All Things EARTH... part 2

[Sailor_Sally]

Margaret , I have stayed in Disney and outside of Disney . My preference is usually to stay at a Disney Affiliate Hotel . They have good transportation but are closer to regular restaurants and you don't get so Disneyed out . This year we are renting a three bedroom condo very close to Disney World but also close to a slew of restaurants . Our passes were Florida resident passes so we get a big discount . My Daughter,SIL & grand sons were regular price .We picked a condo so we could spread out and do breakfast ,snacks and an occasional dinner .

[laurspag]

It is a lot of fun hearing all the plans and advice for Disney.

 

Margaret, I understand your feelings towards this vacation. My husband and I have what we refer to as a date lunch on Saturdays. We go to the gym early, clean up, and head out to do errands. We then pick a place for lunch. Oftrn, one of my daughter's will be home and elsewhere we are going to lunch...

 

Sometimes we invite them along but most of the time, we do not. I felt guilty for the longest time but I don't anymore. We chat about our vacation plans, what is going on at work, how our 401k plans look, and how close we are to having the money saved for our next project.

 

We reconnect, I guess you could say. We are both very busy st work.and doing all the usual things at home. We like having time for us. So I guess I'm just saying I understand, and you are not a bad aunt!!

 

Life needs balance.

 

 

 

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[Anita Latte]

We've stayed onsite and offsite. I used to think that it would be fun to stay at all the different resorts overtime...and I still do. I like trying out the different hotels. Disney really charges a premium for their hotels though...OMG.

 

Sally, I'm with you on having space! Especially if you are traveling with a group and especially if you have all different ages in the group. Our last trip out to Disney, we stayed at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek and that worked out really well. I bought someone's reservation off Craigslist when they couldn't make it. My SIL and her husband came and stayed with us in a 2 bedroom condo.

 

I made some more progress on my Alaska plans today. DH is traveling and I haven't talked to him yet, but I found another smaller fishing guide outfit. Looks like a two man crew...but there's one main guy. I sent him an email today and he called this evening. We talked about doing a half day fishing trip with him. And we talked about where would be a good place for us to camp on that Friday night. What's great is that the campground he mentioned was one that I was kind of zeroing in on...

 

He lives in the area of course, and so he recommended a cool place in the little town that has live music on Friday nights...and a patio area, so it sounds like a good match for us! And it looks like the best time for the fishing would be Saturday morning...so...now I have some framework for planning the post cruise time.

 

Very exciting!

 

Life does need balance...

[Sailor_Sally]

Anita, What are you camping in and are you packing camping equipment ? It sounds like a lot of fun .

[Anita Latte]

We have a 3-person tent that is geared toward backpackers...so lighter and smaller than average. It should travel well enough.

 

I was hoping to stay in a public use cabin, but the locations of the accessible ones aren't really along the path we plan to travel, which is very disappointing. I haven't given up on that idea yet...as we firm up our plans, we'll know better if that would work...if I could even get one.

 

We are bringing equipment. Whether or not we bring backpacks will depend on our camping locations. If we just end up car camping, then I doubt we'll bring the bigs ones, just a day pack. Sleeping bags, of course...and again, ours are backpacker-friendly bags, so the men's weigh under 3 pounds each and mine is just over (mine is a more roomy woman's fit). Backpacking stove. Pot with detachable handle. Maybe water filters: We have two...one that is high volume geared toward when you are in camp (cooking, filling up water bottles, etc) and have access to deep water and one that is suitable for when you just have a trickle. Just depends on the camping situation. I also have trekking poles.

 

There will be some other basics...first aid kit, lighter/waterproof matches, maybe our own kindling (we have a stash of free samples), headlamps, probably a towel or two...I haven't really put together the definitive list.

 

DH will also be bringing fishing equipment. He'll likely bring waders, spin rod, fly rod...lures and flies. Maybe his fishing vest (it's heavy so, not sure).

 

After debark, we'll be doing the food/drink shopping. And fuel for the stove. And figuring out bear spray, if needed.

[Anita Latte]

So...just wanted to share. For many, many weeks now, I've been eating according to the results of my own self analysis of my tongue using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as the guiding principle for choosing what to eat or not so as to improve my tongue condition...avoiding those things that are supposed to contribute to why my tongue wasn't "normal" looking and trying to incorporate things that should help "improve" my tongue. It takes a lot of research to wade through all the information out there...but through many sources, I was able to make a diagnosis that I believed was correct.

 

I just wanted to share that I haven't done ANYTHING else. On Sept 28, I posted some measurements...and I have lost 1.5 inches off that top bust measurement and about 2+ off the widest bust. My bras are all messed up now...and my clothes are fitting so much better...some are even a bit baggy where they used to be fitted. I'm down about 20 pounds from my high weight.

 

It hasn't been the easiest thing...but I have eaten in many, many restaurants even. I'm sharing just because I know that there are a few ladies in this conversation that are hopeful for some body changes. I recommend this whole tongue analysis thing because it speaks to your own body chemistry and how certain foods, which may be considered "healthy" may not agree with your individual self.

 

For instance...raw food doesn't agree with me right now. Salads? Forget it. I have had exactly 2 salads in the past IDK couple of months. I eat some raw fruit in my oatmeal in the morning...and lemons in my water...that's pretty much it. No ice water or iced drinks of any kind. Sometimes the wait staff has to double check that I really meant it when I said I wanted warm/hot water and not iced...but they are getting over it as we keep going back to the same places downtown.

 

Those are just some examples of simple changes that I'm taking about. I'm continuing with this until my tongue is "normal" which still hasn't happened, though the improvement is definitely there.

 

Always hoping that everyone here is happy and healthy and successful in their health and fitness pursuits...

[awhfy]

That’s intriguing, Anita. I need to read up on that. I’m now down 10 lbs & am not doing anything different. I’m not going to look into it for another 20 lbs [emoji6]

 

 

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[Sailor_Sally]

Anita & Melody , Congratulations on the weight loss .

 

Maybe because I am not a camper I can not imagine how you are getting all this equipment to Vancouver than on to the ship .Will it be several extra bags ?

[Anita Latte]

Congratulations Melody!

 

My weigh in day is Friday. Nothing official, just the day I have chosen. I'm continuing on the downward path weight-wise...I'm feeling much better and I can tell that my knee is really appreciating the weight loss especially. We had to book it on our walk to the ballet last night...and it didn't really have any affect, which is good...sometimes, that kind of activity will, so I'm attributing that to less impact.

 

The ballet was beautiful. Dracula. A story rendition from Dracula's viewpoint. Very small production, but very very good. I saw things in the choreography that I have never seen before. It was my first modern ballet. I really enjoyed it so much. DH is traveling, so it was just DS and I.

 

Earlier, he had a couple friends over to watch Joyeux Noel which is the film inspiration for the opera Silent Night. They are all going to be seeing it tonight and they wanted to see the film beforehand. That was fun. I used my stone pie plates to make deep dish pizza for the first time and it was amazing, if I do say so myself.

 

DH and I will watch the film tonight while DS goes to the opera showing tonight. DH and I go on Sunday. With his travel schedule, I decided to exchange our tickets. I love how living downtown lets us do this...letting DS have a different schedule is no big because we all just walk there anyway.

 

Sally...I am anticipating that we will have one extra bag because of the camping gear. If you can picture it...DH and I used to go backpacking a bit. Tent, sleeping bags, clothing, food, water, just everything we needed would fit into the two backpacks that we would wear. Since we will not be packing clothing or food, I'm thinking that the gear would fit into one backpack, so one extra bag. Having DS along just adds one sleeping bag and pad...no other extra gear, so I don't think that's a big impact.

 

Edited to add: we will be packing clothing...just nothing extra in the way of clothing for the camping portion of our trip...so in the visual, clothing doesn't count as gear because we would be taking that regardless. The gear is just requiring one extra bag. If that makes sense.

[awhfy]

Anita, it really sounds like you’re at home & enjoying yourself.

 

We backpack but don’t camp. In fact, my idea of camping is s Hampton Inn without cable [emoji849]. Luckily Les feels the same. Gear is much lighter & easier to pack than it used to be. Melody

 

 

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[Sailor_Sally]

.

 

Edited to add: we will be packing clothing...just nothing extra in the way of clothing for the camping portion of our trip...so in the visual, clothing doesn't count as gear because we would be taking that regardless. The gear is just requiring one extra bag. If that makes sense.

 

That makes perfect sense ! Congratulations on the continuing weight loss. I have maintained a forty pound weight loss for eight years just by cutting the amount of food I eat .

[cruzisme]

HI Anita. The Chinese always avoid drinking cold water, always warm or hot. They believe it is better for our bodies. Probably more reasons that I don't know. Mom always had a thermos of hot water on the counter. Good for you to research into tongue health, which I haven't done yet.

Love the photo of you in your blue dress, cold shoulder.

[Anita Latte]

Thanks cruzisme! That was the first time that I was able to wear that blue dress, even though I had bought it much earlier in the spring...I think in March?

 

My understanding, from my research only, is that the spleen (responsible for digestion in TCM) is damaged by cold drinks, especially ice water. It's the equivalent of throwing ice water on your digestive fire. I don't know that effect that drinking iced drinks away from meals is supposed to have, but I have just chosen to avoid iced drinks altogether. I've developed a real preference for warm drinks and now find ice water to be uncomfortable.

 

The Alaska plans continue to evolve...more reservations made. When researching options for getting from Seward to Anchorage, the choices basically boil down to bus or train. The train is $$$. Associated with one of the buses though, is the ability to charter a smaller shuttle for a flat rate. Mom booked the van yesterday. We're hoping to pick up a few more people from the roll call to share in the expense.

 

With that taken care of, I booked our rental car pick up in Anchorage. I was able to get the majority of it paid for with points from a credit card. I had to pay $59 OOP to be able get a full sized vehicle. (My points would only cover a compact). So that's done.

 

Figuring out the car situation really forced us to take a look at our last night on the trip. The one before flying home on a 5:40 AM flight. Anchorage recommends arriving two hours prior to a flight because you just never know when a bus tour is going to land there and there will suddenly be so many people trying to get through security. So 3:40 AM, with a rental car to return. Hmm. So the rental car closes at 2:30 AM. You can drop off when no one is on duty but then you are at their mercy for an accurate assessment of any "damage" to the vehicle.

 

So we've decided to just stay up late that night and drop off the rental car around 2 AM. Then we'll be stuck at the airport for about 3.5 hours. If you aren't aware, there are guides out there for sleeping in airports, Anchorage being no exception. I've learned that many people get stuck there overnight, arriving very late and having a connection 4-5 hours later in the wee AM hours (like our 5:40 AM flight). So the airport doesn't necessarily experience a down time.

 

We'll make do. We have a very long flight from Anchorage to Minneapolis-StPaul, so I'm betting we'll actually be able to sleep on that flight.

 

I learned about all kinds of places that you can take showers and do laundry in Alaska. With so many people living off the grid, and there being so many backpackers, campers, and RVers, Alaska has a very real business in providing showers and laundry, often combined, and often at gas stations. Sometimes the showers are coin operated, with a $1 charge for a towel. Sometimes they are flat rate fee and include a towel. There are also hostels that will let you enjoy the hostel facility and just pay for a shower. So, that's our evening plan, if needed...to make use of showers and common hostel rooms to regroup before heading to a late dinner and the airport.

 

This means I only needed to figure out 3 nights of lodging. I have my sites on a public use cabin for the first two nights. The booking window is only 6 months in advance so I can't do that yet. Then I needed one night in or around Seward. Taxes for hotels are crazy high in city limits, so looking outside Seward...Seward has a big HUGE to do on July 4, so some places jack up the rates for July 1-4. Sigh. AND they impose 2 night minimums...pay in advance 50% cancelation fee. OMG. But I found a well rated cabin rental that didn't jack up the July rate, didn't require a 2 night minimum AND wasn't pay in advance. Like a normal hotel, use a credit card to reserve, pay when you get there. The cancelation fee (not that I'm expecting to cancel, but always good to know) is only 10%. So I booked the last available (out of 4) cabins! Which fortunately enough, could accommodate exactly 3 guests. So WOO HOO!

 

Our post cruise plans are:

 

Friday: Debark. Van to Anchorage. Get rental car. Lunch with Mom and Dad? Grocery store, etc. Eventually head back south. Do some sight seeing along the way. Land at our cabin.

 

Saturday: Fishing guide excursion on the Upper Kenai River.

 

Sunday: Kayak Bear Glacier

 

Monday: Hike Exit Glacier

 

Tuesday: Fly Home ALL DAY.

[awhfy]

So exciting. I just tried on my evening clothes for our cruise. I have some quick alterations to make. My black silk pants that I couldn’t zip on our May cruise slithered right down off me (that was exciting!!!) I need to put some darts in the back [emoji16]. I was also able to put a black strapless jumpsuit back into the rotation (haven’t worn it in 4 years), it’s a Michael Kors that I adore. I finished the silver crocheted shawl yesterday, it’s a little too “no color” for me, but it might be ok once I get some color... I’m taking the white/silver sparkle jacket too & a long black chiffon skirt. Most of my more formal clothes have black in them (the chiffon skirt is 20 years old...it won’t quit).

 

My day clothes are bathing suits (4) & technical shirts & capris. Casual evenings are white slacks/black slacks & bright tops (some patterned). Most tops can do double duty if needed.

 

We’re taking more luggage than usual, 3 checked & 2 small carryons. Good thing we’re in first class. Les has pulled a triceps muscle (or rotator cuff...too much yard work) & can’t lift a 45-50 lb bag right now. So 3 bags of about 30-35 lbs each. He’ll go nuts without his backpack, but just can’t stand it up on the shoulder right now. Really hoping we can get Luggage Valet coming home!

 

Funny with the water, my dermatologist told me to drink lukewarm to hot water instead of ice water...it’s better for your skin. Melody

 

 

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[Sailor_Sally]

Anita , You really have been working on the planning . It sounds like a great adventure .Now is the time to have that kind of adventure . I remember my white water raft days fondly .

 

Melody , Great news about the clothes . I ended up buying a whole new wardrobe when I lost the weight .

 

Laurie , You are so lucky you went to San Juan when you did . Lots of cancelled flights and hardly any hotels open. People that are cruising from there are so frustrated ,

 

We leave for Disney on Saturday . We are only taking casual clothes but we are taking supplies for the condo .so we can do breakfast and an occasional dinner there .I can not wait to see my grandsons .It's been too long !

[Member123]

Well, Sally.... I haven't mentioned our Caribbean cruise scheduled to depart San Juan on 2 December. But, I'm not worried.

 

Originally, we had a lovely pre-cruise couple of days planned. You know it's difficult for us to even get to Florida, with the time zone changes and everything we always have to leave at least a day before. Southwest Airlines had the BEST nonstop, direct flight to San Juan and we were indulging in a stay at a luxury resort. I think it was La Concha? Something like that.

 

We are actually doing a B2B. So we will be flying home on 23 December. I had already decided to treat ourselves to a nicer seat selection so chose Delta Comfort Plus to fly home via Atlanta.

 

Oh boy.

 

So....

 

I just decided to take my fate into my own hands. The hurricane(s) happened well AFTER final payment. So the decision became (1) do I wait and see what will happen or (2) should I be a bit more proactive?

 

I chose Option #2! Probably not a surprise to anyone. I got in touch with Choice Air and decided that I'd book the flights to San Juan with them and have that "get me to the ship's next port guarantee" that I, hopefully, won't need. As an aside: I've read the messages on Cruise Air in this forum and understand that there are a lot of frequent flyers who discount that guarantee. However, I can tell you that I've spoken with a few people who have been assisted by Choice Air when there was difficulty with their flights. The one I most remember were a couple on their honeymoon. The guests who were traveling with them (yes! on their honeymoon!) were with us on a catamaran sailing in Barbados and we had quite a discussion. They were all Canadians and I think the flight originated from Toronto. In any event, the only ones of the wedding party who didn't make the ship were the bride and groom. They ended up joining the ship in St Lucia and said that they were actually HAPPY because they had an amazing stay at a St Lucian resort for a few days, courtesy of Celebrity.

 

Back from that to my story... I decided to fly to Atlanta on the day before embarkation and stay overnight. I've located an airport hotel that has some decent reviews and easy transportation access: the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway. Then, we will be flying to San Juan on the day of embarkation, arriving just before 4pm. With a late departure of the ship AND Celebrity transfers (bit the $ bullet on that one as well), I think that we'll be fine.

 

Delta sent me an email and asked me to kindly limit my bags to 2 apiece as they are providing room in baggage hold for delivery of supplies to San Juan. I thought that was GREAT. I didn't know the airlines were assisting in the recovery effort. Yeah, for the Delta team.

 

I'm taking the itinerary changes as they come. We'll see. I guess I'll have a lot to share when I return.

[awhfy]

Pam, sounds like a smart move. I’ve stayed in that Atlanta hotel (a couple of years ago) good choice, I’d stay there again.

 

 

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[Anita Latte]

Congrats Melody! It's a mixed blessing to have your clothing get too big...

 

We went to the opera Silent Night today. It's the first opera that I have seen twice. Last year, Atlanta performed it around Veteran's Day. All I can say is that it is an amazing opera. It's a modern opera based on the film Joyeux Noel which was only released in 2005 or 2006. It's a true story and it's just one of those impactful stories that will hit your heart stings and your thoughts. I hadn't seen the movie prior to seeing it the first time...the story follows the movie almost exactly. It's a great opera...the film has very little if any soundtrack so putting the story to music really ups the emotions.

 

We walked to the opera...it was a high of 50 today and a bit windy. I had thought I might wear that "oh so Anita" dress from Kohls...the griege background wrap dress, but it was also too big (the tags are still on it so I'm hoping I can exchange it). This was my outfit:

 

 

The dress is a pretty casual JJill dress. The long sweater vest seems more similar in color than the photograph. Brown opaque tights and my lace up boots. I was pretty middle of the road in terms of being dressy.

[laurspag]

Wow, I've been meaning to post but I got busy. There is so much to catch up on! I may be all over the place here...

 

Melody, I will check out Athleta. I'm pretty good on swimsuits right now, but I love the quality and fit of theirs, so I may go over and take a look!

 

Anita, that outfit is so you. Was the opera in the evening? We don't have much in the way of performing arts here. As I've said once before, we are sports town more than anything. As a result, we don't get to go to a lot of plays, operas, ballets, etc. When we go to the Nutcracker this year, we will be at the evening (6:00 PM) performance instead of the afternoon one at 2:00. I wondered if there would be a difference in the level of dress.

 

And for all of you losing weight, congratulations! I'm holding right now, but my thyroid is still not in normal range. Usually, it stays put unless I increase or drop my exercise level, and for a length of time. I'm doing more weights than I was, and eliminated the recumbent cycle, as I thought that may be bothering my hips a bit. But I'm on the eliptical a bit longer too. So long story short, I don't think it is that. I think that my body has adjusted to "the new me" and is now reminding me that when the dust settles, my thyroid doesn't do as it is supposed to.

 

I've been dealing with this a while, so it really isn't a big deal for me. We'll get it back to normal range again. And I'm not gaining any weight.

 

I've never really heard of the information you have been talking about, Anita. I had no idea that cold versus warm water made a difference.I did make changes to my diet that have helped me to loose weight. It has been a mix of things, really. My whole goal has been to be healthier, so I was looking at things in a broader sense, then breaking it down to areas from there. For example, how is my cholesterol levels? Triglycerides? Do I have a high salt intake, do I consume a lot of sugar? I've been slowly paying more attention to this for the past 5 years, so it's been gradual and just seems very normal now. I eat a lot of organics, and I aim for clean eating.

 

I think one of the big things for me has been when I look at a label, and don't know what an ingredient is. It is really tough to leave the house at 7:20 in the morning, and get home at 6:15 and realize I forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer, lol. Summers are easier, because we use the grill a lot, including for fresh veggies. I love to grill vegetables. So I am trying hard to see what I can make that is quick, but doesn't come from a box.

 

I'm starting to come up with some quick and tasty dinners that are good for you. I love that.

 

Melody, I can totally relate to trying on clothes for a cruise, and realizing I need to make adjustments. As Anita has indicated, it's a mixed blessing. It's great losing weight, but it can put a big dent in the wallet too.

 

Margaret, how is your weather? It's been raining all day today, and there is much discussion about flash flooding and high winds overnight and into tomorrow. So far though, it's okay here. I was curious if it has gone through the NYC area yet.

 

Pam, I was in Puerto Rico between the two hurricanes, as you know. They are working very hard to open things back up and get back to normal, but this has been very rough. Our pre-cruise hotel was the Hilton Caribbe, and it was a dreamy place. We weren't planning any sort of post cruise stay, and we were worried about the cost of going back there. My gut was telling me that I wasn't really going to be there a whole week, and I ended up getting a flight back the next day. Even then, finding places with power and water was hard. I feel so incredibly bad for them there.

 

What ports are you going to on your cruise?

 

Melody and Margaret - you are both leaving very soon, I believe. I can't wait for your trip reports.

 

Anita, I love hearing about Alaska, and all your planning.

 

Myself, I have some very exciting news to share, but you all will just roll your eyes. I'm getting a new washer and dryer!!!! Yes!

 

It is too exciting for me, lol. We have been discussing this a while, and we decided on the spot to bite the bullet on Saturday. I wasn't thinking though, as I have some things to do in the laundry room first. So it's going to be a busy week. have to clean out a bunch of things, empty the room, repair and area that had some water damage a few years back, then re-paint the room. The current color is called marigold, and I would call it a fire orange. Yep, I really painted my laundry room that color. The funny thing is, when discussing a new color option, there was much resistance to change, and I really didn't think there would be. It was decided in the end that the room is really mine, in that I spend a great deal of time there. (are you laughing yet?) I opted to paint it orange again, but this is an earthier orange. I will see if I can find a link but it's called autumn leaves.

 

My house does not need to be "earth". As it turns out though, before I knew the whole color thing, I painted a room a golden color, and started choosing coordinating colors for the rest of the whole. When I found out that I was earth, it was funny because I had those colors in my home and loved them.

 

I'm hanging some pictures in there from our various cruises. I always look for a small painting. They are mostly just little reprints, but they are dear to me and I've been holding on to them for years. The reason I never put them up before was because they were supposed to be used in the half bath, which is finally getting an overhaul in the beginning of 2018. We have literally storing tile, the sink, everything - in the basement for about 7 or 8 years. Geesh.

 

But I have a real painting going in the half bath, and I picked a color for that room already as well. It isn't actually an earth color though. It's an air grey blue color, somewhat dark. But it will work in this room well.

 

And Disney! Sally, I can't wait to hear about that as well.

[Sailor_Sally]

Pam , Good choice on changing to flying in on boarding day . I have read horror stories from people thinking they had a hotel and then were cancelled a few days before leaving .I hope you have a great time .

[Anita Latte]

The opera was a matinee. We usually go to matinees...that's what has worked best for our schedule in the past...back when DS was in marching band, the evening performances conflicted during the fall...and we were renewed on our subscription last year before he withdrew from band.

 

I have found that matinees are generally more casual than the evening. There will always be people who will dress up regardless though...and by the same token, there will always be someone very casual as well. These days, it feels a bit like a free for all...everyone just doing what they want to do.

 

We're headed to the opera next weekend as well. That's in Charlotte though...so a bit of a drive. Another modern opera though. The name is different but the story is the same as the movie Roxanne, with Steve Martin? Should be very entertaining.

 

I looked up the Kohls dress and it's on clearance now and there's a code to get it even cheaper. I need to find my receipt and maybe just return it and order it...I think I should still be in the window for returns, but I'm not sure.

 

Congrats on your new machines. I understand how exciting that can be. Orange rooms are said to spark creativity. I think the laundry room is definitely a place where you can have a fun and different color. In our last house we owned, we painted the laundry room a purple color.

 

Has anyone ever looked at the tongue charts in the spa area on the ship? We did that on the TA...and I remember thinking, what in the world is a scalloped tongue? Anyway...my tongue has been scalloped for literally months on end...over a year probably...and while I didn't think that I ate that horribly, it seemed that my body wouldn't respond to the "healthy" food I was eating. As it turns out...a lot of the food I was eating is said in TCM to contribute to the whole scalloped tongue issue. This combined with another issue...and it turns out that dairy, eggs, and avocados hit my avoid list...among other things...including black coffee and tea. Green tea is a plus so it isn't necessarily a caffeine thing.

 

Anyway....some of it is habits. One is chew your food. A LOT. So I've become the slowest eater...OMG. I almost annoy myself. Really pay attention to posture...not slouching and compressing your organs. Keep the digestive fire going by not drinking too much liquid with meals...and only having warm liquid, especially with meals. Not doing anything else but eating when eating. No distraction with reading and/or tv. Sitting down to eat...and not eating on the run. And not overfilling your stomach...aiming for about 2/3 full. Oh, and don't eat too close to bedtime. And don't have too much time between meals...but rather than snack, go ahead and eat a meal.

 

I've got a whole list of avoidance foods...but I've had many foods on that list now. I was really strict for several weeks and now I will eat some, but I try to limit what I pick off that list.

 

What I'm finding is that it's sustainable. I don't really have any issues with eating this way and find that how I feel is the best motivator of all to continue, because I feel good. I feel full. And happy. And not deprived. I do wonder how this will all be effected by when I actually start doing something physical...which is on the list to do, of course...

 

I hope you can get your thyroid worked out Laurie...body chemistry is so complicated. Everyone needs to find their own thing that works for them. I'm excited to get more active. We're planning on doing a bit of prep for Alaska...going hiking and backpacking. I'm very excited for that. I've missed it a lot. I really love being in the outdoors. I love hitting the trail...

[laurspag]

By the way, it's blazing autumn, not autumn leaves.

http://m.behr.com/h5/mobile/en_US/color_details?page_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.behr.com%2Fconsumer%2FColorDetailView%2FM220-6A&null&s=ct

 

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[Anita Latte]

Very pretty!

[awhfy]

Anita, love your outfit. Laurie, nice color for a room

 

I don’t think I’ve shared, I’m undergoing numerous health tests. Started with continued severe heartburn They’ve discovered a very large hiatal hernia that will require surgery [emoji849]. I’m not having anything done till we get back from the cruise. I just had a kidney ultrasound & a delightful ph motility test. Next week is a nuclear cardiac stress test & echocardiogram. Meanwhile my thyroid has really gone wacky. I’m feeling ok just really tired of seeing doctors & very, very thankful that I have superb health insurance. Melody

 

 

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[Anita Latte]

Melody...delightful? What a sense of humor you have. I had to look that up because I've never heard of that before. I hope that all the heart testing is just to determine if the hernia has had any effect and not because of some other suspect. Regardless, prayers for you.

 

It is good that you have good health insurance. Ours is not good. Not good at all for what you are doing. It is great on preventative care and whenever you go beyond that it is very expensive. We just had to do our enrollment and the deal that paying more for insurance only changes the deductible, not the coverage. At this stage, we've opted to pay the least with the highest deductibles, praying that our latest patterns in health care continue. Using the little work sheet, it was the recommended plan for us anyway.