01/07/2019, Monday

1. Within Range: yes
2. General Wellbeing: 9 on SS
3. 10,000+ Steps: 9811
4. Fitness: walking dogs ; AbDoer to music
5. Self-Care: increase water intake and decrease wine
6. Play/Leisure: Yahtzee tournament; knitting
7. Intentions: Manifest daily fitness goals.

We had our second to final shower in the master suite bath this morning ! New walk in arrives tomorrow ! I won't miss the cramped space, step in over the tub, and old slider framing. I'll take before and after pictures. Shel, your hikes and training continue to amaze and inspire me ! Are you going to need a new adventure in the pipeline to prevent massive depression after you conquer Rainier ? I can get lost in the intervals between the fruition of goals/highly anticipated events. DD, all of the yummy looking baked goods inspired me to make some whole wheat rolls to go with the turkey soup in the crock pot. Lesa, continue to improve ! Miss 150, hope you are moving forward too ! Paula, glad kids are adjusting ! Diane, stay safe in this weather ! Glad you have a date for DH ! BB, I so love watching you puzzle things through ! You've got this ! Ann, hope the sleep is regulating ! Your daily life sounds so grounded and fulfilling ! Shirl, enjoy your time in the big city before returning to your oasis ! Cecily, you are getting some great hikes in ! Can't wait to hear more about your cruise wear finds !

Liz, Shel got me thinking when she mentioned how Paul's bond/need with Justice could impact yours. You will always be the Alpha Female / Mama, just like I am with Atlas. Your walks and alone time with Justice will become increasingly significant as deterioration impacts household stress. Justice needs you just as much as you need Justice.

Weight: 135.0
Macros: Calories - 2,496, Carbs - 246, Fats - 118, Protein - 80, Fiber - 25
Sleep hours: 8.5
Vegetable/Fruit Servings: 4
Water glasses: 3
Exercise: 10,100 steps
Meditation: Yes

I've just caught up on everyone's weekend posts and echo DianeO?s shout-outs. I'll add only a message to Liz that it does seem like Paul's new medicine is exacerbating, not helping his issues. I'm sending you a big, big hug through the ether and hope you continue to care for yourself.

My stats from yesterday show what happens when you go out for breakfast and at lunch have a beignet, café au lait, and a whole bag of movie popcorn. There may also be the germ of a NOLA eating strategy here: Never stop moving, eat in moderation during the week, and go with the flow on the weekend.

Yesterday's agenda on a warm, sunny Sunday included breakfast with "the family" (my friends, their cousins, and their adult children) who'd all ushered in 2019 Carnival season the night before. My friend and I then took a long walk in the park, then picked up her husband and visited NOLA?s world-class Museum of Art and went to a Sunday movie matinee ("The Favourite").

Back in my apartment I attended a Golden Globes "snarkfest" via a Facebook group I belong to that brutally critiques Red Carpet outfits. For dinner I sautéed drum (the fish I bought Saturday morning). As instructed, I cooked it only 1.5 minutes on each side, and it was delicious!

I see in this morning's news that Olivia Colman (who played Queen Anne in "The Favourite") won the Golden Globe for Best Actress. The movie is a very challenging take on how to gain and wield personal and political power in a tough environment. My friend and I really liked the movie, but her husband found it so challenging that he left in the middle. "Tedious!" he huffed as he crawled over us toward the aisle. If you see the movie, you will appreciate that it was not tedium that propelled him out of the theater. LOL!

Today's plan: Enjoy the morning sunshine (it'll be 71 here today), walk in the park, write, do a yoga class, visit the public library, and have dinner at another friend's home (nothing extravagant, thank goodness!)

Today's theme: T.G.I.M.!

;)

Ann I just love reading about your days in NOLA - makes my heart sing - Thank you

We saw it this weekend also. Afterwards we discussed where you find yourself if you do things for love/true sense of purpose vs. to gain power/influence.

YES! That difference between Sarah and Abigail was very obvious. And yet, Sarah (Duchess of Marlborough) had never experienced the same, completely powerless depths of existence that Abigail had, and Abigail's quite understandable motivation was NEVER to sink that low level of existence again. Still, that's where she found herself -- a pawn again. And one without any remaining power.

I truly want to learn more about those actual people -- not just the movie creatures.

Weight 123.4, calories 1321. I need to be doing things out of the house to get away from the foods I think. Today is supposed to be 80 so after the Neurologist appointment the pool may be a good plan. Did I mention that I left my Kindle on the plane? Still waiting to hear if it has been recovered, but I bought a new one anyway (arriving today). I rely on it to read in bed until I fall asleep and the real book I'm reading requires that a lamp be on which doesn't work when trying to keep DH asleep.

I put together DH's Christmas presents yesterday: an exercise bike and a water fountain. The bike is pretty nice for a folding, somewhat portable, cost-effective one. I got it on Amazon after reading several good reviews on it.

It will be interesting to hear what the neurologist says. He didn't have a lot of confidence that Namenda was going to work well for DH in the first place, but maybe he will want us to keep on it for a while longer to see if the symptoms decrease or lower the dose?

And yes, Justice still sees me as primary. He sleeps in our bed now (LOL - DH never used to allow that even for the kids but I always had pets sleep with me as a child). Justice always has to be touching me (might only be his leg against mine). He can't touch both of us as the bed is king size.

Have a marvelous Monday!

Bummer re Kindle Liz ! Hope someone is honest and you get it back.

Pauls Christmas presents sound great - hope he gets enjoyment out of them

Dogs are amazing creatures - Im so glad you have Justice as Im sure he is equally glad to have you both

Weight: 171.4

Diane O.-Yay for the new shower! Nothing like getting clean in something that makes you feel happy

Ann-your posts make me feel sunshine! So glad you're following your sun. And I wholeheartedly agree on your eating strategy. At least for now it seems to work for me. I realize we are all very different with different needs, but saying "no" to things only leads me down a hole toward dieting that never worked. but one important distinction I've had to learn is while I can have everything, I cannot have it all at once. And there are still some pitfalls to avoid--like certain trigger candy, or a carb-loaded breakfast that leaves me eating all day long. Or "guilt" food (ie so and so made this for you). It's probably the carbo breakfast that is worst for me. But how can you not eat a beignet in Nola? I typically eat a pretty good protein (and FAT!!) breakfast, but occasionally a pancake or waffle will call my name. In that case, I usually either try to manipulate hubby or sister into splitting two breakfasts with me (we aren't going to be able to fini**** if it's sister, but still...) or getting extra protein sides. More food? Sounds opposite of what I'd need! Or at least order my pancakes a la carte. Unfortunately I have yet to find places where you can order "by the bite" so my next best solution is to try and counteract the carby sugaryness with some good protein.

Liz-Your gifts to Paul sound lovely. Hopefully it will be a short readjustment period and you'll be posting beach pictures in no time! But I like Shirl's take--a problem shared is a problem halved :)

Yesterday we did finish all de-christmasing but boxes are in waiting--hoping to organize the attic a bit better (while it's not junky full) before adding the massive boxes of decoration. Every year we promise ourselves we'll do it, and every year we are too done with decorating to attempt it. Maybe this year. I know it will make things so much easier in the future!

It was a positively beautiful day here yesterday. I'm so glad we have a range of weather. We can have icy trees on Wednesday, and near-70 degree days on Sunday. DSD was wearing shorts! We took Becca out to the park to enjoy. Homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner since DH was feeling a little under the weather. Instant pot awesome. And we capped off the evening by enjoying our new hottub in the unseasonably warm winter weather.

Tonight I plan to watch the National Championship game although I'm feeling a bit meh about it. Seems like same teams over and over (said by an OU fan, ha!). One more day of nice weather so I think I'll satisfy my craving with grilled hotdogs, veggie tray, maybe some chips (moderation!).

Well done on the christmas pack up - huge job x

Hope DH is feeling a little better today

The neurologist is taking DH off of Namenda (have to titrate down). Once out of his system we are going to try trazodone at night).