be nearing my post-cruise goal weight.

Yesterday's veggie/fruit servings are familiar: cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, fresh organic mixed lettuces, another big Honeycrisp apple, cooked kale/greens/spinach, plantains, bamboo shoots, mushrooms plus a cup of deliciously ripe strawberries and a small avocado. That's a veggie/fruit ratio of 6:2, although I'm ignoring the fact that tomatoes and avocadoes are technically fruits.

I'm already sore from yesterday's yoga class. I fell over a lot during standing poses, which were hard to manage on the ship. That's what missing yoga class on solid ground for almost a month will do for you. Today I'm going back to physical therapy, a good thing because the pinched nerve in my neck is beginning to cause some low-grade headaches, something I NEVER suffer from. I'm also bugged that I didn't get enough sleep last night.

In closing, the next week is going to be rainy. I can hear my unmowed grass growing, growing, growing.

Today's theme: Be here now.

P.S. Paula, thanks for starting us off this morning. I know how good that sun must feel on your skin. Sometimes I say to hell with the sun spots and just want some of that "good sunshine medicine," the term used by one of DH's oncologists, who didn't think sunshine was either all good or all bad. Like a lot of other things, eh?

I'm definitely a convert to your eating philosophy adding good carbs intentionally now. I'm going to try planting tomatoes this year as I LOVE tomatoes out of the garden. I usually kill things off because I forget to water so I'm going to get a device to turn the water on and off automatically.

Our sprinkler system is on an app. It is connected to internet and doesn'****er if it rains. Not perfect, but much more reliable than me.

That is very cool!

Ann, those Ireland pictures were wonderful! Are there trails/roads thru those hills and dales? It always looks like people are just tromping thru people's farms, but I am sure that is just the picture's illusion. Absolutely lovely and I can almost feel the Ireland magic.

I used to take Turkey Tail mushroom, sourced locally by someone known as the mushroom man. It was being studied to see if it reduced cancer recurrence. I stopped when I had VSG (multiple, very large capsules.) I should look into it again.

I'm sorry about the neck/headaches. Glad you are back to PT today for assistance,

Yes, we were pretty much roaming across landowners' fields, but with permission.

As I understand it, in the UK and Ireland there are varying laws that permit roaming across the countryside and/or that require landowners' ongoing permission to do so. Yes, I know that sounds contradictory, which is to say that I didn't quite get the differences in those situations.

In any event, the Irish guy who led 9 of us on the hike took us to his neighborhood along roaming paths that cross his neighbors' lands, all of whom were kopacetic with us tromping on their farms. We hopped over streams, crossed little bridges, stepped on a lot of sheep droppings and mud, and trekked along a lot of fence lines.

Good morning ! Carpets being steam cleaned today, then out to dinner. Atlas is a mud magnet and carpets are light beige, but for an hour or two they'll be clean. Our dinner destination has deck seating right on the lake, and has all you can eat crab on Wednesdays. I so remember how I used to take those challenges on ! Buffets and all you can eat are out of the question for me now (no $$$ sense), with the exception of a local Sunday breakfast buffet with lots of healthy options at $7.50. For that price, it works for me to pick and choose.

Two exciting Amazon purchases to report. Atlas has been bumping the lid off the garbage pail in the kitchen to seek fun items. I need a heavy duty foot pedal version and found a stainless steel one I like. Many offer hands free motion sense lids, which Atlas would LOVE operating, and I finally found a foot operated option. I'm getting close to 8,000 steps daily post knee injury and the pain is building back in. I found some below the knee support straps I ordered and will try. Just LOVE hearing that UPS truck coming up the driveway !!

Happy hump day, all !

You MUST get a motion sense one and fill it with dog toys!!!!! Get going!