Wed 31 Oct

Happy Halloween! Trick or Treaters should come this evening from 5-9 so I need to get some chili or soup going as soon as I get home from Bootstrap to be ready to eat. Last night, we got our final evening hike of the season at Rib last night in mild weather. We always miss the evening hikes once Daylight Savings changes and it's just dark after work. We can and do often walk around town, but it's not the same. Food: 7:50 am Morning bun, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:35 pm 65 g raisin challah, 57 g honey smoked ham, clementine Exercise: 9:05-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Tues 30 Oct

Going to do a pay-as-you-go lesson with Mary Hofer today to work on the O Holy Night verse in French so I can audition for the choir solo if it sounds good. Would be good French practice and make some use of the work I've been doing. Food: 8:00 am Blueberry danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:05 pm 1/2 Costco pumpkin streusel muffin, 2 pc string cheese, med banana 3:00 pm 1/2 slice pumpkin cake 7:30 pm Homemade Aldi crust pizza Exercise: 9:20-9:30 am Walk to Jefferson 10:30-10:40 am Walk home 5:10-6:10 pm Hiking Rib

Mon 29 Oct

Got to watch much of the Packer game on TV after choir, and they played very well at times even if they did lose due to a fumble at the two-minute warning. It was so nice to see it on a bigger screen and be able to get some running steps in while still paying attention to the game. Food: 7:50 am Chocolate chip danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Sun 28 Oct

Made a lovely spontaneous trip to Madison yesterday for a Costco/Woodman's run and lunch at Hubbard Ave Diner. Really enjoyed the CWACT performance of Mary Poppins last night. Saw Barb Towey there who confirmed that the movie came first and inspired the stage play. There were some unfamiliar songs which I didn't appreciate as much as the familiar ones, and a few different plot items, but it was very nice indeed and well-performed. Made for a very nice Saturday. Food: 8:15 am Pecan danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:45 am Shrimp mushroom risotto, mandarin Exercise: 9:10-9:30 am Walk to church 11:10-11:30 am Walk home

Sat 27 Oct

This would have been Trick or Treat weekend when our kids were little, but in the last several years, the city has returned to scheduling it on actual Halloween evening. We would have likely gone to the annual Halloween party at Candy and John's if they were still living in the area. I rather miss that party; it was fun. Much milder walk to Farmer's Market this week than last week, but still no David. Got some leeks and red onions from Whitefeather Organics, but only a few vendors were there. Next week, we will be indoors again and hopefully better attended. Food: 9:00 am Bob's 8 grain hot cereal, 1/2 apple, 101 g blackberries, coffee Exercise: 8:20-8:50 am Walk to Farmer's Market and back

Fri 26 Oct

Had a weird dream in which I was railing against Kathy Pelky's mom who was hired as an attorney to show that CSP services were unnecessary and should be discontinued. This would then free up budget money so a group of middle management people would no longer feel threat for their jobs. I was really up on a soap box. Certainly made sure I was awake when it was time to get up. Broke my sugar fast today. Food: 6:45 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:50 am 2 scrambled eggs, 44 g raisin challah 2:45 pm 3 c kettle corn 3:45 pm Wine gums 6:25 pm Crab mushroom risotto, homemade applesauce Exercise: 8:00-8:35 am Barre class 8:35-8:45 am Foam rolling 8:55-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Thurs 25 Oct

Kathy's not feeling well today, so I guess I'm on my own for walking this morning. I'll probably wait a little later to start out. Gotta do a Pilates mat sometime today also. And if Bob can get free at the end of the day, it should be nice for a hike at Rib. Food: 7:15 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:40 pm 2 hard boiled eggs, 39 g raw carrots, 55 g raisin challah 3:30 pm 40 g dates 7:00 pm 2 chicken drumsticks, 1/2 c quick cook brown rice w/toasted almonds and golden raisins, 1/3 c sautéed parsnips Exercise: 8:55-10:20 am Walk around Schmeeckle 4:40-5:55 pm Hike Rib

Wed 24 Oct

Looking forward to lunch with Bill, Linda, Deb, and Elaine at Watchman's Gone this noon. Started out as a lunch date with Bill to talk about our travels, but it's always nice to get a group of the oldsters together. Will make for a busy day. Food: 7:50 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:20 am Crab chowder w/trout roe, salad, bleu cheese dressing 4:20 pm 38 g raisin challah 5:30 pm 5 oz riesling, sushi Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Tues 23 Oct

Not sure why I feel so tired lately. Didn't sleep particularly well last night, but not awful. Just feeling a little dozen. I voted today, among a steady trickle of others. And I completed the Ballet DVD and a nice long walk. Food: 8:00 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:25 pm 39 g raisin challah, 56 g honey ham 2:00 pm 1 pc string cheese 6:05 pm 2 chicken drumsticks, 1/2 c mashed potatoes, 1/2 c broccoli Exercise: 2:00-2:45 pm Ballet DVD

Mon 22 Oct

Should be nice mild fall temperatures today, and I believe through most of the week. Hope to get out and enjoy some long walks. Food: 7:50 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Sun 21 Oct

Muscles are sore from the Moon Walk, but we made it through with less struggle at the end than I sometimes remember. Weather was kind to us; we dressed sufficiently for the cool temps and the wind finally died down before we had to turn around and face into it. Attendance was way down due to the Brewers game (which they apparently lost), but it made for nice solitude on much of the walk. We broke down and ordered a new oven yesterday. I am getting my dual oven stove! We're tired of this one getting so very hot, and a bug crawled into the line for the back burned so Bob had to find and extract it to even get it to light. I'm excited about the new one coming in a few weeks. Muscles benefited from the walk to church this morning, active recovery. Food: 6:30 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 9:55 am Bob's 8 grain cereal, 1/2 apple, soy milk, tea Exercise: 7:10-7:30 am Walk to church 9:10-9:30 am Walk home

Sat 20 Oct

Windy and cool this morning, quite a change from the 50°+ temps of the last couple of days. We walk 12 miles this evening for Moon Walk; could be chilly! But this morning, we walk to the Farmer's Market for pastries so the end justifies the means. Sigh! No David today, but we did get mushrooms and fresh eggs. And a walk. So we're settling down to Bob's hot cereal and bacon instead. Food: 9:05 am Bob's 8-grain cereal, 1/2 apple, 2 slices bacon, soy milk Exercise: 8:05-8:35 am Walk to Farmer's Market and back

Fri 19 Oct

Beautiful evening for a hike at Rib yesterday, and I was wiped from a combination of 22,000 steps on the day and DOMS from Tuesday's ballet plus Pilates in the afternoon, so we did the Dane for dinner. Felt so good to sit down and be waited on. Have to miss my Barre class this morning for the Suicide Prevention meeting. I think I missed the meeting last month as it was likely the Friday right after we returned from vacation and I didn't write it on the calendar. Don't dare space it out again. Sorry to miss Barre, though. Food: 6:50 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:45 am 3 sm pcs French toast w/Panera cranberry walnut bread & 1 egg, butter, cinnamon sugar Exercise: 7:40-8:00 am Walk to St Mike's 8:55-9:15 am Walk home 10:20-10:50 am Jessica Smith Stepping Strength YouTube

Thurs 18 Oct

Had a lovely spontaneous dinner at Michael and Taylor's last night. Haven't spent time with them in far too long. Found out that Taylor now has Friday and Saturday evenings off on a regular basis; last night was free due to a coworker trade. Now I can plan to have them over sometime soon. Kathy is getting their living room carpet taken up today so we're walking around 8:30, giving me the chance to sleep closer to my normal time. Nice. Food: 7:30 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:15 am 1 c kettle corn 12:25 pm Slice Panera cranberry walnut bread, butter, 24 g Jarlsberg Exercise: 8:50-10:15 am Walk w/Kathy (Bukolt small loop)

Wed 17 Oct

I volunteer at the flu shot clinic at HHS this morning, so no gym. I did get out my Brutal Ballet DVD yesterday, but I only made it about halfway before my legs were turning to quivering jelly and I deemed it best to try again next week. I'll have to find a way to fit in more steps today, especially if Bootstrap isn't busy. I don't get to move around much at the clinic. Food: 6:30 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Tues 16 Oct

Trying to adjust to cool temperatures again, but haven't quite made the transition. Wish I could speed it up so I could enjoy that the weather is nicer now than it will be in a month or two. Food: 7:50 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 1:25 pm Slice Omega 3 bread, butter, 24 g cheddar, med apple w/cinnamon sugar 3:30 pm 3 c kettle corn 6:10 pm Honey mustard chicken breast, roasted beets, roasted purple potatoes Exercise: 9:15-9:25 am Walk to Jefferson 10:35-10:45 am Walk home 10:55-11:25 am Walk to library and back

Mon 15 Oct

Brrr! Weather is chilly again, though of course nothing like it will get in a couple of months from now. We had snow yesterday, enough that the ground is still white on the lawns. Too soon. Food: 7:50 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Sun 14 Oct

My former husband will be 67 today, I believe. Hope he is doing well, wherever he is. Had a lovely overnight excursion to Audubon Inn, with a very nice steak dinner, delicious Bananas Foster and a beignet for dessert, and a nice hike at Horicon on Saturday. The day started sunny and lovely when we walked to breakfast, but by the time we left the hotel, the clouds had returned for most of the day. At least it didn't rain. The Horicon Visitor Center had an archaeology event going on with some exhibits, a food stand wit the most wonderful wild rice vegetable soup, an Indian fry bread stand which we took advantage of after our hike. We stopped at Appleton Costco on the way home and did some shopping, including a new faucet for the bathroom which Bob will install when he has all his tools together. Packers don't play til Monday night, so except for church and choir practice, we have the remainder of the day free. I do have one load of laundry I didn't finish on Friday. Food: 8:35 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 102 g blackberries, coffee Exercise: 9:10-9:30 am Walk to church 11:10-11:30 am Walk home

Fri 12 Oct

Today we go to Mayville to the Audubon Inn for a delicious Farm-to-Table dinner and an overnight at the Inn. Tomorrow we hopefully hike at Horicon before coming home. It will be chilly, but hopefully no rain and even partly sunny. We will miss David's pastries this week, but oh well. Food: 6:50 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 1:15 pm 2 hard boiled eggs, apple cider donut Exercise: 8:00-8:30 am Barre class 8:50-9:20 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Thurs 11 Oct

Last night when I took out my contact, I apparently had something on my finger that immediately and tremendously irritated my eye as I pulled on the edge to pop the contact. My eye got totally red and hurt like heck. The contact came out easily so I cleaned it as usual and put it away, and the eye settled over the next 10 minutes or so, but OWWWW! Looking forward to walking with Kathy today after a long hiatus. Last week was a mixup due to Dale's mom's funeral on Thursday and confusion over time on Friday. The cold front seems to have passed through in the night, so the temps are now under 40° but at least it's not raining for a change. Kathy and I were joined at the far end of the Mead loop for the last bit and quite a ways back down the road by a stray cat. Kathy wasn't too comfortable with it, but it was a sweet, friendly cat that was probably just very hungry and cold. Glad it didn't follow all the way home or I'd have been tempted.... Food: 7:15 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:30 am 2 slices Simply Nature sprouted bread, butter, 1.2 oz cheddar cheese, 2/3 c grapes Exercise: 8:00-9:25 am Walk w/Kathy (Mead loop) 10:10-10:50 am Walk to library and back

Wed 10 Oct

Yet another rainy day, though yesterday wasn't as bad as expected with non-rainy breaks throughout the day, sufficient to get some outside walks. The sun even tried to peek out occasionally. Didn't get around to doing the ballet DVD as I was engrossed in Thrawn: Alliances and walking outdoors. I suspect that if I buckled down to more ballet and at least once weekly Pilates, I could reshape my body for the swimsuit in time for Costa Rica, but I have to start now. Food: 7:50 am Raspberry pinwheel pastry, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:50 am 2 scrambled eggs, sautéed chanterelles, 1/2 oz cheddar cheese, Thomas light wheat English w/butter 6:00 pm 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 1/2 pink lady basil kombucha Exercise: 9:05-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Tues 9 Oct

More rain today and tomorrow, in possibly large quantities. Feeling a bit waterlogged. Start my tutoring for the year today, with second-graders this time. I believe that means I have three students for 10 min each. Food: 7:45 am Cheese danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee Exercise: 10:15-10:50 am Madison/Ellis loop

Mon 8 Oct

Had a little tummy upset last evening, but it seemed to resolve itself after taking my probiotic so I suspect it was nothing major, just a little malaise from the continuous grey days. We're now expecting rain over the next three days, so no relief in sight. Hopefully it will clear and be nice for hiking in Horicon this weekend and all will be well. Not sure why, but I seem unusually tired today. Hope I'm not coming down with something. Food: 7:45 am Pumpkin chocolate danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee 11:45 am Thomas Light English muffin w/butter, 2 eggs scrambled w/sauteed chanterelles 12:15 pm 3 Trader Joe's Belgian butter waffle cookies Exercise: 8:55-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class

Sun 7 Oct

Had a very nice day yesterday. Got pastries from David and beets and carrots at the local Farmer's Market, ate quickly, then headed to Madison for the big market there. Picked up more goodies including parsnips, broccoli, peppers, big ground cherries for Bob, acorn and delicata squash. Had a quintessentially autumnal lunch at Brasserie V: apple swiss sandwich with pesto and veg on chewy baguette with a cup of butternut squash soup and a really dry hard cider. Did Trader Joe's, Costco, and Woodman's and home to make a homemade pizza for dinner. Full day. Food: 8:05 am Apricot danish, 100 g blackberries, coffee

Sat 6 Oct

Bob has started oversleeping the past few days. May suggest he start going to bed a bit earlier. Means we aren't going to get the early start I had hoped for today so we can still catch the tail end of the Madison Farmer's Market, but maybe they'll still have some produce left when we get there. Food: 8:50 am Brioche roll, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Fri 5 Oct

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day. Thought I heard rain falling this morning, so it might have been a one-day wonder, but I got outside for my walks and we took an evening hike at Rib to enjoy it. A few of the trees have reached the spectacular stage and caught the sun's rays beautifully yesterday. Food: 6:50 am 1 c Quaker Oat Squares, 1/2 c soy milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:50 pm Bob's 8-grain cereal, 1/2 c applesauce, 1/3 g plain Greek yogurt 6:30 pm Wild rice mushroom soup, 2 large slices Italian bread w/butter, red wine Exercise: 8:00-8:40 am Barre class 9:30-19:30 am Body Pump class

Thurs 4 Oct

I've been 63 for a month already today! What an accomplishment! Looks like a nice day, though I'm not walking with Kathy today as Dale's mom passed away and the funeral is this morning. We will walk tomorrow after I try out the 8 am Barre class at the gym. I learned that it is only a half hour class so I will have a full hour between that class and Body Pump. Tomorrow I'll just leave and walk with Kathy and catch Body Pump next week. Food: 8:05 am Cheese danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Wed 3 Oct

Anomalously warm and almost surely stormy day today; even a chance of tornado! I hope the Bootstrap building is pretty safe if a bad storm hits while I'm there. Food: 7:50 am Chocolate pumpkin danish, 106 g blackberries, coffee 12:30 pm 2 fried eggs, slice Omega 3 toast w/butter & cinnamon sugar Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10::30 am Body Pump class

Tues 2 Oct

Spent money yesterday. Big money. I had mentioned to Bob on a recent walk that I might still feel the need for a warm weather break in winter since Paris is not likely to be much different temperature-wise than here. He said he was sort of expecting it, so I took that as license to look. I first checked out the Dominican Republic, and it would have been over $4000 for a week, so I decided on a lark to check out Costa Rica. For $6000, I found a resort that met all our qualifications (Wi-fi, no reservations, lots of restaurant choices) and would likely have some awesome snorkeling. Seemed like it was worth the extra expense to go somewhere we've never been, so by the end of the day, we had booked it. I wanted to upgrade to the Premium club with the special lounge and those rooms tend to sell out sooner, hence the quick decision. The cost of the upgrade was only about $97 for both, and it seemed worth it for other little touches as well. I have Bob starting to renew his passport now so it will be good at least 6 months past the Costa Rica trip as many countries require this. Also if he waited til after the trip to renew, it is pushing it close to Paris during spring break rush. Food: 7:55 am Bear claw pastry, 101 g blackberries, coffee 12:00 pm Bill's junior beef w/mushrooms 2:00 pm Bourbon biscuits 5:40 pm Tilapia filet, Birdseye rice/veggie blend, butternut squash Exercise: 11:30-11:45 am Walk to Bill's 12:35-12:50 pm Walk home

Mon 1 Oct

Yesterday was quite a dreary day with drizzle, grey skies, and cool. Skies look pretty grey again this morning. No special plans this week except a birthday lunch tomorrow at Bill's. Food: 7:50 am Cheese danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee Exercise: 9:00-9:25 am Treadmill 9:30-10:30 am Body Pump class