Sunday, September 8, 2019

Weight: 139.2
Protein: 74
Carbs: 126
Veggies/Fruits: 10
Water: 30 ounces
Sleep: 6 hours
Exercise: Walking

Still moving slow--the good kind. :)

Lately, I've been doing my morning walk around the property at sunrise. Sunrise today was lovely--no technicolors, but with a breeze cool enough that I could wear a sweatshirt. Leaves are starting to drift down. I was grateful for all of that.

Soon it will be "spider season," when the barbed wire fences between me and my cattle farming neighbors are draped in dew-covered webs. Down in the woods on the trails I know where the big spiders spin their fancy webs and skirt under and around them. But sometimes my face hits a single strand. Did you know that you can hear a single spider thread stretch and then snap?

This morning there was very little dew, which means I get to mow before lunch instead of waiting for the grass to dry before mowing in the warmer afternoon. I am thankful for that, too.

Food is good. This morning I realized that if I add a little grated Parmesan to a one-egg spinach omelet I don't have to add any salt, because Parmesan cheese is already quite salty. I'm enjoying how much I'm learning about cooking by knowing better what to taste for. As I said yesterday, I am finally learning the language of taste.

Here in the (finally!) drier Lower Midwest, today's musical selection is the sound of ocean waves.

Wt today 263.4. I guess I see what not grazing on junk food will do.

AM Exercise done. There are 6 basic exercises. The one that kills me is bending the affected knee, dig your heel in and hold 5 seconds. repeat x 20. does not seem like much, right. Repeat all 6 3 x day. Up in a chair more today. Plan to increase my walking too. Improvement every day. Not as much as I would like but overall doing more and meds are controlling pain more. Follow up visit is Tuesday morning. My knee must be at 90 degrees or they will send me to PT.

In the shop the dogs have access to the outside via doggie door. There is a 10x20 chain link to keep them from running after something all night or keeping unwanted animals out of the shop. China dog stays in the shop more since we are both out here. She comes over for a petting soon after I wake. She checks on me often. Mostly lays beside me. Not on her orthopedic doggie bed. Bosco the havenese is in heaven being with DW all day and night long. The cat is a shop cat. She is DW s cat. China has been very focused on the cat. He likes to keep her at an elevation greater than 3 feet. She can walk the walls in about half of the shop. At night when I wakeup the cat will be sitting on something staring at DW. Kinda creepy.

More later, David

Good morning! The Tai Chi class was appropriately challenging. It's a very flexible practice, it can be used by people of many different abilities, the moves can be very exacting, or less, depending on what you need. It has been referred to as moving meditation. I feel that way about swimming too. When I get into a rhythm and am gliding through the water, I feel transported.

We saw the movie, The Peanut Butter Falcon last night. Highly, highly satisfying.

More chai latte and the Sunday paper await me on this cool drizzly day. Trying not to think too much about tomorrow, and not let the day get tainted by the Sunday blues. Still mourning the end of summer a bit.

The Peanut Butter Falcon is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. I would happily go see it again!

Good morning! I love how you are appreciating so many things Ann. I hope I will be able to do the same. I would especially like waking up and looking forward to the day like I used to.

We had a good dinner out with old friends and they came back to our house afterwards. DH was up late but enjoyed it - DS put him to bed with diapers on backwards (LOL - the tabbed kind - you can tell he never changed a baby).

BIL is coming to visit with DH today because I guilted him again. He had been calling the last few days promising to come today then cancelled this morning (as I figured he would). I mentioned that DH would only be at home a few more weeks so he called back and said he would come after all. SIL, DH, DS and I are taking BIL out to dinner for his 60th birthday tonight since he decided to show up.

Have a sunny Sunday!

More later after grooming, but for now...... Here is a copy of yesterday's monumental move - a letter sent to all my grooming clients:

Time is a precious and non renewable resource. That statement represents the life realization, epiphany, or middle age crazy awareness that struck me this past August. I know that going forward I need to devote much more time to myself, Ron, and my family of canines. For the past 12-15 years I have spent much of my spare time, after school and weekends, even at dog shows, grooming dogs. I can't lie and say I have not enjoyed grooming, because I have - very much. Though I have reduced by a few clients over the past two years, I still have a clientele of over 30 terriers the need hand stripping (and my full time teaching position). Accommodating such a schedule has left me feeling overly stressed and with extremely limited time to accomplish what I need to feel rested and well.

Going forward I am planning on focusing more on my own dogs, showing with more regularity, and finding time to relax and rejuvenate so that I can be fresh for my students each week.

As hard as it was for me to come to this decision, I have decided to retire from pet grooming as of December 31st, 2019. I will still be grooming for the families of the Airedales and Cairns that I have bred and/or co own.

It has been my absolute pleasure grooming for you. I hope you understand I have not come to this decision easily and to those of you who feel let down by my decision, I am truly sorry. If I can be of assistance helping you find another groomer, please let me know.

With love and appreciation to all of you for your trust in me with your dogs,

Devon

Yes! Clear, firm, and very gracious. Congratulations on a new beginning.

Good for you!!

Parfait!

Perfect ! I am soooo proud of you !!!