Thursday, March 28, 2019

139.8

Ok- that cuts it. I now want pictures of everyone in front of their homes! STAT Pose with whomever/whatever you will- accepting doggletts, babies, redwood trees, misc. farm animals, D(fill in the next letter)s, snowballs (if there are any left to be had)gym coaches, ... name it!

1. Within Range: yes
2. General Wellbeing: 9 on SS
3. 10,000+ Steps: 9231
4. Fitness: walking
5. Self-Care: made dermatology appointment
6. Play/Leisure: playing in yard with dogs
7. Intentions: Seek balance & relax, rejuvenate, & recalibrate !!

Today is the second day in a row it will make it to the 50's ! Liz, a May return sounds just about right ! You've got to be getting excited about Aruba !

I haven't had a mole check in about five years. This aging sun worshiper has some spots that need to be checked, and there is usually a long wait (I had a September appointment). I got a call for an unexpected opening for today, so I jumped on it.

Miss Bonnie ... you're on ! As soon as it is light, I'll get on it !!

Mole check- ha- so this is where my mind went---I thought you were referring to the soft brown critters that burrow underground. Yesterday while DH was showing me his cleared, tilled and ready to plant garden patch I saw for the first time ever, a small little creature emerge from the ground and sun itself - my foot wasn't two feet away- and it didn't even notice me. Little mole. I always thought of them as horrid rodents (and I know they do cause a lot of damage), but this sweetie I just wanted to scoop up and pet- ya know, like Lenny in Of Mice and Men.

But, yah, the mole check--Good for you. 31 years ago I asked DH to have a small birth mark on his fore arm checked out- just because (Newsweek had published an article on skin cancers and there were some pictures that looked similar to what he had) Sure enough, biopsy came back as a Level IV melanoma and two days later he was in surgery to have it removed (down to the muscle took a chunk approx. 5"x3" for what was a large eraser tip sized mole). Grace of God- it had not gotten into his blood, and I still have him. Check away--check often--!

What a blessing about finding melanoma early!

Yah, more like in the nick of time. the melanoma was as deep as it could go and lived in the same neighborhood as the blood vessels that it would have then taken a ride to who knows where else in his body to manifest in. Oncologist said he won the lottery. (This was after 10 years of monitoring.)

Good morning!

Sadly, I am leaving the Redwoods today. (But I am REALLY looking forward to getting back to my own peeps and pups) I'll do a couple of hikes on the way up the coast and check out the sea lions in Crescent City per DianeS's advise. (She has the best advise)

Peps, about the atmosphere in the Redwoods. I have stuck my nose on more than one big tree the last few days and they smell fresh....like the best fresh possible. Maybe like a newborn? I realize that this is helped by ample rain. But still, they are covered with various mosses and lichens and are hundreds of years old. Amazing, considering how I smell just 8 hours after a shower. I wonder what they think of the stinky human pressing up on them.

Between the Redwoods and coastline, DianeS really chose a beautiful place to retire. Although, I am not sure that retire is the right word.....maybe second act considering her studio ownership and involvement in art galleries.

That lavender house color is even more beautiful in person. One would wonder if it would be "too much" in a traditional neighborhood but it was perfectly balanced.

DianeS, both DH and DD have both just taken ill with fever, cough and sore throat! It is everywhere! Thanks again for sharing home, DH and pups with me. It is pretty interesting to walk the paths of internet friends. I mentioned in a gallery yesterday that I knew DianeS and the person asked me how. I stumbled around and finally said we met on the internet. I am old enough to think that sounds a little seedy but we both laughed about it and that was that.

Have a wonderful day, today!

A few local pics from yesterday below.... Shel

I almost got a wall slug to take home from the collection below.....by the way, many of the birds have eggs underneath! (One was a fried egg.). The person manning the store told me that Diane's collection is the first thing her kids check out when they are in the store. They pick up every piece to see if there is a surprise below. Also, her collection is just plain fun. The Sasquatch is texting.

But, in the end, the fella below is safely packed to travel home with me

And below, Chip and Tesla were both playful love bugs. What incredibly nice dogs --- you know they have great people parents. Tesla is truly supercharged, just as advertised.

Love, love Diane's ceramics! Thanks for the picture!

I so love hearing about Diane S' gallery and beautiful surroundings! I'll try a pic here with Justice later, but here is my Cape Cod home (sans humans and dogs).

Today we are going to Venice in the mid-afternoon to poke around the old Florida downtown and maybe visit the pier on the beach with visiting SIL. DH is going to hang out with his friend there instead of a third day in daycare. He did okay most of yesterday but apparently was crying at one point. I'm guessing from lack of sleep the night before but last night was another tough one. He does seem somewhat angry/depressed, but it is hard to know as he is so non-verbal these days.

The weather is great again- 80 but with a nice breeze and cool at night. No need for AC right now!

Have a timely Thursday!

Um, not so sure I want to do the picture thing in my current body....LOL.... Y'all know what I look like anyhow....But, I could be persuaded - maybe....

Okay, the 21 Day Sugar Detox by Diane SanFillipo is a must read. I kid you not. It's better than her Keto Quickstart, IMO, and is it ever so sensible! 3 levels of detox dependent on one's current carb intake level. It includes a pre detox week so there is no jumping into a detox without the required preparation. I just ordered another copy for my trainer. (Oh, I got her WL stats yesterday. She weighed 253 pounds 15 years ago. The weight she has maintained since then is 115-119 pounds. She is 5'3.5". Impressive, huh?)

Anyway, I am still fear based when I think about the detox, but I am embracing my fear and reminding myself that I am very capable of managing hard changes and being successful. I also know that many substance abusers have fear of life without the substance. I know I did when it came to becoming a non smoker. I had no idea how I would cope without my constant companion and friend, the cigarette. Stopping drinking alcohol was a different game altogether. I feared what I would become, not what I was. I simply saw the writing on the wall and knew it was best to stop when I did before I ended up like my aunt and uncle.

I am also not going to worry about weight loss during the detox. The main goal is to get off the high carbs and the sugar. That is a monumental enough task. Weight loss can come later. One step at a time, right?

This never ending journey is becoming more and more fulfilling on an emotional level. The deeper I dig, the more I understand my disfunction, the more release I experience. I hope, hope, hope I am getting to that place of deeper commitment. It feels like it, but of course, I'm scared that perhaps I am in the same cycle of push pull. I know I can't do this by myself, so I'm praying to God, the universe, the energy that surrounds me and silently to the people who support me to send me courage and strength to finally accept my disordered eating and correct it.

Here's a link to the book, if anyone is interested. Like the Keto book, it's a light read, full of logic and sense.

21 Day Sugar Detox

I ordered this for my arsenal...that is one major difference between this maintenance experience and previous weight loss attempts. I used to view "the end of the diet" as the goal and final destination. I had no plan or repertoire beyond being on a diet...something I had to do to loose. Now, I see healthy lifestyle changes as something that I do to live my best life. It is a work in progress, something I will sustain forever. My bag of tricks needs to shift and expand as I now know to anticipate a wide variety of unanticipated challenges..life happens ! I so appreciate the sharing that goes on here ??!