Friday, September 30, 2022

The weather is gorgeous out: That is often the case after a major hurricane. The energy sucks all the humidity and clouds along with it. We will have nice weather for at least several days including the first couple when my DD is visiting.

There is still limited news about how people fared on the other coast. None of us has heard from a couple of families, one in Fort Myers and the other in Port Charlotte but cell service is still limited. We know that structural damage in my old neighborhood was very limited. Just a lot of debris, torn screens, trees down, and a few broken windows. But overall not really too bad though they have no idea when there will be power. The mobile home park in Venice where another friend has a home sustained a fire but not on his street. However many roofs and lanais were blown off and they don't know specifically how theirs did.

We are looking forward to getting out and about today after 3 days of mostly staying inside. We will take Justice for his usual 3 mile walk for the first time since Monday.

Have a fine Friday!

Beautiful cool morning here, still on the way to 85. But next week should be in the 70s!!

Errands yesterday, not sure yet what is on the docket, but maybe a hike would be nice. I also need to make some doctor's appointments to get established.

I need to come up with a plan for my weight. I just can't continue to eat like I have been... Being more active would help. Not to get off weight, but I find it's easier to ostrich when I'm not moving much because I don't experience how much harder it is with more chub.

Anyway, hope you all are doing well!

Haha, at first I thought, 85 in Michigan? Then I remembered you're back in Arizona :)

Liz, I'm so glad to read that the weather is nice today! I have been keeping up with the Port Charlotte and Fort Meyers areas. Frankly, it's dismal. Ian really seems to have been a once in a millennia hurricane. The storm surges were incredible (especially to a west coaster!).

CC, I'm with you on getting on the band wagon. I'm not gaining weight, but I sure am dancing around in a 4 pound range. Luckily, I have stayed active throughout my weight gain, so I know how much harder it is to do the things I like to do!

Not sure exactly what is going on in my head, but I am having a drive to find the perfect baked good.... I'm not following through, but damn! I'm craving the perfectly moist, dense, sweet cake/bread/bar..... with just the right amount of glaze or frosting..... I can't decide if eating around the craving grabbing a little tiny sweet here and there is better than just eating the damn thing I'm craving - problem is I'm not sure exactly what item is going to fill the need. I almost feel like it's the dysfunctional part of my brain trying to sabotage me - trick me into trying this, then not being satisfied and going on the hunt. I did that with cookies at the onset of Covid. I had to perfect a cookie recipe. Can't remember how many cookies I ate during that period! Again, the complex web.....

I have company coming for a breeding this weekend. The doggie brothel is open for business. LOL! Ace will be a happy camper. Blitz and Lucky will be frustrated.

Not much else from here. Looking forward to catching up on a bit of sleep this weekend. I did sleep better last night than I have been. I woke up once or twice and didn't have a single coughing fit. Yay for getting better!

Your quest for the perfect baked good describes perfectly most of my crappy eating! Trying to recreate the perfect "whatever" and yet they all fall short of my memory or what I'm looking for. For example, the idea of doughnuts calls to me, but the reality never ever measures up. Same with fries, pizza, chocolate, pastries... I know in my head it won't be as good as I remember or want, but it doesn't stop me trying.

I thought I read once that's the thing with drugs like heroin. It leaves the person chasing the original high and using more and more to try to recreate it.

That's kind of a scary analogy but I agree that most often the memory is better than the actual present taste.

Wow!!!! Ding, ding, ding. This really resonates....

Two families in Fort Myers and Port Charlotte we were worried about have checked in and are fine. Though their homes had some water enter they are not seriously damaged. The power is starting to come back on at some locations in the development I used to live in and for the most part none of the damage there is extensive. But pictures of the debris lying everywhere are overwhelming. We have seen some pictures of Sanibel Island where there were once homes and now there is nothing - I guess the homes were swept away elsewhere.

And even here some places don't have power though all cleanup here is manageable. And it truly is a beautiful, breezy, low humidity day.

Greetings all

It started foggy here but is sunny now. Typical. It was almost hot at the studio, Reminds me that with the sun lower in the sky in winter, my little room gets hotter due to greenhouse effect.

I got a call from the vet for old dog Chip on his senior bloodwork. She said he is doing very well for an old dog and his kidney numbers were good for a dog his age. She does not think he needs kidney diet that the other guy last year suggested. Thats good because he won't eat it anyway. We will continue homemade stuff for the old dude.

Spent last evening on a zoom meeting about gallery by laws. I can barely describe the nit picking trivia. I finished the meeting being annoyed but today decided I am just not going to sweat it. If these petty people enjoy running around making stupid rules, so be it.

Liz glad your friends are safe. Puts life in perspective. The TV coverage shows awful destruction. Boats landing inland, rescues on roofs. I heard that the major aspects of power infrastructure are in decent shape so there is that.

Peps, don't you ever wonder why we all have this lifelong battle with weight? The search for the perfect baked item is illustrative. We are not endlessly searching for the perfect spinach salad. In my mind the perfect baked item is a proper toll house cookie with lots of nuts. And yeah, in the book "The End of Overeating" there are studies suggesting that the craving for the sugar/fat/salt combination is indeed addictive on the level of cocaine, if I remember correctly. Maybe I should get that book out and read it again. Its mainly an indictment of the food industry. I ate a gluten free chocolate chip cookie from a bake sale the other day. It was great. I think it had almond flour in it.

DH went out for Chinese food at lunch and brought some home. Orange chicken. Probably not actually eaten in China.

Speaking of food, its that time of day when the dogs wish to be fed. So be it. But no choc chip cookies.

Diane S

Food scientists use their powers for evil by engineering foods that have these taste profiles we can't resist easily. I remember reading something about all the different receptors nacho cheese Doritos light up, in a manner that natural whole foods simply cannot. They are drugs.