09/30/18, Sunday

The latest RV news is that we may have Seeking Serenity back by the end of the week. This coming weekend is Columbus Day weekend, and most regional RV parks have been booked for months and close for the season Columbus Day. We have an appointment 10/30/18 to have SS winterized. I am researching places that stay open a bit longer, so we can finish our shake down. There are several features we haven't even tried, such as the outside TV, heat pump, stove/oven. When we were initially RVing, the temperature was in the 90s !

I am still seeking serenity with my daily weigh ins. I find myself holding my breath and anticipating that number with too much value. Intellectually, I know it is all about trends. After almost three years in maintenance, I've pretty much figured out what causes me to retain water, normal fluctuations I shouldn't be concerned with... but those success v. failure tapes still play. I am up 2.4 pounds overnight, but still in my five pound range. As many of us have said, not weighing daily could activate ostriching. Those weekly Weigh****chers weigh ins taught me to be a great game player, trying to beat the system by weigh in day. I have some work to do neutralizing my response to a number and focusing more on the objective data as my immediate response.

There is a place called Brats and Brews on Canandaigua Lake that makes their own bratwurst and has a massive gift shop of sauces, dressings, condiments as well as regional artisan's wares. They advertise a chicken and a veggie (tofu) brat, so we drove up for lunch for a blind taste test. The fact that DC is willing to eat turkey or chicken based products (bacon, burgers etc.) is major in and of itself. Tofu has been something he is unwilling to even consider. He was genuinely unable to tell the difference. We came home with some grapeseed balsamic that is to die for too, as well as some crazy good mustards.

Have a fabulous last day of September !

I hope you do get the RV back this week. Had you booked anything for Columbus Day weekend before the RV issues or will you have to try for a cancellation somewhere?

Weight 121.8, calories ridiculously high at close to 2500. We went to a friends home for dinner. Wine and dessert were the worst offenders calorically.

DH refused to take a walk yesterday on what was a gorgeous day, so I took a Justice to an area nearby where there are a lot of old New England sea coast homes bordering the water (wrap around porches etc). The only traffic is people going to the small beach and residents so it is a nice place to walk. DH said his knees hurt and took a nap. I think his knees hurt because he shuffles around a lot. I also think he is a bit depressed and getting some paranoia again. I am trying to get him in to a geriatric psychiatrist before we fly south, but it would be good to do that before our next trip on 10/19.

We have more or less decided that we will bring Chiquita to be euthanized at the end of the month. DD wants to see her one more time and maybe go with me when we do it. It feels somewhat like older DD's last month when you know the end is coming - so very sad. But she really only has tiny glimmers of life quality and that will probably be gone soon so it is time.

Have a sunny Sunday (it is nice here again today).

Good morning, all!

Peps, 10 hours of driving in one day! Holy smokes. I drove 2.5 hours x 2 yesterday to watch DD run a single cross country race. Hard to imagine doing double.

DianeO, I will keep my eyes open for a grapeseed balsamic, it sounds magical. If only it could silence those old tapes. I try to use other measures of self care (exercise, house cleaning, paying bills, etc) to gauge if I am on track. Not a perfect system by any means....

Yesterday's meet was on the other side of the mountains in an area that I have only driven by (as fast as possible) in the past. It is beautiful in a different way than my side of the state. Quite arid -- lots of scrubby bushes, sage brush, etc. The city was full of enormous deciduous trees.

The meet was held at a park that reminded me of the "Big Yard" of the farm of my youth. (When I think of mowing, THAT yard is my measure). The park overflowed with huge oaks and was carpeted with acorns. I'll post a picture from yesterday. B150, my family farm had a lot of black walnuts, too. I have many memories around the table picking out those nuts!

DianeS, I had my RMR tested last week and it was 1040ish. I asked the person if that was lowish and she said it is just a function of genetics/age, etc. She declined to agree that it was lowish. However, after my active test, she did say "you really don't burn a lot of calories" and then added "but there just isn't a lot of you to generate burn." I wanted to hug her.

I googled average RMR and for women it is 1400. FWIW.

The active test helped find my personal work out zones plus my aerobic threshold which mountain fitness people are all about. I'll probably work with a trainer a bit on that stuff.

Peps, I do enjoy your workout posts. I examined the picture and imagined what it must feel like. It feels like work! Good for you! You are a beast. (In the best sense of the word.)

Enjoy the day. Hugging a tree will make that easier.

Shel

OH! I will drive by certain trees- my one wish being that I could magically blink said tree somewhere onto my property (there are at least 4 every day on my way to work). The tree above is now on the list. Beautiful.

Every year DH picks up multiple multiple buckets and buckets of walnuts. I don't know why. We have walnuts from 9 years ago and more (obviously no good by now) waiting their turn to be cracked out. I've never been close to using any years' crop in the 24 years we've been here. Too bad age does not improve walnuts--my vintage collection would be something to behold.

That tree! I want it in my very own farm yard!

PS - I have Blue Oaks in the yard and Black Walnuts. My entire yard is strewn with bitter black walnuts and thousands of acorns. It's a bumper crop this year! About every third or 4th year the Oaks go insane with acorn production. This year is a boon year! The dogs like the crunch of the acorns, but their guts don't much appreciate the acidity of the acorns!

If anyone wants Blue Oak acorns, let me know. I will send you a bunch! But then again, none of you live where they would grow. You all get far too much rain. Blue Oaks are drought trees! They get no water for 6 months out of the year and are perfectly happy!

138.8

Oh--MUSTARDS!!!!!!I am such a mustard **** When examining what may be - oh my gosh-a different and interesting potential mustard discovery in the store, DH reminds me of the varied selection already taking up space in the pantry. "Why-why-why?" asks he. I just give him the 'youknowwhystinkeye' and into the cart it goes.

Those damn scales-you are right- it is more than just knowing intellectually that it's just data over time. So, why is it that a scale reading that showed _ _ _.8 one day and _ _ (+1).2 the next is so concerning? My peace is instantly unsettled- thinking that I need to adjust to undo that "gain"-(bad girl). Loosing another pound is not necessarily a great idea for me--gaining a pound or two and then maintaining it may be in my better interests--so why do I "gut feel" just exactly the opposite when I see that upturn? A mystery for sure. If there was a brain fix it person who could re-route those old synapsis ...

Am hoping you can experience a few fall adventures before SS goes into hibernation for the winter. It must be getting to be beautiful up where you are now. Depending on the color cats, SEKansas can have lovely displays of fall color- or- the leaves turn a bit--big rain and wind storm comes along and all the leaves just fall down. Maybe surprisingly, the most beautiful and vibrant reds are found on the poison ivy foliage that winds up some of our trees--spectacular due to the fact that some of those "vines" have been around since the late who knows when and are 3 1/2 inches in diameter and rise the entire height of the trees.

NYT's article on the (lack of) validity of nutrition studies

don't look to science to answer our dietary questions.

Hmmm.... interesting. I can only conclude that my cookies are no longer toxic and that broccoli is the food of the devil!

Oh, I am home after 12+ hours on the road. I left shortly after 2 pm and returned home at about 12:20 am this morning. Granted, there were stops along the way for peeing and food... My food choices were not ideal on the road so that I could save time (eating while driving) and I also suffer from Road Trip Food Syndrome. I think I caught it many years ago from Ron. It is not how I grew up, but boy, it is a strong virus to shake! I am up 3 pounds overnight. I'm okay with that as it seems warranted. Not too much water, salty food and sitting can certainly add up to some water retention.

Lucky came home feeling like the BMOC. He is also a 14 month old teenager, so the hormones are raging, too! Ace welcomed him in good stead, but Lucky had to do a little posturing. They worked it out in under a minute. The girls on the other hand needed to let Lucky know exactly where he stood. His mama and grandma were not allowing any of his bravado! The made sure, several times indeed, that Lucky knew his place in the pack when it came to them. There was absolutely no question in my mind what they were conveying, but his teenage brain need confirmation of their positions more than once! LOL! This morning all is well. Lucky even came on strong (though joyfully) with Liza. Liza was quite eager to meet her big brother, but he was a little much for her, so she let him be. This morning she, too, has given him a little what for. It's pretty funny watching a 12 week old puppy telling her 60 pound big brother to go to hell! He got the message and decided to play with her on her terms. Charming!

I think I will do some puttering, a little packing and a little shopping for my trip today.