No topic.

[Trinity]

Exercised (3-1…hard! Whew) and everything was on plan today except my daughter (the baker) and grandma made cookies this evening and I had one of those so definitely (1) due to butter but I guess I can say (2) (technically?) and I listened to JN’s label reading show and loved it!

[Ruff]

I hear you on that 3:1! Just stay on this level until you can do it! I think this was the hardest level for me.

[Trinity]

Thanks Katie, that’s good to know. I’ll stick with 3-1 for a few weeks I think. It wasn’t quite as hard today, hopefully because it was the 4th time.

I did make it to the farmer’s market this morning amazingly since at 8 am it was both raining and thundering. But it cleared up. I’m sad to say I only got an iced coffee with almond milk and a loaf of sourdough bread (white). I asked if the bread had any oil and they said no and as I was paying for it they said except we oil the pan we bake it in and by then it was too late. Gah! There was probably already oil or lecithin or something in the almond milk though so in any case today is a (2) but I’m going to make it a (1) day though it’s still early.

There were lots of lovely fruits and vegetables though. Tomatoes, some kind of white squash, all types of squash really, beets, blueberries, peaches, even some fresh beans which were tempting. My parents’ house is already full of food though so I didn’t want to clutter up the kitchen and stress my mom out. (My husband got back up this morning after a week of work and brought our extra microwave because theirs has been broken for over a week so that’s already taking up a lot of counter space.) This farmers market even has jewelry, tea, lotions, and baby goats that the kids loved, I guess the booth was goat milk products.

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Trinity!!

Thanks for sharing on the Farmers Market experience!!! We have the same with ours where most of the booths aren't produce... Some interesting things... Some to leave...

YAY on your running!!!

Have to say, this Adrian McKinty "The Island" is one of the most fast-paced books that I have ever read with a demented plot...

Hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Cheers,
Stephanie

[Trinity]

Hey Stephanie! Yes! That and “The Chain” are on my list. Are they both by him? I’m excited!

Today was off plan. We went out to eat for dinner (going home tomorrow) and I got whole-wheat pasta with tomato sauce that contained oil. I also got a salad though I usually don’t since it used to be included at this place but now it’s extra, but anyway it had been dusted with what I assume was Parmesan. Oh well. I exercised (walked) and may attempt 3-1 tomorrow morning in my parents’ neighborhood before we leave but it is very hilly.

[Ruff]

Eating out is an issue, it is so hard, and I am not one to send food back if it doesn't come the way I requested. I solve it by not going out...and save money too! BUT we do eat out a few times a year and one is coming up. Its our 37th wedding anniversary on the 20th July. So I am thinking ahead. Its nice to have things I couldn't make at home...I so dont want to go out to eat a plain baked potato! I dont mind sugar and salt (I eat salt anyway, and sugar is OK once in a blue moon) But oil! Even vegan oil. There is an amazing vegan restaurant that my husband likes, but most of the meals have oil. So I need to do some planning ahead I think. maybe a check out a few menus ahead of time.

It might be different in America but I am not at all comfortable asking a busy chef in a busy kitchen to make a special meal for me. I have an anaphylactic daughter and a coeliac son and eating out has been a nightmare all their lives. Now they are all grown and flown I want eating out to be relaxing, not a life and death battle.....

When one is away from home, and away from ones normal routine this way of eating is particularly hard. Especially when travelling and staying with other people. I have this coming up at Christmas, and I have no idea at all what I am going to do. Probably just what you are doing...the best you can in the circumstances you find yourself!

[Trinity]

Dear Katie,

It’s true. You just have to do your best. We rarely go out to eat but my parents love to. It was the only time we went out for dinner (once for lunch where I got that buddha bowl) in 10 days so I was happy about that especially because we managed to avoid it until my husband got back. Our family of 5 really doesn’t go out except for special occasions.

I’ll tell you this now—I finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and I loved it. I am so glad you mentioned it. I want to go to Guernsey. It is rare that I want to BE in a book but this was one of them. I don’t know if you ever read The Golden Compass as a child but I wanted so much to have a daemon like Lyra. I would say that Nine Perfect Strangers is one of my favorite books but I do NOT want to be in it. It did make me want to do tai chi again and be at an expensive health resort though. Ha! I wish. Not even the in-person McDougall resort exists anymore! But anyway—thank you. I probably would have never read it if it weren’t for you! Have you attempted a potato peel pie yet? I’m sure your shepherd’s pie was much more delicious!

Back home. On-plan day. Husband on yet another trip but will be back Wednesday. It was so misty and overcast I did manage to run-walk outside this morning but I bet I’ll be sore tomorrow!

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Trinity,

I LOVE LOVE LOVE your concept of "BE" in a book vs. not ... especially how you relate to certain books - yes, certain books- no... I am processing this... I will say --- NO, I would never want to be in either of the Adrian McKinty books --- (and many others!!!) I want to think of one like you did to be in... Would maybe go "Little Women"...

THANK you for lighting the spark to get these journal threads going again into conversation between McD people. I am LOVING this...

I do not like to eat out (had to eat out too much as a kid)... So, yes --- do the best you can and move on --- that is what it is... Given that, I will share that I am known in the North Woods (Wisconsin / Michigan) as the FIRST person to ever order a cheese-less pizza... (in the land of fried food, fish, and cheese...) Waitress still remembers me... (as a weird one... )

Had an incident this past week similar to your tire one (where husband was out of town)... It was a driveway re-construction project gone bad --- with things that I am not 100% understanding... My own fault, I hadn't moved my car out of garage.. but was trapped (except feet and bike) in house for a few days and made the construction folks draw me a picture of what went awry (because I knew my hubby would want the details, that I have trouble understanding)...

Hope that you have a great week!!!

Cheers,
Stephanie

[Trinity]

Dear Stephanie,

I so understand your driveway incident! Gah! I can’t tell you how many times my husband has taken my car AND his car keys, so that we are stranded at home with his car in the driveway. As soon as he got his current car last summer I was there to take the 2nd set of keys and they live in my purse (his previous car only had 1 set). I just hate being stuck and I’m sure you can attest! I knew 29-30 June that if we had an emergency we could call an ambulance…but…other than that I wasn’t going to spend money on a cab anywhere I wasn’t desperate to be. The one cab I did get was almost 30 minutes late despite ordering it the afternoon before so we were so late. Uber sometimes works on post and sometimes doesn’t. Now I’m working on getting USAA to refund me for that tow truck!

About cheeseless pizza—I too was the only one to order one in Waco, TX I think in history. One time the department ordered pizza and I didn’t stay because I missed my little guy who was only 1 or 2 and in day care. The secretary made a point of telling me they even ordered a cheeseless one and I didn’t come. If I had known it I would have taken it home! Where had it gone? I would have taken it the next day! Honestly here in Columbus (though it was similar in VA) it is SO HARD to get people to understand the notion of a cheeseless pizza that when my family wants pizza I just eat leftovers or potatoes or something instead. Sheesh.

Your post also reminded me of what is definitely my favorite quote from “The GL & PPPS,” which is:

“I am to cover the philosophical side of the debate and so far my only thought is that reading keeps you from going gaga.”

Seriously, what would I do without novels? I don’t even want to think about it. And I love my life etc.! Just sometimes my brain needs to escape!

Anyways, today was (1) and (2) and I exercised (stairstepper as I am sore from yesterday). Dealing with school forms and supposedly my daughter doesn’t have a current sports physical and my sons’ is on the “wrong form” whatever that means. Serenity now!

[Trinity]

Today: (1) and (2) and exercised. Busy!

[Trinity]

Same as yesterday!

[Trinity]

OK—so, I didn’t finish Housekeeping. I read it about halfway then started skimming it and finally quit and read the plot summary on Wikipedia. Waiting for a bunch of books to become available and so in the meantime I’m going to finish “Courage to Start.” I did do 3-1 again today but Katie, I’m getting lazy already and doing 1 day of running and then 2 days of walking. But I know thanks to what you told me that that still “counts”! Next week we’re traveling for a week and I just hope I can get some running in, preferably at least once every 3 days. Not sure what food is going to be like but I will be “hedging my health” per Jeff N.

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Trinity,

YAY on 1) and 2)!!!

Hope that you have an excellent trip.

When you get back / have time we have to re-visit this cheese-less pizza concept... I hate how your work ordered you one and then didn't provide it. Boo!!! There is a small pizza place by us that even had a special price & button for the cheese-less... I haven't had for years, but it was awesome.

Cheers,
Stephanie

[Trinity]

Stephanie,

That IS awesome. I have ordered a cheeseless pizza with lots of vegetables only to find when I picked it up that it was a pizza with cheese and lots of vegetables. After that, when I ordered cheeseless pizza I only got it plain—crust, tomato sauce, that’s it. No other vegetables to limit confusion. Even doing that the pizza place would STILL call me and confirm that I wanted a pizza without cheese. Months ago I ordered a marinara pizza (crust + marinara sauce) from an Italian restaurant that I knew was owned by an actual Italian from Rome. However it was still confusing to his employees and the result was a tiny pizza that had a crust and barely any sauce. That was the time they gave me a free cannoli because my marinara pizza had turned out so terribly. Anyways—that was the final time and now like I said before I just eat something different.

Today was fine and I exercised except that one of my kids SAID she wanted 2 pieces of toast and then only ate 1. As I hate to waste food (no one else wanted it even though it was untouched) I did eat it (plain, no jelly or anything, and honestly it didn’t taste very good). 1 piece of that kind of sliced white bread contained oil for 1 g of fat. So (1) but (2) .

Has anyone tried the California balsamic vinegar that apparently Chef AJ likes? Don’t buy it. It’s too sweet. My mom bought me a big bottle (well, maybe 8–10 oz., I could get up and check but won’t, sorry about that) of the 7-herb (?) which is apparently her favorite, and the consistency is nice for salad but just too sweet. I actually prefer the balsamic vinegar from the commissary—not that I’m a big salad fan. I thought it was interesting that Herman Pontzer mentioned that the Hazda tribe doesn’t eat raw vegetables and raw greens especially just aren’t part of their diet. They’ll eat berries and honey raw but that’s about it. I like how on YouTube now you can just read the transcript instead of having to watch the video and listen. That way I can “watch” these things without anyone else listening in. You never know when something inappropriate for children will pop up!

[Trinity]

Today I didn’t eat as much as usual and I did exercise (4-1 because I’m getting impatient but it was very hard) and no one else would eat the rest of a piece of chocolate cake with some melted ice cream soaking part of it at the restaurant we went to for dinner so I did eat that. Definitely at less than 1400 calories for the day even including that according to Cronometer though we know how inaccurate all that stuff is.