Small Talk: The Welcome Mat

[Netfoot]

Yesterday (Sunday) was Buddy's 5th birthday! We didn't do anything special, but the day before (Saturday) we had a little BBQ and he had a large pork chop specially prepared for him. And also, several bites of hot dog and hamburger, contributed by everyone else at the event.  

[Browncoat]

Happy Birthday, Buddy!

[Netfoot]

I decided I should lose some weight.  (If you know me, you know that overweight is an understatement.)  So, I made some radical changes to my diet, and started doing a little exercise. Couple of weeks went by and I unexpectedly ran into my GP (who is the greatest).  When she heard what I was doing, she suggested I come to her office/clinic each week, use her fancy scale, and record the weight loss in my file.  No problem - I live literally around the corner from her place and I walk there, which is all good for the process.

I was losing every week, but every week the loss was less than the week before.  Last week, after a somewhat disappointing visit to the scale, she made some suggestions on diet which actually involved not starving myself quite so much.  I thought it sounded counter-productive, but she is no dummy, so I gave it a try.  

Yesterday was weigh-day.  I had the biggest loss since I started, six weeks ago: 6 lbs.  Total loss in the last six weeks:  25 lbs.

I am pleased!  But I'm not at my target weight yet. Still got 44 lbs. to go.  

 

In other news:  I tried one of those "Blue" thingies you put in the tank of your toilet.  Five days later, I caught Budweiser drinking blue water out of the bowl. Silly doggie! His own water bowl, freshly filled at least once a day, is only feet away!  I took him (and the label from the thingie) to the vet who looked it up and said I shouldn't worry, since it isn't likely to affected him, but to keep an eye on him.  So far, so good. Best fun was trying to get that thingie back out of the tank.  It was all gooey by then, and intensely blue!  Scooped most of it out (Now, from my elbow down, I look a bit like Jennifer Lawrence in the X-Men movies.) and have been flushing the toilet often since then, for no reason, just to purge the system.  The joys of pet ownership!

Edited August 18, 2018 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Just last night I finished (re)reading Stand on Zanzibar (by John Brunner).  I have not read it for many years, but despite it's publication date of 50 years ago, it's still a great book.  I'd have to say it was prototypical cyber-punk or at least cyber-punkish.  It took me for ever to get through it, because I do most of my reading in bed.  Recently, I've been so exhausted that I can't read more than a handful of pages before my eyes start to close down.  

My Biggles collection now stands at 90 books in hand (with 14 still waiting to be read), one en route, and 10 not available - at least not at any price I can afford.

Weight loss continues.  Now down by 34 lbs.  Only 36 more to go to hit my revised loss target.  Hoping to cross that halfway point by next weigh-day.  

Buddy is as cute and sweet ever

but still incredibly naughty!  Caught him playing with an immense, bloated toad last night.  By the time I disposed of that, Bud was running around, shaking his head and foaming at the mouth.  Good times trying to catch the little sod, to wash his mouth out with a bottle of water.  A process that had to be repeated several times.  You can imagine the fun that was, running around the yard in the pitch dark, wearing nothing but a pair of pajama shorts that should never be allowed outside the house!  Anyway, I knew the little monster was OK later, when he jumped up in bed and demanded his share of my midnight snack (peanuts).

[Netfoot]

Just come back from a walk.  Spotted this lone bloom, growing out of a roadside ditch.  

Anyone know what it is?  Some sort of Marigold perhaps?  

[Spunkygal]

@Netfoot, that looks very similar to the marigolds here. They have a very distinctive, not unpleasant, aroma. I like them because the one million bunnies who are taking over my neighborhood won’t eat them because of the smell. 

BTW, congrats on your weight loss! That is awesome. I try to start losing this time of year to prepare for the holiday oinkfest so I better get serious! Less wine, more salads!

Glad Buddy is still his spunky self! My girl’s congestive heart failure is slowing her down on walks but she has her spirited moments!! 

Is the new hurricane projected to hit your area?

[Netfoot]

25 minutes ago, Spunkygal said:

Is the new hurricane projected to hit your area?

Florence is going way north of us, and Helene seems set to go even further north.  

Isaac, on the other hand, has a predicted path that definitely comes this way.  It is predicted to be a Cat1 storm when it reaches our longditude (barely hurricane strength).  We're told to expect it Thursday afternoon.  I'm hoping that the island skillfully steps to one side to avoid it, as it usually does when these things come along.  Thursday would be very inconvenient.  As would any other day, for that matter.  But Thursday is Weigh-day.  And I need a prescription renewal, too!

Sorry to hear about your girl.  Don't know what to suggest, other than to let her walk at her own pace, and only as far as she's comfortable walking.  Sorta like me.  

I've pushed my daily distance up from half a mile (which killed me) to a mile (which kills me).  Today I decided it was time to step it up to two miles (which did kill me).  Did a total of 2.9 miles today, but in three batches.  Did a mile this morning, then this afternoon I did a half mile to the bank (where they absolutely needed to measure my genitals for official reasons, and also make notes on the methods of disposal of my grandparents.  Finally, did nearly another mile and a half to get back home. (I am now totally dead.)

I thought it was a marigold, but the marigolds I am familiar with (strong aroma and all) don't have that tall, central eye.  I googled Marigolds and when I looked at the images I was blown away with the sheer variety!

[Netfoot]

Isaac has been downgraded to a Tropical Storm.  From the Met office:

Quote

At 11:00 p.m:- Location near 14.5N 46.9W… about 850 miles or 1370 km east of Barbados.
Maximum sustained winds …near 70 mph or 110 km/h.
Tropical Storm force winds extend outward 45 miles or 75 km from the center.
Movement was westward at 16 mph or 26 km/h 

and 

Quote

On this track, the center of Isaac is expected to pass about 150 miles (240 km)  north of Barbados early on Thursday. However, an outer band associated with Isaac will bring some scattered showers, isolated thunderstorms and occasional gusty winds to Barbados on Wednesday

So, not too big, not too strong, and passing well clear to the north.  

Edited September 11, 2018 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Isaac passed to the north, with little or no effect.  I got rained on yesterday, while I was was taking my afternoon walk, and it nearly got me this morning when I went to the doctor for a weigh-in.  (Lost two more pounds -- total 35 36.)  Those showers were pretty much it.  Yet, apparently:

Quote

Showers, isolated thunderstorms and occasional gusty winds will continue to affect Barbados today and into tonight. 

And:

Quote

As a consequence A FLOOD-WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR BARBADOS UNTIL 6:00 P.M TODAY, THURSDAY 13TH, 2018

 

In other news, I discovered a new product on the supermarket shelves this week:

Didn't buy -- this may be a favourite in Jamaica, but not so much around here.  Doubt this would be to my taste...

Edited September 18, 2018 by Netfoot

[Lantern7]

Watching the Emmys. Still hoping us TAR fans can meet up in the future. I wouldn't even need an episode or ex-Racers. Just hang out, shoot the shit, and have some fun.

[Netfoot]

Can you believe it's just gone one year since we last saw Foxy?

[Spunkygal]

1 hour ago, Netfoot said:

Can you believe it's just gone one year since we last saw Foxy?

I cannot believe it! I just wish she had let you and Buddy take her home, but she is a free spirit. You did all you could, so I hope you don’t have any regrets. 

[Netfoot]

Obviously I regret that I never got her to come home with us.  And that I don't know what became of her.  But I think I treated her well enough, and I don't regret anything I did.

I hope someone came and found her and took her away to a comfortable home and is looking after her, because she was a sweet girl, gentle and affectionate.

 

Weigh-day tomorrow.  Last week, I worked harder than ever before, for a measly 2-lb. gain.  This week I've worked twice as hard as last week.  So I'm really hoping for better than 2 lb.

Now I have to go cook Buddy an Angus steak.

Edited September 19, 2018 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Walked a mile to the doctor's office. Got the results of last week's hemoglobin test (5.6). Had an amusing argument with her about my walking stick.

Dropped trou and got on the scale. Seven pounds. Total is now 43 lb. in 11 weeks. Not too disappointed.

[Spunkygal]

@Netfoot, awesome results! Good for you! What’s the story on the walking stick? Love all the interesting braided colors.

[Netfoot]

There's nothing special about the walking stick.  It's just a 4' long bamboo pole I bought in a hardware store for two bucks.  I'm interested in knots, so I tied a pair of French Whippings, done in contrasting, black & orange, in opposite directions, with alternating hitches. This results in two ridges, spiraling in opposite directions, around the handle-wrap.  I secured the top with an 8-bight, 4-lead Turks Head knot, doubled, in the same contrasting colours.  This makes for a very good, grippy handle. I chose black and orange because I happen to have two spools of Type I Accessory Cord in those colours.

Sometimes I'd feel like tying a knot and the poor walking stick would get some more decorations. Just below the handle, a 5-bight, 7-lead Turks Head, doubled, in deep maroon and black, then a 5-bight, 3-lead Turks Head, trippled, in cotton clothesline.  The ends are not hidden, but simply secured under the next knot, a 5-bight, 3-lead, doubled Turks Head in yellow Type III 550 Paracord. And then a 3-bight, 15-lead, quadrupled Turks head in Type I Accessory Cord.  The knot is tied and tripled in black, then the fourth strand followed in orange.  Compared to the handle whippings, you can see how the orange cord fades over time.

After that, a 5-bight, 3-lead, tripled Turks Head in navy Type III 550 paracord. Next comes a 7-bight, 12-lead, tripled Turks Head in Type I Accessory Cord.  It's tied and doubled in yellow, and then traced in the middle with a third pass in black. This is followed by three Turks Heads,  7-bight, 4-lead, tripled Type I Accessory Cord, in blue, green and red. Then another tripled, 7-bight, 12-lead Turks Head like the yellow & black one, but with the colours reversed.  Finally,  a 4-bight, 12-lead, tripled Turks Head in Type III 550 paracord, with two passes in black, and the third, adjacent, in shocking pink.  (See photo in previous post.)

I've also added another Turks Head, a 4-byte, 11-lead, doubled in forest green and followed centrally in neon (zombie) green.  This is an unusual variation on the standard Turks head, with a two-over, two-under pattern.  This one is tied and dressed, but I need to spend an hour or so tightening it properly, so no photo as yet.  And the bottom 3" of the stick is simply served with #9 nylon Bank Line and capped with a rubber ferrule.  

It's a very serviceable walking stick, but a little colourful.  (A strange woman drove up to me as I was walking the other day, and offered to buy it on the spot!)  But it was never planned as a whole, so it's a bit of a mish-mash.  So recently, I purchased two 4' hardwood dowels of suitable diameter, center-drilled both ends, and am in the process of making hardwood caps on my lathe, to reinforce the ends.  The first one is complete, and is made of oak.  But the piece of oak I had was poor, so that cap will be concealed by the rubber ferrule. I have some mahogany and purple heart and will probably use the purpleheart which is very hard.  I also have some Bolivian rosewood, but I wouldn't waste it on a stick for knocking about with!  The purpleheart is the hardest anyway.  

Goodness!  This story is getting very long and very boring!  Anyway...

Last week, my doctor made a comment about the colourful stick which, due to an unfortunate choice of words in the local dialect, could, with a stretch of the imagination, have been interpreted as questioning my masculinity. I knew that's not what she was trying to say, made no response, and forgot all about it.  Last night I glued the oak butt cap into one of the two new sticks I'm building, and left it to dry overnight. This morning I was keen to try out the new, completely unfinished, and completely plain stick, so I used it for my walk to the doctor.  She immediately asked what had happened to the old, colourful walking stick, and at that very moment I remembered her comment from last week, and replied, "Because last week, you said..." I laid it on thick, with her denying, and me pretending to be insulted... 

So, my old, colourful walking stick will remain, my new stick will be far more subdued (black and burgundy Type I Accessory Cord with #12 Bank Line at the foot) and I will continue to tease my doctor for years to come!  Or, perhaps I will relent, and let her choose the colours for the third stick?

[Netfoot]

18 hours ago, Netfoot said:

I've also added another Turks Head, a 4-byte, 11-lead, doubled in forest green and followed centrally in neon (zombie) green.  This is an unusual variation on the standard Turks head, with a two-over, two-under pattern.  This one is tied and dressed, but I need to spend an hour or so tightening it properly...

Done!

[Browncoat]

Nice!

[Netfoot]

Finished the top-cap for the first of my two new walking sticks.

It's glued in place with a ½" hardwood dowel running an inch into the cap, and two inches down into the stick itself.  Left it out in the sun for a day so the UV could really bring out that colour.  Finished sanding yesterday (not too crazy - this is a knock-about stick), and applied a beeswax polish I made a while back.  Makes it 'pop', and protects the wood from moisture.

The join line isn't very pretty, but the handle wrap (or more likely the top securing knot) will begin juuust above that line, and so cover it up completely.

Still waiting for the black & burgundy Type I cord, which hopefully, will arrive this week.  It's currently "In Transit to Destination Country."  Then comes the pleasure of tying a 14-16" Turks Head.  I'll have to make a jig!  Come to think of it, I'll need to make a serving mallet, too, which I should have done long ago.....

[Netfoot]

I think we're going to get wet this time......

[Browncoat]

Stay safe, @Netfoot!

[Spunkygal]

You and Buddy stay safe!!

[Netfoot]

TS Kirk has weakened and is now moving away. All day, no wind or rain. Internet went down this morning, for an hour or so.  Shortly after it came back, there was a tremendous detonation which shook the house, and the power went. (Transformer on the pole out back, apparently.) Of course, when the power went, so did the computer, and the router that gives me internet, as well as landline phone.  

Now, and for the last hour, it's been bucketing down!  Met office Advisory #7 says it should continue throughout the night and into the morning. High-Surf Advisory and SmallCraft
Warning remain in effect until 6:00 a.m Monday.  

Buddy is here at my feet.  He will no doubt wait until just before lights-out, then go and patrol the yard, so he will be soaking wet when he jumps into bed.

I'm down another three pounds, for a total of forty six, in 85 days (12 weeks). And the black & burgundy Type I cord arrived today, along with two more Biggles books. They also released a new pocket knife and some scalpels, but I wasn't going down there twice in one day, so maybe tomorrow, maybe Saturday.

Time for my rice-cake!  Yum!

[Netfoot]

Attempting to rediscover my mother's recipe for nuts...

Now to steep them in hot brine for... how many hours?

[Spunkygal]

Those aren’t scotch bonnets are they? I’ve never had steeped nuts (insert dirty joke here.)

[Netfoot]

30 minutes ago, Spunkygal said:

Those aren’t scotch bonnets are they?

Yap!  "Bonney Peppers" they're called around here.  Mum called her nuts "Pepper Nuts".  They were always very moreish!

Steep them in brine so they absorb saltyness.  (Salted nuts are not good for you!  So obviously, they taste best.)  After an unknown time - I will try 4 hours - they are drained on paper, then shallow-fried in oil.  You place a match in the oil, and when it self-ignites, the oil is hot enough.  

Mum's recipe was for peanuts, but I really wanted to do the pecans.  However,  I don't know the length of time they should be fried.  All I know is you have take them out and drain them before they look done, because they continue to cook and darken after they come out. So I threw in some peanuts as well, so I would maybe be able to judge from their colour when the nuts were done?

This could be a disaster in the making, second only to the Hindenburg...

 

P.S.:  Tied the first basic knot of my walking stick handle last night.  Took 6½ hours.  When I was finished I examined it carefully, and found three mistakes.  Took about two minutes to unravel all that work...  Started again this afternoon, and I've done one third of the basic knot.  If I break it into stages perhaps I won't make any mistakes!

Edited September 29, 2018 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

The nuts turned out OK.  I did them in three batches and the last (smallest) batch was a little overcooked, but still tasty and very moreish indeed!  Huge disappiontment:  No heat!!! You'ld think that ten bonney peppers would say goodbye as well as hello... but you could eat these nuts and never know there was pepper in them!  :—(  [long face].  

I retied the long TH, which took about 6 more hours, and it was completely error free!!  And it refused to come off the mandrel and onto the stick.  So, I pulled it out again.  Third time's the charm.  Tied it again, this time in situ, and another 6 hours later, and I have the basic TH finished.  Here it is, next to my old stick:

As I was tying the final pass of the knot, I was worried I'd be short of cord.  As it turned out, I had about 13" to spare.  Good thing.  I'd hate to have to pull extra length of cord through that knot!  It's 48' of cord to tie the basic knot and another 52' strapped to the bottom to do a doubling pass.  Then I have the burgundy cord to add an extra pass (or possibly two?) before tightening begins.  Tightening will regain me some of the cord, but I don't really have any idea how much.  With a knot of this size, I'd expect several feet, though.  

Anyway, I'll put this aside for a day or two until my fingers stop hurting.  And now, I'll grab up that old, 'pretty' stick, and go for a walk!

[Netfoot]

Started dieting & exercising on 4th of July.  Today is exactly three months.  Today was also weigh-day, and I only managed to lose a single pound for the week.  But for the 3-month period, the total loss is 47 pounds.  I would really have liked it to be 50, but you can't get everything you want in life.  Only 32 more lbs. to target #1.  Two independent weight trend programs predict December 6th.  But that won't happen at 1 lb. a week, so I guess that means I'm missing my rice-cake for dinner tonight...

Walking stick is progressing. Two thirds of the TH is now doubled, and I'll probably finish the process tomorrow or Saturday at the latest.  When the black is complete, I will remove the jig ends, then position and dress the knot.  After that, I'll follow with one course of burgundy, and finally do one or two tightening passes. Hope I like how it looks when it's all done.  This is by far the longest TH I've ever tied.  (Previous largest was 4-bight, 32-lead, three pass.  This is 3-bight, 170 lead, three pass.)  Teased the Doc by referring to it as my "hetero" walking stick. She was not amused!

Very hungry.  I think I will brew an extra large cuppa tea, then download some random episodes of The Great British Bake-Off and watch them!  Or maybe the cheeseburger world championships....

[Netfoot]

Aaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!!!!

[Netfoot]

Walking Stick:  TH knot tied & doubled in black, and followed in burgundy.  About 50 hours of work, including about 8 hours fixing the twist shown in the previous photograph.  Approximately 150 feet of cord were used.

Unfortunately, it's got to come off again.  It's too long (the little Goldenrod band marks about the maximum length that it should be) and the tightening is very inconsistent.  I will re-tie with fresh cord, reducing the number of initial wraps from 28 to 18.  This should reduce the length from 25 inches to 15 (ish).  

Weigh-day:  Down 3 more pounds for a total of 50.  It's been exactly 3 months and 1 week.  Wish I could have reached the 50 lb. milestone within the 3 months, but I'm not complaining.  

Biggles Books: Have now read 90, have 5 waiting their turn, and 1 on order.  That leaves 5 more to complete the set.  However, since the cheapest of the remaining 5 is US$250+ and the total for all five exceeds US$3,200 I think it is unlikely I will get to complete the set any time soon. 

Budweiser: Wickeder and sweeter by the day!

[mpstar]

Hi all.  Just checking in to say hello and a quick update on my life.  I know I don't post much, but felt inclined (instead of packing)

 

Packing, you say?  Yup, I'm leaving Stroudsburg for Bethlehem, 35 miles south of my current location.  It puts me equidistant between New York and Philadelphia, where I do most of my acting/modeling work (more on that later).  Many of my friends have relocated, and Bethlehem has much more to do.  My new place is a 100 year old row house, walking distance to the downtown area.  I move in 10 days, and boy do I have lots of packing to do.  21 years in a home is a lot of crap.  

The acting modeling thing?  I've been doing it since I retired from librarianship almost 5 years ago.  I started with doing background work on tv/movies, but now I do mostly commercials for as seen on tv projects and a the occasional national or regional ad.  It's great fun, and supplements my pension.  I've graced a billboard or two, and I almost ran off the road the first time I drove past one.  Currently I'm in an ad for the Zola.com site, portraying the mother of the bride, and there's and ad for AZO products that is on the web.

And speaking of mother of the bride, Miss mpstar is now a Mrs!  She got married two weeks ago to a delightful man who she had dated for 11 years.  They broke up once or twice, but both realized how well suited they are to each other quite some time ago.  She and her husband live in Denver.

OK, must go back to packing.  Let me add a photo here, first, though.

[Netfoot]

22 hours ago, mpstar said:

Miss mpstar is now a Mrs!

MPStar!  What great new!  Please pass on congratulations from myself, and (if I may be so bold) the old TWoP crowd.  She certainly looks very happy in the photograph!

Otherwise, it's so nice to hear from you.  The old crowd seems to have fallen by the wayside, for the most part.  I am pretty much the only person who posts here with any regularity.  To find out what's been going on in my life, you only need to read the back-issues of this forum.

When you are settled, please come back and post a nice photo of yourself, looking comfy, in your new home.

Say hello to your brother when next you speak.  (He's cool!)

[Netfoot]

Previous 50 lbs. + 5 lbs. this week = 55 lbs. in 106 days! 

[Spunkygal]

17 hours ago, Netfoot said:

Previous 50 lbs. + 5 lbs. this week = 55 lbs. in 106 days! 

Congrats! That is so awesome! I admire your determination.....please pass a cup of determination over here!

[Netfoot]

Weigh-day one day early, due to: Reasons!

Previous 55 lbs. + 6 lbs. this week = 61 lbs. in 112 days.

 

Cup of Determination:

[Spunkygal]

Thank you! I’m not even adding my usual cream and sugar...just gonna drink it straight! Well, with maybe a tad of Irish cream! 

Congrats on the continued weight loss. I know Buddy is so proud of Dad! 

[Netfoot]

2 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

I know Buddy is so proud of Dad! 

Budweiser is gaining weight as fast as I am losing it!  His new nickname is "Plump".  Honestly, he's always hungry!  (No, he doesn't have worms.)

[Netfoot]

Weight loss this week:  ZERO.

I ate a portion of black-eyed peas and rice last Friday, and that's all it took.

I feel evil.  Like I kicked a puppy.

[Spunkygal]

38 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

Weight loss this week:  ZERO.

I ate a portion of black-eyed peas and rice last Friday, and that's all it took.

I feel evil.  Like I kicked a puppy.

No, it’s the rice that’s evil. And brown rice is horrid tasting (to me). Don’t beat yourself up— it’s gonna happen. And that cup of determination you passed my way worked. I’ve lost 3 lbs in two weeks. I’m just counting carbs and have increased my cardio at the gym from 30 minutes to 45. I know I won’t see results every week but think I’ll be in good shape to blow it all on Thanksgiving! Thanks for being my inspiration! 

[Netfoot]

1 minute ago, Spunkygal said:

No, it’s the rice that’s evil.

And my doctor just instructed me to drink two (not one, but two) peanut shakes a day.  

1 Cup Almond Milk
1 Tablespoon Natural Peanut Butter
1 Stevia

Next week, I expect an increase in weight.  :-(

[Netfoot]

On 11/1/2018 at 10:09 AM, Netfoot said:

Next week, I expect an increase in weight.  :-(

Yep. Four pounds UP!    D-:  

I feel gutted.

[Netfoot]

Weight loss this week:  SIX pounds.

Previous loss 57 lbs. + 6 lbs. this week = 63 lbs. down in 134 days.

Now walking 6 miles a day.

Oh, and today is my birthday.  What shall I treat myself with?

[Spunkygal]

3 hours ago, Netfoot said:

Weight loss this week:  SIX pounds.

Previous loss 57 lbs. + 6 lbs. this week = 63 lbs. down in 134 days.

Now walking 6 miles a day.

Oh, and today is my birthday.  What shall I treat myself with?

You continue to have amazing results! Happy b-day! Are you a scotch drinker? If so, enjoy a nice expensive scotch. Or a slice of banoffee!

[Browncoat]

Happy Birthday!  I'd say treat yourself with ice cream (because I love ice cream!), but that might be counter-productive.  :) 

[Netfoot]

1 hour ago, Browncoat said:

Happy Birthday! 

Thank you both, @Browncoat & @Spunkygal !   

2 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

Are you a scotch drinker?

No.  I used to be a rum drinker.  Rum was invented here, and we've spent the last 400 years perfecting it.  But a while back, I decided that since I'd already consumed enough rum for two lifetimes, I'd better call a halt to that particular habit.  Haven't touched a drop^† of alcohol in 27½ years.  Don't actually miss it, but after a fine meal in a good restaurant, I do miss a Cointreau over cracked ice.  

1 hour ago, Browncoat said:

I'd say treat yourself with ice cream (because I love ice cream!), but that might be counter-productive.  :) 

You are the second person to suggest iced cream, but (as you say) it might be counter-productive.  It's taken me nearly three weeks to fight off the effects of that ill-advised portion of black-eyed peas and rice.  Heaven knows what would happen if I ate iced cream!  Or pizza.  Or cake.  Or macaroni pie.  Or breadfruit & plantains...

† If I have to celebrate a special occasion (the wedding of a family member, etc) I will let the champagne moisten my upper lip, then use the tip of my tongue to taste it.  I have done that twice since I stopped drinking, years ago.

[Netfoot]

Previous loss 63 lbs. + 4 lbs. this week = 67 lbs. down in 141 days.

Now walking 9.6 miles a day, and it's killing me!

[Spunkygal]

It’s not killing you! It’s prolonging your life! You continue to be an inspiration! Good for you, @Netfoot! I hope you have super comfy walking shoes. Does Buddy accompany you on your walks? 

[Netfoot]

25 minutes ago, Spunkygal said:

I hope you have super comfy walking shoes.

This is how comfy they are:

So comfy my doctor had to perform minor surgery and bandage my foot this morning.

She also said I should reduce my walking efforts, and eat more food!  Honestly, I don't know what to think.

I had an initial target, and I'm two pounds from hitting it.  But a while ago, I revised it down by ten pounds, so I'm 12 pounds from the revised target.  Target date is 3rd of January.  That's 42 days/6 weeks from now, so if I can avoid any disastrous reversals of fortune, I should be able to make it.  (Two pounds per week.)  Which is why the "eat more/exercise less" advice seems at odds with my plan.  A plan which Dr. K. has been recommending for years, BTW!  Anyway, I think I will continue with my efforts until at least I hit my initial target.

After that, I may take a break, if I can figure how to do that without putting the weight back on.  Then, I'm thinking about maybe a second target of another 50 lbs?

25 minutes ago, Spunkygal said:

Does Buddy accompany you on your walks? 

No.  Buddy on a lead would be a bit like catching a Tartar.  Believe me, you can't take Mr. Budweiser for a walk.  He takes you!  I do my walking around the neighborhood.  Buddy wouldn't get past that nasty little Jack Russel in the next street.  There would be a snarling match with Buddy outside the gate and the Jack Russel inside, and disaster would follow shortly thereafter.  Also, there are a couple of very busy roads next to the neighborhood.  They would be very dangerous for a silly doggie.

I used to take him with me, when I walked from our club in the country.  No lead required.  Up there, we're a ways from the road, and Bud is free to come and go as he wishes.  We frequently look out from the clubhouse and see him 500-600 yards away, so he gets plenty of exercise.  But he loved to come walkies with me when I went off to get some exercise.  That was all very well when I was walking a mile at a time.  Now it's closer to 5 miles at a time.  The cart roads and agricultural tracks I walk on are quite slow-going terrain. And I don't want to go up to the club to see my buddies, and then spend most of the time away from the club, walking!  That would defeat the purpose of the 20 mile round trip drive.  And gas is $3.91/liter.  So, now, I do all my walking at home so I don't have to when I go to the club.

So, no.  Bud doesn't walk with me any more.  And I regret that, because I used to like having him come with me on a walk.  Of course, he was constantly shooting off in various directions, chasing butterflies, sniffing out hares, etc, and rarely walked with me...

[Netfoot]

A while back, we were discussing books — sci-fi and otherwise — and making suggestions and recommendations.  

Who suggested Blackout by Connie Willis? Thank you!  I'm about ¾ of the way through, and enjoying it very much.  The blurb:

Quote

Oxford in 2060 is a chaotic place, with scores of time-traveling historians being sent into the past. Michael Davies is prepping to go to Pearl Harbor. Merope Ward is coping with a bunch of bratty 1940 evacuees and trying to talk her thesis adviser into letting her go to VE-Day. Polly Churchill’s next assignment will be as a shopgirl in the middle of London’s Blitz. But now the time-travel lab is suddenly canceling assignments and switching around everyone’s schedules. And when Michael, Merope, and Polly finally get to World War II, things just get worse. For there they face air raids, blackouts, and dive-bombing Stukas—to say nothing of a growing feeling that not only their assignments but the war and history itself are spiraling out of control. Because suddenly the once-reliable mechanisms of time travel are showing significant glitches, and our heroes are beginning to question their most firmly held belief: that no historian can possibly change the past.

Of course, I've now ordered the second and concluding book in the series (Title: All Clear) and hope it will reach me without undue delay.  That's not as certain as you might think.  The forwarding services blame "the holidays" for shipping delays, starting from about mid-November and continuing until early March.

Weigh-day tomorrow.  Today, I cut my evening walk short after only 2 miles.  Just couldn't face continuing any more.  It was supposed to be 5 miles.  That's the first time I've ever given up. Not sure I can face 5 miles first thing in the morning, either.  Hoping for a significant loss to re-inspire me.  Desperately want 2 lbs. or even better, 3. But fear instead a gain.

Edited November 29, 2018 by Netfoot

[Spunkygal]

@Netfoot, Regarding exercise shortfalls... Those days are gonna happen! A few miles less than normal are not bad. Just go with it and don’t beat yourself up. Know that tomorrow or the next day or even two days later, you will feel like doing the entire walk. And then later a longer walk. My motto....every step you take leave fat in its place. And by every step, I mean cardio, getting the heart pumping a bit and actually feeling your muscles work. When I first read the “every step you take you leave fat in its place” mantra in a book, I imagined teeny tiny pin dots of fat leaving me every few steps, and then those tiny pin dots combining into an eraser size, and then even combining into even larger sizes, etc. Suffice it to say that every walk has beneficial consequence. Something is better than nothing, so don’t feel like you’ve given up! Does that make sense?