Sun 28 Feb

February is almost history, so spring is that much closer. And Laura is that much closer to coming back to Wisconsin. I'm enjoying following your apartment search/plans through Dad.

Few more things to do at Grandma's apartment today with the bed platform and figuring out the phone situation. I'll be glad to get her settled. Hope there are no major complications as we're leaving on our vacation about a week after she moves. I'm hoping Mick will be an emergency contact for her while we're gone, with Kathy Hartman as a backup. I'll get information to you as well how to contact us while we're gone if necessary. Don't know if we'll check our email as internet service on the boat is expensive, but that is probably the best non-emergency way to keep in touch.

I have been pretty good at eating properly in preparation for the big gorge on the trip. Yesterday was not the best nutrition day, and a little over calories especially without formal workout time. It was a fairly active afternoon with the apartment, but not like an actual workout. Back to ballet this morning though.

How's the wine festival? The website sounded wonderful.


Food:

8:15 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 78 g strawberries, coffee
12:00 pm 2 crepes, 3/4 c dark sweet cherries, coffee
3:15 pm Brownie
4:00 pm 1 Dove promise
5:30 pm 122 g rotisserie chicken breast, 1/2 c Simply Potatoes country style mashed potatoes, 3/4 c green beans, 12 oz light original soy milk



Exercise:

7:10-8:00 am Brutal ballet DVD

Sat 27 Feb

Should finish today setting up Grandma's apartment for Thursday move-in. I don't think we'll take the mattress and box spring as I ordered a memory foam mattress which has already been shipped and will hopefully arrive before Thursday. I want to fashion a platform on the bed frame to provide good support. This will have the advantage of being lower for ease in getting in and out. She had trouble with the nice mattress/box spring we bought for her first apartment because she had to boost up to get in to bed.

Oakridge is planning to throw her a surprise welcoming party. People there are anxious for her to come back.

Got curtains on her windows, bed/mattress assembled and made up (although platform still needs to be done), and things generally set up. I can't find her telephone so I bought her a new one but I think I'm going to have to take it back as it doesn't seem to have speed dial features.


Food:

8:30 am Trader Joe's oatmeal, 1 tsp unpacked brown sugar, 1/2 c wild blueberries, 2 oz light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, tea
1:00 pm Sweet potato gruyere quiche, 1/4 c shredded carrot salad, 1/4 c black bean salad, 1/4 c moroccan cous cous salad, 1/2 peanut butter cookie sandwich
6:30 pm McD's Filet o Fish sandwich, small shamrock shake
7:45 pm Brownie

Fri 26 Feb

Running a little slow this morning, but did forego watching the good ice skaters to get some sleep and protect my health last night. I suspect I can catch most of the missed performances on YouTube if I really want to see them.

Felt good to do a Pilates mat after a long hiatus. I need to do it more frequently as I almost forgot what to do next a couple of times.

Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, cereal
10:30 am 1"x2" German chocolate caramel bar
11:45 am Vanilla soy shake, slice Arnold's 100% whole wheat bread, 1 tbl peanut butter, 148 g strawberries, 78 g cucumbers
12:45 pm 1 square Dove bar
5:45 pm 2 mini slices vegetable bread, 2/3 tbl butter, 8 med sauteed scallops, 1 1/2 c broccoli, salad, 1/4 c bleu cheese crumbles, 5 oz riesling





Exercise:

5:05-6:05 am Pilates mat

Thurs 25 Feb

Have to take someone to an early appointment in Wausau today, so skipped exercise this morning (I'll do it tomorrow!). Actually it's probably a good thing as my muscles are a little sore anyway. I went to bed closer to normal time last night so I actually got a full night's sleep. My iron counts are normal, so the fatigue of the last couple weeks is probably just the sleep disruption caused by excessive Olympics consumption. Time to self-limit, and it only goes on a little longer anyway.

Went to the Local Food Fair tonight. Had the free baked potato supper and paid $1 each for gourmet toppings from local restaurants. I had some awesome vegan curry with butternut squash. I had an extra ticket, so I got some of Christian's Bistro andouille sausage topping in the empty potato skin to be sure I had enough protein for the day.



Food:

6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
11:00 am 1/8 c fruit salad (grocery store sample)
12:30 pm Blueberry soy shake, slice Trader Joe's multigrain fiber toast, 1 tbl nutella, 76 g sliced cucumber with peel, 146 g strawberries
2:45 pm 100 cal Sun Chips
4:15 pm 2 pc Grandessa Irish chocolates
6:00 pm Med/large baked potato, 3/4 c butternut squash vegan curry, 3/4 c andouille sausage tomato vegetable stew

Wed 24 Feb

I have my physical this morning at 8:15 so I'm not going in to work until after. Gives me just a little extra leisure time in the morning which is appreciated. Hopefully I'll check out well.

All went well. My cholesterol numbers are all heading in the right direction and my C-reactive protein was excellent. I am going to have him check my iron to see if that might explain the recent fatigue.

Looks like Grandma may be able to move on Monday. I ordered her a memory foam mattress (not as tall as the regular one so it should be easier to get in and out of bed). She likes hospital gowns for sleeping so I found a website where I could get a dozen for $60. I picked up a loaner wheelchair from Lincoln Center, nice and lightweight.


Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
11:45 am Strawberry/banana soy shake, slice Trader Joe's multigrain fiber toast, 1 tbl lime marmalade, 98 g strawberries, 1/2 c red pepper strips, large brownie
3:00 pm Popcorn ball
5:15 pm Fortune cookie, small chocolate truffle
6:15 pm 3.4 oz wild sockeye salmon, 1/2 c mashed potatoes, 1.25 c broccoli, 12 oz light original soy milk
7:00 pm 1/2 piece peanut butter pie



Exercise:

5:15-5:55 am Jane Fonda Weights 2 video

Tues 23 Feb

Did Jane Fonda's original killer workout this morning less than 24 hours from the Kathy Smith weights so my muscles know they've been used. When I get tired during the workouts, I have to visualize how much I want to tone and strengthen the specific body part that's complaining.

What dates will you be going to Portland for Memorial Day? I haven't bought our tickets yet and it would be nice to be there at the same time as you are. Thanks for the update; I'll let you know what our plans are when we make them. For now I just want to get through spring break, then I'll start looking ahead to May.

I am getting really, really tired again, likely due to stressful work schedule again this week. Hopefully it will slow down a bit soon.

Cleaning some old leftovers out of the fridge. Hope nothing I'm deciding is okay to eat tonight will disagree later. Couldn't finish the potatoes/gravy; just didn't taste right. Opted for another brownie instead; tasted better than right.

It willl be good to have my physical tomorrow and get my lab results. I'm wondering if my iron is a little low which could be causing the fatigue this past week or two.



Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
12:45 pm Blueberry soy shake, 1 slice Trader Joe's multigrain fiber toast, 1 tbl lime marmalade, 148 g strawberries, 1/2 c red pepper strips, brownie
4:00 pm Popcorn ball
6:30 pm 4 oz sirloin tip steak, 1/4 leftover mashed potatoes, 1 tbl leftover onion gravy, 1 c (slightly old) broccoli, 12 oz light original soy milk, brownie
8:30 pm 30 g chocolate covered raisins




Exercise:

5;10-6:00 am Jane Fonda original workout video

Mon 22 Feb

I really crashed yesterday afternoon, but taking the remainder of the day to totally relax seems to have done the trick. I feel pretty much my usual self today. It felt decadent to skip morning exercises, but hey, the lab instructions said I had to! Now I feel obligated to try to fit in a workout after work, but I guess once isn't too bad.

I packed my usual breakfast foods in to-go containers so I can eat in the office when I get done with lab.

I love it! The announcer at the Olympics is talking from the commuter plane. He said they unfortunately only offered one inflight movie and it was "Snakes on a Plane", not a particularly good choice for inflight.

It's a lot harder for me to do my workout after a full day of work than early in the morning. And I hadn't done Kathy Smith 2 for awhile, so I had forgotten that it's a killer!


Food:

8:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/4 large cantaloupe, coffee
11:30 am Strawberry/banana soy shake, 148 g strawberries, 98 g red pepper strips, Trader Joe's Multigrain Fiber toast, 1 tbl lime marmalade
12:30 pm 1 pc Grandessa Irish chocolates
2:45 pm Half a large naval orange
6:15 pm 1 c whole wheat spaghetti, 3 oz ground round, 1/4 c green peppers, 1/4 c onions, 1/2 c cabernet marinara, .5 oz parmesan cheese, 2/3 c peas, 12 oz light original soy milk, brownie


Exercise:

5:00-6:00 pm Kathy Smith Weights 2 DVD

Sun 21 Feb

February is moving by fairly quickly, especially as compared to January. Sooner we're done with this winter and my sweetie comes back to Wisconsin, the happier I'll be. Hope your new job at Capital One is going better than the other one. I don't sense as much stress these days, so I'm hopeful.

The sleepies are hitting hard this afternoon; headed for a nap after logging in here.

Had a full hour nap and realized that I still need to rest up after such a long week last week. Being on call this week has also minimized the refreshing aspect of the weekend just a little, so I am just going to skip choir tonight and play hooky. I put on my pajamas at 5:15 to strengthen my resolve and am looking forward to a relaxing evening.


Food:

8:15 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/4 large cantaloupe
12:00 pm 2 eggs, 2 pc bacon, 1/5 pancakes, 1 tbl whipped butter, 1 tbl syrup, coffee
3:15 pm 2 pc Grandessa Irish chocolates
5:15 pm Small banana
6:00 pm Mexican pasta casserole, 9 oz light original soy milk
7:45 pm Brownie




Exercise:

7:10-8:00 am Brutal ballet DVD

Sat 20 Feb

Wow, I'm feeling very much refreshed after a good night's sleep. I didn't wake until 8:45 am and I was in bed a little before 10. Michael came tripping in around 2 because he's not feeling well. Thought he might have a fever and stomach isn't feeling good. He stayed over here and is still sleeping. I get to give a little TLC today!

I plan to take the day as it goes to make sure I was just overtired and overstressed and not actually getting sick myself. I need to finish bill paying and other paperwork things that have been pushed aside. I did make myself walk over to Leone's yesterday as I had forgotten to deliver Grandma's Valentine gift to her, so I don't have that on the agenda today. I would really like to get some of her things over to the new apartment to get a headstart on setting it up. As long as we have access to Michael's truck, it doesn't really matter if he's not up to helping. Dad and I should be able to manage.

I continue to feel much better, and Michael is feeling better also. He and Lon will help us with moving which should commence soon.

Got quite a few things moved in to the apartment, though its not completely ready. We didn't move the bed as I'm waiting to see if Medicare will buy her one that lifts like a hospital bed. Got a call from on-call while we were finishing up.


Food:

9:30 am Trader Joe's oatmeal, 1 tsp brown sugar, 2 oz light original soy milk, 143 g fresh pineapple
12:00 pm Blueberry soy shake, 1 slice Trader Joe's multigrain fiber toast, 1 tbl nutella, 1/4 large cantaloupe
5:30 pm 15 Trader Joe's ginger cat cookies
6:15 pm Mexican casserole (ground beef, whole wheat rotini, onion, green pepper, diced tomatoes w/garlic and roasted red pepper, seasoned salt, cumin, crushed red pepper), 12 oz light original soy milk, Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownie

Fri 19 Feb

Slept in this morning since I made all the other exercise days, but I'm still pretty wiped out from this busy week. Tonight will be a cheese fries/Olympics evening. Got to pay Grandma's bills tonight or tomorrow. Will try to start setting up her apartment tomorrow too. Fortunately there are no other commitments this weekend other than choir.

I have had better days. Today at work was non-stop and always a little behind schedule. On my last visit of the day to a brand new client in Bancroft, I realized as soon as I got out of my car that I had locked the keys inside. I had to ask this newly met person to use her phone so I could call Dad to drive to Bancroft to open the car for me. Great first impression.


Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/4 large cantaloupe, coffee
12:45 pm 2 heavily-fried potato pancakes, 1/2 tbl butter, 1 tbl sour cream, 1/4 c applesauce, 2 c coffee
6:15 pm Cheese fries, 100 g baby carrots, 183 g fresh pineapple, 12 oz light original soy milk
8:00 pm 65 g Schwan's peppermint ice cream

Thurs 18 Feb

Not feeling so great today; somewhat weak and tired. Slept almost 8 hrs last night after a wonderful massage from Mary, but muscles just feel weak today. And of course today is Lion's Camp so we'll have a long day in Rosholt. I'm not staying overnight, but I will stay through supper. I need to get back by 6:30 for my hair appt.

I am soooo tired!


Food:

7:15 am Chocolate frosted raised donut, 1/4 med cantaloupe, coffee
12:00 pm 3 oz fried spicy chicken fingers, 1/2 c baked beans, 6 oz 2% milk, 1/2 c chocolate pudding
2:30 pm 1/2 c fresh pineapple chunks, 1/4 c green pepper strips, 1/8 c fresh mushrooms, 10 mini pretzel twists
5:30 pm 4 oz meatloaf, 1/2 c whipped potatoes, 1/4 c beef gravy, 3/4 c canned green beans, small piece white cake/cherry frosting, 6 oz 2% milk



Exercise:

5:15-6:05 am Jane Fonda original advanced workout video
1:15-1:45 pm Slow walk around lake

Wed 17 Feb

Took a little extra time this morning to do the RealAge questionnaire. Haven't gotten the results yet, they're coming via email, but they asked good thoughtful questions about all aspects of health/fitness/nutrition so I'm hopeful it is meaningful.

Challenge today to stick to fast day with no snacking. I have become very accustomed to small pick-me-up snacks. I try to keep them healthy most days, though lately they've been straying into the sweets far too often. Perhaps I can use Lent to correct that trend.

Trouble with the DVD player so I had to use the one in the combo unit but I couldn't find the remote so I couldn't advance the DVD from the warmup to the workout section. Frustration!

Came out after work and the tire was flat again. Called Dad who said it would be at least 10-15 min (which often means at least half an hour), so I decided to walk home. Felt kind of good to walk a short distance again.

Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
11:45 am Bowl New England clam chowder, package oyster crackers, water
5:30 pm Trader Joe's salmon roulade, 1/2 c brown rice, 1 c fresh asparagus, 12 oz light original soy milk



Exercise:

5:15-5:25 am Warm-up for Ball/Band DVD
5:30-6:00 am Lotte Berk Muscle Burns Fat video
4:35-5:10 pm Walk home from work

Tues 16 Feb

Happy Mardi Gras! I don't have any celebration planned. Several local restaurants are doing special dinners, but we've been eating a lot of rich food lately and I just don't feel the need. My pre-Lenten celebrations started with the chocolate buffet, and continued through Valentine's weekend with dinners at the Maharajah and Bamboo House. Enuf!

Oh well, good intentions didn't make it through the day. There was a bake sale at work with Jerry's famous rum cake. There were the chocolate donuts that jumped into my hands in the grocery store and ought to be eaten fresh, etc

Just had a "no singing" lesson with Mary; she needed to talk about losing Doug, Judy's husband. They are all taking it very hard. He died of a brain aneurysm very suddenly, just went to do an estimate, stepped outside with a bad headache, and passed out. Within a couple of hours at the hospital, they declared that nothing could be done. Unimaginable.


Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/4 med cantaloupe, coffee
9:15 am Slice rum Bundt cake
11:30 am Subway 6" turkey/ham sub w/spinach, peppers, cukes, tomatoes on honey wheat
2:45 pm Chocolate frosted raised donut
3:45 pm Red velvet cupcake w/cream cheese frosting
6:15 pm Lean Cuisine Steak Tips Portabello with broccoli, 12 oz light original soy milk


Exercise:

5:15-6:05 am Legs and Thighs of Steel 2000 video

Mon 15 Feb

I meet with Marcia this afternoon to put down Grandma's deposit and plan the move-in. I am so relieved that this is really going to happen and she doesn't have to live out the rest of her life in the nursing home.

Lucky person getting President's Day off. I will be tired all week because I enjoy the Winter Olympics so I have been watching until after 10 pm, but this is not a good excuse to skip my early morning workouts. I do, however, get next Monday morning off because, oddly enough, you apparently are not supposed to exercise before fasting labs (for my annual physical).


Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/4 med cantaloupe, coffee
11:45 am Chocolate soy shake, 1/2 grapefruit, eggnog scone, Krispy Kreme donut
2:30 pm 1 Lightly Salted rice cake, 1 LifeSaver
3:30 pm Nabisco 100 calorie chocolate-covered pretzels
4:45 pm 1 pc chocolates
6:30 pm 1 c whole wheat spaghetti, 3 oz lean ground beef, 1/8 c chopped onion, 1/8 c chopped green pepper, 1/2 c cabernet marinara sauce, 12 oz light original soy milk



Exercise:

5:05-6:15 am Jane Fonda Complete video

Happy Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year

For some reason, ballet seemed harder than usual to get through today but I made it. Maybe it's a reaction to too much chocolate lately.

Hope you had fun rock climbing yesterday - I'd love to hear about it. That is one sport I know I'll never try with my arthritic big toes and weak finger grips. I'll stick to hiking - some of the higher peaks in France were as close to rock climbing as I care to get when we had to abandon poles and scramble up or down the steep parts. And the time we had to traverse the high mountain side where the path was washed away in places strained my courage.

I cantor at church this morning so Dad and Michael will pick Grandma up at PCH and bring her to church. Then we're all going to Bamboo House for lunch. We will all be thinking of you and wishing you were with us.

Had a nice time with Grandma, Dad, and Michael, and enjoyed a nice nap this afternoon.

Food:

7:15 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/4 med cantaloupe, green tea
11:15 am Small homemade cranberry scone, oatmeal cookie (at Newman coffee
12:15 pm 2 crab rangoon, small salad w/mushrooms, peppers, snap peas, broccoli, 6 med shrimp, 1/2 c hibachi shrimp, 2 pc shrimp sushi, 4 button mushrooms, small cream puff, Chinese donut, green tea
3:00 pm 2 pc Russell Stover
4:15 pm Brown Cow 0% plain Greek yogurt, 74 g baby carrots, slice beer bread, 1 tbl lime marmalade, 10 oz light original soy milk


Exercise:

6:05-6:55 am Brutal ballet DVD

Sat 13 Feb

Valentine's Day will be a bit nicer knowing Grandma is doing so much better and will finally be sprung from the old folks' home. How would you like me to send the money for the wine festival? As I mentioned before, I could order event tickets online and have them sent to you, or I can mail you a check. Grandma is giving each of us here a video worth $15, so I will also include $15 from Grandma to your amount. We are buying Michael an inexpensive $50 digital camera so he'll have it for the trip and he also gets to go out to eat, so I will send you $75 toward the festival bringing the total to $90. Let me know how you'd like me to send it.

Dad and I are driving down to Madison today to shop at TJ's and Woodman's and have a nice Valentine dinner there. We plan to eat early so we should be able to get in without reservations. We haven't decided yet where we will go once we get there. Wish you could come with us. Grandma picked Bamboo House for our Valentine dinner tomorrow when Michael will join us. We'll take her to church and go to eat at lunch time.

Happy Valentine's Day from Mom & Dad, Grandma, and REI! Hope you enjoy your rock climbing and stay safe!


Food:

9:00 am Trader Joe's oatmeal, 1 tsp brown sugar, 2 oz skim milk, 1/2 grapefruit, small truffle
9:45 am 1 pc chocolate (take-home from chocolate evening)
12:00 pm Extra large slice macaroni & cheese pizza
5:45 pm Flatbread, pepper/onion relish, lightly fried chicken pieces, lamb curry, chicken and mushrooms, dal, rice, split Asti
9:00 pm 1 pc chocolate

Fri 12 Feb

Wow, I'm glad the chocolate thing is only once a year! You really do get to the point of enough! You sit there with plenty of delicious chocolate remaining and you really don't want any more. Nice to recognize this. Usually when I limit myself voluntarily to a more reasonable portion, I feel like I always would really like more. Now I'm satisfied for a while.

I did want to get up and exercise today even though I sometimes take Fridays off. Couldn't lay in bed with all that chocolate in me and feel comfortable resting.

Well, I certainly feel much better today after Grandma's assessment visit to Oakridge. She did wonderfully and will likely move back there in a week or two. Also, a really nice larger apartment on the first floor close to the dining room is available now with twice as much space as the little studio we had selected before. It will cost her a little more, but it's definitely worth it for the extra space. I'm excited! (Wait til I remember that it means we have to move all that stuff again.)


Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c skim milk, 1/4 large cantaloupe, coffee
12:00 pm Vanilla soy shake, slice beer bread, 1 tbl lime marmalade, 1/2 grapefruit, small truffle
2:00 pm Marzipan-frosted cupcake, green tea




Exercise:

5:10-5:55 am Power Shaping DVD

Thurs 11 Feb

Tonight's the night for Chocolate Decadence - eat til ya puke! Will shoot for plenty of fruits and veggies and minimal snacks during the day.

Still feeling the tender area around the tailbone from last week's fall. Makes some exercises a bit more uncomfortable.

Why are you a gigantic dork?



Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c skim milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
12:00 pm 1 tamale, 1/2 c Mexican rice, 1/3 c refried beans, chips and salsa, water w/lemon
2:30 pm Clementine, 2 LifeSavers



Exercise:

5:10-5:50 am Crunch Pilates DVD

Wed 10 Feb

Hump day and I'm feeling a little grumpy for some unknown reason. Slept okay, have things to look forward to at the end of this week, no real reason for crankiness. I guess it just happens sometimes.

Visited a client I enjoy this morning, and she also woke up grumpy so it gave us something to laugh about. Felt better when I left.



Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/4 large cantaloupe, coffee
12:15 pm Strawberry/banana soy shake, slice beer bread, 1 tbl lime marmalade, 1/2 grapefruit, 1 pc Russell Stover
2:30 pm 100 cal Nabisco milk chocolate pretzels, lightly salted rice cake, 1 Life Saver
5:45 pm 4 oz meatloaf, 3/4 c broccoi, 3 oz sweet potato fries, 5 oz light original soy milk, 1 pc Russell Stover
7:30 pm 2 mint oreos



Exercise:

5:10-6:00 am Jane Fonda Weights 1 video

Tues 9 Feb

We're finally getting a little snow again, but I think you're still ahead of us for the year. How strange is that! You have to go to Virginia to get some real snow.

No voice lessons this week so Mary Hofer can be with Judy as she copes with the sudden loss of her husband, Roy's dad.

I think I need to start eating ultra healthy for the next day or two to prepare my body for the Evening of Chocolate Decadence fundraiser for the Epilepsy Association on Thursday evening. Yesterday I didn't eat too healthy and I always notice it now.

Snow is accumulating very slowly, Doubt if there's an inch yet.

Virginia Wine Expo sounds fantastic. I was wondering what I could do for you for Valentine's Day, so how about if you pick an event you'd like and we'll buy your ticket. I can either buy the ticket online through the link, or you can purchase it and I'll send you the money as you prefer. Just let me know which one you want. I'd be happy to contribute towards wine, but I'd also be happy to pick up an event ticket of your choice.


Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
11:45 am Chocolate soy shake, 1/4 large cantaloupe, slice beer bread, 1 tbl lime marmalade
1:15 pm McDonald's small mocha w/whipped cream
2:30 pm 3 chocolate-covered raisins (w/Grandma)
4:45 pm 1 pc Russell Stover chocolates
6:15 pm 3.7 oz meatloaf, 1/2 c mashed potatoes, 1 c broccoli, 12 oz light original soy milk

Exercise:

5:10-6:05 am Legs of Steel 2000 video

Mon 8 Feb

I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the sorrows of others (Deb Pierce's struggles with her husband's disability, James' loss of his job, and now Judy Meyer's sudden loss of her husband). Please keep all these folks in prayer and thought even as we also keep the joy of the family members enjoying the cruise in our thoughts as well. Always a balance in life.

Hope your new phone works out well for you.


Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
11:45 am Vanilla soy shake, eggnog scone, clementine, 2 Russell Stover chocolates
3:00 pm 4 iced gingerbread cookies, 1 LifeSaver
6:00 pm 2 slices Kwik Trip thin crust BBQ chicken pizza, 12 oz light original soy milk, slice peanut butter pie



Exercise:

6:05-7:00 am Jane Fonda Complete upper body, aerobics, and a bit of lower body

Sun 7 Feb

Choir practice early today for the Super Bowl devotees. Will mean having Sunday evening free for a change which is nice. We were up late with our company last night so an early bedtime is in order.

How much snow did you end up with in the great mid-Atlantic snowmageddon? Forecast looks like a little snow may be coming here over the next few days, but nothing much in accumulation.

Mary just sent an email that her brother-in-law Doug Meyer died. I wonder if this is Roy's dad?


Food:

8:30 am 1 eggnog scone, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
12:00 pm 2 eggs, 3/4 c mixed veggies, 1/2 c hash browns, 2 pc raisin toast, 2 tsp butter, 1 tbl orange marmalade, coffee
4:00 pm 2 pc Russell Stover chocolates
5:45 pm Beef bourguignon, 1/2 c roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus, 12 oz light original soy milk



Exercise:

7:15-8:05 am Brutal ballet DVD

Sat 6 Feb

Looking forward to entertaining new company tonight. Rick will bring the video he made when he went scuba diving with sharks. We'll get lots more tips on enjoying our cruise and hopefully make new friends. They are slightly older than we are; Rick is 59 though I'm not sure about Liz. They've been married 35 years and lived in a variety of places. They should be interesting folks.

Got really wiped on the treadmill today. Considered quitting after 10 min, but instead just reduced the speed for a few minutes and made it through to the end, even getting back on the regular track for part of the time. I had really been huffing and puffing so modifications were in order. I was proud that I made it to the end.

French onion soup is in the crock pot, I baked a loaf of beer bread and a package of egg nog scones, and I'm having lunch. The refund check came today for Michael's semester tuition after he dropped his classes and I was able to write my share of the balance of the credit card bill, so I'm paid up for the cruise including airfare and insurance. We will have additional expenses for shore excursions and other extras onboard, but it's relieving to know that the lion's share of the cost will be paid long before we go.

Thought I had mentioned it, but I might have been assimilating it for awhile and then forgot to bring it up. After some soul-searching, he decided he wasn't ready for school at this point in time so he dropped out. He is working with Dad most weekdays and looking for other work without success as yet. He enjoys working with Dad and is a genuine help and is learning something, so it is okay.

Wow, that sucks about Katie. I will definitely keep my ear to the ground. If she wanted to do a short school course that would get her a CNA certificate, she could almost always get a job in a hospital, nursing home, home health, etc. Wouldn't be likely to pay much more than $9/hr, but there's always work for CNAs.

Had a very fun evening with my coworker and his wife, Rick and Liz. Watched videos of his dive trips with sharks and had nice food and conversation. They brought a killer peanut butter pie for dessert.


Food:

10:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
12:30 pm Brown Cow 0% vanilla Greek yogurt, eggnog scone, clementine
3:15 pm 1 mint oreo, 1 pc English toffee
6:15 pm 1.5 c French onion soup, 1 oz shredded Swiss cheese, 1/2 slice beer bread, 1 tsp honey butter, beef bourguinon, 2/3 c roasted red potatoes, roasted asparagus, 6 oz white wine, 1/8 peanut butter pie, coffee


Exercise:

9:15-9:45 am Treadmill program 4 with some modification to easier

Fri 5 Feb

TGIF! This week has been slow to move, and it felt like Friday would never arrive.

Had a long phone call from James last night. He is having a rough time. After Jonathan left, he had another roommate for a year who had mental illness issues. This guy wanted a relationship with James and James did not have reciprocal feelings so the living arrangement ended. Apparently the other guy felt spurned, and he reported to the diocese that James was having inappropriate relations with a minor. This led to investigations, and even though the charges could not be substantiated, James ended up losing his job. His church is working with him to keep the allegations off his employment record, and they will work out a severance package with him, but it has been very difficult.

In the process of investigations, it came out that he is gay which does not go over well with the Catholic church. He also found out that sexual preference is not protected in discrimination laws in Arizona so it may prove sticky in a variety of situations. He does have a possible lead with a Lutheran church though.

He will stay in Arizona to continue work on his doctorate. Diana may move out there to live with him and help with house expenses and he may need to find one other roommate. He is sounding more positive now, but he said the last several weeks have been very difficult.

We're sending you a package with a lot of accumulated mail. Dad tracked it and apparently you weren't home at the first delivery attempt so they'll try again today. Hope they find a way to get it to you. Love you!


Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
11:30 am Chocolate soy shake, clementine, 93 g grape tomatoes, prune ponczka, 1 peanut cluster
2:30 pm Small peanut butter cookie, clementine, 1 LifeSaver
5:45 pm 10 oz Leinie's Ale, 2 pc beer-batter cod, 1/2 c cole slaw, 1 c steamed broccoli, 2 2"x4"x1/2" crustless pieces bread, dipping oil
6:30 pm Culver's hot fudge sundae w/chocolate oreo volcano ice cream

Thurs 4 Feb

Kind of fun - the Page-A-Day email edition of my 10,000 Places to See Before You Die calendar today was Stingray City in Grand Cayman where we will be snorkeling with rays in about 6 weeks. A very random reminder of fun to come.

I sent Facebook congrats to Keaton on his promotion. I know you said he was also thinking about leaving and returning to grad school. Will this change his plans?

Went to Wausau this evening to meet with a new tax accountant, so followed up with supper at the Dane. Had the yummy chicken peanut stew with a half fresh mozzarella heirloom tomato salad. Ooooh, was that yummy1

Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
11:45 am Vanilla soy shake, prune ponczka, clementine, 89 g grape tomatoes
3:30 pm Small peanut butter cookie, 1 LifeSaver
7:15 pm 12 oz nut brown ale, small bowl chicken peanut stew, small salad w/spinach, 8 cherry tomatoes, 2 fresh mozzarella wheels, beer bread roll, 1 tbl whipped honey butter




Exercise:

5:05-5:55 am Jane Fonda original advanced workout video

Wed 3 Feb

Well, I'm not suffering too badly in the aftermath of my pratfall yesterday though I'm a bit stiff. When I sat on the hard floor for stretches, I had a bad moment because I sat down leaning backwards; when I pivoted forward, I crossed the sore tailbone spot and said some less-than-ladylike words. Once past that point, it was fine. I sure would like to crawl back in bed though.

Mary Hofer and I finally went out for our birthday drink last night, a little late for her October birthday, but hey! We went to Grazie's but Mary likes ice cream drinks and they weren't really on the menu though the bartender offered to make one anyway. Mary wasn't up to a dessert martini, but spotted the regular dessert menu. She decided on tiramisu and decaf coffee, so I had the same and felt guilty with a large dessert. Sometimes you just gotta suck it up and eat socially.

Very tired today. Hope it's the short sleep and not an after-effect of the jarring fall. Will take noontime nap.



Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
11:30 am Strawberry/banana soy shake, 64 g blueberries, clementine, prune ponczka
2:45 pm Small peanut butter cookie, 1 LifeSaver, clementine
5:45 pm 1/3 Palermo Ultra Thin Crust margherita pizza, 12 oz light original soy milk
6:30 pm 2 mint Oreos
7:15 pm Jello sugar free dark chocolate raspberry pudding cup


Exercise:

5:10-5:55 am Power Shaping DVD
4:45-6:15 pm Shoveling light snow

Tues 2 Feb

A little bit of new snow today, the first in quite a while. January was relatively stingy on the snow front. Only about an inch or so today, but it make things pretty again. How much did you end up with this weekend?

Picked up a case of grapefruit from the Seventh Day Adventists yesterday. Hope they're good.

I imagine it's a bit amusing to watch the Virginians coping with snow as a foreign substance. They probably don't appreciate Wisconsin sarcasm regarding their efforts either.

Was walking through the grocery store and they brought out a freshly made batch of ponczkas so somehow a package just jumped into my cart. Ooops.

I can imagine Keaton has a few wise comments to offer to the locals on the subject. I took a spill finally today hard on my butt when the lack of traction in the soles of my shoes met the uneven slope and ice once too often. I can still feel the impact zone.


Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
12:15 pm Blueberry soy shake, 100 g blueberries, prune ponczka, clementine
2:30 pm 1 Lifesaver, clementine, small peanut butter cookie
5:30 pm 131 g pulled pork, Arnold's 100% whole wheat sandwich thin, 86 g green pepper strips, 10 oz light original soy milk
8:45 pm Tiramisu, decaf coffee



Exercise:

5:10-5:50 am Crunch Pilates DVD

Mon 1 Feb

Hello, February! Temps are still cold, but there's hope for better (at least in a couple of months). Woke up overheated in the night dreaming I had a fever - weird! A little sore today, but otherwise okay. Didn't sleep well all night though.


Food:

7:00 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee
11:45 am Chocolate soy shake, Healthy Life wheat bun, serving sloppy joes, 101 g blueberries, clementine
3:30 pm Small peanut butter cookie, clementine
6:00 pm Swiss cheese spaetzle casserole, 2/3 c green beans, 12 oz light original soy milk


Exercise:

7:00-7:55 am Kathy Smith Weights 1 DVD
2:45-2:55 pm Exercise bike resistance 10