Tues 31 Oct

Happy Halloween! I specially purchased some Halloween treats for my reading kids for today, then got an email that it was cancelled as they have an assembly. Oh well, extras for trick or treat or returns for Target. Now Bob's phone seems to have died, days after my Fitbit. At least the repair for the heater in his van is under warranty. Food: 7:55 am Chocolate pecan pinwheel pastry, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:45 am 1/2 salmon sandwich, 1 large broccoli crown Exercise: 9:30-9:45 am Jessica Smith mile 10:30-10:45 am Jessica Smith mile 11:15-11:30 am Jessica Smith mile

Mon 30 Oct

Tomorrow is Halloween already! Fall hits the accelerator. Trick-or-treaters will be coming Tuesday evening so we shouldn't have any conflicts to be home to hand out treats. The Ecumenical program is done as of yesterday afternoon, and it turned out to be quite a nice program. My voice was extremely shot by the end of the day, with cantoring at 8 am, rehearsal at 12:30, performance at 2:00 and choir practice at 4:00. I was fairly exhausted at the end of the day. Food: 7:45 am Pumpkin danish, 99 g blackberries, coffee Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Sun 29 Oct

Fitbit catastrophe yesterday. I realized I was getting about half credit for the amount of steps I should have been getting. I decided to take the silicone cover off to see if that was causing a problem and discovered that the Fitbit underneath was partially broken. Bob was willing to buy me a new Fitbit since cash is a bit short of late for me, so we picked up a blue Charge 2 from Target. When I set it up, it deducted about 3000 steps from what I had managed to accumulate, but if it works from here on in, I'll be satisfied. Much singing on the agenda today: cantor for 8:00 am Mass; Ecumenical choir performance rehearse at 12:30, perform at 2:00; regular choir practice at 4:00. Food: 6:35 am Cherry danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:50 am Slice Omega 3 bread, 55 g black forest turkey, 45 g Deglet Noor dates Exercise: 7:10-7:30 am Walk to church 9:05-9:25 am Walk home

Sat 28 Oct

Chilly walk to the Farmer's Market for the last outdoor market of the season today. The winter market starts up already next week at Redeemer. Felt sorry for the remaining vendors toughing it out this week in the cold. David was up in Wausau so he had a young man taking care of business here. Food: 9:15 am Pumpkin cinnamon roll, 99 g blackberries, coffee Exercise: 8:20-9:10 am Walk to Farmer's Market and back

Fri 27 Oct

Had a very nice evening dinner with Michael and Taylor yesterday. They seemed to genuinely enjoy the food and the company, as did we. Found a nice B&B in Amsterdam and booked in for 4 nights post cruise. We each have to give Viking $100 to change the flights but that should be it. The B&B is just over $400 so it's considerably cheaper this way than Viking's offered fancy hotel extension, and we get to choose a cooler funky lodging and the length of our own stay. Now to research things to do in Amsterdam! And on that note, I picked up 4 travel books from the library and placed a hold on the 2017 Rick Steves guide! Food: 8:00 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:40 pm Chicken alfredo pasta w/peas & tomatoes, sm pc garlic bread, apple crisp Exercise: 9:05-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Thurs 26 Oct

The month is nearly gone already, as is the year quickly waning. I don't know why it sometimes surprises me every year. Had a really nice late-season hike at Rib yesterday evening. The sun appeared unexpectedly in the late afternoon, making a beautiful evening. Food: 7:20 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 102 g blackberries, coffee

Wed 25 Oct

Fireplace feels good in the morning again today. We've been using it on and off over the last few days to take the chill out, but I still can't run it more than an hour or so without getting too warm. That, unfortunately, will change before too long. Mary did wonders with my massage yesterday, getting the wonkiness out of my hip so I could walk straight again. I was even able to put my left leg up on the windowsill to stretch again this morning! Food: 7:55 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 102 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm Pumpkin soup, 2 pc light string cheese, cranberry orange muffin Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Tues 24 Oct

I have my second Learn for Life with my anagrammatic kids today; hope I don't forget by 10:30! Massage at 2:30, and the remainder of the day to fill as I choose. Nice. Food: 7:50 am Chocolate plum pinwheel pastry, 102 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm Slice Omega 3 toast w/butter & cider jelly, Friendly Farms pumpkin pie Greek yogurt, med banana 5:55 pm 1 1/2 c pumpkin soup, 2 cranberry orange muffins, apple lavender hard cider Exercise: 9:30-9:50 am Jessica Smith Power Interval mile

Mon 23 Oct

My left hip is wonky this morning, at least a little. Going to have to try to get a Pilates mat in soon to see if that helps. Gotta get cracking on wine procurement as well this week. A dachshund got his mouth around the side of my knee on an afternoon walk today, but fortunately his owner yanked him back before he could bite down. Food: 7:55 am Pumpkin cinnamon roll, 97 g blackberries, coffee 12:30 pm 1 c roasted vegetable barley soup, 1 slice Omega 3 toast w/butter, Nestle Fat Free cocoa, 2 pc light string cheese 6:15 pm Arby's venison sandwich, 1/3 c coleslaw Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Sun 22 Oct

Looks potentially rainy this morning so we'll probably have to drive to church so I can cantor this morning. Two-hour rehearsal yesterday evening for ecumenical choir, so we went to Watchman for curry instead of coming home to cook at 7 pm. Today we watch Brett Huntley captain the Packers in Aaron's absence, then regular choir rehearsal at 4 pm. Food: 8:05 am Pumpkin danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:30 am Cashew ginger chickpea curry, 2 sm pc naan

Sat 21 Oct

How better to celebrate Sweetest Day than with one of David's yummy pastries! We plan to spend one of the possibly last warm, sunny days of the year hiking at High Cliffs State Park, but we have to be back by 5:00 for Ecumenical Choir rehearsal at SPASH. So much for going out to eat and possibly a Costco run. Well, an unpredicted early thunderstorm changed the hiking plans, so instead we booked a Viking River cruise for late May, 2018 on the Rhine river! Later the weather did clear so we walked to Schmeeckle this afternoon, but we felt like we raced the new clouds home. Ecumenical choir practice 5-7 pm so we opted to go to Watchman's for cashew ginger curry Food: 9:00 am Blackberry danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:50 pm 2 scrambled eggs, slice Omega 3 toast w/butter 4:30 pm 2 pc light string cheese 7:15 pm Cashew ginger chickpea curry, 2 sm pc naan, 12 oz O'So Night Rain Exercise: 8:05-8:55 am Walk to Farmer's Market and back 2:30-3:45 pm Walk to Schmeeckle w/Bob

Fri 20 Oct

My Fitbit did a weird today; it just shut down at 8:43 pm last night and was dark this morning til I punched the button several times. Then it came back on where it had left off, so all morning steps today just counted on to yesterday. It got back on today's time when I synced with the phone, but so far I've only got credit for 40 steps that I got putting dishes away and making my breakfast. Oh well, at least it's still working. Food: 7:15 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 102 g blackberries, coffee 11:50 am Slice Omega 3 bread, 52 g Lunch Mate black forest turkey, med banana

Thurs 19 Oct

As I lay in bed last night to fall asleep, after having read a book where the protagonist is kidnapped onto a Moorish ship and at times kept in a stinking hold with little food, water, and fresh air and no opportunity to wash, I reviewed the things I am so accustomed to as to consider them natural: clean sheets, comfortable bed, opportunity to wash every day, clean clothes, adequate (and moreso!) food and water, opportunity to exercise, no fear that a wrong word may cause someone to cut off a part of my body... It is good sometimes to muse on our great good fortune and pray for others who may be deprived of any part of it. Food: 7:20 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 102 g blackberries, coffee 11:35 am 1 slice Omega 3 bread, 56 g Lunch Mate black forest turkey, 63 g raspberries, 63 g grape tomatoes 3:45 pm 2 pc light string cheese, 3 sugar crackers 5:15 pm Butternut squash casserole w/broccoli Exercise: 8:00-9:35 am Walk w/Kathy

Wed 18 Oct

Had a nice autumn hike at Rib last night. Sad to think that the end of Daylight Savings Time will soon end evening hiking. We hope to get somewhere up north this weekend, likely one of the American Legion trails north of Minocqua. Hopefully we'll catch some good color before it's gone for the year. Food: 7:55 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 100 g blackberries, coffee 12:40 pm Steel cut oats w/1/3 c blueberries, soy milk, flaxseed meal, 60 g raspberries, soy shake, Spruce veggie powder Exercise: 9:05-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Tues 17 Oct

Sunshine and mild temps predicted for the remainder of the week. We're going to try to hike tonight, and I plan to ask Patrick to come do Pilates on Wed if possible. Best to get everything working again as soon as possible. Used some of my Aches & Pains massage oil after shower this morning on my legs as they have occasional a&p going on throughout day and night as they recover. The oil has good essential oils aimed at helping and it feels nice so far. Food: 7:50 am Morning bun, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:53 pm 1 c TJ's pumpkin soup, 1 slice Omega 3 bread, butter, 1 oz Jarlsberg, 101 g raspberries Exercise: 10:20-10:30 am Walk to Jefferson School 11:45-11:55 am Walk home 1:15-1:30 pm Walk to haircut 3:45-4:00 pm Walk home

Mon 16 Oct

Time to get back into the swing of things. Need to buckle down on securing wine for Suzuki especially. Laundry is done thankfully, and unfortunately Aaron Rodgers is probably out for the season with a broken collarbone. Should be interesting getting back to the gym today. Food: 7:55 am Chocolate chip danish, 99 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm 2 scrambled eggs, 1 slice Omega 3 toast w/butter & cider jelly, med peach Exercise: 9:05-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Sun 15 Oct

Weird to leave on vacation while it's still September and return on Oct 15, late at night. Weather outside is grey skies and drizzly and it looks like a totally different season. Wonderful vacation with many different landscapes from those we are used to, great hikes, good food, nice places to stay. Now it's time to buckle down to get wine for Suzuki, work on losing some of this excess weight I have allowed to accumulate over the past couple of years. Food: 8:25 am Chocolate chip danish, 99 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm Med peach, 99 g raspberries 1:30 pm 2 pc light string cheese 2:15 pm Carob/goji etc. crunch bar 7:00 pm Crock pot pork 3-4 oz, 1/2 c mashed sweet potato, 1/2 c carrots Exercise: 9:40-10:00 am Walk to church 11:10-11:30 am Walk home