A South Dakota Blizzard

Time for my travelogue for March. It has been a very challenging winter in South Dakota. A little geography for my friends. South Dakota is a rectangular shaped state that is about 380 miles long and 210 miles wide. The Missouri River runs through the central part of South Dakota. To the east of the river, lie low hills and lakes formed by glaciers. Fertile farm country covers the area. To the west of the Missouri River, the land consists of deep canyons and rolling plains. I live about 70 miles east of the Missouri River about midway between the borders with Nebraska and North Dakota. If you click on the pictures you can enlarge them to see better. The snow blows against the screens on the windows and fills the holes for a nice effect.

It started to snow at 5:00 am and these pictures were taken at 9:00 am. Four hours of accumulation. I have flowers growing on my sun porch inside and blizzard raging on the outside. You can see about 8 inches in those four hours on top of the table and hot tub. The sign above the garage door is the way I gave Vince his answer to the marriage proposal. Our last name is Street thus "Yes Street".

We feed the birds all winter and some of them are weathering the storm to see if Vince has filled the feeder by the garage. Vince built the feeder with the copper roof. Mostly English sparrows but I love watching them. No school for my grandson so he is here with me today while Mom and Dad are working. Most of the schools in South Dakota are closed today.

PS At 1:00 pm we had 14 inches of snow. And at 5:00 pm, it is still snowing.

Just a Great Day

I have kinda taken Caroline and Nola's advice and stopped weighing every week. Notice I said "kinda". On Friday I had to drive 70 miles to an appointment at 8:30 meeting so I didn't go to the rec to have Thomas weigh in. Instead, I ventured down stairs to our scale. The last time I weighed on that scale, I weighed 202. On Friday I weighed 198. Now we consider this scale about three pounds heavy and 198 was a half pound loss from Thomas' scale last Wednesday, so I was psyched. Then I called about getting a Anti-shingles vaccine. One of my dear friends had shingles over the holidays on her face and I can only imagine the pain. My mother had shingles twice when she was older.
At the suggestion of my caregiver, I called the insurance management and as long as you are over 60 they cover the vaccination. It is costly. When I called the office to tell my CNP I could get the vaccine, she came on the line and heard my voice. She immediately suggested I come in for a visit since I have the crud in the head and throat. When I went for my appointment at 3pm, the first thing I had to do was step on the scales. Now this is in the middle of the afternoon with clothes on. I had had 16 oz of decaf, 32 oz of water, and fish, potato, and green beans at Crackerbarrel for lunch with Vince in Sioux Falls. I hesitated but stepped on. I weighed 198 on the office scales. When I whined about weighing, Diane said she thought her scales were about 4 or 5 pounds heavy. So. . .
I have taken to eating a boiled egg if I am hungry. I think I don't get enough protein to keep me satisfied and to burn the fat. Thinking doesn't get me very far. Anyway, on Thursday of this week I will weigh in with Thomas. I will post the Friday picture.

Home Again

Well, I just spent a few days with my charming little guys in Minnesota. I tell you what, if taking care of a three year old and another that is almost two doesn't keep one busy, I don't know what does. We went to Lifetime Fitness everyday and took walks around the neighborhood two of the four days. I exercised this morning before I drove back.
I tried to go for 50 minutes everyday instead of the 40 minutes since the boys were in the Child Center and I could take the time. I biked, walked on the treadmill, and used an elliptical strider of some sort. Even broke a sweat three times.

My thyroid specialist called and the latest blood work was right on target. I will see him in October for my yearly cancer check.

I drove through some heavy rain and strong winds this afternoon in South Dakota but just 60 miles further west and the Interstate is closed all the way to Wyoming with a spring blizzard. Hard to believe it when the car thermometer read 51 degrees when I drove into town. The open sky on the prairie is awesome and today was no exception.

I think I will drive to the office in snow flurries tomorrow morning. Must show off the grandsons. I wish you could see how crystal blue those eyes are!

198.5

Scream! Kick! Cry! I could go on and on with the emotions. I can't believe it. I was so disappointed yesterday I just sat down stunned. Thomas says, "water". I say, "shabam (cleaned it up for the blog)"!
I drove to Allison's yesterday and we went to Lifetime Fitness and I worked out for 55 minutes instead of 40 minutes. The little guys and I have already been there this morning on the way home from the airport. I worked out 45 minutes and after their naps, we will take a long walk.
Something has to drop! And it is not my motivation. . .

Productive Weekend

I have continued to record everything I put in my mouth. This weekend I walked for about 35 minutes outside with Vince and then rode the bike doing the interval work. I feel really good. I put on a pair of slacks this morning that are size 16 and they felt rather big. I am not saying I am ready for a 14 but maybe I am losing inches again and not pounds.
I really had a great time quilting this weekend. Did you know that Saturday was National Quilting Day? I took three items to Saturday Sampler for show and tell and then went back to hear a very inspirational and talented woman speak about her lifelong quilting accomplishments. I definitely know that if I keep myself busy, I am not hungry.
I saw my first robin this morning near the school I was visiting. It was a beautiful warm (over 70 degrees) day on the prairie. I also watched Australia this weekend. It was great! Such a vast continent. Life is good.

Straight Talk

My body is winning this plateau battle. I weighed in this morning at 197. Thomas and I had a great talk. It is always great talking to him. That old fear of failure seems to sneak up and get me. So much stress right now about job and staffing for next year. Thomas says that causes hormore changes and I guess just stress without eating badly is almost as bad as eating at stress which is what I have always done.
The other thing we talked about is changing up the exercise. 40 minutes on resistance level 3 is too easy for the body now. Who would have thought that? He suggested sprints in the riding. I also asked about the stepper at the rec. He worries about my knees but said I could try it. Thomas also suggested walking outside now that the snow is leaving and it is warmer (double digits on the thermometer).
I came home a bit down but decided to write everything down that I eat again. I was doing that until about the beginning of the year when I stopped. If I do that, I will know I get enough grams of protein and monitor the food that goes in. Drink more water! Three small meals a day. Life is good.

Some Talky Diversion

Don't want to write about weight today. Been good, that's not the reason. Just want to write about something else. So I think I will give you a better picture of me that what a camera can portray.
1. I am the oldest child, my only sibling was born during my eighth summer. I remember the day John was born. We lived in southern Michigan and it was a very hot July day. He is married to a very patient wife and they live about five hours away in Minnesota.
2. 10 months before my brother was born, our house burned to the ground. I lost many dolls which were very important to this "girly". The three of us (mom, daddy, and I) moved in with a family down the street and that Christmas I learned to knit. The son of the family was a research scientist at the University of Michigan and he brought a Japanese exchange student home for the holidays. She taught me to knit. It is a hobby that I cherish and I can't tell you how many projects I completed in my lifetime.
3. When I was 20 I married my high school boyfriend and we were married for 18 years before our divorce. Great things came out that marriage. Many Air Force friends, a trip to England, and two wonderful children. The oldest is our son and his sister is 29 months younger.
4. I met my husband in 1985 and we were married 13 months later. He is a saint and has changed my life for the very best. He has supported me while I was raising teenagers, getting my doctorate, and always by my side in this weight loss quest. He was an only child and had never been married so you know how we turned his life upside down.
5. I have five grandsons. They are very special to me. The oldest is 10 and the youngest is 9 months. They all live close enough to us that I can give hugs and kisses often and share in their lives. I can't express how much it means to me to be a "grandma" and "baba". They are the sunshine of my life.
6. My favorites are as follows (in no particular order): chocolate, the colors red and lime green, Christmas, knitting, quilting, sitting on a beach, cardinals, love stories, cashmere sweaters, baseball, wine with friends, reading historical fiction, watching big flakes of snow falling, music, dancing, and iris.
7. My dislikes are: snakes, people who do not tell the truth, situations that are not fair, the medicine I had to take for pylori, hawks that kill my little sparrows, violent movies, adults who abuse children.
8. My bucket list includes: a hot air balloon ride on a warm summer night at sunset, a return trip to Maui and Williamsburg with Vince, seeing all of the major league baseball stadiums with my grandson, Dillon, owning my own red VW convertible bug, and living to be older than my grandmothers did.