This is the first time in my 17 week commitment that I haven't lost. I'm about 11 weeks into the commitment.
Oh dear!
OK, now I have to admit a little dismay. I've lost -23.8 lbs, so I have quite a bit to celebrate. In WW they tell us to make sure to celebrate every small victory, so I'm trying. Sometimes it feels stupid, but I want to do this. Regrets about last week on vacation? No, life is too short for silly regrets, and I really enjoyed my few days out of the routine. I need to know I can live and enjoy eating out sometimes and still not gain weight, so this is alright. I loved Emeril's restaurants and the food was terrific. I actually ate pretty healthy, but I can see how precarious my weight loss is. So today I'm celebrating this victory of being able to enjoy my life and not feel guilty, and not gain weight! That is a great victory!
We all need to do a lot more celebration!
Today its pouring rain here and overcast, but I'm in my office thinking of all the wonderful things I have to be thankful for. My family tops the list, of course! I am so blessed in that way. I'm also thankful that I have been able to commit to this 17 weeks of WW. It is actually going to be 18 weeks due the the instructor being gone for one week, but I kept on the normal schedule for myself. I am truly enjoying eating healthier. It is summer, the produce is wonderful, the food is really good.
The weight loss has meant that my seatbelt on the airplane flight to Las Vegas was very comfortable! No seatbelt extender!! The tray table worked too! I remember that was one of the best perks of weight loss the last time around. My clothes feel loose and comfortable. Just 20 lbs. has meant to much. My initial goal is 10% of my total body weight.
The tell us the first 10% is the best health advantage and I believe that too. I'm nearly at 10% and that is great.
Perhaps best of all is the fact that I'm walking a whole lot more comfortably. My knees still hurt sometimes, but not very much. It is amazing what just this partial weight loss means to me and to my body.
I have plans for when I lose about 10 more lbs. When I lose that 10 more lbs, I'll up the walking program to every day and longer walks. I don't want to do too much now, because I'm afraid I'll hurt my feet/legs with all this pounding weight. But, about another 10 lbs. and I'll be good to go for more.
I'll be renewing for another 17 week commitment after this one ends in October. I don't care how much it costs, I don't care what it takes, I'm doing this. It is a lot of work and a lot of struggle for me, but I'm doing this no matter what.
We are supposed to set interim goals, and I would like to be at 250 lbs. for Christmas. I hope that is reasonable. I am working toward that for now anyways. I plan on Christmas with both kids in Phoenix this year and we are really looking forward to it.
This weekend I will get to see Mom again, my family and Ed's family. Ed's brother and wife have called us three times this week, I think they have missed us. I know it would get old for me if I had visitors every other weekend for months on end, but they are so uncomplaining and good to us. Another blessing to count, good people. Part of the reason for taking this little "breather" from the every other week visits was to give them a break also.
For me, it helps to have things to look forward to. Half the fun of my vacation was looking forward to it. I'm looking forward right now to a very small weekend in October with Ed in a nice place in Pennsylvania. Close to home, quick get away.
Maybe I'll get to go with Ed to his conference in Panama City Beach Florida in late October....I hope so! I might be 10 lbs. less by then....
Then Christmas with the kids...
Then March in Cancun with the kids...Yay!!
I'm even looking forward to things at work. I've been assigned to work on a site visit to our Regional Medical Library (RML) in Houston, TX and Salt Lake City, UT., so that should be fun. Also, I'll be visiting Baltimore for our RML at University of Maryland too. I have to help assess the input for our network member medical libraries in those regions. (In reading this I can see that people are much more important to me than work, and I think that's OK.)
I'm watching for signs of depression in Ed since we turned down the California transfer. I know he was disappointed. But, he seems OK and is making the best of everything. He is looking at new challenges at work too. There were some remarks or perhaps concerns expressed last week in Las Vegas from our friends about why we aren't going to California. I felt weird about it I guess, but OK.
We lived in California from 1989-2005, no wonder I miss it. That is 16 years!! It felt comfortable. Change is always difficult at first. Of our 37 year marriage, 16 years were in California.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Las Vegas August 2008 and Week Ten - 2.8 lbs.
Monday, August 18, 2008 – Got up at my usual time, about 5:30AM. Showered, finished last minute packing; caught shuttle to Dulles airport. Arrived Las Vegas in the afternoon, checked into hotel (Las Vegas Hilton). Noted the Hilton has a walking/jogging trail. Room is just OK, it is next to the elevator and we can hear that all the time. It is noisy. Purchased tickets to ride the Monorail, which has a stop at our hotel. The Hilton is off the “Strip” by at least a couple of long city blocks, perhaps a mile? Riding the Monorail is expensive at $5 per trip, one way! But taxis are more….so I buy a 3 day pass for $28. We go to Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House for dinner. We’ve been there before and know it is great. It is at the MGM Grand Hotel, and we get there on the Monorail. The dinner is fabulous; I have fish and white wine, chardonnay, Emeril’s Au Bon Climat from California. We do the three course $50 prix fixe. Dessert was three kinds of sorbet, including Coconut and Kiwi. 
Thursday, August 21, 2008 – Rise and shine 5:30AM, breakfast w/Ed, walk the trail. Do I see a pattern emerging? I guess I feel more comfortable with a routine, so I have created one. I decide to go to the Venetian to visit the Guggenheim museum I remember. It is a long way down the “Strip” so I go to the Monorail. I walk through Harrah’s to get to the Venetian. Once in the Venetian, I discover to my dismay, the museum closed permanently in May. Now I wonder what to do with the remainder of my day. I think about the other large hotel casinos I haven’t visited yet, and decide to walk more. I go across the street to the Mirage and Treasure Island. I stop at a Starbucks in Treasure Island and wile away an hour with Latte, newspaper and people watching. I hear a little girl talking to her Mom about going to see the white tigers at Mirage, the Secret Garden. That sounds like fun, so I go to the Mirage and get to see the Siegfried and Roy Secret Garden. There are also dolphins there and it is very pleasant. I love the big cats. I find a place in the Mirage for lunch, which is tilapia. I walk until my feet and legs are killing me again. I pick up my messages from home and realize the Starwood Vacation owners have left a message that needed a response on MONDAY. It is now THURSDAY so I have missed the window of opportunity to get our reservation at Cancun. I call them an try to renegotiate. They stall me. It appears we will not get the reservation we wanted. (Later they would offer the reservation again, when we got home on Friday night.) I get back to the Hilton in time for a couple hours at the pool. Ed is in the room by 5:30pm and we go to dinner. Tonight it is at the Venetian – Emeril’s Delmonico’s Steakhouse. We share a filet mignon and vegetables. It is heavenly. I had a glass of beautiful Au Bon Climat Syrah. Dessert was -- Hey, I cannot even remember. Shouldn't have eaten it! but I think I did.
Friday, August 22, 2008 – up at 5:30AM, showered, ate breakfast with Ed, walked the track at the Hilton. Ed has to make a presentation this morning at his meetings. I arrange to have the luggage stored and check out. By noon we are at the airport together, having lunch there too. Flight home is good, arrive Dulles about 9PM. Dinner at the Silver Diner is late but fine.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 – Got up at my usual time, 5:30AM. Showered, went to breakfast with Ed before he begins this week of meetings and conference work. Nice breakfast, oatmeal with dried cherries. We see a lot of old friends from the VA, there are 750 people here from the VA. Mostly those that work with Ed, but I know quite a few of them. He leaves for the meetings and I go check out the walking trail. It is nice, goes around the parking lot and parking building, under the Monorail tracks. I walk the trail. Surface is nice, I think it must be coated with rubber, it feels good under my feet. The sun is up but it is not yet too hot.
Today I have a mission though. I haven’t mentioned to anyone, but I’m going to find a local Weight Watchers meeting. I have researched it and know the address and have a map. So, I set off to find it.
I’m starting on the Monorail, so I take it to the end of the line. I know the major cross street I need is near this station. However, when I get off the Monorail, I find the exits to the street are marked “Emergency Only, Alarm will Sound.” Apparently, they want people to go out through the casino, which is very long walking. I know my stamina is limited, so I find a real person and beg to be allowed out through the door. The woman is very nice to me, and opens one of the doors, releasing me to the street. It is quiet, not quite 8:00AM, so I feel quite safe. However, the street is 6 lanes wide and confusing, I do not see the bus stop. I thought I would catch the city bus #201 and go a couple miles down this street. There is a lot of traffic with people going to work, I suppose. I see a large taxi line at the MGM Hotel, so I just go over there. I get a taxi and I give him the address. He starts that direction, but tells me he does not recognize that address, wants to know what it is. I tell him (just a little reluctantly) it is a Weight Watchers Meeting place, that it might be a strip mall or an office building, I do not know what type of building we are looking for. OK, he is fine with that. In minutes he pulls into a strip mall and he has spotted the Weight Watchers office, so I am at the right place. He asks if I would like for him to wait, but I tell him I’m staying for the meeting after I get “weighed in”, so it will be over an hour. He gives me his card and says I can call him later if I need a ride. He is a nice person, an older guy and he speaks English, which is cool for me. But, later, when I come out, I am calmer and I can see the bus stop up the street. I just walk about a half mile up to the stop and then I wait for the #201. The bus comes and the driver is patient as I ask how much and fish for my money. I ride the bus with the locals just past the “Strip” so I can walk down the side of the “Strip” that has the Bellagio. That hotel is beautiful, and I don’t want to miss it.
The Weight Watchers Meeting is fine; I’ve lost 2.8 lbs, which is wonderful! The people are so friendly and the meeting is much more organized than our meeting in Bethesda. The members all talk about their week and give each other tips, and ask questions, it is good. The leader is a nice young woman with a kid at home. She is a good leader, works part time with Weight Watchers.
So, I’m back at the “Strip” and it isn’t even noon yet. I walk into New York New York Hotel and it is fun, lively and filled with people. I just wander around the casino and the shops until I see a Mexican restaurant. I stop there for lunch, and get a seat “outside” on their version of a patio. You aren’t really outside, it just looks like a street scene and looks like a sky high overhead. It’s fun. I order a fish I’ve never heard of before, a Barramundi filet and vegetables. It is really good! I’m delighted and sit there for a while, people watching. I wander on down the “Strip” to the Bellagio. I love this place; it looks Italian and is outrageous. I find the Bellagio Museum which is featuring a Modernist exhibit; I pay the $15 bucks and go in. It is inspiring and beautiful, even though I have not been a great fan of Modernism. The Georgia O’Keefe paintings really make this show great. I leave there and go to the Bellagio shoppes.
I find the Tiffany and Company. A nice guy named Josh waits on me. I spend a lot of time looking, I go through every case they have. After I’ve looked in each display, I tell Josh to show me the earrings I know they have to match that Tiffany ring I bought a while ago. He does, I smile and buy the matching earrings. I’ve now spent all my vacation money! I love the earrings.
I’m getting tired. I told Ed I would meet him about 5pm in the room. I stop in front of Caesars and get an iced tea. I sit outside (real outside this time) where it is 105 degrees and the misters are turned on. Its great people watching. I sit there, probably an hour. I walk the long way to the Monorail Station.
I ride the Monorail back to the Las Vegas Hilton. The Monorail is nice and clean, new, great views as we ride along. Ed isn’t there yet. He comes in at 5:30, our theatre tickets are for a 7:00 curtain time, so we take off for the Palazzo Hotel. We arrive at the showroom in plenty of time, as we take a taxi there. We look around the casino, have a glass of wine and then go into the theatre. The show is “Jersey Boys” and it is about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The singing is fun, although I don’t really remember too much about the Four Seasons. It is a good show. We didn’t have dinner reservations, but after the show it is only about 9:15, so we look around and see a Mario Batali restaurant called B & B. We decide to eat there. This turns out to be a disappointment, as it is very pricey and we don’t really understand the menu. What about… Warm Lamb's Tongue with Chantrelles and a 3Minute Egg $15 …or Lamb’s Brain “Francobolli” with Lemon and Sage $19 … Stinging Nettle Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu $25 …When we finally figure out what we can order, it is good food though. I end up with a salad and a pasta dish. Snobby waiter.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008 – Up at 5:30; shower; breakfast with Ed. He goes to work and I start walking the trail. It’s wonderful to be outside again. After the walk, I go take the Monorail. This time I take it Southbound clear to the end and stay on and ride to the other end. There isn’t an agenda today. I feel a little lonely and at loose ends, but Ed has to work, so it cannot be helped.
Today I have decided to ride the Monorail to the Paris Hotel area and try to find what they are referring to as “The Miracle Mile” of shops. The weather is very hot here, but beautiful with unlimited sunshine all the time. I enjoy the weather, in spite of the heat. I carry water and am not afraid to stop when I get too hot. I can always duck into an air conditioned place here. I catch the Monorail to the Paris station stop. I walk up the street to the Miracle Mile site and go in. The shops are not open yet, they do not open until 10AM, so I go into the casino at Paris and find a Starbucks. I get a skinny vanilla latte and a newspaper, find a seat and enjoy the next hour. Afterwards, I walk the whole Miracle Mile, stopping when an interesting shop appears. It is interesting. I don’t buy a thing, but enjoy looking around. There is no Barnes & Noble I notice. I lunch at Mon Ami Gabi at the Paris Hotel. 
I ask to be seated outside, but in the shade. That is good, although when the misters turn on, I get soaked and have to move to a table farther from the actual mister nozzle. I have a great view of the construction across the street. I think it is the largest job site I have ever seen. I count at least a dozen large tower cranes working and countless workers everywhere. Ed tells me later that is a 9.2 Billion dollar job. (It’s called City Center and built by the MGM Grand Hotel.) He says we could retire there, as this will be an all inclusive type development with condos and grocery stores….I don’t think so!
I go to the Caesar’s Forum Shoppes. They are fun to look at and amazing in architecture. I walk until my legs are exhausted. I get back to the hotel via Monorail and early enough for some pool time today. I love it. Ed gets to the room about 5:30, I’m ready for dinner. Dinner tonight is at Emeril’s newest restaurant, Table 10 at the Palazzo. It is beautiful, dark, wood tables with inlaid tops, linen napkins. We have a nice wait staff, a team of 3. They are friendly and fun. The food is awesome, for dessert we have Amaretto poached peaches. They really are divine! I also order a Blue Mountain cappuccino, which turns out to be the best coffee drink I’ve ever had. At $12, Ed thinks it should be really great.
Thursday, August 21, 2008 – Rise and shine 5:30AM, breakfast w/Ed, walk the trail. Do I see a pattern emerging? I guess I feel more comfortable with a routine, so I have created one. I decide to go to the Venetian to visit the Guggenheim museum I remember. It is a long way down the “Strip” so I go to the Monorail. I walk through Harrah’s to get to the Venetian. Once in the Venetian, I discover to my dismay, the museum closed permanently in May. Now I wonder what to do with the remainder of my day. I think about the other large hotel casinos I haven’t visited yet, and decide to walk more. I go across the street to the Mirage and Treasure Island. I stop at a Starbucks in Treasure Island and wile away an hour with Latte, newspaper and people watching. I hear a little girl talking to her Mom about going to see the white tigers at Mirage, the Secret Garden. That sounds like fun, so I go to the Mirage and get to see the Siegfried and Roy Secret Garden. There are also dolphins there and it is very pleasant. I love the big cats. I find a place in the Mirage for lunch, which is tilapia. I walk until my feet and legs are killing me again. I pick up my messages from home and realize the Starwood Vacation owners have left a message that needed a response on MONDAY. It is now THURSDAY so I have missed the window of opportunity to get our reservation at Cancun. I call them an try to renegotiate. They stall me. It appears we will not get the reservation we wanted. (Later they would offer the reservation again, when we got home on Friday night.) I get back to the Hilton in time for a couple hours at the pool. Ed is in the room by 5:30pm and we go to dinner. Tonight it is at the Venetian – Emeril’s Delmonico’s Steakhouse. We share a filet mignon and vegetables. It is heavenly. I had a glass of beautiful Au Bon Climat Syrah. Dessert was -- Hey, I cannot even remember. Shouldn't have eaten it! but I think I did.
Friday, August 22, 2008 – up at 5:30AM, showered, ate breakfast with Ed, walked the track at the Hilton. Ed has to make a presentation this morning at his meetings. I arrange to have the luggage stored and check out. By noon we are at the airport together, having lunch there too. Flight home is good, arrive Dulles about 9PM. Dinner at the Silver Diner is late but fine.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Week Nine: - 3.2 lbs.
This really is a great week! I lost -3.2 lbs. this week, which I believe is my largest loss in a week for this trip down the trail. I have now lost officially 21 lbs. Yay!!
Thanks to Ed for finding the South Germantown Recreational Park and walking with me. That good hiking makes for great weight loss. I'm watching very carefully and constantly - aware that I need to be so careful about what I am doing and what I eat. It really requires focus.
My WW instructor commented that "Oh, you will probably make your goal if you decide to keep this up." Of course I'll make my 10% goal!! I never had any doubt about that.
What she pointed out to me, is the next step in this journey. I will have to set the ultimate goal at that point. It is so much weight to lose that I get scared every time I think about it. The way we are doing is it, first lose 10%, then set your end point goal. She realizes that I have a long way to go, so she suggested interim goals. I'm way ahead of her in my thinking....I feel so happy about the 21 lbs. gone that you would think I have reached "goal" weight already.....
I'm thinking that my next goal may be something such as a certain weight by Xmas 2008....then another goal for my birthday in June 2009.....
then weight loss will inevitably slow down, so ultimate goal by my birthday June 2010....seems so far away, but, hey, better to do it anyway.
My penultimate goal: Live the healthiest life I can. Sustain the weight loss. Live well (on many levels.)
__________________________________________________________________
Mom has been a lot of my inspiration. I watch her there in the bed and I think about how much her weight loss has helped her breath better and easier. If it helps her so much, imagine how much it will help me. She is a lot more comfortable with less weight to deal with. (That said, I know her weight loss isn't for the right reasons...etc.)
I also think about how much she smoked when I was a child. I think she smoked quite heavily for at least 40-50 years.
Then they found the abdominal aortic aneurysm.
The surgery to repair that aneurysm really diminished her quality of life, at the same time it saved her life. I have read research that indicates that this particular type on aneurysm is almost exclusively found in smokers!! I wish she hadn't smoked. I have also read about how smoking impacts the bones and contributes to osteoporosis. I think about her twice broken legs and how debilitating that was. All due to osteoporosis, made worse by smoking.
Given this, I fail to understand how all her caregivers can go out on that porch and smoke!! How can they do that?! I hate that. Its stupid. Its dumb. Its illogical!!
ok, I'm finished with my rant.
But I'm not sorry for the rant, if I had my way, I would eliminate smoking from the planet. It has hurt my Mom so much. It has stolen years of happiness from us. It seems so easy to fix, and yet I know it is not so easy to fix. Like most of what troubles us, it is complicated and complex, but that should not stop us from making progress.
That is one thing I really liked about living in California - it was largely smoke free.
Thanks to Ed for finding the South Germantown Recreational Park and walking with me. That good hiking makes for great weight loss. I'm watching very carefully and constantly - aware that I need to be so careful about what I am doing and what I eat. It really requires focus.
My WW instructor commented that "Oh, you will probably make your goal if you decide to keep this up." Of course I'll make my 10% goal!! I never had any doubt about that.
What she pointed out to me, is the next step in this journey. I will have to set the ultimate goal at that point. It is so much weight to lose that I get scared every time I think about it. The way we are doing is it, first lose 10%, then set your end point goal. She realizes that I have a long way to go, so she suggested interim goals. I'm way ahead of her in my thinking....I feel so happy about the 21 lbs. gone that you would think I have reached "goal" weight already.....
I'm thinking that my next goal may be something such as a certain weight by Xmas 2008....then another goal for my birthday in June 2009.....
then weight loss will inevitably slow down, so ultimate goal by my birthday June 2010....seems so far away, but, hey, better to do it anyway.
My penultimate goal: Live the healthiest life I can. Sustain the weight loss. Live well (on many levels.)
__________________________________________________________________
Mom has been a lot of my inspiration. I watch her there in the bed and I think about how much her weight loss has helped her breath better and easier. If it helps her so much, imagine how much it will help me. She is a lot more comfortable with less weight to deal with. (That said, I know her weight loss isn't for the right reasons...etc.)
I also think about how much she smoked when I was a child. I think she smoked quite heavily for at least 40-50 years.
Then they found the abdominal aortic aneurysm.
The surgery to repair that aneurysm really diminished her quality of life, at the same time it saved her life. I have read research that indicates that this particular type on aneurysm is almost exclusively found in smokers!! I wish she hadn't smoked. I have also read about how smoking impacts the bones and contributes to osteoporosis. I think about her twice broken legs and how debilitating that was. All due to osteoporosis, made worse by smoking.
Given this, I fail to understand how all her caregivers can go out on that porch and smoke!! How can they do that?! I hate that. Its stupid. Its dumb. Its illogical!!
ok, I'm finished with my rant.
But I'm not sorry for the rant, if I had my way, I would eliminate smoking from the planet. It has hurt my Mom so much. It has stolen years of happiness from us. It seems so easy to fix, and yet I know it is not so easy to fix. Like most of what troubles us, it is complicated and complex, but that should not stop us from making progress.
That is one thing I really liked about living in California - it was largely smoke free.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Beautiful Summer Weekend
Saturday was absolutely a wonderful beautiful day. The DC weather gods gave us a huge break and we had moderate humidity!! Yay!!
To celebrate, Ed & I found the South Germantown Recreational Park. We've lived here 3 and a half years, and have been looking for adequate places we might be able to take a decent hike. Today we managed to locate this park, and to our delight, there is a nice length of paved hiking/walking/biking trail.
This park is all that remains of the original old dairy farm on that site. Apparently, the King family owned the huge dairy farm in the mid 1800's. The park is 695 acres with 7 miles of paved trails. As a tribute to its heritage, the park houses an old dairy barn, now called the King Farm Mooseum. Very neat!
This is one of the nicest parks we have visited. There are several wonderful soccer fields, golf driving range, a terrific water play park (awesome!), an archery range, an indoor swim center, a large indoor sports complex. Lots of stuff for people to do.
Although they have a Heart Healthy trail, which is marked in 1/10th mile increments, we decided to go for a longer hike, since the nice trail was available. We selected the perimeter trail, listed at 2.5 miles. All paved, this afforded us some nice gentle ups and downs, wide trails allowed bikes to pass us without problems. We hiked a bit more than the 2.5 miles, and it took us about 1 hour 15 minutes. Awesome!!
We were able to see a lot of green space, not too many people. Wildlife was a bit scarce, we did see a squirrel, and a really awesome large soaring bird, probably a hawk of some kind. The sky was so blue with those sugary puffy clouds, we spent a bit of time watching the bird soar along, wishing we could feel like the bird. He's up there on the wind currents, with extraordinary eyesight, able to see what lies ahead for us (the biker racing toward us from beyond the next curve in the trail.) It was a lovely moment.
I think this hike/walk made my whole weekend.
We had breakfast at Bob Evans in Germantown, then dinner later at Chevy's as we were starving after the hike.
_________________________________________________________________
Sunday it was a little more humid, but still great.
We ate breakfast at home, but dinner out in Bethesda at Cafe De Lux. We tried the Australian Sea Bass, but we both thought it was not our favorite fish of recent weeks. It came with wasabi mashed potatoes and that was good.
We hiked our old standby, the Brookside Heart Healthy trail. We hiked it twice, for about an hour of activity. That was very nice, many new things blooming since we were last there. This is a paved trail as well, and much more heavily traveled. However, it is still our favorite! It affords some shade and some beautiful landscaping to enjoy as you sweat along.
Joey is in Costa Rica. Amanda is getting ready for a family vacation to Puget Sound with Fred & company.
To celebrate, Ed & I found the South Germantown Recreational Park. We've lived here 3 and a half years, and have been looking for adequate places we might be able to take a decent hike. Today we managed to locate this park, and to our delight, there is a nice length of paved hiking/walking/biking trail.
This park is all that remains of the original old dairy farm on that site. Apparently, the King family owned the huge dairy farm in the mid 1800's. The park is 695 acres with 7 miles of paved trails. As a tribute to its heritage, the park houses an old dairy barn, now called the King Farm Mooseum. Very neat!
This is one of the nicest parks we have visited. There are several wonderful soccer fields, golf driving range, a terrific water play park (awesome!), an archery range, an indoor swim center, a large indoor sports complex. Lots of stuff for people to do.
Although they have a Heart Healthy trail, which is marked in 1/10th mile increments, we decided to go for a longer hike, since the nice trail was available. We selected the perimeter trail, listed at 2.5 miles. All paved, this afforded us some nice gentle ups and downs, wide trails allowed bikes to pass us without problems. We hiked a bit more than the 2.5 miles, and it took us about 1 hour 15 minutes. Awesome!!
We were able to see a lot of green space, not too many people. Wildlife was a bit scarce, we did see a squirrel, and a really awesome large soaring bird, probably a hawk of some kind. The sky was so blue with those sugary puffy clouds, we spent a bit of time watching the bird soar along, wishing we could feel like the bird. He's up there on the wind currents, with extraordinary eyesight, able to see what lies ahead for us (the biker racing toward us from beyond the next curve in the trail.) It was a lovely moment.
I think this hike/walk made my whole weekend.
We had breakfast at Bob Evans in Germantown, then dinner later at Chevy's as we were starving after the hike.
_________________________________________________________________
Sunday it was a little more humid, but still great.
We ate breakfast at home, but dinner out in Bethesda at Cafe De Lux. We tried the Australian Sea Bass, but we both thought it was not our favorite fish of recent weeks. It came with wasabi mashed potatoes and that was good.
We hiked our old standby, the Brookside Heart Healthy trail. We hiked it twice, for about an hour of activity. That was very nice, many new things blooming since we were last there. This is a paved trail as well, and much more heavily traveled. However, it is still our favorite! It affords some shade and some beautiful landscaping to enjoy as you sweat along.
Joey is in Costa Rica. Amanda is getting ready for a family vacation to Puget Sound with Fred & company.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
How do you push "Reset" or what I will do on Vacation this August
One of the podcasts I've been listening to recently talked about hitting RESET when things get too wacked out. I think that is a neat thing to consider.
There are about a million little ways to hit your own reset button...for me,
So....in anticipation of my week off from work...I've made the following plans for fun, (r&r) Rest and Recovery or Reset and Renew?:
And yet - I'm really Jazzed about going! I love to travel, I enjoy Las Vegas and I love having time away from my work.
Just the anticipation is making me happy today!!! Yay!!
There are about a million little ways to hit your own reset button...for me,
- one way is to listen to a positive podcast;
- listen to fun music (Sister Hazel - Change Your Mind);
- relax in an environmentally pleasant restaurant with Ed; (Houstons)
- swim or play around in the pool after work;
- walk at Brookside Gardens on the Heart Healthy trail;
- read an absorbing book (River of Doubt) or (Loving Frank) anything by Elizabeth Berg also; or listen to audio book (David Sedaris - When You are Engulfed in Flames...)
- watch Wall-E;
- watch The Last Holiday with Queen Latifa;
- watch Ratatoulle;
- plan an outing to surprise Ed; (next fun date is Oct. 3rd...you'd better take that day off work Ed.)
- visit the Farmers Market in Gaithersburg (I love the Amish people, its just fun to people watch.)
- plan next outing with my kids; (Christmas 08, spring 09)
- play with my photo albums and scanner
- blog
- walk to Bethesda from my office (not very far, but nice to do.)
- sit in the library herb garden and watch the bees work
- go to Weight Watchers meeting
- call a friend
- have Ed pull off the Interstate on the bi-weekly 4 hour each way road trips...then take a walk wherever you happen to be (we've had a lot of fun with these spontaneous walks)
- shop, sometimes at the mall, other times online
- sit on my balcony
- take Metro to DC and walk to art gallery or museum (last one was free jazz evening at the National Portrait Gallery)
So....in anticipation of my week off from work...I've made the following plans for fun, (r&r) Rest and Recovery or Reset and Renew?:
- Dinner at Table 10 http://www.emerils.com/restaurant/11/Table-10/welcome
- Dinner at Delmonico's
- Dinner at Emeril's New Orleans Fish House
- Jersey Boys
- Weight Watchers meeting Tuesday in Las Vegas also....
- Pool Time....lots of pool time....(better go buy suncreen and pack a hat)
- walking the Strip...
- shopping on the Strip...
- play a slot machine....
And yet - I'm really Jazzed about going! I love to travel, I enjoy Las Vegas and I love having time away from my work.
Just the anticipation is making me happy today!!! Yay!!
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Week Eight: -2.2 lbs! Its a great day!
It was a week with challenges, but somehow it all came out to a 2.2 lb. weight loss. That is wonderful! Total to date is -17.8 and I feel GREAT!
Ed & I had treated ourselves to a Sunday Brunch at a really beautiful neighborhood restaurant in an old Victorian house nearby. http://www.blackmarketrestaurant.com/about.html http://www.blackmarketrestaurant.com/review.html It was fun and awesome, but really calorie laden. I want to be able to do these kinds of things and yet still be able to manage me weight. So, it worked this week! Yay!!! I did it by balancing lower calorie foods for other meals and trying to walk more. I went to the pool two days last week and did my stretches and a bit of water aerobics.
August is a very hectic month, with quite a few challenges ahead. I'm preparing for those challenges by doing my mental rehearsing, etc.
Joey leaves for two weeks in Costa Rico on Saturday.
Ed & I leave for Las Vegas on the 18th.
I have an important meeting on Friday that I am responsible for the technology pieces, so that is a big stressor.
I continue to worry about Mom and what will happen. I am working on taking things one day at a time.
I've told the kids I have decided to be with them at Christmas this year. I missed them terribly and cannot go through another Christmas without my family. I love Mom, but I have to see my kids. Our family unit sustains me. It was great seeing Amanda last week.
I'm doing very well at work, my boss is praising me quite a bit and working on a promotion for me. I will just keep working hard toward that goal.
Now that we have officially taken our move to California off the table, Ed has shifted his work to Silver Spring, so he is working there now. His commute is a bit longer, but he does it all on Metro. It is one hour door to door. I think he is OK with deciding to stay in Maryland.
My commute is half an hour door to door via Metro. He has nearly 20 years in with his employer, I have nearly 16.
Joey got a nice kudo, someone publicly thanked him in print for his work as a public health librarian. I love that, it was great to see that in print. We all need those kinds of things. We should remember to offer those kinds of gratitudes to others when appropriate. Makes for good karma.
Ed & I had treated ourselves to a Sunday Brunch at a really beautiful neighborhood restaurant in an old Victorian house nearby. http://www.blackmarketrestaurant.com/about.html http://www.blackmarketrestaurant.com/review.html It was fun and awesome, but really calorie laden. I want to be able to do these kinds of things and yet still be able to manage me weight. So, it worked this week! Yay!!! I did it by balancing lower calorie foods for other meals and trying to walk more. I went to the pool two days last week and did my stretches and a bit of water aerobics.
August is a very hectic month, with quite a few challenges ahead. I'm preparing for those challenges by doing my mental rehearsing, etc.
Joey leaves for two weeks in Costa Rico on Saturday.
Ed & I leave for Las Vegas on the 18th.
I have an important meeting on Friday that I am responsible for the technology pieces, so that is a big stressor.
I continue to worry about Mom and what will happen. I am working on taking things one day at a time.
I've told the kids I have decided to be with them at Christmas this year. I missed them terribly and cannot go through another Christmas without my family. I love Mom, but I have to see my kids. Our family unit sustains me. It was great seeing Amanda last week.
I'm doing very well at work, my boss is praising me quite a bit and working on a promotion for me. I will just keep working hard toward that goal.
Now that we have officially taken our move to California off the table, Ed has shifted his work to Silver Spring, so he is working there now. His commute is a bit longer, but he does it all on Metro. It is one hour door to door. I think he is OK with deciding to stay in Maryland.
My commute is half an hour door to door via Metro. He has nearly 20 years in with his employer, I have nearly 16.
Joey got a nice kudo, someone publicly thanked him in print for his work as a public health librarian. I love that, it was great to see that in print. We all need those kinds of things. We should remember to offer those kinds of gratitudes to others when appropriate. Makes for good karma.
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