SUNDAY, May 19, 2019

Weight: 138.4
Macros: Calories - 1,440, Carbs - 58, Fat - 44, Protein - 150, Fiber - 13
Sleep hours: 7
Veggie/Fruit Servings: 3
Water glasses: 1
Exercise: I don't know how many steps I walked yesterday; my phone app quit working!)
Meditation: Yes

Liz, I'm thinking of you this morning as you and Paul travel home. Happy landings. :)

Shel, I assume you're doing a final training hike today before a possible Mt. Helen ascent on Wednesday. Best wishes!

Cecily, I'm sending you and Ferg many hugs.

And to all others, I'm wishing you resilience from all that you're tackling and recovering from--medical visits and treatments, end-of-school busyness, plans and chores, and challenges with loved ones and their challenges.

Last night, I slept longer last night than I have in a week or more, and my neck and shoulders are saying "Aaahhh!"

Given yesterday's high emotional stakes and that veggies weren't prominent at the graduation party, I went high-protein, low-carb. It's hard to do much damage that way. I ate no sugar ("But it's my graduation!"), no pasta salad ("But there's avocado in it!"). However, I did enjoy some medicinal wine. ;)

Last night we had bad weather here, but no damage that I can see. Mid-morning sunshine will appear, and I'll walk the property line then and clean up fallen timber.

Otherwise, I plan to take it easy. I might take in a movie this afternoon--"The Hustle" with Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson. Reviews are mixed, but The Times liked it, and I'm in the mood for something light.

Today's theme: It's a new day! Listen here.

1. Within Range: by the skin of bathroom time
2. General Wellbeing: 9 on SS
3. 10,000+ Steps: 11492
4. Fitness: walking, mowing
5. Self-Care: lots of activity in the fresh air
6. Play/Leisure: gardening
7. I learned...: It feels good to check things off the list !
8. Intentions: Seek balance & relax, rejuvenate, & recalibrate !!

Reservations for Vancouver are all finalized ! I could make it a life purpose to research, read reviews, create plus and minus charts...then all the decent plane routes are gone and I've invariably lost out on several great places to stay. I knew enough to give myself a deadline ! I ended up loving the idea of Kitsilano, and decided on the upper floor of a heritage house two blocks from the beach and in proximity to transportation as well as Spanish Banks, Jericho, and Kitsilano beaches as well as Grand Island and Stanley Park. Lots of cafes and restaurants within walking distance. I can wash my face, brush my teeth, pour the first cup, and bound outdoors !! I have two bedrooms, an additional pull out bed in the master, and a sleepable looking living room couch. Lots of great things to do ! I know Shel has me penciled in... IM me if you'd like to visit ! I have a washer and dryer, so you can pack light !

Yesterday was spent staining raised beds, then getting most of our herbs and vegetables planted, as well as some flowers. Back yard was mowed yesterday and front is on tap for today. It is supposed to get into the 80s !!

Ann, it sounds like you navigated well ! Didn't hear a follow-up on your sister.. hugging her and telling her you loved her was fabulous ! Ann and Cecily...I try to stay out from under my rock and had never heard of Brene Brown either. I'll be checking that out. Cecily, hugs to Fergs ! Liz, safe travels ! I'm glad SILs prognosis allows for some choice. Diane, glad your trip went well and hope the procedures on your hands did the trick ! Shel, part of the country is watching tornados and you're looking for avalanches ! Be safe...eager to be able to follow your dot ! BB...excited to hear when nesting leads to birthing ! You've got this !! Peps, Miss Bonnie and DD....vacation !!!! Shirl, how are things down there ?

DianeO -- the afternoon graduation party went well with no unpleasantness at all! My sister even suggested, with her own grace, that she, her two daughters and I organize a canoe trip this summer. I immediately offered to reach out to everyone via text to find a date that works for everyone, which was a gentle reminder for her to unblock my cell number.

Yes, that had to happen, too.

So along with all that vulnerability and grace floating around, may I please just say that I'm also shakin' my damn head!

Sigh. It is unseasonably cold again. Average temp 72, yesterday was 54, today won't get to 50. Tomorrow morning frost warnings. So I guess it's good I haven't put bedding plants in pots or flower pots. Oh, and there's a cold rain.

Looking ahead to better days, we are going to Boston for Memorial Day to visit our daughter. That warms me up!

Today starts with reading the Sunday paper, and ends with Controversy Club meeting in the evening.

Time for my first Chai Latte, a ray of sunshine on this cold, wet day.

Fly by post.... Ann, glad you and sister hugged and loved. Brava!

Went to Nephew's graduation yesterday.... Food consumption... I'm a bad boy..... triggered....

As David was want to say, "More later!"

I rewatched Brene Brown's Ted Talk that Ann linked to yesterday. It's only 20 minutes if you have that to spare.

Anyway, the part that jumped out at me today was about numbing. She said you can't selectively numb emotions (with food, alcohol, drugs, spending, etc.) We can't just numb the bad stuff we don?t want to feel (vulnerability, grief, shame, disappointment, fear) without numbing joy, gratitude, and happiness. And then we're miserable and looking for purpose and meaning so we have "another banana nut muffin" and it becomes a dangerous cycle... Guilty as charged.

Nothing on the docket this rainy Sunday, which I'm grateful for as I'm exhausted from my broken sleep with Fergus. This morning it was a 45 minute pacing of the yard at 3:30am to find a good place to poop (him not me), then up again at 6:30 for pills. Have I mentioned I'm not a morning person? I'm stressed about the idea of getting him to Michigan, will the plane stress him and his heart out, being in Michigan (though I think he'll be happier there), will he live long enough to come home from Michigan... And then I have another figurative banana nut muffin. Acknowledgement is the first step right?

Happy Sundays and hugs to all, safe uneventful travels to Liz, and Diane your Vancouver trip sounds like it'll be awesome!

A plane trip for Ferg? Have you checked with the vet on that one? It is not something I would recommend doing. Honest to God, unless you have access to a charter type of situation where he can be in the cabin with you, I wouldn't even dream of flying him. If it is an in cabin situation, please still check with the vet. Pressurization of the cabin may still be risky for him.

My unsolicited two cents.... Had to... My gut reaction when I read that was, "Oh, hell NO!"

It is a jet charter (3.5 hours). It?s just the two of us in the cabin. I would never put a dog on a commercial flight. The vet didn't seem overly concerned, but was against any kind of calming medication as when we do this he gets a little panty before he settles down. It worries me too - the panty part. I don't want to stress him.

Thank you for calming my panic! I would not do any type of tranquilizer either. Not a good thing - especially with the DCM. You might want to ask about a low dose CBD tincture (sans THC). If your vet is anti-holistic treatment, that's fine. It's a route many mainstream veterinarians are now exploring, so I thought I would suggest it.

I didn't mean to panic you! I wouldn't even put a healthy dog on a regular plane in cargo. Fergie is already on doggy hemp CBD for his arthritis at the vet's suggestion (framed as a non-suggestion as they are not allowed to recommend it officially). So maybe that would help? I'm still worried though. I can back out last minute, so that's comforting. But when we've flown this way in the past, he pants a lot for the first hour and gets the shakes when we land. Ugh. I don't know what to do! Driving is too stressful on him (3 days, foreign hotels, pottying in places he's not used to, in and out of the car).

I don't want to provoke a heart attack, but he doesn't have much fun here anymore with the walk restrictions and tiredness. Even just laying on the deck there watching nature go by would be more entertaining for him than my tiny backyard.

Should we just stay here?