Sunday June 10

Good morning everyone.

and for those of us in Aruba! Hope that the water and beachside are warm.

Dave you sound very busy as do you Ocean. You all do in fact. Am the definite sloth of the group, leg elevated, icing and resting. Sigh.

Paula you are in our hearts.

Have a peaceful Sunday every one.

Try #3. Thank you Carbon! I am exhausted. DH was up every hour last night (needs to adjust). I am waiting for Dunkin Donuts to open at 7 to get coffee. At 8 when the food store opens I will get all the other stuff I need to do breakfast, lunch, etc here.

I am in my bathing suit (with cover up) and suntan lotion is already on. I predict that I WILL be sleeping on the beach later. Here is a picture from yesterday with the sand sculpture out friend made to welcome us. Below that is where I am sitting.

Liz, your place looks idyllic! I would wish myself there, but I'd get sand stuck in my honey...

Weight: 132.4
Macros: Cals 1,572, Carbs 173, Fats 56, Protein 94, Fiber 33
Sleep hours: 7
Vegetable/Fruit Servings: 7
Exercise: Mowing

Carbon, thank you again for launching our daily conversation.

Paula and Ben, I hope you are both sleeping peacefully.

Liz, you're there! Aruba looks so beautiful. Enjoy it all. And you look fabulous. :)

Here in the Ozarks the day offers yet another beautiful sunrise. Good morning, sun!

I had the best time last night! The annual bluegrass festival was happening this weekend in an outdoors venue ("Bring a blanket and lawn chairs"). But I decided to forgo the mosquitoes and chiggers and, instead, went to a small musical event in town featuring a jazz trio (saxophonist, guitarist, drummer). The gathering was small--only 30 or so people--but it was magical! Some serious notes got played in that room! :)

Surprisingly, ice cream was served and, again, ice cream was eaten. This time it was mint chocolate that mercifully had half the calories of B&J's. Yes, I enjoyed it, but I also heard and will be heeding Diane S's cautions of yesterday. After all, it's The Middle Way that interests me, not indulgence.

No mowing for me today. But some deck yoga will occur, after the day's first veggie--coffee. And weed-pulling. And jazz on the porch. And some actual piano playing.

Today's theme: Music makes the world go 'round.

It is 9:45 - I did my food shopping and am having my second cup of coffee. Ahhh...

Yesterday may have been a record: 1 hour from deplaneing to beach. Last night I unpacked everything and we were in bed by 9.

DH is different this year. He didn't complain about me filling out forms for him, getting him help with passport control, or packing/unpacking. There's a village here to help too - when he went out to swim everyone was watching (one friend with his binoculars). DH is a really strong swimmer (I'm not), but he gets very disoriented in the water and the current carries him. One area where he still fights me is setting swimming boundaries. Feeling like a parent to a young child again...

But the sun is out, it is warm, there is a wonderful breeze and BEACH!!!

Have a sunny Sunday!

I'm grateful you have a village there. Both for DH's safety and to allow you some vacation.

Good that DH is letting you deal with travel stuff this year. My husband didn't have dementia, but he happily let me do all that stuff. Travel details are one of my superpowers. His superpowers were real, but very different.

Again, Aruba looks so wonderful. May check that joint out.

Good morning!

Carbon, I would never wish insomnia on anyone, but it gives me particular pleasure to see someone on the far west coast start the thread. May you have a good sleep from here on out!

Ah, Aruba! Enjoy warmth, color and fragrance, Liz. You fit right in!!! Keep those pics coming!

Paula, mundane news: Fabletics is coming to a local mall!

The rest of this post is about my crap-tastic eating over the last few days. Feel free to skip over as I focus on me, me, me.

Food as fuel can be a polarizing topic. But here we are :)

Thursday: I did not moderate a foray into a box of Trader Joe cookies. (They weren't even that great; but they were like what's left standing at closing hour) and chocolate covered mint things (which were freakin' good)

Friday was a planned no-workout day. In general, tho, I felt very sluggi****hought it was a delayed response to a 10 mile hike on Wed. I kept eating the crap til it was gone.

Saturday my gym workout super-sucked. Coincidence? I don't think so. I don't eat a lot of processed foods in general and see a clear correlation to drop energy level, ability to exercise, and general motivation, when I do.

(I also see some correlation in the Wed 10 mile hike, buying crap at the TJ's literally at the bottom of the mtn, and then unable to keep my hands off it the next day)

I have been reading/listening to a book, Endure, as I hike. So much interesting stuff in there. I frequently think, "I need to tell the gang this!" But then leave those thoughts in the woods.

But, here is one example: in randomized controlled trials, one can get a surge of energy from swishing and SPITTING a sugary drink. Somehow, the brain registers (and gives credit in the form of energy) that fuel is on the way. This only works if one is already energy depleted (ie, having run for a period of time.) Also interesting is that the drink has to be sweetened with something that has calories -- it can't be a zero-calorie drink.

So, how does the mouth know? How does the brain know? No one knows! Yet.

Endure is based on science and most studies are completed using elite athletes and/or military personnel. So, not exactly me but it is great fun to see them work out how much we DON'T know! Perhaps someone will do a study on Ben and Jerry's one day.

Oh, about keto flu. On high fat/low carb diets one has low energy until the body becomes more efficient at using fat for energy. That takes about 3-4 weeks. In military studies, it was very common for the military to give up on the study after the first couple of days because the energy drop was so bad. (I envision super buff soldiers laying around moaning that they need bread and pasta.)

If one gets by 3-4 weeks, energy levels are equal for endurance athletes whether diets are carb or fat based. (Carb based have an edge if the athlete needs to sprint)

Oh, in my own personal peanut butter study: I won't abuse natural peanut butter. I definitely abuse Jif. Even knowing that, I still bought Jif last Thur.

Ok, post-mortem is over.

Lets go find some recess and self care. (My version today is 90 minute workout and floor care here at home)

Shel

Good morning all! I stepped on the scale out of habit but have no idea what that number was? Did I even look at the number? Things are kind of a blur these days, going through the functions of life but feeling like I'm in the periphery.

Ben is probably down to days. He is so ready and I think I am too. Very hard to watch. I'm feeling quite alone in all of this. The kids continue to do their kid stuff and seem blissfully unaware until I give them an update. They don't ask. They don't offer help. They don't know how to say their goodbyes while they still have chance. But why should know all of this stuff? They are still kids after all, only experiencing death from a far away vantage point. Their first real experience will be with one of the most significant people in their lives. Even I have not lost an immediate family member or best friend yet.

Liz, you look absolutely spectacular! What I would give for your legs! That cover up dress is adorable too and your hunk of a man is looking mighty handsome too. Enjoy your trip and I hope Paul adjusts to the new surrounds soon!

Carbon, you are not the only slug these days. My steps are so low that I don't even bother wearing my Fitbit these days.

Ann, my dear Ann, so glad to hear that you had a wonderful night of music and are back to enjoying life in all it's glory. It gives me hope that I too will enjoy life abundantly, albeit differently than now.

BB, hope the transition to a new job for DH is going well. I bet nugget is growing by leaps and bounds. Need to see more pics of our little girl!

David, so happy that you are having less pain and are experiencing success with eating and weight loss! Kiss those grand babies for me! How I would love to nuzzle and smell a baby head right now

Peps, congrats on the puppies! The smell of puppy breath and getting puppy licks and tail wags would be wonderful right now too!

Diane 0, your peace and harmony and inward reflection amaze me, I could learn much from you

Diane S, don't fret the numbers they will change when you are ready for them too! Enjoy that coffee today.

Cecily, I am so sorry about your healing problems post PS. Makes we want to reconsider the leg lift part of my PS when the time comes.

Shel, keep the pictures and humor coming! You provide me with smiles and things to think about in a daily basis.

Miss Bonnie (is that right for your name). You have quickly become a valuable member of our little family here. Thank you for joining us!

I'm sure I am forgetting some but want to sincerely thank all of you for keeping me and my family in your thoughts and prayers! Love to you all!

I have wondered how your kids behave with active dying in the house. Of course the answer is that they are behaving like kids, just as kids should! Duh! Whatever they do, or don't do, will be aok.

As always, hugs and love to you. Your care is such a gift to Ben; really quite beautiful to see.