Fri 31 Mar

Should be in for a nicer spate of temperatures for a bit now, mostly 50s with a few upper 40s. Looking forward to getting more of my steps outdoors. I probably have put grooves in the living room carpet from jogging or walking laps, reminiscent of the days when the kids were babies and we used to have to walk them in circles in the evenings to calm them down. Food: 7:40 am Chocolate chip danish, 100 g blackberries, coffee 12:50 pm 2 slices Omega 3 bread, .25 tbl butter, 59 g Jarlsberg cheese, 159 g strawberries 6:15 pm 2 pc fried perch, 1/2 c coleslaw, 1/2 slice buttered marble rye bread, 1/2 c fried potato wedges, 1/2 c mint chocolate chip ice cream, 2 tbl choc syrup, 12 oz porter Exercise: 8:55-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Thurs 30 Mar

It didn't snow! Still seems a bit chilly out and is predicted to remain so all day, but then up into the 50s for awhile. Needs to be cold at first so you appreciate the warmth, I guess. Kathy is better, though still a bit tenuous, so the plan is a short walk and breakfast out. We're chatting after 8 to make more definite plans. Food: 7:50 am 101 g blackberries, coffee 9:45 am Veggie omelette w/cheddar and 1/2 c hash browns, 2 slices homemade wheat toast w/strawberry jelly, coffee 12:15 pm 1 c roasted red pepper tomato soup, 1 oz tortilla chips 6:00 pm Spinach feta croissant, beets Exercise: 8:40-9:40 am Walk w/Kathy around Bukolt 10:45-11:00 am Walk home from Cozy Kitchen

Wed 29 Mar

Wednesday again. Huh. Comes around quickly every week. No other extras on the schedule this week until Saturday when we go to the comedy concert and dinner with the Hartmans. Hike last night was simply beautiful in the springlike weather. Food: 7:40 am Gibassier, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:25 pm 54 g Hillshire Farm Honey Ham, hot cross bun, 170 g strawberries 5:40 pm Ham/swiss croissant, beets, red wine Exercise: 8:55-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Tues 28 Mar

Busy day today: tutoring in the morning, Suzuki and massage this afternoon, and hopefully hiking after Bob finishes work. We're supposed to get some sunshine today, but it's not yet evident. It's also supposed to hit the mid-50s. Remains to be seen. Sunshine has arrived, and walking to/from St Steve's was lovely. Still a bit cool, but not damp and nasty like it's been. Food: 7:35 am Chocolate chip danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm 2 scrambled eggs, coffee cake, 178 g strawberries Exercise: 8:45-9:00 am Walk to St Steve's 10:05-10:20 am Walk home

Mon 27 Mar

Still pretty grey out today, but tomorrow is supposed to be 55 and sunny. Planning to hike then if the promises come true. It's amazing how quickly you get tired of the grey skies, even in the "springtime". Food: 7:45 am Cheese danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:55 am 1.95 oz Jarlsberg, 199 g strawberries, coffee cake Exercise: 8:40-8:55 am Walk to UWSP 9:00-9:55 am Pilates class 10:05-10:20 am Walk home

Sun 26 Mar

Had a nice, though brief, visit with Laura yesterday in Madison followed by the rest of our erranding and dinner at Lombardino's. Laura needs to replace her laptop computer. Yesterday we decided to give her $500 toward the purchase, but in retrospect I now want to give her the balance so I'm going to email her this morning. She's tight on money with the mortgage payments and her savings drained from the down payment. I have savings so it only seems right. Food: 8:00 am Apricot danish, 100 g blackberries, coffee 11:35 am Coffee cake, 164 g strawberries 6:35 pm Pork roast, 1/2 c mashed potatoes, 1 c asparagus

Sat 25 Mar

What a windy night. I woke once to use the bathroom and the wind chimes were practically gonging a continuous tone. They were still going strong when I woke around 6:45, and now that I attend to it, I hear them still ringing out. There certainly seems to be more windy days lately, starting at the end of our Mexico journey, but I guess March is known for being a windy month. And it continues to be windy when we went for pastries. Food: 8:40 am Jam/almond roll, 100 g blackberries, coffee

Fri 24 Mar

March is quickly disappearing already. Homemade coffee cake for breakfast helps to mitigate the various aches in my body (which hopefully the ibuprofen gel will help soon) and the broken glassware from Bob's attempt to get a glass for port last night. At least two of my glasses bit the dust in the ensuing avalanche. Hoping Body Pump isn't going to exacerbate any of the pains in back, shoulder, or hip today. It's been awhile since I've managed a three-day full week of Body Pump, so I don't know if that's the factor or whether there's other things involved. Yay! Made it through three days of Body Pump this week and I'm still walking. Food: 7:45 am Coffee cake, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:45 am Veggie frittata, hot cross bun Exercise: 8:55-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Thurs 23 Mar

Missing another walk with Kathy today as she still has that nasty cold hanging on, poor thing. She is supposed to fly out to NYC on Saturday morning, so I'm praying she is finally able to shake it. I have been so fortunate so far that the cold has come knocking but hasn't yet been admitted. I need to remain vigilant in self-care. Mary Hofer is coming for lunch today. I think I may bake a Betty Crocker coffee cake this morning and a frittata for lunch. I have plenty of eggs and some peppers, mushrooms, onions, perhaps even some avocado. Sounds good to me. Food: 7:45 am Honey bear pastry, 100 g blackberries, coffee

Wed 22 Mar

My, but I had a hard time waking up this morning! Could have so easily turned over and gone back to sleep, but it's a gym day and Bootstrap, so I have to assume that normal energy will kick in soon. At least the sun is shining, though it's bitter cold, under 20 degrees. Food: 7:50 am Chocolate croissant, 100 g blueberries, coffee 12:10 pm Hot cross bun, soy shake 6:25 pm Pork roast w/Thai red curry sauce, curried mashed sweet potatoes, beets Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body pump class

Tues 21 Mar

Spring break so no reading tutoring today. A free day to structure as I please. Perhaps more trip planning, freeze the hot cross buns while they're still quite fresh. We'll see what else presents itself. Made it through the Beginner's HIIT workout, though perhaps not quite with the best form ever. Plenty of days ahead to improve, but I need to keep doing it regularly. Food: 7:40 am Bear claw pastry, 100 g blueberries, 22 g blackberries, coffee 11:35 am Hot cross bun, large banana 1:30 pm 2 scrambled eggs w/sauteed mushrooms & onions 7:00 pm Risotto w/asparagus, oyster mushrooms, crab flakes Exercise: 9:30-9:45 am Body Coach Beginner's HIIT workout 10:30-10:55 am Jessica Smith Beginner's HIIT walking workout

Mon 20 Mar

No Pilates today, so back to 212 for Body Pump on a Monday. Probably a good thing since I missed on Friday due to the Suicide Prevention meeting. I can conceivably get all three days in this week. And hopefully we can hike tonight at Rib, since it is supposed to be a decent day today. Vern Schroth has indicated an interest in coming with us to hike Rib sometimes, though not today, as he is also going on the Grand Canyon hike with us in October. It will be nice to have another hiker along occasionally. Food: 7:40 am Apricot danish, coffee 12:15 pm Hot cross bun, 100 cal mixed berry Greek yogurt, orange Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class 5:15-7:00 pm Hiking Rib

Sun 19 Mar

I see a little sunshine out there today. Most welcome after several days of gray, damp weather. Tomorrow is supposed to be 50+ so we will try to do the first annual Rib hike after work. We did sign up for the full marathon for Walk Wisconsin so we need to start getting in shape. Not so many times skipping out of the full Rib hike, turning around at the bottom of the big hill. We need to get tough this year. Food: 8:00 am Cheese danish, 102 g blackberries, coffee

Sat 18 Mar

Yum! We have a TON of fresh pastries in our kitchen. Sixteen hot cross buns and sixteen pastries, but we are taking four of each to Michael and Taylor's for a brunch this noonish. I plan to freeze 8/12 hot cross buns for later consumption as well. But we are among the few who go out and spend $80 on pastries on a Saturday morning. Food: 8:55 am Cherry danish, 100 g blackberries, coffee 11:15 am Hot cross bun, coffee w/salted caramel Bailey's 12:30 pm Slice Irish soda bread, 2 Laughing Cow light Swiss wedges Exercise: 10:20-10:30 am Walk to Michael's 11:45-11:55 am Walk home

Fri 17 Mar

Happy St Patrick's Day! We had a great time last night at the Michele's chef dinner. Chef Thad even brought out a fresh loaf of Irish soda bread with a Roman candle in it and everyone sang Happy Birthday to Bob! Managed not to drink so much that the room spun and I don't feel too bad this morning. OMG, the Irish soda bread is wonderful! I'm having a second slice along with my version of a Shamrock shake: a vanilla soy shake with a little peppermint extract and green food coloring! Food: 7:25 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 100 g blackberries, coffee 11:30 am 144 g Irish soda bread, vanilla soy shake w/green food coloring and peppermint extract 3:00 pm 4 Bourbon biscuits Exercise: Variety of Jessica Smith miles throughout afternoon

Thurs 16 Mar

Happy Birthday, Bob! We will go out to celebrate tomorrow. Today I have a whole day to myself since Kathy's cold reasserted itself nastily so our walk was canceled. I have some energy today, so we'll see what I might choose to accomplish. So the London cabbie who had the next lounges at the Spot pool recommended YouTube videos of Joe Wicks, The Body Coach, who does HIIT videos. I watched a couple of his Ultimate Beginner videos and thought I'd try it. I went to the regular Beginner video, which was quite a bit more intense. I made it through 2 full series and the first (of 4) exercises in round 3 before crying uncle. I will work my way up and perhaps scale back into one of the more "beginner" ones first. Tried the "Ultimate Beginner" and was able to make it through that one. In a day or two, I will perhaps try a different beginner-level one to try to progress a bit further. I'm excited. I managed to get us a reservation to attend the Chef's dinner at Michele's tonight to celebrate Bob's birthday. I hope he's excited too when I'm able to tell him. Food: 7:45 am 53 g chocolate brioche, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:10 pm 1 slice Omega 3 bread, 1 tbl peanut butter, 1 tbl homemade raspberry jam, med banana Exercise: 9:05-9:25 am Joe Wicks warm up and partial beginner routine 10:05-10:50 am Joe Wicks Ultimate Beginner routine and Cool-Down stretches 1:45-2:10 pm Ellis St loop 3:20-3:40 pm Madison St loop 4:30-5:00 pm Ellis St loop

Wed 15 Mar

The Ides of March! I'm still a tad disoriented as to days of the week, a hangover from vacation. It doesn't really feel like Wednesday, though I couldn't say for sure what it does feel like. Tonight we will go to UWSP for a free dance concert in the courtyard. That twinge in my left lower back remains to taunt me. I had to go quite light on weights in body pump and had issues with position change from overhead press to dead lifts. Food: 7:40 am Pig's ear pastry, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:55 am Chili w/light sour cream & shredded cheddar, seed cake Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class 4:15-4:40 pm Ellis St loop

Tues 14 Mar

It's cold today! Only 7 degrees out this morning. Not right for Mar 14. At this rate, I'll have to wear my snow pants when Kathy and I walk on Thursday! House still smells like baking cloves from the Aunt Dimity's Seed Cake I baked yesterday. I was so full after a small piece of seed cake and a serving of Bob's homemade guacamole with chips that I couldn't even start on the pasties I had baked for dinner. I had another piece of seed cake later and called it supper and didn't at all feel hungry. Need to eat a bit more protein today though to make up for it. Food: 7:40 am Honey bear pastry, 102 g blackberries, coffee 12:15 pm 2 scrambled eggs w/sauteed mushrooms & cilantro, seed cake w/raspberry jam, 1 Laughing Cow light Swiss wedge 6:10 pm Chili w/light sour cream & shredded cheddar, seed cake Exercise: 8:50-9:00 am Walk to St Steve's 10:10-10:20 am Walk home 12:50-1:05 pm Walk to Suzuki 2:15-2:30 pm Walk home 3:40-4:05 pm Walk to library and back

Mon 13 Mar

About an inch of snow fell last night, and temps are cold enough this morning to merit wearing the fuzzy pants over the leggings to walk to Pilates. Aaah, Wisconsin. Bob's back is still stiff, and actually, so is mine. He is going to forego Pilates today, but I'm going to hope it helps. Food: 7:40 am Chocolate croissant, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:40 pm 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, med banana Exercise: 8:40-8:55 am Walk to UWSP 9:00-9:55 am Pilates class 10:10-10:25 am Walk home

Sun 12 Mar

An early morning, earlier than usual due to Daylight Savings Time. At least my bedroom clock did actually change automatically. I happened to wake up just before the change time so I could see firsthand that it went from 1:59 to 3:00 am. I believe I slept better the remainder of the night knowing I'd wake appropriately. The cell phone also made the change and that's where the alarm had been set. It will likely be quite a chilly walk to church to cantor for 8 am Mass today. I used my voice lesson to go over the music with Mary so I feel pretty well prepared. Food: 6:30 am Apricot danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:50 am 2 scrambled eggs w/sauteed mushrooms & cilantro, slice Omega 3 toast w/butter, 2 Bourbon biscuits Exercise: 7:10-7:30 am Walk to church 9:10-9:30 am Walk home

Sat 11 Mar

Ah, David's fresh pastry! What a nice way to begin a Saturday. He did not have hot cross buns again today, but he promised them in the next two weeks. Told him I will likely buy a dozen and freeze some. Also got a couple varieties of homegrown mushrooms from the next vendor that will go on a homemade pizza tonight. No plans today on a sunny Saturday. We'll see what develops. Food: 8:55 am Cheese danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:25 pm Blueberry soy shake, 57 g chocolate brioche, med banana 3:00 pm Homemade guacamole w/30 g corn chips 4:30 pm 2 chocolate truffles Exercise: 2:30-3:00 pm Walk to library and back w/Bob

Fri 10 Mar

My back is a bit stiff today, not sure why. Surely it isn't due to my bed which is very comfortable. Perhaps Body Pump was a shock to a turned-lazy body yesterday. Only weekend plans this week are getting pastries and hot cross buns from David on Saturday, cantor at 8 am Sunday, and choir Food: 7:40 am 57 g chocolate brioche, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:45 am 1 Hershey kiss 12:10 pm Macaroni and cheese, 155 g strawberries Exercise: 8:57-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Thurs 9 Mar

Starting to get re-acclimated to being at home again. Looking forward to walking with Kathy this morning. This afternoon I return my hair to its more usual color. I decided that if I ever plan to stop coloring my hair, I need to plan to spend about 6 months to a year in a tropical place where the sun will take over until the roots grow out. The top of my hair where the sun hit hardly shows any roots at all, though underneath they are definitely present. The top layer is easily 1-2 shades lighter than when I left. Food: 7:30 am Chocolate brioche, 118 g blackberries, coffee 10:30 am Dulce de leech candy 12:30 pm Macaroni and cheese, 150 g strawberries 5:45 pm Bourbon St chicken on brown jasmine rice, 1 c beets Exercise: 8:00-9:20 am Walk w/Kathy, Mead route 10:00-10:10 am Walk to Michael's 10:50-11:00 am Walk home 1:45-2:00 pm Walk to haircut 4:25-4:40 pm Walk home

Wed 8 Mar

We have safely returned from a lovely week in Mexico! Today I am trying to do an observance of Ash Wednesday since I did not do so at the all-inclusive on vacation. I feel badly about missing Mass on Sunday due to misinformation about the time of the service. We did take a taxi to Puerto Morelos for a 4 pm service that did not exist, but bad weather started to blow in and it did not seem wise to wait til 6 pm. I do not like to miss Mass on vacation. Today is very windy, and as of now, quite grey. There was a little powdery snow fallen in the night, not enough to cover the ground but a rude awakening anyway. Temps appear to be around 28 when I got up. Oooh, it's been awhile since I did Body Pump, especially with any regularity. I can feel it! Food: 8:00 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 98 g blackberries, coffee 11:30 am Strawberry/banana soy shake, slice Omega 3 toast w/butter, orange 6:40 pm Macaroni and cheese, pan fried plantains Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class