Monday January 11, 2021

Weight 130.4, up 1.2 from yesterday. I was probably a bit dehydrated yesterday and truly expected it to be up.

I am heading back to my place today. Mike and I had a fantastic weekend in so many ways and I do NOT want to overstay in this new, return phase.

Last night we had grilled chicken and I made a fantastic super easy sauce (from the WW app) which I will be repeating for many purposes:

• 7 oz jar roasted peppers, drained
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 t salt
• 4 T chopped basil

Put the first 4 ingredients in a blender or food processor and purée. Place in a small saucepan over medium heat - stir frequently until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in basil.

Not much else going on other than a long walk this morning, trying to get a vaccine appointment when the appointment system opens up at 9:30, and driving back to my place.

Have a safe, healthy and civil day!

So we didn't get appointments. What a STUPID system! I was able to get into an appointment and so was Mike, but apparently several people could select the same one and the first one to complete the form got the appointment. By then all the other ones were gone! I have a VERY long name so I am in trouble. It should, at minimum, work like shopping online where the appointment is reserved at least for enough minutes to complete the form.

As a former project manager this mess is just so frustrating! Only the finger nimble, good typists, with a fast internet connection, and a short name can get an appointment. One alternative way to do this would be to have people complete a form requesting an appointment ahead of time. Sort that by criteria such as age, type of job, time submitted and assign a "priority number". Then offer appointments in priority order until all the available ones are filled up. IMHO...

161.0

Bummer on the appointment scene- I am worthless regarding computer shortcuts, but is there a way to set up an auto-fill where computer intuitively suggests what your beginning to type? sometimes when I'm filling out a form, I see that and just "peck and fill".

Am thinking today about the difference between 'occupying' my mind as opposed to utilizing my mind. The former fills time and amuses- but with little growth...the latter moves me forward with a greater sense of purpose....

Weight 195.6, down 0.8 from yesterday, so 1 lb for the week and 26.6 overall.

I am so proud of myself! I took the LED light apart and found the impact had bounced the lightbulb out of the socket. It also somehow popped the metal collar off the bottom of the clear globe, such that it was fully threaded on one side, but totally off on the other. After an hour trying to unstick it (soaking the metal side in ho****er, spraying the exposed side of the threads with WD-40, using rubber gloves, rubber bands to twist), my hands were raw and there was no movement. I was about to email the manufacturer to see if they sold replacement parts, but thought what do I have to lose if I try to ba**** with a rubber mallet? It survived being hit by a several hundred pound beam dropped from 10 ft in the air. After a few dozen thwacks, it popped back in the right place and easily unscrewed! Those parts were tough! I also straightened a screw in the cap with pliers and rubbed the white primer marks off the whole thing with Barkeepers Friend and it's good as new.

Made it out at night for a 2 mile walk. It was so blessedly devoid of people - something not the case during the day on a weekend.

Today is therapy this afternoon and a grocery delivery coming from Amazon and walk at some point. I ordered the ingredients for this soup. I'll let you know if it's as good as it looks.

Liz, that is so frustrating about the appointments! Sounds like trying to get tickets for a big concert back in dial-up days... Your sauce sounds delicious!

Recipe looks delicious. I will have to puree the tomatoes (my tomato issues...), but that's okay. I think I'm going to give that a try myself, but being the protein ***** that I am, I will roast a couple of chicken breasts and then shred them into the soup. Thanks for the great idea.

I don't think pureeing the tomatoes would hurt things at all and the chicken addition sounds delish! I'm really in it for the olives... yummmmm.

Sorry! My reply double posted. So instead of deleting, this is my explanation for two posts. LOL

You are amazing! My brother, who is an excellent mechanic- works on the big stuff, operated on the following: Whatever I work on, I guarantee I'm going to fix it or break it real good. I see you share the same fixit philosophy.

Your tracking sent me back into Fitbit history for specifics

Weight 161.0 down 5.8 this week and down 17.8 from my highest (10/25/2020). I haven't been inside of goal range since 7/03/2019! (Range is 143-147), so I have 16 pounds to go.

Oh, my gosh! I hadn't realized that it had been that long, my staying in range. The SLOW CREEP is real! I have only experienced fast weight gain in the past- this maybe the first time ever I've tried to address a moderate weight gain. (Like, "what's 20 #s- ? nothing to worry about"- wrong!

Your example applied- eye opener. Thanks! As always, YOU ROCK!!!! Thanks for sharing your trail- lead on!

5.8 is spectacular!

You're so right about slow creep (and fast creep for that matter). Our brains (or my brain) think we're in range, or at least act like it, long after we might cross out of it!

I also don't usually catch my regains early. I think of this relapse as 34 pounds, but I was already 13 over the top of my 10 pound range at that point. It still feels like I caught it early. Like catching a fly with chopsticks or a bullet in my teeth!