Buns Again

[Ruff]

Buns! I never knew....another 5am introvert! During the homeschooling years I had a rule, I wasn’t allowed out of bed before 5am Oh the quiet and peace of that time.

Right now I am unemployed. Not a major drama as we are only supporting one adult child and he is doing his best not to ask for money now, but he is on a training wage in a big city. And we can live on husbands salary. Just before Christmas number 1 and number 2 (ages 26 and 28) moved into a flat together, and number 3 had already gone. So quite suddenly I have gone from a full house with a husband and 3 adult kids, at least one of whom was always around (one unemployed, one on shift work) to being home alone during the working week. People say they would hate it but it is a haven of tranquility in my life right now. It won’t last. When I get back from the UK in early August I will have to find a job.

I also have a little secret....I have been known to zentangle too......

[bunsofaluminum]

Buns! I never knew....another 5am introvert! During the homeschooling years I had a rule, I wasn’t allowed out of bed before 5am Oh the quiet and peace of that time.

Right now I am unemployed. Not a major drama as we are only supporting one adult child and he is doing his best not to ask for money now, but he is on a training wage in a big city. And we can live on husbands salary. Just before Christmas number 1 and number 2 (ages 26 and 28) moved into a flat together, and number 3 had already gone. So quite suddenly I have gone from a full house with a husband and 3 adult kids, at least one of whom was always around (one unemployed, one on shift work) to being home alone during the working week. People say they would hate it but it is a haven of tranquility in my life right now. It won’t last. When I get back from the UK in early August I will have to find a job.

I also have a little secret....I have been known to zentangle too......

OMG I would LOVE THAT! At home, all alone, during the actual daytime, actual work week days. *sigh* But how cool that you are familiar with Zentangle.

TangleOoh is my blog where I post my entries for various challenges, and I participate in a few FB zentangle-oriented sites. LOVE it.

Meanwhile, on FB the McDougall Starch Solution page (not an official page endorsed by Dr M, but one that is very dedicated to following with close compliance)...they are discussing poop on that FB page and isn't that a dandy subject? but my story is the opposite. I didn't go from constipated to regular, I went from over active IBS urgency, cramping, and bloating, to regular easy BM's and VERY rare "emergencies"...one of which was just this morning...while I was on the bus...with a block walk to get to work



Not fun. But I made it, and I love it that when I go poo, I'm in the restroom for less than a minute EVERY time. Niiiiice. and three or four a day? What a life! love it!

[bunsofaluminum]

OH baby I feel good! Even though my feet ache, I feel FANTASTIC! Even though I could sleep another hour or two, wow am I feeling good Why? Because I got to go see Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox live last night! It was amazing...even though the venue was standing only, so after waiting in line for 45 minutes, then standing inside RIGHT UP AGAINST THE STAGE before the show, then a two hour show for a total of about four hours on my feet...it was SUCH a good show. I can't think of any performance I've ever been to that I enjoyed more.

PMJ is a band that puts current hits to vintage style music. Their attire is 40's glam, and they have a sort of big band sound to them, with stunning vocals and very impressive piano, bass (fiddle and guitar), percussion, sax, and trombone. And tap. Yes, tap dancing. On stage.

So, for an example, last night Cry Me a River which is a Justin Timberlake song, done in 50's R&B style was a show stopper. They have a video out Thriller done in 30's flapper style. Yes, they get celebs to sing with them And although they didn't do THIS particular piece for us last night, everything they DID do just blew me away. Beyonce', Lady GaGa, Ellie Goulding, Celine Dion. They do a cover of Creep by Radiohead that I enjoy immensely...And I woke up with "All About That Bass" in my head, because they closed the show with that one...

well anyway WHAT a fun night. I thought I was going to cry from my feet hurting while we stood and waited, but the moment the music started, I forgot all about it and shook my booty to some of the best music in the world. They say dance as if no one is watching. Well, I danced right up front and slightly left of center, and I don't care if everyone was watching me! I had a fantastic time, and I love it that I could have kept going even after a two hour show. EVEN after how many hours of standing. I love it that waking up this morning....yeah, I knew they were there, but I'm not dead, not full of aches and pains. I might not want a repeat tonight, but yeah, give me a day of recovery, and I could shake it again all night this weekend.

My body doesn't feel like it is dropping any poundage though, which I am impatiently waiting to see. Clothes fit just the same, no changes in belly fat. Haven't stepped on the scale. But regardless, the energy is so wonderful and I know the weight will eventually drop. Hm, I said my clothes fit the same, but the jacket I am wearing today fits just a little bit better in the arms maybe.

Oh! and a post on Ruff's journal reminded me of something VERY motivating: we had to climb a couple of long flights of stairs to get to the show, and though I had to pretty much haul myself by the hand rail thanks to a funky knee, when I got to the top my breathing was nearly normal, hear rate hardly elevated at all. BECAUSE of my daily 15 minutes on the recumbent bike at work! isn't that cool!

[bunsofaluminum]

Geez Louise, three days in a row with off plan foods?

Something about the weekends. I seem to go off the rails just a bit every Saturday or Sunday. This time it was Saturday, with a piece of pie after babysitting my little adorbs grandbaby while his mommy threw a bridal shower. Fun night! he is packed with personality and we had a great time playing ball back and forth, and he enjoys dinking around with his numerous toys so there was some down time for me just watching him while he played.

and then, after I'd got him to bed, the girls were still partying and had got to the dessert, which was a homemade rich decadent pie with plenty of dairy and fat. And I had a piece. Made it five days in a row without losing it, though. I did five, and I can do more than that. also, fresh farm eggs in the house again...

[moonlight]

Hey Buns,

That band sounds like fun. It's great you felt more energy! Yay, you! This WFPB diet really makes a difference! I've started noticing more energy too. So cool. Congratulations for being compliant for 5 days! At least that pie is not in your house. Such a distraction! Eggs are loaded with cholesterol - not worth the calories

[bunsofaluminum]

Hey Buns,

That band sounds like fun. It's great you felt more energy! Yay, you! This WFPB diet really makes a difference! I've started noticing more energy too. So cool. Congratulations for being compliant for 5 days! At least that pie is not in your house. Such a distraction! Eggs are loaded with cholesterol - not worth the calories

yah babay, that was SO MUCH FUN Postmodern Jukebox! what a night!

yeah, I could have walked past the pie 3 bazillion times and never even thought about it. But eggs are tough. But I live with a man who is an omnivore/SAD eater so keeping that stuff out of the house isn't going to happen. I just need to think about eggs the same way that I do for the junk food or flesh. I mean, I never touch Wylie's chips or cookies. They don't seem like food at all to me, but I've been that way my entire adult life. Even when I was an omnivore, I ate whole foods, at home, made from scratch. And eggs was part of that. Junk food was pretty much never in the house growing up, or raising my kids, so I've never thought of it as food, and I still don't. Nowadays, meat grosses me out COMPLETELY. Dairy is disgusting, too. Glass of milk? Gag! gross! But eggs, when they come from happy chickens that get to scratch around at will around the yard? Dang that's TOUGH.

But I struggled with cravings yesterday when someone brought a bag of chips to work and left them in the break room for anyone to have some. You could see the grease on the inside of the bag, and I was CRAVING them. Wanted some SO bad. Why? Why don't they tempt me at home, but they called out my name yesterday at work. But then again, most days they wouldn't have bothered me at all but yesterday they did. Big time. Hm.

[moonlight]

I know what you mean. Some days, no problem. Other days are a constant struggle. I wonder sometimes if I just haven't eaten enough of the 'right' foods. Then again, it's just a craving most of the time. My husband is the same as yours. He is good about keeping things that trigger me out of sight - not in front in the fridge, or not on the counter. His sweets don't trigger me, except for the chocolate almond milk...

I think with each day that I don't give in to the craving, the stronger my willpower. I started marking the times I go off plan on a calendar with the whole month visible. My goal is to make it a whole week with no slips. Hard for me... I'm trying to stay within the MWL guidelines... It's gotten easier to stay within a WFPB guideline. Cheese and meat are losing their appeal.

Good luck with that office break room food! When your brain needs a break from work the willpower goes down... Try to not look at it.

[Ejeff]

I find that having healthy baked options available helps to avoid anything less healthy in the house. Or having some nice cream is a great treat. As for eggs, I used to love eggs when I ate SAD, but if you really stop to think about what they are...just seems very disgusting to me now.

[bunsofaluminum]

I know what you mean. Some days, no problem. Other days are a constant struggle. I wonder sometimes if I just haven't eaten enough of the 'right' foods. Then again, it's just a craving most of the time. My husband is the same as yours. He is good about keeping things that trigger me out of sight - not in front in the fridge, or not on the counter. His sweets don't trigger me, except for the chocolate almond milk...

I think with each day that I don't give in to the craving, the stronger my willpower. I started marking the times I go off plan on a calendar with the whole month visible. My goal is to make it a whole week with no slips. Hard for me... I'm trying to stay within the MWL guidelines... It's gotten easier to stay within a WFPB guideline. Cheese and meat are losing their appeal.

Good luck with that office break room food! When your brain needs a break from work the willpower goes down... Try to not look at it.

You got that right. If I don't cave, the crave goes away. LOL I learned that recently when I cut snacking out of my daily life. You don't die from not eating at 4:30 pm! The little grrr that the appetite gives is NOT the boss of me! What is currently helping me more than anything is listening to lots of Dr M lectures and interviews. My little calendar set up in the "Menus What I am Eating" forum is providing a really useful visual to keep me motivated. I want to see LOTS of green!

I used to love eggs when I ate SAD, but if you really stop to think about what they are...just seems very disgusting to me now.

I'm hoping it'll get to that point with me.

Meanwhile, my new favorite snack is cucumber slices, thanks to cucumbers being 2/$1.00 at the grocery store. I've been buying two or three dollars worth every other day. I slice them and put into my sipping water, and also just munch them by the slice. They do very nicely at my work desk, and they're having a diuretic effect...I'm peeing a lot, and feeling pretty light. Very nice snack, my cuke slices. Cucumber and chestnut. Hmmm. I do eat weird stuff, just like Wylie says

[roundcoconut]

Meanwhile, my new favorite snack is cucumber slices, thanks to cucumbers being 2/$1.00 at the grocery store. I've been buying two or three dollars worth every other day. I slice them and put into my sipping water, and also just munch them by the slice. They do very nicely at my work desk, and they're having a diuretic effect...I'm peeing a lot, and feeling pretty light. Very nice snack, my cuke slices. Cucumber and chestnut. Hmmm. I do eat weird stuff, just like Wylie says

Yum! Peeled or not peeled?

I’m going to have to give this a go. Cucumbers are so watery, and I believe my body is probably dry and under-hydrated these days. (I have been munching on sliced carrots, which are dense and not so watery. My body’s going to really like me for switching over!)

Oh, and if I slice some into a glass of water and drink it, then my body’s REALLY going to like me. Wow — so I have a cucumber mission for this afternoon. Thanks for mentioning the cukes!

[Anna Green]

Loved your description of your shaking your booty at the concert! Made me think that at the Retreat this weekend I didn't think of food much till it was time to eat and I was hungry. Fun is important to our recovery...we don't want to be seeking entertainment with food. Not that we can't enjoy but you know what I mean. Good for you!

[bunsofaluminum]

Meanwhile, my new favorite snack is cucumber slices, thanks to cucumbers being 2/$1.00 at the grocery store. I've been buying two or three dollars worth every other day. I slice them and put into my sipping water, and also just munch them by the slice. They do very nicely at my work desk, and they're having a diuretic effect...I'm peeing a lot, and feeling pretty light. Very nice snack, my cuke slices. Cucumber and chestnut. Hmmm. I do eat weird stuff, just like Wylie says

Yum! Peeled or not peeled?

I’m going to have to give this a go. Cucumbers are so watery, and I believe my body is probably dry and under-hydrated these days. (I have been munching on sliced carrots, which are dense and not so watery. My body’s going to really like me for switching over!)

Oh, and if I slice some into a glass of water and drink it, then my body’s REALLY going to like me. Wow — so I have a cucumber mission for this afternoon. Thanks for mentioning the cukes!

Hi coconut,

I eat mine with the peel on, but I like them either way. My mandolin on the medium slice makes very short work of a cucumber, I must say. Still enjoying them daily. Let me know how your cucumber mission goes today i had mine WITH lunch, since I brought Faux Tuna and saltines, I just sliced up my cucumber in the break room and ate a slice with each dollop of faux tuna. Yum!

Now...here's how my weekend went. On Tuesday and Wednesday I felt a little something coming on, and made sure to have a zinc dissolve tab every three hours. At home starting Wednesday after work, I started taking oregano oil (STRONG medicine) every three hours or so. Thursday I woke up feeling like death warmed over and called in to work, and also took Friday off (even though I felt 1000x better than Thursday, I knew I needed to rest) and I kept taking zinc and oregano oil every three hours. Saturday, the tiniest bit of a tickle in my throat and some sinus stuff. Took my medicine every three hours. Sunday, some sinus stuff. Kept taking my medicine, only no zinc. Just the oregano, and only one drop, and only twice, not every three hours. This morning, back to 100%. I'll take my oregano once a day for 10 days (like anti-bi's...only the REALLY strong ones are only for five days...hmmm.)

Anyway, point being: 1) This is the first time I've had even the slightest tickle since before Thanksgiving and 2) I didn't actually get the head cold that was trying to take me down. I fought it and it went away. I'm like an island of health and wholesomeness in an ocean of flus, sinus infections, coughs, colds, and all manner of nastiness all through the office. Lovin life.

Meanwhile, we did go out with my sibs and spouses on Saturday and I ate food that was cooked with oil, for sure. A very nice Mexican restaurant, and I had mole over vegetarian enchiladas. It wasn't dripping with oil, but you know they saute'd the veggies in oil, so I count that as an and have moved on. Then we went to a local park with an international peace garden that was VERY cool. Representative art and structures from all continents, and dozens of nations. A wide diversity of activities going on: a prom group having their pictures taken, engagement pictures, a healing revival service, skate park. And very good conversation all around. I love my family. They are the best thing in my life, bar none.

[bunsofaluminum]

Weird morning. First thing was a 3:30 car alarm. We listened as it sounded, then went off for a minute, then back on again...then it got fainter and fainter. Didn't turn OFF mind you. Just...well, frankly, someone stole a car right out of the parking garage at my building. We heard it on the street, as it simply faded into the distance. Someone. Stole. A. Car. from a secure parking garage. In the same apartment complex where a murder/suicide happened at the beginning of April.

then as I lay quietly, trying to fall back asleep, I could hear a random tock sound, like someone with a stick, tapping it on things as they walked along. Our window opens onto a mellow creek...this isn't some wonderful scenic view. There is a walkway of black top, a fenced off area where residents take their dogs to poop (and it is kept clean), and nearby one of the rivers that run from the Wasatch mountains to the Great Salt Lake. It's nice having a few trees and a slow moving, quiet green rivulet if you happen to look out the window. I mean, we also have another apartment building right there, and buildings as far as the eye can see...but there is this little walkway with some trees. So when I heard this tocking sound, it sounded like it was outside, and I imagined someone just ambling along, tapping a stick against tree trunks or stones. Now, it was still pre-dawn...not even 4:00 am, so it was a little bit weird, but I didn't think a bad person was doing this. Just a...person. Thought about going out to my balcony and looking to see, and imagining a teen or someone up early to get to work for the morning shift...who knows.

But when I shifted, suddenly I could hear that this tocking sound was INSIDE MY BEDROOM! Oy, it creeped me out SO bad! And at the same instant, I realized it was Wylie's breathing. SMH...so I poked him and he stopped it.

And of course I never did get back to sleep. Got up about quarter to five and read for a bit, had my tea. So that's two mornings in a row waking up at 3:00 - 3:30 ... ugh. And it's left me with a strange interior. Odd mindset. Slightly off worldview.

My eating patterns are looking more and more compliant as the days pass! The little calendar thingy I have going in the Menus forum is working, because dang it feels good to see lots of green days in a row. And when a happens, it's very obvious and I know just exactly what I ate to make it that way.

[bunsofaluminum]

Put on a long sleeved t-shirt today that has been fitting too tight around my arms...and it fits just fine now I am SO happy about this, because it is a favorite of mine. I went thrift shopping, looking for exactly this shirt in just this color, and I was pretty upset when I had to wrassle my arms into the sleeves. But because I like it so much, I've been wearing it after all the finagling and tugging. It was WONDERFUL just slipping it on this morning.

Went out with my mom and granddaughter for an evening strolling around an expo/venue called Dragon Lights. Knee and feet are fine this morning. A few months ago, I would have been in a lot of pain. In fact, it was so bad a year ago that I dreaded walking around the grocery store and stepping off a curb was agony. I would have paid dearly for all my walking last night, but today my feet and knee don't feel any different than any other morning.

Three nights in a row with truncated sleep. Last night was late to bed. The two nights before were early up. Either way, six hours of sleep, too many days in a row. We'll see how that works out, won't we.

There are fresh farm eggs in the house and I'm not eating them.

The pressure cooker is our friend. I needed red beans for my homemade minestrone and didn't have a can, but had some dry, so I cooked them up. By the time the soup was ready for them, they were ready to be put in the soup. Heh. Cool beans And I am LOVING this soup. Made a big ole pot and have been eating it for a meal or two every day. That's how I like it to be: a big batch of food in the fridge, easy to grab a helping and pretty much meals are ready because I have no problem eating the same thing for many meals.

Part of my most recent slip has to do with the amount of cooking that is involved with this plan. I'm going to find some "Fast Food" videos by Jeff, to come around this little obstacle.

[bunsofaluminum]

http://thevegan8.com/2018/04/04/curried-jamaican-stew/

wanting this for dinner soon. No access to my personal email at work. so...