Wed 31 Jul

Hard to get up and get motivated this morning. I notice that Dad slept late so he must have been similarly affected. I was glad I got up and exercised, but I had to push myself. Food: 6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light vanilla soy milk, 102 g blueberries, 142 g strawberries, coffee 11:45 am Blueberry soy shake, Fit & Active wrap, 2 slices turkey, 1 slice Jarlsberg lite, 2 sm lettuce leaves, peach, 4 sm cherry tomatoes, 7 raspberries from bush 12:45 pm 1 pc dark chocolate angel food candy 2:45 pm 100 cal pack Snapeas 5:45 pm 125 g roasted fresh veggie ravioli, 1/2 c arrabiata sauce, 1 tbl shredded parmesan, fresh greens salad, 1/2 med tomato, 4 slices cucumber, 12 oz skim milk Exercise: 4:50-5:40 am Kristi Yamaguchi workout DVD 6:15-7:15 pm Walk with Dad

Tues 30 Jul

Grandma is 95 today. Was able to arrange for the lift van to pick her up at 4 and bring her to Christian's for 4:15 pm. Their last pickup time of the day is 5:30, so it will give us a little over an hour to eat so hopefully she won't have to rush her birthday meal. Now I just have to make sure I am in Plover in time to be there when she arrives so she doesn't have to sit there by herself awhile. I am giving her a purple cardigan and 3 four-packs of individual serving pickles. I also found a couple of pair of her old screw-back earrings as they like to put jewelry on her but her pierced ears have closed up. I will try to pick up a bouquet of flowers from the Farmer's Market and a mylar balloon as well. Busy day. Clients in crisis and/or behaving badly. Rush to pick up all the needed items. Met Grandma at the restaurant - she got there first, then Bob, then me, then Michael. She was quiet during dinner but I believe she enjoyed herself. The cab for her only cost $2! Home by 6:15 and exhausted already, but still need about 1000 steps for the day. Food: 6:45 am Laura's oatmeal w/flaxseed meal, protein powder, 1/2 c Door Co cherries, soy milk, 102 g blueberries, coffee 12:00 pm Strawberry/banana soy shake, slice Fit & Active Flatbread, 2 slices turkey, slice Jarlsberg lite, peach 4:45 pm Large wagyu beef burger w/ground Nueske bacon & cheddar cheese, sweet potato fries, glass white burgundy, bites of everyone else's desserts (creme brûlée, rhubarb crisp and candied bacon brownie(Grandma's choice)) Exercise: 4:50-5:45 am Cardio Dance DVD 6:45-7:30 pm Walk with Dad

Mon 29 Jul

Tomorrow is Grandma's 95th birthday and she has decided she would like to go out to dinner instead of eating in. Hopefully Plover Taxi will be able to provide transportation in the evening so we can take her to Christian's Bistro for dinner to celebrate. I thought that paying her van cost so she could get out for fun would be a nice gift. Maybe for Christmas I'll consider prepaying for several trips so she can get out once a month. Made a restaurant-type salad tonight by grilling some farmer's market beets, candying walnuts, and topping with goat cheese. Yum! Food: 6:45 am Peach coffee cake, 140 g strawberries, 104 g blueberries, coffee 10:45 am 1/8 c tamari almonds 12:30 pm Peach soy shake, slice Loven 12 grain bread, 1 tbl creamy PB, med banana, 2 oz light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 tsp sugar 6:15 pm 2.7 oz extra lean ground beef, onion bun, 2.5 cherry tomatoes, 1 tbl grated asiago, fresh lettuce/kale, 1/4 c candied walnuts, 4 small grilled beet halves, 1/2 tbl chèvre, 12 o skim milk Exercise: 4:50-6:00 am Jane Fonda Complete Workout video 1:30-2:00 pm Walk with client 6:45-8:15 pm Walk with Dad to Schmeeckle

Sun 28 Jul

Looking ahead to the week, temps are supposed to be in the 70s all week. Whereas it's nice not to be uncomfortable and sweaty, and I've appreciated the break from the long hot spell along with everyone else, I'm ready for things to get at least back into the 80s. However no one consults me on these things. I have beautiful Door Co cherries in my garage fridge. Not too many, just one bucketful. Enough for a crisp and maybe some oatmeal add-ins now and to freeze for a couple of crisps in the winter. Just enough. Picking was wonderful, with the accompanying opportunity to scarf down fresh cherries from the trees. We had a really wonderful day yesterday. We got the natural bug dope I wanted from the Farmer's Market, really enjoyed the presentation by Alison Arngrim and Dean Butler from Little House at Heritage Hill. We had a FANTASTIC brunch at Chateau De Pere - I had smoked salmon crepes w/a touch of cream cheese dill sauce and we shared a delectable tarte tatin for dessert. We drove to Door Co, struck out on Piggly Wiggly scones as the summer crowds were out in full force today, but enjoyed picking cherries. We had dinner at Trio which I wanted to do because they are rarely open during the times of year we usually get to Door Co. After Sebastian's marvelous cooking for lunch, dinner was a slight letdown, but still quite good. I had lamb shank with lentils. We took a very nice hour and a quarter walk in the hills above the Newport Resort before the long ride home. Walked to and from church at St. Stan's today - a combined Mass with Newman to kick off their church picnic. Stayed for the chicken dinner which wasn't bad. Dropped $4 on the cherry tree and bought some used books and an unopened season of videos from America's Test Kitchen. Ooooh, I got a nap this afternoon, as long as I wanted. It turned out I wanted about an hour and a half. Yes, I'm a little groggy in the aftermath, but it was very nice. Every time I cook from the Cook's Illustrated cookbook, I am very happy with the results. Tonight I grilled some shrimp that I had bought quite awhile ago and frozen. I thawed them Friday but we then decided to hike and eat at the Dane, so I grilled them tonight and made a chili/lime sauce. This was a slight variation from their suggestion of using lemon, but I had a lime and I didn't have a lemon in the house. The shrimp and sauce were delicious and went well with the leftover veggie pasta. Food: 8:00 am Peach coffee, cake, 104 g blueberries, 132 g strawberries, coffee 11:15 am Drumstick/thigh, 1/3 c dressing, 1/3 c mashed potatoes, 2 tbl chicken gravy, 1/2 c cole slaw, 1/2 c corn, small piece spice cake 12:30 pm 1 Tootsie Roll Midgee 4:00 pm 1 dark chocolate sea salt caramel 5:30 pm 5 large grilled shrimp w/chili lime sauce, 1/2 c Fit & Active whole wheat penne w/veggies, 12 oz skim milk Exercise: 6:00-6:50 am Ballet DVD 6:50-7:25 am Cardio Dance DVD 9:30-9:45 am Walk to St. Stan's 12:30-12:45 pm Walk home 7:15-8:00 pm Short walk with Dad

Sat 27 Jul

Getting ready to head out to Green Bay soon. Not always great to have to get up early on a Saturday, but we want to pack a lot in to today. Farmer's Market, Little House days, Door Co. Busy day! Hope it doesn't rain as I accidentally left my rain jacket hanging on the back of my office door. Food: 6:30 am Peach coffee cake, large peach, 101 g blueberries, coffee

Fri 26 Jul

Been a while since the skies were so grey in the morning. Not sure how the day will play out. Might be nice to hike at Rib tonight if it clears or at least doesn't rain, but we need the rain so it's hard to complain. Need to get up early tomorrow to get to the Farmer's Market in Green Bay before the 10 am opening of Little House Days at Heritage Hill. Want to pick up some of the organic bug spray sold by a man at the market. It's less chemical smelling so I don't mind if I have to spray it all over my head and even on my face. I'm almost out and it would be nice to take some along to Glacier, etc. Under-motivated afternoon, but looks positive for a hike so the day is not lost. Food: 6:45 am 74 g peach coffee cake, 162 g strawberries, 44 g blackberries, 66 g blueberries, coffee 11:30 am Vanilla soy shake, blueberry scone, peach 2:45 pm 100 cal pack Snapeas Exercise: 4:50-5:45 am Step DVD

Thurs 25 Jul

Nice long break of cooler weather to recharge after the extended heat/humidity of last week. Wisconsin summers are sure an up-and-down cycle of readjustment to new temperature ranges. Shouldn't have looked in the Dunkin' Donuts box on the counter in the break room. Could have resisted a whole donut, but someone had left half of the cinnamon sugared donut and it called my name. Busy times after work. Decided to go ahead and bake a White Gull Inn peach coffee cake so I can take some of it to work tomorrow for a treat for my 35th anniversary at PCHHS. After I finally got it in the oven with just enough time (hopefully) to get done before our 6:30 meeting at Newman, I mad a quick homemade pasta primavera and consumed some for dinner. As soon as the coffee cake comes out of the oven, we need to be out the door. Much ado about nothing. Got to the Newman Center and there was no one there. Apparently we had erroneous information about the date/time. Food: 6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light original soy milk, med peach, 101 g blackberries, coffee 9:30 am 1/2 Dunkin Donuts cinnamon sugar cake donut 12:30 pm Peach soy shake, blueberry scone, plum, apricot 6:00 pm 1 c whole wheat penne pasta, 1/2 c sauteed veggies (zucchini, red pepper, onion, mushrooms, fresh herbs), 1/8 c shredded parmesan, 12 oz skim milk Exercise: 4:50-5:45 am Jane Fonda Fat Burners video

Wed 24 Jul

Morning didn't start off great. Icky centipede on the futon while I was sitting there to get dressed for workout. Tongue of shoe attacked my foot during first part of workout. Didn't feel the first choice of video was right, so switched after a few minutes. Hopefully the rest of the day will fall into place more easily. Hoping to hike after work to enjoy the beautiful weather, and I have an early morning walk scheduled with a client. Nice benny, I was up to almost my full 10,000 steps for the day after my walk with my client. Food: 6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 97 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm Strawberry/vanilla soy shake, blueberry scone, apricot, plum 1:00 pm Milky Way miniature 2:45 pm 100 cal pack Snapeas 6:30 pm 4.25 oz extra lean burger, 1 tbl shredded asiago, onion bun, 2 sm slices fresh tomato, 2/3 c sauteed zucchini, 12 oz skim milk, jello sugar free chocolate pudding cup Exercise: 4:50-4:55 am Coach Nicole's warm-up 5:00-5:50 am The Firm Bootcamp DVD 8:15-9:00 am Walk with client

Tues 23 Jul

Running a tad behind schedule today. Wanted to quickly shave my legs this morning as I was a little embarrassed at Pilates last week when Joan came by to stretch my leg and I realized it was a bit furry. I shaved the next day, but I can see fur again already today. It grows faster this time of year. Nice to have only a 4-day work week ahead. Saturday we'll drive to Green Bay for Little House days and maybe get some fresh cherries in Door Co. Third day in a row with duck on the menu: Sunday duck confit at Sardine, Monday lunch duck burger w/duck bacon at Quivey's, today almond duck fingers on a salad at Water St Grille (birthday lunch). Many ducks have died for my pleasure. Food: 7:00 am Morning bun, 1/2 grapefruit, 99 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm Iceberg lettuce salad, 3 oz almond crusted duck fingers, 1 tbl craisins, 1/4 c slivered almonds, 1/8 c mandarin oranges, 1/2 breadstick, small square jello cake 3:00 pm Small half-piece of chocolate cake-like bar 7:30 pm 3 oz grilled chicken, 1 tbl peanut sauce, 1/2 tbl toasted coconut, med peach, 135 g strawberries, 12 oz skim milk Exercise: 4:50-6:00 am Jane Fonda Complete Workout video 5:00-5:20 pm Walk to Pilates 5:30-6:45 pm Joan's Pilates class 6:55-7:15 pm Walk home

Mon 22 Jul

Dad did not feel very well today - upset digestive system. He was able to do breakfast, errands, and lunch at Quivey's, but it was obvious he wasn't on top of his game. We opted to just come home after the last of the errands, arriving around 4 pm. He's currently over looking at Rich's van. We decided to turn on the A/C for awhile as it is stuffy here. If Dad isn't up for it, I'll go for a solo walk later. Food: 8:00 am Scrambled eggs w/shredded cheese & salsa, bowl oatmeal w/brown sugar, raisins, & toasted oats, teeny bit of Cocoa Puffs w/milk, OJ, banana, coffee 12:15 pm Melon/berry salad w/basil dressing, duck burger w/duck bacon on ciabatta roll, few steak fries, small scoop of coffee/Godiva ice cream w/drizzle of fudge sauce & whipped cream 3:30 pm 7 Maria cookie wafers 6:45 pm 11 mini TJ whole wheat crackers, soft ramp chèvre, apricot, plum Exercise: 6:00-6:40 pm Walk with Dad (he felt better)

Sun 21 Jul

I compromised on getting up too early to exercise before coming down to Madison. I got up at 5:30 and just did the half hour cardio dance DVD that offers more steps and cardio, skipping the ballet for toning. A La Baguette raisin pastry was a delightful breakfast addition. I wasn't entirely happy about having to deal with the mega-centipede before exercising. Food: 6:45 am Raisin pastry, peach, 106 g blueberries, coffee Exercise: 6:00-6:30 am Cardio Dance DVD

Sat 20 Jul

Nice long 10-hour sleep, but the last hour was less than satisfying. Dad noticed that I was cuddling in to my blanket (which felt wonderful to me) and thought I was cold, so he turned off the fan that was blowing the lovely cooler air across the bed. It quickly became much less comfortable so that I had to throw off all covers and really couldn't settle back to comfortable sleep. Then I was quite annoyed that after half an hour of this, he got up. I could have put the fan back at that point, but it was only half an hour from the time I usually get up on Saturday so I didn't want to settle back into deep and comfortable sleep just before I should be getting up. The end result was getting up at 7 am in a less-than-happy mood. It's slowly settling, but not the greatest way to start the day. Day has improved. Walked to the Farmer's Market to buy some goodies. Clouds moved in before the walk home, but not as yet seriously threatening the clothes on the line. Lunch is a decadent combo of soy shake, local blackberries, half a raisin almond caramel tart from La Baguette, and a little piece of Amish rhubarb crisp. Hey, it has 3 kinds of fruit, must be a healthy lunch! Did Eucharist minister at a Newman wedding this afternoon where about 80-85% of the guests weren't Catholic. Tom was a bit frustrated because no one knew the responses or sang except the handful of Newman "plants" who were helping with Mass duties. Grandma was looking good today. Stopped for ice cream on the way home. Will go for a hike at Mead Wildlife before eating leftover chicken with peanut sauce for dinner. Food: 7:30 am Morning bun, 1/2 grapefruit, 102 g blueberries, coffee 11:30 am Vanilla soy shake, 84 g blackberries, 1/2 nut caramel tart, 1"x3" piece rhubarb crisp 4:15 pm Junior King Cone cup: 1/2 c grasshopper oreo, 1/2 c Zanzibar chocolate 8:00 pm 3 oz leftover bouef bourgignon, 1/4 c leftover potatoes, 2 c watermelon chunks, rhubarb crisp, 12 oz skim milk Exercise: 10:05-11:00 am Walk to and around Farmer's Market and home 6:15-7:45 pm Hike at Mead Wildlife Preserve

Fri 19 Jul

My Friday breakfast client is in the hospital this week so I had a normal breakfast at home. Dad and I just observed that the sound of rain is very pleasant after a long dry spell. After 5 straight gray days, not so much. Glad the earth and plants are getting a drink of fresh water today. Got to meet Michael's new girlfriend, Taylor. I approve. She seems bright and pleasant. I had thought Michael and Taylor were coming for dinner and didn't get the text that they had been invited to a show tonight, so I made chicken peanut marinade right after work. They didn't eat with us, but can't say I minded having one of my favorite dishes for dinner. Food: 6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 105 g blueberries, coffee 11:30 am Blueberry soy shake, blueberry scone, 1 grilled chicken drumstick (cold), peach 4:00 pm 100 cal pack Snapeas 5:45 pm 6 oz black sangria, 6 crackers w/chevre 6:30 pm 4 oz chicken breast in peanut sauce w/toasted coconut, 2/3 c sauteed french beans Exercise: 4:50-5:40 am The Firm Maximum Cardio DVD 7:00-8:10 pm Walk with Dad

Thurs 18 Jul

Somewhat sleepy this morning. I think I was drifting back down to a deeper stage of sleep when the alarm went off. That always makes it harder to wake up, a process which can last for hours in spite of exercise, shower, breakfast, etc. It doesn't help know that today is an intake morning which means I'll be in my office for hours except for brief sojourns around the building. I did wake up - yay! Morning was the right balance of busy, but not too. Had a piece of Linda Pallen's retirement cake this afternoon. Everyone agreed it was the best cake they've ever had. Gonna grill up a bunch of chicken drumsticks with tandoori seasoning. Made a bit of fresh raita. Leftovers should be good cold over the next couple of days. Oooooh, they were yummy. So simple to shake the tandoori seasoning onto skinned drumsticks and just grill. I put a little raita directly on the meat with each bite which left a delightfully cool sensation in the mouth. Now to Belt's for fresh raspberry sundae to complete the meal. Never did a raspberry/hot fudge sundae hit the spot more than tonight! Food: 6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 108 g blueberries, coffee 12:30 pm Strawberry/banana soy shake, blueberry scone, peach 2:00 pm Small piece chocolate cake w/whipped cream frosting 5:45 pm 2 grilled drumsticks, 2 tbl raita 6:45 pm 1 c vanilla soft serve, 2/3 c raspberries, hot fudge Exercise: 4:50-5:45 am Cardio Dance DVD 6:30-6:45 pm Walk to Belt's

Wed 17 Jul

Very sweaty morning exercising again. I'm so grateful for the fan that Dad mounted on the wall to move the air around down there. Used to be even more miserable when the air was stagnant and sweaty; now it's just sweaty. Maybe today I won't have a client who wants to go for a walk in the hottest part of the afternoon. I'd prefer to wait until the cooler part of the evening. Hoping there is a cool part of the evening soon. I'd like to take a walk, but it's still pretty hot. Dad is not inclined to venture out if it doesn't cool significantly. Got the A/C fixed this afternoon, and it is working hard but slowly to cool the house. Food: 6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 106 g blueberries, coffee 11:45 am Smoothie w/1 peach, 1/2 lg banana, 1/2 c 0% plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 c almond milk, blueberry scone 12:45 pm 1 dark chocolate sea salt caramel 3:15 pm 100 cal pack Snapeas 6:15 pm 4.75 oz pan-fried perch w/cornmeal, salad w/garden greens, 1/2 small tomato, 4 slices cucumber, 1/2 c Bush's Grillin' Beans, 12 oz skim milk Exercise: 4:50-5:40 am The Firm Bootcamp DVD 10:45-10:55 am Brief walk

Tues 16 Jul

Woke up in the wee hours this morning dreaming about being the last person left (e.g. The Stand). For some reason, I was in Madison, so I had to go into stores to gather the things I would need. Apparently I had no problems getting in to these stores, and there were no dead bodies around to complicate things. I went to REI and chose survival things like a backpack, tent, basic clothes for whatever weather, a good bike, etc.) Then I found a house that suited me, made trips to Brennan's and pushed shopping carts back with cases of apples, oranges, and grapefruit, veggies that hadn't spoiled, cheeses in wax, crackers and granola, dried meats, a little wine, juice, and beer, and lots of bottled water. I figured out how to dig trenches in a field behind the house to dispose of waste. The thing I missed most was showers. It was quite the complete project which actually turned into a waking dream for the remainder of the night. Remains to be seen if I'm really tired later on because I wasn't sleeping for a significant portion of the late night. Wasn't tired today so the "dreaming" must have been as restful as actual sleeping. Interesting. Made a light, cool supper tonight for a hot evening. (A/C turned on, pooped out shortly thereafter.) Food: 6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 104 g blueberries, coffee 12:00 pm Chicken breast, 1 oz swiss cheese, grilled mushrooms, grilled onions, potato chips, 1 bite chocolate cake 4:00 pm 1 Kopiko coffee candy 7:15 pm 1/2 pkg spicy tuna (2 1/4 oz), mixed garden lettuce & herbs, 1/2 med tomato, 5 slices cucumber, large peach, berry sangria Exercise: 4:45-5:20 am Cardio Salsa DVD 5:20-5:50 am Kickboxing DVD 5:30-6:45 pm Joan's Pilates class

Mon 15 Jul

Wow! Half the summer is already gone. But it really has been a lovely summer so far, with lots of good things planned for the second half. Can't complain. Michael was here for part of lunch and wanted a lesson on how to use the Vitamix to make a smoothie. I illustrated by making us a peach banana yogurt smoothie to share, but I gave Dad half of my half because I was going to eat my leftover half grilled cheese as well. Food: 6:45 am Chocolate kringle square, 1/2 grapefruit, 105 g blueberries, coffee 12:00 pm Smoothie w/1/2 peach, 1/4 med banana, kale, mint, 1/4 c plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 c skim milk, 1/2 grilled cheese on hearty multigrain bread w/bacon & lettuce, small iced cranberry orange scone 2:15 pm 100 cal pack Snapeas 7:00 pm Pulled pork sandwich, 1 c green beans, 4 oz crystalweizen 8:15 pm Mint ice cream sandwich Exercise: 4:50-6:00 am Jane Fonda Complete Workout video 5:40-6:40 pm Hiking part of Rib

Sun 14 Jul

Looks like another lovely day, though I believe the temperatures/humidity are supposed to be heading up to less comfortable territory soon. Might have to turn on the A/C this week if it gets too bad. The fan in the bedroom last night was very adequate, and we have the oscillating fan on a stand going in the dining room today. So far, so good. I'm enjoying the opportunity to wear summer clothes for variety. This was an absolutely fabulous mini-weekend getaway. We got to leave earlier than expected on Friday afternoon which was a bonus for me. We checked in to the simply lovely Chateau De Pere and had some extra time. We drove down to look for a nearby winery but they were only open for tours/tasting on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. We drove to Heritage Hill State Historical Park because the chef said he thought they might be having some kind of wine/beer tasting. (It had happened the night before.) Heritage Hill is one of those parks where they have costumed folks re-enacting historical daily activities, but they were just about to close. We learned, however, that they are having Laura Ingalls Wilder days on June 27-28 and they will have the actors who played Almanzo and Nellie present for the festivities. We plan to drive back for just the day on Sat 27 Jul as we would enjoy this. They expect to have extra demonstrations and activities available as they do expect a crowd. We returned to the hotel and went for a nice walk on the Fox River Trail, pretty much right outside the hotel. We returned around 5 pm and cracked the bottle of champagne that came with the room. Our dinner reservations were at 6:30, and the dinner was phenomenal! The sauce on my mussels was heavenly, and the beef bourgignon was amazing. I had a chocolate lava cake for dessert and dad had profiteroles so we shared. Breakfast featured little individual quiches that had been baked the night before. You unwrapped them and popped them in the microwave for a minute, and they were amazingly fluffy and tasted just-baked. Well seasoned with fresh herbs - delightful! There were some croissants that were not particularly fresh, but that was the only lesser quality thing. Juice was Minute Maid in bottles in a cooler, and they also had ample bottled Dasani so we took extras for the day. They also had a bowl of fresh fruit available. We walked to the nearby bakery after checking out, but it was nothing special. We drove up to the farmer's market and cruised the booths for about an hour, getting some fresh beets and french beans. We had an hour to kill before lunch, so we parked at St Brendan's and walked the Fox River Trail from their end for an hour to work up our appetites and get some steps on the Fitbits. Lunch was the restaurant week offering from St Brendan's on the sunny deck (with umbrellas) with the river view and a beautiful breeze to accompany excellent food. We had a great salad with strawberries, candied cashews, cubed cheddar and a mild viniagrette on mixed greens, an awesome grilled cheese with bacon, lettuce, tomato on very hearty bread, homemade sweet potato chips, and dessert was their most excellent rhubarb crisp! We ate well! After lunch, we drove up to Door County in continuing abundant sunshine. We stopped at Piggly Wiggly in Sister Bay so I could get some scones for lunches this week, then drove to Newport Park for a very nice 2 hr 20 min hike. They even gave us a deal for half price on our park sticker since I told them we had just bought our sticker before we got a new car so Michael inherited a new park sticker when he bought the Matrix. We had the Europe Bay trail pretty much to ourselves, so we ended up with over 20,000 steps on the day. Driving back through Sister Bay, I spotted the Door Co Creamery store. The chef at Chateau De Pere had showed us a newspaper article about the cheesemaker here who makes most excellent chèvre. We were able to talk with this guy directly and he was very knowledgeable and friendly. He suggested he could make us a tasting plate to enjoy at the tables outside with a glass of wine. We didn't need another large meal, so this sounded perfect. What a cap to a lovely weekend to enjoy first-class cheeses and charcuterie in the late afternoon/evening sunshine with pinot noir and the house doggie and very cute toddler providing entertainment. We had excellent gelato for dessert as the icing on the cake. (I had fig/roasted almond gelato - the best I ever had!) Don't worry about using data this month. Odds are you won't use the full allocation for your plan as none of us have come close, even when using more heavily. Have fun! Am marinating large portobello halves to grill tonight. Found the recipe in Cook's Illustrated, of course. Earned some extra calories with my walk. Ice cream sandwich, here I come! Food: 8:45 am Chocolate croissant, 1/2 grapefruit, 107 g blueberries, coffee 11:45 am Frosted sm cranberry scone, large peach, 11 TJ's mini 12 grain crackers, 1 oz ramp chèvre 6:00 pm 6 oz black sangria, large marinated portobello cap, leaf kale, onion bun, 3/4 c sauteed haricot verts 8:15 pm Mint ice cream sandwich Exercise: 6:50-7:40 am Ballet DVD 7:40-8:15 am Cardio dance DVD 7:00-8:00 pm Walk with Dad

Sat 13 Jul

Another gorgeous day to enjoy! I love it when we get weather like this when we have time to get out to be in it. We will walk around De Pere after breakfast and then drive up to the Green Bay farmers market before lunch on the deck at St Brendan's. then a drive to Door County, maybe a little hike, check for ripe cherries...

Fri 12 Jul

I see from AT&T that you have activated your new phone (which implies that it arrived intact). Hope you enjoy it and it works well for you. Michael's has also arrived, but he is out of town so it is still in its "some assembly required" state. I'm excited to try the Chateau De Pere tonight, a new discovery on Living Social. We had planned to do the overnight at St Brendan's in Green Bay and drive to Door Co tomorrow just to get there once in the summer, but then this special came up just before I made the reservations. We get the room and breakfast with a bottle of champagne for $89.99 and it includes a $25 voucher to their French restaurant for dinner. In poking around the Internet last night, I discovered that Green Bay is in the midst of their first-ever restaurant week and our restaurant is participating so we should get an excellent meal. I'm hoping they put forth their very best for the first effort at restaurant week. I had felt a little badly about missing out on St Brendan's as I enjoy their food and their patio in summer, but they are also participating for lunch and have an excellent menu (with some of our favorite desserts!). I also discovered an excellent European bakery in De Pere that appears quite close to our hotel, so after our breakfast, we will walk around downtown De Pere for a bit, stock up on some good bakery to bring home, and maybe drive into Green Bay and cruise their Farmer's Market which should be in full swing by now. St Brendan's opens for lunch at 11:30, so we will have an early lunch and then drive to Door Co for the afternoon/evening. Weather is supposed to be good, so it should be good times. I swatted a quite large centipede on the wall with the flyswatter, but he didn't look dead so I flicked him, intending to stomp on him to finish the deed. He got caught in a spider web on the way down, so I may have given the spider a feast. I don't think he was initially dead, but he was thoroughly caught and looked dried up by the time I finished my exercise. Food: 6:45 am 1/2 grapefruit, 107 g blueberries, coffee 8:15 am 2 slices French toast, 1 pat butter, 1/2 tbl pancake syrup, coffee 11:45 am Peach soy shake, slice Sara Lee 100% whole wheat bread, 2 slices turkey, slice Jarlsberg lite, lettuce leaf, peach Exercise: 4:50-5:10 am Kick DVD 5:10-5:45 am Bootcamp DVD

Thurs 11 Jul

Having a little trouble coming fully awake this morning. I'm so used to getting my full 8 hours that a 7-hour night is a little off-putting. Shouldn't be, since 7-8 hours is the range of ideal sleep. Probably just psychological. Oh well, peaches come today so there's something to look forward to. I've been getting pop-up ads for mother of the bride dresses lately. Is there something I should know? I was feeling frustrated that my scale popped up 2 pounds today, given that I did eat a bit more than I should have when famished after hiking last night. However, I have probably peed it all out this morning in multiple trips to the bathroom. My bladder has been most active. Food: 6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 103 g blackberries, coffee 12:30 pm Blueberry soy shake, slice Sara Lee 100% whole wheat bread, 2 slices turkey, slice Jarlsberg lite, large lettuce leaf, 102 g blueberries 4:15 pm 100 cal pack Snapeas 6:00 pm 4 oz grilled salmon filet, 1 tsp teriyaki baste & glaze sauce, 6 spears grilled asparagus, 1/2 c grilled potatoes/mushrooms/onions, 1 tsp olive oil, 12 oz skim milk 6:30 pm 5 oz strawberry blush wine Exercise: 4:50-5:45 am Cardio Dance DVD

Wed 10 Jul

This morning seems to be flying by more quickly than usual. Maybe because I felt the need to shave my legs since it's the season to wear shorts, capris, skirts, etc. and they were getting visibly fuzzy already. We didn't make it through the no-restaurant week. It was a perfect day to hike at Rib, but I was hungry when we left and we didn't get off the mountain til 7:45 pm. I knew I would have no energy to cook a decent meal when we got home, so we gave in and went to the Dane. Food never tasted so good! Food: 6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:15 pm Peach soy shake, slice Sara Lee 100% whole wheat bread, 2 slices turkey, slice Jarlsberg lite, large lettuce leaf, med banana, 2 oz skim milk, 1 tsp sugar 3:00 pm 100 cal pack Snapeas 6:30 pm Fit & Active pomegranate fruit strip 8:00 pm 9 oz Saison beer, 7 oz lean hamburger on large bun w/tomato, lettuce, 2 pickle slices, ketchup, 6 fried plantains Exercise: 4:50-5:45 am Kristi Yamaguchi workout DVD 10:55-11:15 am Walk near work 5:35-7:45 pm Hiking Rib Mt plus tower

Tues 9 Jul

Went retro to Jane Fonda aerobics today to take a short break from the cardio dance DVDs so I don't get tired of them. Tonight we start another 4-week stint of Joan's Pilates class. It's not very active cardio, but she excels at helping you find your deep core muscles. Her classes are thoughtful, but you definitely feel soreness the next day, just in unusual deep places within. Have to break the no-restaurant plan again this noon because we have a birthday lunch scheduled for Sue, the nurse. Trying a new Mexican place in Plover; I've heard good things so now I can test it for myself. Sue also pointed out that it is right across the street from King Cone. I remember other years she wanted to get ice cream after her birthday lunch, so I expect that is also on the agenda. Food: 6:45 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm Chips/salsa, 1 tamale w/thin red sauce, 1/2 c beans w/thin shredded cheese, 1/2 c Mexican rice 12:45 pm 1 c (junior size) black cherry ice cream w/berries & chocolate flake 7:50 pm Small strawberry scone, 2 slices turkey, 174 g strawberries, 12 oz skim milk Exercise: 4:50-5:35 am Jane Fonda Low Impact Aerobics video 5:30-6:45 pm Joan's Pilates class 7:00-7:45 pm Walk around neighborhood

Mon 8 Jul

Nice to smell rain this morning along with the thunder boomers. I was a little concerned that we might get a power outage while I was trying to exercise with a video in the basement or when I needed to dry my hair after showering. Some of the lightning was pretty close, but nothing took out the power. Food: 7:00 am Morning bun, 1/2 grapefruit, 102 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm Strawberry/banana soy shake, slice Sara Lee 100% whole wheat bread, 2 slices turkey, slice Jarlsberg lite, lge lettuce leaf, nectarine 3:15 pm 1/8 c tamari roasted organic almonds 5:30 pm 1 1/2 c watermelon chunks 5:45 pm 1 c Costco vegetarian lasagna, salad w/fresh garden greens, 1/2 small tomato, 1/2 large mushroom, 12 oz skim milk 6:15 pm Mint ice cream sandwich Exercise: 4:45-5:55 am Jane Fonda Complete Workout 7:00-8:10 pm Walk with Dad in neighborhood

Sun 7 Jul

Seems just a little harder to motivate when it's cloudy outside. Sunshine gives me an extra boost of energy that I miss on cloudy days. Sigh. It is nice that today is another weekend day. With Thurs being a holiday, this weekend seems long even though I did go in to work on Friday. We might go back out to Mead Wildlife Preserve today if the weather is good to try a different trail. Continuing with our no-restaurant week, we came home for breakfast after church. Made myself a 2-egg omelet with some garden spinach, kale, chives, and cherry tomatoes and a little asiago just for fun. Muy deliciosa! Cheated just a bit on the eating out thing, in that we stopped for ice cream at King Cone after visiting Grandma. Somehow ice cream in the middle of an almost-90 degree summer afternoon seems less than decadent. I know, justification. Food: 8:30 am 1 c Trader Joe's multigrain flaxseed cereal, 1/2 c light vanilla soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:30 pm 2 eggs, 1/4 c spinach/kale/chives, 2 cherry tomatoes, .45 oz asiago cheese, 141 g strawberries 2:45 pm Junior cup of huckleberry ice cream w/chocolate flakes 6:00 pm 4.3 oz grilled sirloin, 5 spears grilled asparagus, 1/2 c grilled potatoes/onions/mushrooms, 1 tsp olive oil, 5 oz strawberry blush wine Exercise: 6:50-7:40 am Ballet DVD 7:40-8:15 am Cardio Dance DVD 6:30-7:40 pm Walk w/Dad to Schmeeckle and back

Sat 6 Jul

Felt like Sunday this morning when I woke up, so close on the heels of the 4th of July holiday day. Feels somewhat decadent to know I have two whole days off before returning to work. No real plans this weekend other than the usual laundry, visit Grandma. I do have to do Eucharist coordination at church tomorrow, but that doesn't really entail extra time. Took most of the morning to put together the complete itinerary for our August trip, including all reservations for lodging, meals, and other activities, driving directions, and notes on what has been prepaid. Job well done. Hanging clothes on the line for the first time this season. Weather and schedule conflicts have been prohibitive before today. Feels good and green. I am extremely proud of myself. After our long walk in the Mead Wildlife Preserve, I was very hungry and wanted Rocky's Pizza but we have promised to try to go restaurant-free for a week. I had planned to grill Costco frozen salmon burgers at home, and put together a fresh salad from our green and growing things, and I managed to hold out for the healthy. Food: 7:30 am Laura's oatmeal w/flaxseed meal, protein powder, 1/2 c blueberries, soy milk, 1/2 grapefruit, 102 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm Slice Sara Lee 100% whole wheat bread, 2 slices turkey, 1 slice Jarlsberg, large lettuce leaf, 142 g strawberries, 1/2 pkg blackberry pomegranate drink mix 2:00 pm 2 c watermelon chunks 7:15 pm Salmon burger, multigrain sandwich thin, 1 tbl mango peach salsa, 1 c freshly grown mixed lettuce, spinach, kale, basil, & parsley, 1/2 small fresh grown tomato, 12 oz skim milk, mint ice cream sandwich Exercise: 4:50-6:35 pm Walk along flat paths in Mead Wildlife Preserve

Fri 5 Jul

Difficult to get up this morning in spite of 8 hrs sleep. Guess I enjoyed it too much being able to wake up naturally yesterday. I don't feel too bad, though, because tomorrow is Saturday with no commitments so I can sleep in again then. Realized that I have to break the commitment to stay out of restaurants til next weekend because I always go to breakfast at JoJo's with my client on Friday mornings for our weekly meeting. Not fair to ask her to skip the breakfast just because of my attempt to break the habit. And it would be rude of me not to eat with her; clients get a little uncomfortable when I have done that in the past. I just get two eggs and toast so it's not a huge thing and it isn't a bit budget drain which was the real purpose of cutting back. Decided to use leftover lamb roast to make savory crepes, added steamed asparagus. Yum! And a glass of strawberry blush wine. Before you assume we have switched from real wine to the Arbor Mist genre, understand that this is a grape wine infused with strawberries at the finish which is surprisingly refreshing and like real wine. It is a delicious summer wine, perhaps not serious but enjoyable. Food: 6:45 am 1/2 grapefruit, 102 g blackberries, coffee 8:15 am 2 eggs over easy, 2 slices homemade wheat toast w/butter, 1.5 pkg marmalade, coffee 11:45 am Smoothie w/1/2 peach soy shake, 1/2 80 cal lemon yogurt, 1/2 sm banana, 1/2 nectarine, 32.5 g strawberries, kale 2:30 pm 100 cal pack Snapea Crisps 5:00 pm 1/2 pkg blackberry pomegranate drink mix 6:30 pm 2 crepes, 2.5 oz roast lamb, 4 spears asparagus, 5 oz strawberry blush wine, 1/2 crepe, 1/8 c blueberries 8:15 pm Fit N Active mint ice cream sandwich Exercise: 4:50-5:25 am Cardio Salsa DVD 5:25-5:45 am Reggae dance DVD 9:15-10:00 am Walk with client

Thurs 4 Jul

Happy Independence Day! It is such a joy to be able to just wake up naturally when your body feels like it's had enough sleep. We have decided to try going from now until Fri 12 Jul without going out to eat at all. We have a large credit card bill to pay off with most of the charges from the upcoming August vacation (airfare, several hotels with prepaid charges). We are going for one night next weekend to DePere to a little hotel I found on Living Social with a great sounding French restaurant. The voucher was only $89 and includes the room, breakfast (they said they make individual mini-quiches!), a bottle of champagne, and $25 toward dinner in the restaurant. The menu has enough lower-priced choices that we could do dinner without spending a great deal over the voucher if we choose, but even if we order full dinner entrees, we wouldn't be too pricey with the voucher. We will drive into Door County on Saturday just to spend a little time there, maybe squeeze in a short hike. We had planned to do something similar, staying at St Brendan's in Green Bay, but this voucher allows us to try a new place nearby. It is apparently in the same hotel group as St Brendan's which speaks well for it. It is called Chateau De Pere. This morning's baked goods are leftovers purloined from the Washington House Inn. Still delicious! Oh, the joy of sitting in sunshine in my chaise lounger with a cool drink, a cookie, and time to enjoy the sun and breeze! Summer at its finest. Also a perfect day for hiking. We went out just before 4 pm to do our Rib hike, then came home to a lamb roast with veggies ready in the crock pot. This has been a very good day. Food: 7:30 am Regular-size cappucino chocolate chip muffin, small strawberry scone, 1/2 grapefruit, 102 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm Slice 12 grain bread, 2 slices turkey, slice Jarlsberg lite, large lettuce leaf, 67 g fresh grown tomato, nectarine 12:30 pm Lime margarita sugar free drink mix, 1 snickerdoodle cookie 6:45 pm 4.3 oz lamb roast, 1/2 c potatoes, 1/2 c carrots/parsnips, 6 oz Black Bavarian ale, 6 oz skim milk, 1/2 c Stoneridge peppermint cookies & cream ice cream Exercise: 1:20-2:20 pm Coach Nicole Bootcamp workouts 3:45-5:50 pm Hiking Rib Mt plus tower

Wed 3 Jul

Nice to know tomorrow is a day off for the holiday. No real plans as Dad needs to help with some necessary repairs at Grandma's house. Work again on Friday, so we're not going anywhere (for a change). Sue called while I was cooking supper and reminded me that I had a 5:30 hair appointment. It was 5:40 at the time. Luckily she's a good sport and I live really close. Food: 6:45 am Gibassier, 1/2 grapefruit, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:45 am Strawberry/banana soy shake, slice 12 grain bread, 2 slices turkey, slice Jarlsberg lite, large lettuce leaf, nectarine 12:30 pm 1 dark chocolate sea salt caramel 5:00 pm 3 oz rose (last of bottle), snickerdoodle cookie 8:00 pm Amylu chicken burger, multigrain sandwich thin, 1 tbl mango peach salsa, 3/4 c pea pods sauteed in olive oil, 12 oz skim milk Exercise: 4:50-5:45 am Cardio Dance DVD

Tues 2 Jul

Back at home for awhile. Nice work week with only three days due to the holiday on top of our extended weekend. It was cool enough this morning to pull the quilt up for the last hour. Visited Grandma this evening. She looks well. Food: 6:45 am 106 g gibassier, 1/2 grapefruit, 102 g blackberries, coffee 11:30 am Med cinnamon sugar croissant, peach soy shake, nectarine 2:15 pm 100 cal pack Snapea Crisps 5:15 pm 5 oz white wine, small blueberry scone 7:40 pm 2 slices Jarlsberg lite, 2 c watermelon chunks Exercise: 4:45-5:55 am Jane Fonda Complete Workout video 5:30-5:55 pm Brisk neighborhood walk

Mon 1 Jul

Charlie and Mary had a beautiful day for a beautiful wedding. We shared a table at the reception with Gregg and Kathy Hansel, Tom and Sharon Flugaur, Deb and Jim Weishan. Food was very good, wine was plentiful, and the dancing was active and mucho fun. Breakfast this morning was once again spectacular. Will do some bumming today before heading home. Weather looks gorgeous again. Finally scored on getting lunch at Le Reve in Wauwautosa. Had a glass of my Vouvray chenin blanc from Loire Valley with 2 crepes with portabella mushrooms in truffle oil w/spinach. Dessert was tarte au citron. Yummers! Hiked Rib Mt this evening when we got back, but once again had to cut it short because of rain and thunder. Food: 7:15 am. Egg strata, coffee cake, few bites pound cake, strawberry scone w/strawberry butter, raspberry filled bread, granola w/blueberries, fruit salad, OJ, coffee 12:30 pm 5 oz chenin blanc, 2 small crepes, portabellas in truffle oil, spinach, fresh green salad w/viniagrette, tarte au citron 7:15 pm 3 half sliders (1 chicken, 1 pulled pork, 1 beef brisket - from Atlas BBQ), 2 c watermelon chunks