Sat 18 May

Spent yesterday evening researching what we need to do to prepare for our colonoscopies. We bought groceries we never otherwise buy to prepare for eating low-residue diet Mon-Wed. (I actually shuddered putting a loaf of refined white bread in my cart!) We can't take any ibuprofen starting yesterday and I have to stop my multivitamins with iron on Tuesday. Thursday we can only have a clear liquid diet, so I got some light-colored jello and some lemonade Italian ice as well as bottles of diet ginger ale and Minute Maid lemonade to induce some variety into the day. Thursday evening, Dad and I will spend in separate bathrooms. We had hoped to walk to the hospital for the tests on Friday and have Michael come after to pick us up, but forgot that he is flying to Oregon on Thursday. I currently have a call in to Kathy Hartman to ask if she could pick us up, with Barb K as my backup hope. Got to be someone who will come as they won't even let you walk or take public transportation home. I suppose they might allow a taxi if worst comes to worst. I actually got up and read the paper this morning. I haven't gotten back in the habit since we restarted the partial subscription which makes me feel guilty. It was good to get it done today. I used to say that no matter how many fitness videos I had done, I had never stooped to Richard Simmons. The day has come. I picked up a 20th anniversary DVD for $5 at the PCH book sale and finally tried it today. If you can get past his cheesy personality, I did work up a good sweat with the fairly continuous movement. Nothing too challenging, and it's weird to have the background people be overweight and middle-aged, but the music is familiar and you get a lot of steps in. I'm over 7000 for the day and not too many of those came from household activity. Kathy called and will be able to pick us up at the hospital on Friday. Whew! Having a leftover free lunch furnished by Jockey Corp for a foster care information day yesterday. Took a hike in Hartman Creek State Park in Waupaca. Weather was cloudy and somewhat humid, but it was nice to get out. We shared a pizza at Wheel House afterward, and by the time we finished, the sun was shining. Food: 9:00 am Laura's oatmeal w/flaxseed meal, protein powder, 1/2 c wild blueberries, soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 161 g strawberries, coffee 12:30 pm 2 slices white wheat bread, 2 tbl peanut butter, 1 tbl grape jelly, sm apple, 1 oz Sun Chips 5:15 pm About the equivalent of two slices of medium pizza - sausage, mushroom, green pepper, pineapple, thin crust, 12 oz scotch black ale, butter mint Exercise: 10:30-11:25 am Richard Simmons Oldies DVD 3:25-4:35 pm Hiking on relatively flat trail