A Day of Talking to Moms

Today I ended up not breaking the 10k steps for the first time in a long time. I just couldn't push myself to get beyond 8k. It was an incredibly busy day. A few big calls, and a system outage, and some chaos. 

I did start the day with a chat with my mom. Every 27th of the month I pay her rent, and call her to tell her I did, or she'll call me to ask me if I did. Like.... I'd forget. 

Whenever I talk to my mom, it's almost like she's doing a current events roundup like a talk show. "So, how about that kid in Texas with the mumps? What about the Kennedy Library shutting down?" And I get to hear about the neighbors. 

Sometimes it is a little exhausting but Doug pointed out she's with it. Not like someone who forgets it is Christmas and then blames her son for not reminding her. True true true. 

Doug ended his workday talking with his mom. She's incredibly upset about the current administration (he ... isn't?) and so she had a lot to say. They talked for an hour while I made dinner. I was going to ask him to make dinner so I could go to the gym but. I let him do his convo and I did the dinner stuff. 

I'm very tired today. It was a lot. 

That said. Off to bed! 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  Indoor walk while dinner was cooking. 20 min/.90 miles. 8k steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

8am: 131
5pm: 151
9:30pm: 156

food:

coffee/water
no phentermine this morning - waiting for prescription fill
10am: metformin+glipizide
10:30am: left over chicken broccoli alfredo and pasta; protein shake
11am: apple w/pb
5pm: metformin+glipizide
6pm: rotini w/meat sauce
8pm: pretzel chips w/hummus
8:45pm: jardiance

Soup Season

Today ended up being an amazingly busy day. We had a code push, some things weren't perfect, I had two calls with clients for the project that I am almost almost almost done with (Lord help me) and one was a re-call from the other day, a call that didn't go well. Not because of the person on the other end, but the technology and the situation. Super frustrating and infuriating. I brought my sysadmin to this call thinking that it would be like taking the car to the mechanic - this time, just because he's here, it'll work fine. 

But it didn't and he's even stumped. Ugh. 

I had a really good check-in with my manager. There is a lot going on, a lot of political stuff that has direct implications on our business. It's a little scary. But we fit in some Guster chat, and talked about our moms. Being able to have that kind of a gentle connection with your manager is very nice.

Geoff had a recipe picked out for dinner tonight. A chicken chowder. But he forgot the half and half he needed. I promised I'd go grab some while he was at work, thinking at 3 I'd be free and clear. But no. Around 4:30 I finally had a break in the action. 

I wanted a trip to the gym and the market is next door. So. Off I went. Did only about 25 minutes on the treadmill and then didn't turn off the exercise feature on my fitbit, and walked to the market and did my shopping. This gets me some extra measured time, and it was a lot of walking around the market because where did they hide the olives?

I also got a nice loaf of crusty french bread. They were just putting them in the bakery display window when I walked by so, who could resisit! When I got home he had things mostly made and just needed what I brought. 

He did a great job, but I need to teach him how to make a better roux. It was kind of lumpy, not creamy. Learning and evolving, that's the way you do it in our kitchen. 

I did some more work after dinner, talked to Linda for an hour or so. No picture today. I'm so boring. 

Alright! More tomorrow. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  Treadmill and grocery store, 39 minutes/1.53 miles. 10k+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

8:15am: 132
4pm: 112
10:30pm: 97

food:

coffee/water
8:30am: phentermine
10am: metformin+glipizide
11:30am: english muffin w/turkey and 2 slices of muenster cheese
6pm: half a bag of kettle corn (should not go to the market when i am hungry)
6:30pm: metformin+glipizide
7pm: bowl of chicken chowder soup w/corn and bacon (a la chef geoff)
8:30: jardiance

Double Dog Walk

I had a 6pm client call tonight so I flexed time a little bit. The thought was to go to the gym, but it was 60 degrees, and 4:30pm, and I was suddenly feeling like walking a dog. You can't walk both dogs at the same time. Doug was still working. If you take one, the other freaks. So I figured I'd walk Dahlia, she really needs a walk daily.  Toffee can go without and be happy as a potato. 

Dahlia actually did really well on the leash for me. We kind of walked fast, not jogging like at the gym, and there are hills so I felt it in muscles I've not been using. I need to start using the incline on the treadmill to get that hilly action.  

We did a really nice loop, and I was feeling really good so I took her back and got the Toffinator. She loves a walk, and she's good on the leash unless she sees another dog. 

Or, until she shits in the middle of the sidewalk. Ugh. I cleaned up after her and we headed home. I hate carrying a poop bag. 

All told, Dahlia got 20 solid fast walking minutes and Toffee got the 10 minute cool down. 

The client call went great. We were done by 7. Follow up emails sent. Life is good. 

Geoff made dinner. And that's the excitement. 

More more more meetings tomorrow and I have to spin up a revisit on a call from today that didn't wrap up just right but I know what to do. 

Alright, no picture because walking a dog and listening to the playlist makes for difficult picture taking. 

More tomorrow!

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. Outside dog walk/s. 30 min/1.39 miles. Last minute indoor walk getting the last 1000 steps of the day (the fitbit did measuring.   12 min/.48 miles; 10k+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

8am: 126
5pm: 121
10:45pm: 143

food:

coffee/water
8:30am: phentermine
10am: metformin+glipizide
11am: bowl of plain greek yogurt w/blueberries & tiny bit of splenda
3pm: 2 long stalks of celery w/pb; some pepperoni
6pm: metformin+glipizide
6:45pm: some of the slow cooker pork roast from last night over some french fries. ramekin of trail mix (mostly peanuts)
8:30pm: jardiance

RIP Dodge

We got an early morning start today. Again, the dog. Good morning, Sunshine. Aren't you chipper at 6:45am. And barking. Okay. I'm up. 

Doug and Geoff took a trip up to the garage at 8am to drop the Dodge off, and it died completely on the way. Geoff was driving and pulled over, Doug was at the garage waiting for him. Long story short but... it's dead. Totally dead. Not worth fixing. 

We haven't had it all that long, four years I guess. A pandemic purchase. I'm disappointed. But I'm kind of relieved because if I were to drive to Massachusetts, that would have been the car I took, and ha. It deciding to die like that in the middle of the Jersey Turnpike, well, that'd suck, eh? 

Doug and our mechanic had a long talk this afternoon, weighing the options. We just put a ton of money into the Cooper, and the amount of cash it would take to fix this one tilts the scales for the value proposition based on the mileage on the beast. So Doug will find the title, we'll sell it for scrap, and buy something new. 

He recently transferred money from his Etrade account into our bank account so he could move it into an IRA (he wheels and deals with this kind of shit) so we've got a fat lump of cash sitting in there, and he can figure out what to do next. 

So we're a one car family again. Not like Doug is driving to the office, or me, or Geoff needs it for work because he walks the mile and a quarter to and from every day. He starts a class in person at the end of March so he'll be driving to Virginia then. So we have time to get things figured out. He does not enjoy the Cooper because he thinks it is too small. So hopefully he and Doug will find a car that fits him. 

For me, the Cooper is perfect. Quick, small, easy to park, fun, fits the groceries I need in the back, can hold one dog nicely and comfortably. So I have no complaints with it. 

While the boys were dealing with the Dodge, I did a walk in the house. I did 25 minutes, should have pushed it to 1/2 hour. But I thought they'd be back any second. 

Doug took the day off after his morning of car trauma. He got the pork roast into the slow cooker and day drank and took a nap. I was full of jealousy. He woke up and went to the market for some more things to go with dinner, like he wanted egg noodles and something else. 

I just worked. Work work work. 

The best part of him taking the day off is he is making dinner, he went to the market, he is just doing stuff. He's doing it all in my space while I'm trying to work but heck. He's doing it. And I don't have to. So I was able to focus and get things done. Right up to dinner time.

Glad I fit in the walk before 9am that I got. Whew! And then I crammed in 2k steps after dinner and before bed. 

digits below. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  Indoor walk, 25 min/1.29 miles; 10k+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

7am: 128
4:30pm: 133
10pm: 109

food:

coffee/water
7am: phentermine
10am: metformin+glipizide 
10:45am: walnut raisin bread w/pb
3pm: some left over chicken, sauce, and a touch of rice
6pm: metformin+glipizide
6:30pm: slow cooker pork in gravy and a scoop of mashed potatoes
8:30pm: jardiance

Sun's Up, Dahlia's Up

I feel like it has been such a long day and ... well, it has. 

Toffee will sleep until we get up, but the second Dahlia sees sunlight it's Rise and Shine, everyone! She's been here like a month, and when she got here it was darker later. But now, the sun is up before 7am and it's time for breakfast. 

Doug had gone into the guest room at some point last night, so she got up and followed him. Then she came back in to sleep with me and Toffee. This is the eastern facing windows, even with the black out curtains you see the sun peeking in. So. She got up, and started pacing. 

Eventually, her little chirp of a whimper was getting to me AND I had to pee. So. We're up. I thought we'd let Doug keep sleeping so I went to close the door and they barreled past me, jumped on the bed. Good morning Doug. 

We did  a whole lot of nothing this morning, I did laundry. Doug cuts his own hair, and I do the Quality Control to the best of my ability. He showered, and I did an indoor walk while he was doing that. I thought maybe we'd be going out to do something but we didn't. He decided it was time to read which is code for "nap." 

I went to the gym. 

I was on the treadmill, and remembered today was D&D day. So I only did a half hour, and packed it in to rush home. Not enough time for a shower for myself, just enough time to get set up in the guest room. 

But I did run to quite a few songs. Red Hot Chili Peppers gots some BANGERS for fast pace, yo.

We had a great game session, not quite as good as two weeks ago, but it was still a riot. We are very good at cliff hangers. Good day all 'round. Digits below from when the dogs were polite and quiet while I was playing my game. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. 2 walks: inside, 20 min/.9 miles; treadmill at the gym, 30 min/1.56 miles. 11k+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

7:15am: 121
4pm: 123
9:45pm: 145

food:

coffee/water
7:30am: Phentermine
9am: Metformin+glipizide
10am: 2 slices of farmstand raisin oatmeal bread w/pb
4pm: protein shake
white wine (DnD time)
6pm: Metformin+glipizide
6:15pm: bowl of mac & cheese w/bacon
7pm: last slice of cheesecake w/berries and whipped cream
8pm: giant chunk of white cheddar
9:45pm: jardiance

It's Our Saturday

We had some errands to run today, so Doug and I went to Target, got what we needed (dog food/snacks; dog shampoo, some other stuff), and then we stopped at H Mart because Doug said "why not. It's here and it's my Saturday. Let's go check it out." 

Not like we've never been to H Mart or in Massachusetts the Super 88 market. Totally been there. It's just fun to go look at giant Jackfruit, beautiful fresh fish, pick out Asian pears, and see all the miles of sauces and mystery snacks. I've been wanting to make some dumplings with my bamboo steamers, which have been sitting sad and lonely in the basement, unused since Massachusetts. Chef up some Shu Mai, or gyoza. All of what I need is right there. I'll be back. Heck, I drive past it every time I go to and from the gym. Note to self. Do it.

After H Mart, we went to the bank because Doug had birthday checks to deposit. Then to the orchard for some nice apples. I made friends with the barn cat. He enjoyed my head and ear scritches and made squinty face at me and purred. I could not be happier. 

We had to pass a nice beer store that has a tap room on the way home, so ... "why not. It's here and it's OUR Saturday." We each had two beers, watched the Caps and the Pens play hockey, and then bought some take home stuff. 

We got home and had a snack. I took my blood sugar and it was really high. We didn't have food at Quench, which was a mistake. Should have had a little something to nosh. So snack was mandatory. Then it was time for washing the dogs. They needed it, especially Dahlia. Finishing up being in heat, she deserved a spa day. Piña Colada dog shampoo and conditioner for her lovely fur. We decided to use the utility sink in the basement instead of the tub. Good call. They both fit in there pretty well but I wish we had a hose with a spray attachment or something. It would make it so much easier than dumping a plastic food container full of water on them over and over.

Toffee went first and was a champ. Then, she stood there very concerned while Dahlia had her turn. Now everyone is freshy fresh. 

I didn't feel like cooking but, dinner wasn't going to cook itself. Did that, and watched a weird Anime that looked interesting to start with but just got weirder and weirder. I lost interest. If he keeps watching tomorrow, I'll probably do something else. Meh.

Anyway. Here's the barn cat, and the digits are below. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  No gym/treadmill miles measured but the fitbit detected that I was walking and measured 52 minutes (H Mart); 10k+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9:45am: 156
5pm: 223
10:30pm: 113

food:

coffee/water
9:45am: phentermine. Metformin+glipizide
11:45am: english muffin w/pb
3pm: 2 beers at Quench
5:15pm: baby bell cheese, protein shake
6pm: metformin+glipizide
6:30pm: chicken and broccoli alfredo over penne pasta
2 more beers after dinner
10pm: jardiance

Have a little cheesecake as a treat

I had planned to leave for the gym at 3 but got a slack asking me to join a meeting at 4pm. On a Friday. On a BLESSED Friday. when I started work at 7:30 because I was up and wide awake. 

I agreed. I attended the meeting. It went to 4:45, and I fed the dogs and got ready for the gym. I figured I wouldn't get 45 min or longer on the treadmill. I also needed to feed the family. 

So a solid half hour with running/jogging/some laughable movement and I was ready to go to the market. 

Doug asked for "something from the pizza family," which usually means a french bread pizza. But I went to Lidl, not Giant (next door to the gym and a whole lot cheaper) and they had nothing resembling a baguette or whatever. So I got some store brand take and bake pizza. I should have just planned for something different. This was not good pizza. Lesson learned .... Go to Giant and get the makings for real pizza or just get Digiornno or however you spell it. 

I didn't rightly care, because I was far more interested in dessert. I made the cheesecake during our sprint review and it came out really great. The springform pan I got at Lidl is a little warped, so I need a heavier aluminum foil to wrap the pan in so the water bath does not seep water into the cake. I think I should look up another recipe - I seem to remember doing this where I put the water on the shelf under the springform pan, and the pan didn't have to get wet. Where did I see that? Alton Brown maybe? Not sure. Anyway. 

The beautiful crust I made yesterday held up to a little moisture. The recipe for the cheesecake was spot on and perfect. No complaints at all  on that front. I set some berries in a bowl with some white sugar (about 2 T) and a dash of brandy, and lemon juice. I didn't make a syrup and reduction - I wanted whole berries. And, when I was at Lidl, I got heavy whipping cream and made homemade whipped cream because heck. I wanted some. I also can control the amount of sugar that goes into the mix and I always keep it super light. 

All told.

Worth it in every way. And, I was shocked my blood sugar was not 200. The new medication and the increase in exercise is helping. It doesn't make it so "Fuck Yeah I'm having cake EVERY night!" This was just a treat. And I'm happy I did it. 

Digits below. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  Treadmill, 30 min/1.54 miles; 10k+ by bedtime

blood glucose:

7:15am: 123
5pm: 103
10:15pm: 108

food:

coffee/water
7:30am: phentermine 
9:30am: metformin+glipizide
11am: english muffin w/pb
6:30pm: metformin+glipizide
7pm: one slice of meat lovers' take & bake pizza
7:30pm: slice of cheesecake w/blueberries & strawberries and homemade whipped cream. 3 glasses of white wine w/diet ginger ale
10:30pm: jardiance

Dishes and Cheesecake

I saw a comic on the internet about life is an endless cycle of washing the dishes, putting them away, taking them back out, eating on them, making them dirty and washing them again.

This wasn't the meme I saw but it sure did come to mind. This and laundry. Always. Only dishes are daily.

Yesterday while I was cooking dinner, I loaded the dishwasher and started it. Then after dinner, while the dishes were still going, the pile of dishes and pots was all right back. We went to bed, Geoff unloaded the dishwasher before he went to bed, and I reloaded it at 10am. Started it again but still had dishes in the sink for a 2nd run later today. Geoff made lunch, dirtied up a frying pan, plates, bowl, and so that gets added to the next round. I'll make something later, maybe a BLT salad, which will dirty a sheet pan, a cutting board, a big bowl. 

Geoff sucks at loading the dishwasher, so he may start it sometimes but I undo it. I've given him guidance and instruction, but he just ... doesn't adhere. 

So I'm always the loader, he's the unloader. We're a good team. 

Today, my 2pm meeting flaked out a little bit. They couldn't log into the platform they needed, the guy who gets the verification emails is on the road today and he wasn't going to be able to let us know every time he gets a verification notification (honestly, why not just one verification. whycome dozens?) We rescheduled for tomorrow. I thought about going to the gym but I have a 4:15 and didn't want to cut it close. 

Instead, I went into the kitchen and made a graham cracker crust/base for a cheesecake. I bought a springform pan weeks and weeks ago and it has been bouncing back and forth between the kitchen and the dining table, taunting me. So I found an easy peasy recipe (seriously, 9 graham crackers, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 5 tbsp butter, melted. mix. Bake for 15 min. Set aside. 

Now I have to commit myself to making the actual cheesecake, I guess. 

It's like I jumped into the pool and I'm doing T-Rex arms and walking around in circles not ready to plop the whole rest of my body down into the water. 

I finished up that call and immediately started dinner, it finished right as Geoff walked in the door. I went to the gym. Got there at like 6pm, the place was packed and hopping. Got a treadmill and set to work. Playlist was great, some very slower songs to start with, which was good because I wasn't ready for big movement. Ran a bit for a few songs. Buffalo Stance, Toxicity, Let's Go Crazy, but nowhere near as much as yesterday. Ended up with 5 minutes more but exact same distance. Thought about staying on for one whole hour but I was so hungry at that point. Had to pack it in. And dinner was waiting at home.

As were more dishes. 

Geoff asked about the graham cracker crust. I told him it was too late to make the cheesecake but I would do it tomorrow. We have a 2 hour webinar that starts at 10am, so I'll dig in then. 

Right then. Bed! Digits below. 

digits

exercise: 11/12 hours. Missed 1pm. Impromptu call with a colleague I never work with who had 90 questions, and I answered 98. Great chat but ... fell short of the hour by 20 steps.  Treadmill. 50 min/2.34 miles (note, exactly the same distance as yesterday but 5 min. more. Didn't jog as much as yesterday) 11k+ steps by bedtime. 

blood glucose:

8:15am: 136
4:45pm: 113
10pm: 80

food:

coffee/water
8:15: phentermine
9:30am: Metformin+glipizide
11:30: BLT salad w/ cucumber thrown in for extra fun. BLCT doesn't spell anything good. 
5:15pm: 2 good yogurt
7pm: Metformin+glipizide; small bowl of pasta and meat sauce (hamburger and sausage)
10pm: jardiance

Oversleep

I didn't sleep well last night. I woke up a few times and went to the bathroom. Toffee really likes to get nested in my lower back and butt, curled up like a little 50 pound croissant. It was cold in the bedroom last night so she was exceptionally snuggled in. I went to the guest room but bundled her up in a blanket, since she was not going to get my butt heat. 

For about an hour I was awake, and I picked a podcast and tried to go back to sleep but it was too interesting. Eventually, sleep found me but the dogs did not. They heard Geoff in the kitchen, and he fed them breakfast. I had gotten after him the other day because he lets them out, then goes downstairs while Doug and I are both still in bed, so ... guess who has to get up and let them in. A full hour plus before a body wants to get out of bed. Today he stayed in the living room, and brought them in. 

They found me and got back in bed, big snuggles and snoring. My alarm went off and instead of snooze I hit dismiss. If Dahlia wasn't having a dream full of yipping and growling, I would have kept sleeping. 

Days like this, I'm happy I work at home. Got up, dressed, ready, work. Work. Meeting, and a meeting cancelation that gave me permission to run to the gym. 

I kind of feel like I should do this, lunch time plus a half hour. And the ability to hit the market is extra good. I needed potatoes because the ones we had were beat. And a fresh can of breadcrumbs. Good to go for meatloaf. 

Today, I pushed it for myself and stayed on the treadmill. The treadmill is slower than my fitbit, because I set it for 3 miles per hour, which is 20 minutes for a mile, and then I have been jogging/joke running to some songs. So my fitbit will say 18 minutes for a mile pace, or ... I got it to 14 minutes for a mile pace. 

Timing wise, 45 minutes and the treadmill said like 2 miles, a little more maybe. And my fitbit reported a whole lot more. The playlist was good today. Hungry Like The Wolf is a little too slow, but Girls on Film is perfect. 

Came back to meetings, a shower, a check in with my boss, more meetings, and a spreadsheet to conquer. I planned on hitting that thing tonight but the dogs were busy and playful, and I had them basically on top of me several times so I put the laptop somewhere safe and out of reach of the nonsense. 

Not sure what the weather is going to be tomorrow. It could be super snowy or it could be not. We're kind of on the edge of what may be meaningful, measurement-wise. 

Geoff goes to the gym in the morning. He leaves at 8:30 and is back by 10. I have a 4:15 meeting tomorrow, so I may not get to go to the gym unless I run out the door the minute Geoff returns. We'll see. 

Digits, below. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. Treadmill, 45min/2.34 miles. 11k+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9:45am: 123
5pm: 72 (!!!)
10pm: 128

food:

coffee/water
9:45am: phentermine
10am: Metformin+glipizide 
2pm: 2 good yogurt
5pm: pretzel chips w/hummus
6pm: Metformin+glipizide; 2 pieces of 15 grain bread w/pb
6:45pm: meatloaf, some mashed potatoes, broccoli in cheese sauce, some gravy on the potatoes
9pm: jardiance

open hours

Today my 1pm meeting was canceled, so I took off for the gym at 12-ish. The entire afternoon was stacked with meetings until 5pm. I thought my next meeting was at 2pm, so when it got to 1:20pm, I ended my treadmill time, at 38 minutes. I was game to keep going but I needed one or two things from the market for dinner tonight, so. Better go and be on time! 

My meeting was at 3pm. I coulda kept going, hit 2 miles. Boo. Had to laugh though because it gave me plenty of time to wind down. I got back to the house at 1:55 and it would have been wild to just jump on this client call, flushed of face and wild of hair. 

Not much else going on. Doug bought another indestructible dog toy which was destroyed in under 2 minutes. I had to laugh. The girls played with the carcass. There is stuffing everywhere. 

I'll clean it up in the morning. 

I thought I caught a really good picture of Dahlia sitting with me this morning in the beautiful sunlight but, it ... didn't? Sad. I'll just have that picture in my brain.

Off to bed. Digits below. 

digits

exercise: 11/12 hours. missed 11am by a couple steps because a meeting ran a long, and I didn't get up and walk around during it. bah. Treadmill, 38 min/1.89 miles. 10k+ by bedtime

blood glucose:

7:45am: 143
4:45pm: 103
10pm: 113

food:

coffee/water
7:45am: phentermine
10am: metformin+glipizide
11am: 2 slices of 15 grain toast w/pb 
2:30pm: apple w/pb
5:30pm: metformin+glipizide
6:15pm: chicken in creamy mushroom sauce over white rice (ate more white rice than I shoulda)
white wine w/diet ginger ale
8pm: jardiance

The Great Escape

We have been in the midst of about 24 hours of hella super bad winds. Some gusts over 60mph. People all around the area have been reporting trees down and damage. One woman on Nextdoor posted a cute little play tent that she woke up to find in her yard this morning, no idea what neighbor it came from. 

Doug woke up this morning and our back door had blown open at some point after 3am. How do we know it was after 3am? I had gotten up to go to the bathroom and out of curiosity decided to check it.  Found that it was closed, but I didn't deadbolt it. So between me checking and him getting up, in that 4 hour window, the gusts did their job. 

The dogs have been crazy for the last couple days. I let them out at about 1:30pm, thinking I'll answer a couple more emails, and head to the gym sometime after 2. I heard Dahlia barking, which she does all the time, so I got up to let them in. 

They were not in the yard. But I could hear her. Where the hell was she? 

I went to the backyard and one of our neighbors was latching the back gate, Dahlia was in the yard. She told me that she lives about four doors up the street and saw her prancing around. She didn't recognize her, so she came outside to see if she could get her, and Dahlia ran right back to our yard. So she was taking care of the gate. I was relieved because Dahlia can still get pregnant for probably 2 more weeks, so, keeping her away from making any friends with benefits is very important. 

But I noticed Toffee wasn't around. Either.

Awww shit. Not my bean! 

So I came in and got Doug, and I walked around the yard calling for her. Shit. What the fart. 

Dahlia was running around frantic. I think she's very attached to Toffee at this point and was all WHERE MY GIRL AT! energy. 

My neighbor John was walking his dog Maisy, and I asked if he'd seen her. He said no, and gestured up the street that he could walk Maisy another block up just to see if he could find her "and I'll grab her." 

Doug went outside with the leash, and he walked the same direction John had.

I looked up the street and there was John, trying to grab Toffee, who was running all around him with absolute joy and energy, while he was trying to hold his own dog's leash, who was freaking out a little bit because this big dog was bouncing all around. 

Doug met up with them, got her on the leash, they stood and chatted while Dahlia was apoplectic about TOFFEE IS OUT THERE!!! 

She also picked up a giant branch that had fallen out of the big tree in back, and ran around with it. It is a good 10 feet long, so that was entertaining. 

Doug said the Toffee was up at our friends' house, the one with the other pittie pup, Meg. She was in Meg's yard, sniffing around and trying to get into the back. 

It's the one other place in the neighborhood she knows, so of course. She went to her best friend's house. 

And Doug had gone right on her trail. 

Relieved that they didn't run far. Relieved one neighbor lady followed Dahlia down, and Dahlia came right to the yard, and the lady latched the gate. Relieved for John and Maisy, and promise to not be laughing in my head a little bit at the image of him trying to corral her. Relieved that Meg lives four doors up and that's the only place Toffee thought to go. Relieved no one was driving down the side street at top fucking speed the way they do around here. 

Adventure.

And of course, the dog escape adventure happened literally 1 minute before I was putting on my yoga pants to take a late lunch and go to the gym. Geoff went to the market this morning, got a bunch of things for chili for dinner tonight (so kind of him) so I actually don't need to go to the grocery store. ha! 

He did forget to get low sugar strawberry jelly, but they don't carry that at Lidl anyway so. I'll go without until he can get himself to the store again.

I had zero meetings today. Well, not exactly true. There is a weekly newsletter content meeting that my manager usually attends but he is off today, so I went instead. I always feel useless in this meeting, I contributed one thing and that was about it. 

But super thankful to not have any other meetings! I did support tickets and answered a lot of emails, and it got to be 4pm and I decided that would be the time to go to the gym. Had a good 30+ min time on the treadmill and thought about the circuit room but headed back. Geoff had started to make dinner for us, so I was off the hook for that. 

That's about it. Digits! Below! 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  treadmill at the gym, 32 min/1.66 miles; 10k+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9:15am: 112
4:15pm: 133
10:15pm: 113

food:

coffee/water
9:15am: Phentermine
11am: metformin+glipizide
11:45am: low carb wrap w/turkey, bacon, mayo, shredded cheese
5:45pm: metformin+glipizide
6:30pm: chili (beans, beef, fritos, cheese, sour cream)
3 High Noon seltzers

Colorado Plans

Today I had plans to do things but all that got done was some laundry. Mandatory laundry. 

I had a horrible night's sleep last night. I woke up around 4:30am, had intense intestinal pain and corresponding ... runs. Every time I fell asleep, I felt the sudden impending explosion. A couple times I didn't make it. Hence the mandatory laundry.

I took immodium immediately after the first wave and it didn't kick in for quite some time, but eventually did. Ugh. Every half hour I was up and racing to the john. I played The Constant podcast (Fucking Aristotle! FUCK THAT GUY!) and in between laughing at the narration, I drifted in and out, missing sections and rewinding to get back to the spot where I was sleeping. It is an interesting enough podcast that I want to know what happens and how things end. Engaging, not like something I can just say "eh, I don't need to know how that interview works out."

I slept really well from 7:30-9:30 so that was a relief. I thought I should just stay up at 7:30 since I got up and fed the dogs and let them out, but Doug woke up too and he came out to sit with them (they sometimes come back to bed and sometimes want to play fight wrassle fight play). 

This morning Toffee came back to bed with me and Dahlia sat nice with Doug. They had good fellowship while I had some deep sleep. 

After I got up, had a coffee or two to get conscious, we booked our flights for our trip. We are headed to Denver. Doug wants to drive up to Cripple Creek and all over the mountains out there. He always plans a good trip, so he's doing his research and has the idea of where we want to drive, stay, and spend a week in a beautiful place we've never been together. 

My only time in Colorado was in 2021 for Guster at Red Rocks (refresh your memory, click here!) and Doug didn't come with, even though I wanted him to. But I had a blast with Linda and our Guster Framily. Doug has only gone through the airport there. That's it.

When I plan a trip, the hotel has to have a pool, there need to be good places to eat close by or even in the building, and I don't plan excursions, I just roll with it. Usually with Linda, Pool. Mandatory. And day drinking while we shoot the shit and hang out. 

That was a great trip. We met more Guster fans out from the East Coast, made fast friends with folks from Worcester and by my mom. It was just a great time all around. 

Different vibe though when we do a Doug trip. Doug wants to go! see! experience! and I'm there for it. I sometimes get tired and cranky because he can walk for DAYS and not get tired and he sometimes forgets I'm tough but I'm a princess. And I do enjoy at least one hang out and do very little, and day drink. 

It's one of the reasons I've been going to the gym, and pushing myself  more to just get in better shape in the next couple of months. Stamina and endurance will be very important. All those steps (20,000 some days) in Las Vegas last year inspire me to do better this year. 

Doug took a nap at 5pm, and I almost left for the gym but it was POURING out, absolute deluge. Followed by a giant wind storm all evening long. The dogs cozied up to me and we had a good long snuggle together. I think they were pent up all day, and at 11:30pm they were losing their minds playing. Normally we're all just in bed but they were absolutely wild. 

Sigh. 

Anyway. That's about it. Here's a picture from our snugglefest. Digits below.

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. 10 min. indoor quick walk, .47 miles. 5700+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9:45am: 146
5pm: 126
11pm: 69 (tested 3 times)

food:

coffee/water
9:45am: Phentermine
11am: Metformin+glipizide 
2:30pm (much later than usual but the belly is still angry) 
6pm: Metformin+glipizide
7pm: Piece of chicken parm
vodka & diet tonic
11pm: jardiance

Burpy Hurthday

We had a nice quiet hang around the house with the dogs day. Doug took Dahlia for a long walk, Geoff took Toffee on one, and I started doing a walk inside the house. 

Geoff and I discussed dinner, and we realized I had a little shopping list to assemble so he and Doug would be able to have dinner. I had plans tonight, to go out for fun with Sara, Sean, and Henry. 

I timed things just right to go to the gym, spend some time on the treadmill with the Playlist, get what I needed at the market, and head home to shower. The treadmill and playlist were working for me, and I would have stayed, pushing to 45 minutes if I didn't need to go to the market and all that.

Our outing tonight was for Henry's birthday "month." They try to do fun things every weekend to celebrate him. And I love that they invite me. We met at an escape room where he and four friends were celebrating. Sara asked me to come not just because I'm awesome and we're good friends, but because she needed an extra car to help get everyone from the escape room to the pizza restaurant. 

"We don't have enough seats in my car for everyone. The parents are dropping the kids off at the escape room, and then picking them up later after pizza. So we need to get the kids over to the pizza parlor kind of like the Chicken, Fox, Bag of Grain puzzle."

Personally, I would have asked one of the parents to stick around and ferry the kids with me, but. She asked me. I was happy to help so they didn't have to do yet an extra puzzles. 

I arrived a little late because of weather and traffic. I walked in to them working through a word puzzle where the letters would unlock a combination lock. Victory! CHEERING! Then they were moving on to a math puzzle. 

The kids didn't know me, except Hen, but Sara introduced me and they welcomed me in enthusiastically. I was absolutely pleasantly surprised at how well they worked together. There was sharing of tasks, and discussion about how to solve the thing, and did you want to do this math puzzle because I'm not good at math puzzles. 

Do you want to come unlock the lock because you did all the math work? 
No you go ahead, you're right there!

We didn't escape the room, we fell just short. We were kind of irritated because some of the locks wouldn't unlock or there were supposed to be four coins but only 3 were in the box, different things like that. I think they're going to hear from Sara. She was full of "Strong Letter To Follow" vibes. Bad Yelp review vibes.

I told the kids that it didn't matter if we didn't solve it. No one is taking away our PIZZAAAA!!!!! 

I took a kid and Sean with me in the car, Sara had everyone else. We were seated and ordered. It seemed to take forever for the food to arrive and the kids were getting punchy and loud. Finally the food, and at the end Henry wanted Donuts and not cake because he does not like cake. So I ate a donut in his honor. 

We sang to him, even though he does not like that Happy Birthday song. I know he likes Weird Al and silly things so I changed it to Burpy Hurthday, and the kids loved it and sang it too. Henry's face. He loved it. 

Forever we'll have Burpy Hurthday. 

I left a little after 7, in the pouring rain and pitch dark. I find it so hard to see in the dark when driving and I had tried to get Doug to come with me JUST so he'd drive, but he did not want to. Fair. But I made it, a couple scary maneuvers committed by other people. Glad to get back here and get some wine. Voof. 

I can't believe I didn't even take one picture today. Huh. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  2 walking sessions. Indoors, 16 min/.7 miles. Treadmill, 37 min/1.81 miles; 12k+steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9:45am: 143
4pm: 147
11pm: 111

food:

coffee/water
10am: Phentermine
10:30am: Metformin+glipizide
11am: english muffin w/ PB & low sugar jelly
3pm: too good yogurt
6pm: Metformin+glipizide
6:30pm: salad, Ledo pizza (incredibly thin crust, "Supreme" toppings which was 99% bacon); 
7pm: one chocolate dunkin donuts donut, it was what henry wanted instead of cake.
9pm: white wine w/diet gingerale
9:15pm: jardiance

New Toys

I've been talking to a couple people about the prospect of them adopting Dahlia. I think we've got a good option in a high school friend of mine and her son, who lives in the basement of their house on Long Island. He's been looking for a dog, and she has a dog. But she'd be his dog, and have a built in playmate. 

I'm feeling conflicted and I knew this would happen. She's a lot but I kind of like her. I've grown semi-attached to her. I think she is REALLY good for Toffee. They play SO MUCH together and it is so fun. 

Doug thinks it is way too much and too raucous. But I don't know. There's a ton of joyful there. 

So I'm just kind of feeling down about her. I hate it. Anyway. 

Doug ordered a bunch of new dog toys. "indestructible" dog toys. One was decimated within 90 seconds. We hid the other 2 stuffies, just so they'll last a little bit. And there is a fish toy. Super hard plastic, super hard rubber with a squeaker inside. It is so hard I can't squeak it with my hands. Toffee and Dahlia can squeak it with their teeth. 

Powerful monsters that they are. 

Today was a busy day. I had a very early meeting with one of our project managers who lives in Romania. She is lovely and I really like her. So that was worth getting up and getting showered for. 

I had a meeting every half hour today, it seemed, There wasn't a giant 90 minute gap for me to take off to the gym or anything. And it got to be 6pm and I was still working on some emails. Dinner needed to be made and I just gave up on the idea of rallying to go. Strangely, my gym is crowded on Friday nights. So weird. 

So we had dinner, watched a show about restoring historic buildings in the UK called The Restoration Man. Very very interesting and at times very touching. 

Doug has started to plan a trip for us in June for our anniversary. Details to come, but I'm super excited to take a trip. 

Anyway. Here's a picture of the toys. And destruction. 

digits

exercise: 11/12 hours. Somehow missed 1pm but thought I got it in? huh. 5k steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

8:30am: 123
4:45pm: 127
10:30pm: 126

food:

coffee/water
8:30am: Phentermine
9:30am: Metformin+Glipizide
10:30: low carb english muffin w/pb & low sugar jelly
2pm: bowl of salad w/left over chicken fajita, sour cream & bean dip
5:30pm: Metformin_Glipizide
6:30pm: 3 italian sausages, 2 rolls, queso cheese dip. white wine and diet ginger ale
9:30pm: jardiance

Late Work

I agreed to help a client with an after hours thing, and they asked to do it at 10pm. At least it was not 3am.  We just finished up, great success. No real post for today, just the digits. 

I regret not going to the gym between 4 and 6pm when I had some time. Geoff made dinner and I had too many carbs. Booooooo. 

more interesting things tomorrow.

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. no gym, lots of work. 5k steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

8:30am: 133
4:30pm: 115
10:20pm: 133

food:

coffee/water
8:30am: Phentermine
10:30am: Metformin+glipizide
10:45am: 2 slices of organic 21 grain bread toasted w/peanut butter
2pm: left over fajita chicken, onions, peppers turned into a chicken salad w/mayo. No bread.
6pm: metformin+glipizide
6:30pm: bowl of mac & cheese w/bacon
8pm: bowl of mixed nuts
10pm: jardiance

Frosting Day

Yesterday's snow is pretty today. The sky is the same color as the snow on the ground so everything is frosting. Reminds me of the line from Counting Crows' "Round Here" 

"Step out the front door like a ghost into the fog where no one notices the contrast of white on white."

No fog here, just. a ton of white on white. The only contrast is the black power lines, and the green of the bushes, trees, and plants, and the red brick homes. 

Geoff was up very early this morning. He wanted to go to the gym and Doug dissuaded him from doing so. Our street is plowed, the main drag is probably plowed, but so many streets are not. They made a one lane pass on our side street, did a shit job, and they won't be back for hours. Geoff was pissed off about it, but Doug is right. 

It isn't that we don't trust him to drive, we just know the roads are no good until later this evening. Go to the gym after dinner. Much better idea. He got to see that in action when I drove him to work. We had pulled out after a stop sign and this woman came flying through the intersection, no stopping just going. I slammed on the brakes, laid on the horn, and Geoff said "well that was interesting." Yeah. It was. But a little snow makes people insane. 

I got up when the dogs were doing their super WWE wrasslin' face time morning chaos. Trying to sleep in was not possible. I heard Doug go outside with them so he could assess the walkways and situation. He ended up slipping on the steps - sheet of ice. Banged up his ankle and his knee, shoulder got bruised. Thankfully he did not hit his head. Ouchies.

Geoff went out and shoveled our walkway and the sidewalk out front. The snow must have been easy peasy to move around because he was back in no time. Didn't clean the cars off though. So I sent him out before I drove him to work. 

I got boots on, went out, played with the dogs for a bit. They had a lot of fun. Toffee is more interested in going out with a human. Dahlia will just go out all the time. She's all about having fun in the snow. They both like it when you throw snow up in the air so they can chomp it. It seemed like we had more snow in the back yard than the front? Up front was about 3 inches, out back looked like 6. With no wind, nothing to push anything around and mess it up so it was really nice to walk around the yard. 

We came in, I got more coffee, they got treats. I bought a container of jumbo cinnamon rolls at the market yesterday thinking it would be a cute thing to have this morning on a snowy day. One cinnamon roll = 52 carbs. Ha. That's pretty much what I have in a whole damn day. 

I whipped those up, and there are five in a package so I had one and left the other 4 for the boys. 

I have to admit. They aren't as tasty as I remembered or I wanted. They were kind of dry, and I always recalled the inner roll just being moist and very tasty. 

Still, a very nice treat and a change. And then a protein shake. Lower that sugar! I had a big open lunch time no-meeting span, so I opted to go to the gym again. Pushed myself on the treadmill - stayed on it for 45 min. Thanks Playlist!

Digits below.

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. Treadmill 45 min/2.06 miles (yussss) 10,500+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

7:30am: 133
5pm: 80
10:45pm: 89

food:

coffee/water
7:30am: Phentermine
9:15am: one Pillsbury Cinnamon roll (w/minimal frosting)
10am: Metformin+glipizide; protein shake
3pm: pepperoni slices
5:30pm: metformin+glipizide; one cheeseburger on a bed of salad w/goat cheese
7pm: a few oreo cookies; red wine+diet ginger ale
8pm: jardiance

Gym Thoughts

We were expecting some very heavy snow today. I had a big open block of time on the calendar with no meetings so I decided to go to the gym in the middle of the day.

Some of my coworkers take longer lunch breaks, or they take a nap. Or they do personal things like doctors appointments. I feel like I never do these things, but today was just feeling like it was a good day to do so. 

I dropped Geoff off at work at 12:45 and headed up to the gym. Hardly anyone there, an entire row of treadmills just for me. I popped in the headphones and cranked up the playlist. 

There are TVs at the gym and sometimes they have closed captioning on. Sometimes not. I was in front of a TV that was broadcasting a show about a dog rescue, I didn't catch the name but it was horrible watching some of these dogs in their situations. And the Orange Megalomaniac was on CNN right next to it, so I tried not to look at him. To the other side of the dog show there was a soap opera. 

Here's my brain:

• Jesus I hate that man and I do not want to see his face. 
• I wonder if I can ask them to just turn CNN off.
• Oh my gosh that woman is crying in every scene she is in on this soap opera. 
• I don't think I've ever seen someone cry that much.
• Wow that dog is fucked up, oh his leg. Oh honey. Oh sweet baby. So the owner's at the front door and there's no one punching him in his throat. I couldn't do this job
• I used to listen to a lot of Genesis. ABACAB is a certified banger. Alright! Somewhat running now
• Oh my GOD will you get that man off the TV
• What a sweet redo/cleanup of the little room in the house for the sweet doggo that is coming home! Awwwww
• She's crying again
• Ghost! Alright. Trucking on and on here. Going kind of fast
• Don't youuuuuu forget about me No No No No! 
• Dude, put a shirt on. Soap opera boy. no reason why you gotta be walking around half nekkid. Weirdo. Nice muscles tho. 
• Oh this dude next to me has the coolest green hair. 
• Monkees? I love her VAAAAAAALLLLERIIIIEEEEEEE
• Oh man that dog is so sweet and beautiful I wanna snuggle himmmmmm
• Go away Trump. 

There was way more but this was pretty much my brain the entire time. Just an example of me. 

Did quite a bit on the treadmill. I kept saying "okay, one more song. What's next?" My goal was a half hour and a good song came on at the 28 minute mark that kept me going a little bit longer. 

After the gym I ran over to the market for a couple things before it was going to get snowy. I should not go to the gym when I am hungry because I buy a lot of stuff that doesn't go together, or a lot of snacks. 

I also stopped for wine and High Noons on the way home, because ... snow. 

The storm was starting and I figured having something on hand in case I wanted it is always a good plan. The boys have beer, so I wanted to have something not beer and not wine. 

I got home and the dogs ran around outside as it was all just starting to come down fast. I had planned on being out until 2, and it was 2:15 so I felt alright with that. 

Checking my email, a client had asked me for some urgent help, so I set up a zoom screenshare and met with him at 4pm. I helped, and then he had question after question. We spent more than an hour on the call. 5 minutes with the problem, and over an hour with the rest of the stuff. 

Doug left to go get Geoff, and we were all happily settled in for the night. I whipped up dinner, and a friend/client of mine in Waco Texas messaged me. I'd tipped her off that Roger Clyne and PH Naffah were doing a free show in town at a hat store. Yes. A Hat Store. 

She streamed it live on Facebook for me and I was the only one watching. Singing along to Blue Collar Suicide and Interstate with a big smile on my face. 

Doug took the dogs out and said we had only 2 inches of snow. Hilariously, the plow has been up and down our street four times already. 

Toffee didn't want to go out at all but Dahlia did. Toffee hates weather. Too wet, too cold, too hot, too whatever she wants nothing to do with it. She's absolutely my dog. 

Dahlia hates when Toffee doesn't come out with her which is hilarious. So she just went out and peed and came right back in. 

After dinner, the dogs did some wild face fighting and then somehow both ended up with me on the couch. They ended up in a good affectionate snuggle and I loved it. 

Digits below. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. Gym Treadmill - 34 min/1.6 miles. 10,200+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9am: 129
5pm: 99
10:45pm: 168

food:

coffee/water
9am: Phentermine
11am: Metformin+glipizide
11:45am: 2 good yogurt
2:30pm: Pepperoni snacks
5:30pm: Metformin+glipizide
6:15pm: bowl of sausage tortellini w/sauce; some bread
3 high noons
8:30pm: jardiance

Some things are not meant for you, or me, or us

I was going to go to the gym mid-day but got swept up in thoughts and feelings and writing and thinking. Then, after dinner, I had ... wine. Wasn't going to have anything to drink but. Today. Today was a challenge. And wine is nice.

I spent the morning learning more about the Kendrick Lamar half time show during the Super Bowl. A few of my friends and family posted to Facebook that they hated it. They hated all of it. They didn't understand it. It was horrible. It was stupid. They were absolutely offended by it. 

Now.

Hmmm. 

I know just enough about Kendrick (aka Kenny to some) and some of his Beef with Drake. I know a few things about him as a person. I know he has a Pulitzer Prize for his writing. 

I know so many black friends who went into this cringing "this is not going to go well. He's going to go right over the heads of not just white people but a lot of black people." He is educated, erudite, a wordsmith. He is political. He is challenging. 

And I only knew one song going in. One. And he played it. Boy did he ever.

There was a lot there, a lot visually, a lot to unpack. A lot to sit down and read the next day that explained a lot of what we saw. I was okay with that. I want to learn more. 

After talking to my work bestie all morning, I posted something to Facebook which I think got the most comments, the most reactions and to be honest the most discussion amongst the people I'm friendly with. 

It was by and far understanding and kind, even when people were a little "excuse me? what did you just say?" 

One of my big take-aways from all this is that there is art, and performance, and things that are not meant for everyone. And that's okay. 

A friend of mine said that for the past couple of years the "vibe" has been a certain way. And I wanted to say, "what do you mean by vibe? Black people?"

She's a big country music fan and she said the last time it was "country" was 1994. Well okay, maybe country is overdue for some representation on the field. But if you look at the last 10 years, yes. Sure. the "vibe" has been a certain way. Which I take you as masking your racism, in some ways but okay. 

None of the "vibe" are unknown/not stars. 

Some of it for sure isn't my style. But Usher was so much fun. I enjoyed Dr. Dre and Snoop. Bruno Mars was unforgettable. 

Another friend said he didn't like it. He said "too much "different" culture. We are American and should have one American culture." 

This one set a lot of folks off. Me included. 

What does American Culture mean? What are you expecting? How is a 5 time grammy award winner and pulitzer prize holder not American Culture? 

I was thinking about the recent moves that a certain president has taken to put himself in charge of a major cultural institution, the Kennedy Center, because he doesn't like the "art" coming out of it. There was a drag show! And Children WERE THERE! It's time to usher in a new Golden Age of arts and culture! With our Dear Leader at the helm. 

To me, this move, this tone, this activity smacks of North Korean political censorship of art and culture that the administration does not like. The suppression of what a few people believe is dangerous and subversive, to be replaced with what. Lee Greenwood? Kid Rock? C'mon man. 

Kendrick is American Culture. A side of it you may not jibe with but. He is. Accept that. 

Art doesn't exist to make you feel cozy and comfy. Sometimes Art is something that you don't get, you don't see, you don't understand. 

Doug and I often will look at public art sculptures around DC and other cities. He hates most of them. I can do without most of them. They fill space, and they're gaudy or stupid or ugly. Most of the time I don't go and research hard about what the sculptor was expressing because it is drive by and forgotten before we know it. 

For some, it is meaningful and that's okay for them. 

And for Kendrick, if you didn't get it and don't want to take the time to learn about it, well. That's okay. 

But running around the internet screaming about how "no one cares for this" performance, you do need to know and recognize that MILLIONS of people did care for it. They connected to it. They get it. They understood it. 

And saying that "no one cares" means you and ... well, a lot of white people maybe, don't. And that's not true either.  A lot of white people got it and enjoyed it.

Be curious. Be interested. Listen. Learn. And it is okay not to get it. I sure don't sometimes. For sure. But it isn't mine to get. And that's okay. 

Digits below. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  No measurable exercise. 6k+ steps by bedtime (took things very easy today)

blood glucose:

8:30am: 146
4:15pm: 109
10:15pm: 91

food:

coffee/water
8:30am: Phentermine
11am: metformin+glipizide
12:30pm: Leftover buffalo chicken dip & celery; leftover beef & veg from chinese food
4:15pm: Entenmann's chocolate donut; 2 good yogurt mixed berry
5:30pm: Metformin & jardiance (on accident. was supposed to be glipizide but I grabbed the wrong pill). 
6:30pm: fajita. chicken, onion, peppers, refried bean dip, sour cream, shredded cheese. 
Wine & ginger ale
8:30pm: ramekin of mixed nuts; glipizide

Walkies

Doug took Toffee for a huge walk today, and I took Dahlia with intentions on a long walk. We went different directions because they do such a shitty job when we go together. 

Dahlia did pretty well with me, she lost her shit when she saw another dog (she's in heat so we're not being social. I had to explain that to a guy and his beautiful grey and white pittie. Male. 

It was windier than I thought, and while I had my winter coat on, it was still a bit on the uncomfortable side. We did a 2 block circle. 

Be proud of me. 

And because I knew Doug would be gone for a long time on his walk, Mr. I Don't Care How Cold It Is Sometimes, I continued to walk inside. 

I paused my fitbit tracking the walk once we got in the door and then walked for another solid 20 minutes. Cranked up the playlist and had Ghost, Guster (Ghoster), Hole, the Killers, Genesis, and the Monkees to keep me company. 

And Dahlia walked with me the whole time. She's a bit confused when I do this, but she goes with. So she got her exercise too. 

This afternoon was D&D, hilarious game. Our DM forced us into doing some character development by having to betray our darkest secrets in order to be given a hint to continue down a dangerous path. So on the spot, I had to create an element of my back story to "confess." I told Matt I really loved that, because we all have these characters we're playing, and we don't know a thing about each other. Except Haven is a half orc who is horny for everyone. She and I are the muscle of the group and right now she is absolutely distracted by one of our NPC characters and trying to get with her. 

I think next break in the action, my character (human/paladin) is going to have a talk with her because she's putting us in danger. 

Oh I love it. So much fun. 

And then the Superb Owl tonight. What a joke this game was. The entire country thought the matchup would be really great and the Eagles just rolled all over KC. All my New England friends on the internets were saying well, 40-0, let's not forget the Pats and Falcons and 28-3, okay? But really things were way far gone beyond 28-3. 

We didn't have a bespoke dinner meal tonight because I made superb owl snacks, and we ate our fill. Well, I did. The boys whipped out some microwave burritos after halftime. 

The dogs had a tremendous amount of playtime today. They get nutty after dinner and took literally every toy out of the box and went bananas. 

We're giving Dahlia a break with the diaper, I think. Doug may put it on her before we get in bed, but she's doing pretty good cleaning herself and she's not leaving a trail or drops or marks anywhere. We may be out of the woods on this stage of the game, maybe. Not sure. 

Anyway. Tired. Good day all around. Digits below.

 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. Outdoor+Indoor walk; 12 min w/Dahlia, the rest of it indoors with the Playlist. 32 minutes total/1.46 miles; 8500+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9am: 138
4:30pm: 104
10pm: 97

food:

coffee/water
9am: phentermine
noon: metformin+glipizide
2pm: turkey and whipped cream cheese on 647 english muffin
4pm: red wine & diet gingerale
6pm: metformin+glipizide
7pm: buffalo chicken dip and celery; some fritos; 6 pigs in blankets; red wine & diet ginger ale
8:30pm: jardiance

Houdini

Dahlia loves to sneak away from where we are hanging out and slip out of her diaper. She is close to not needing it anymore and it is obvious she is so over this. Stealthy, quick and quiet, she just gets right out of it and walks away. 

We spent a lot of time today re-diapering her butt. 

I hope we're almost done with this. Dr. Google says 7-21 days of this and we're at day 6 or so right now. She's whining, rubbing her ass on the furniture. Girl, my loveseat ain't gonna hump you. 

Not much else to report. Here's a picture of two dogs waiting for Doug. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. Indoor walk. 25 min/1.04 miles; 8k steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

8am: 133
5pm: 138
11pm: 120

food:

coffee/water
8am: Phentermine 
11:30am: Metformin+glipizide
1pm: pb and low sugar jelly on 647 bread
6pm: Metformin+glipizide
6:30pm:piece of french bread pizza; vodka tonic
8pm: ramekin of mixed nuts
8:30pm: jardiance

Jelly School

A long explanation here, but. You need the back story about the title.

There is an episode of South Park (The Hobbit) where Wendy Testaburger gets upset with the other girls on the cheerleading squad at school. One of the girls isn't really pretty, the girls are making fun of her. Wendy encourages her to be more self assured, to ask her crush, Butters, out on a date. Butters rejects her, saying she's fat. He prefers beautiful women, like Kim Kardashian. 

Wendy has a huge problem with this, shows Butters that Kim Kardashian's photos are all photoshopped and that he isn't seeing the real her, he's seeing something fake. Butters is hurt. They end up at Mr. Mackey, school counselor's office, where he gives Wendy a hard time instead of chastising Butters for his attitude. Wendy is shocked.

Mr. Mackey tells Wendy she's just jelly (ie: jealous) of hot girls. Wendy says she is NOT and points out that the pictures of all the girls are photoshopped, and a lie, and false. 

Mackey starts saying "You are jelly. I'm going to send you to Jelly School" and he "calls" the principal of Jelly School to say he's got a girl here who is jelly and needs to go to jelly school. 

A lot more things happen in the episode (ie: Kim Kardashian is actually a Hobbit with hairy Hobbit feet and she smokes a pipe and ... well. Photoshop fixes all those things) but the Jelly School thing is one of our favorites. 

And we've been quoting Mr. Mackey a lot here in the house since Dahlia came. 

Toffee is Jelly. Dahlia is also jelly. They are jelly girls. Jelly of each other. Jell. All day long.

Toffee sees us petting Dahlia, or giving her love and attention and she comes and puts herself right in between us. Dahlia is also jelly if I'm sitting with Toffee on the couch and patting her, she'll come right up and get on top of Toffee to get some loving. 

"Oh, I see you are jelly," we'll say. "I'm calling the Jelly School. Hello, principal of the Jelly School? I have a dog here who is Jelly. That's right. I'm sending her right over."

Toffee is Peanut Butter, Dahlia is Black Currant Jelly. That's what they look like together. Jelly School Jelly School Jelly School. All day long. 

Side note: This is a great episode of South Park. I won't give away the ending, but the whole setup and presentation leads to a really poignant conclusion. Also, the ongoing making fun of Kanye West during the 2013 era is priceless. 

Anyway, go watch it if you can. And just think of us saying Jelly School and threatening to call the principal all day to these dogs. 

Digits below.

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. no walk. took a break today. 6100+steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

7:15am: 133
5:30pm: 113
9:45pm: 104

food:

coffee/water
7:15am: Phentermine
11:30am: Metformin+Glipizide
11:45am: pb & low sugar j on 647 bread
5:30pm: Metformin+glipizide
6:45pm: bowl of pasta shells w/ sauce, ground beef, ricotta, mozz. Vodka & diet tonic
8:30pm: jardiance

Flex Time

Last night, we had an ice storm come through the area. Not much accumulation but enough to keep me off the roads this morning. I did a "time shift" today, I started work at 10:30 instead of 8:30 because I had to work with a client at 9pm ET. My boss is very serious about work/life balance, and I do have a tendency to put in a lot of hours. But I also have a tendency during the workday to not be super busy by choice. 

I feel like my brain works better after 3pm. I'm able to accomplish a lot more, and get more things done. Sometimes I will pound out 2 or 3 solid work hours after dinner. 

So I time shift all day long most every day. If I was running a timer on myself, 8 hour workday for sure, sometimes more, never less. It just happens all through the day. 

This morning the dogs woke me up a little before 8. Dahlia kept her panties on most of the night. Doug had gone to the guest room around 4, and she didn't notice he was gone until maybe 6am. Her panties came off as she shimmied off the bed, and she went to the guest room but didn't leave marks on the blankets. Perhaps we're winding down on this. 

But a little before 8am, on a day that I am time shifting, I was not too excited about getting up. 

Fed them, outside, new diaper on, back in bed by 8:15! 

We had an epic snuggle time, and I finally got up around 9:45 to do my steps. The dogs were especially playful and rowdy today, and in my 3pm meeting they decided to wrestle, on my couch, next to me. 

Busy work day, and I thought about going to the gym in the afternoon because my 4pm meeting was over very quickly. We needed groceries or something for dinner but I started digging into a spreadsheet and before I knew it, it was 6pm. So we opted for Chinese food. Geoff has tomorrow off, so he said he'll go to the market for us. Score. 

My 9pm meeting got rescheduled to next week, so I still continued to work to make up for the time that I flexed. Got a lot done. As usual. Doug had a documentary series about police in Devon and Cornwall England, and I wasn't really interested in it. He loves to watch these things. I find them repetitive and a little dull, but the scenery is pretty. There was an episode on the Scilly Islands, and I'd never heard of them. Gorgeous. The southwest of England looks like where I'd love to visit. 

Anyway. 

My flex hours morning was a lot of this. And I loved it. Digits below. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. indoor walk 10 min/.44 miles; 6500+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9:30am: 144
5pm: 104
10pm: 143

food:

coffee/water
9:30am: Phentermine 
10:30am: Metformin+glipizide 
11:45am: bowl of left over chicken soup w/scoop of creamy risotto and broccoli (from the other night). 
5:45pm: Metformin+glipizide 
6:30pm: Chinese food: 3 dumplings, some lo mein, beef and peppers, gen. tso's chicken, spring roll 
8:30pm: jardiance

Day 3 of the Diaper Dog

Dahlia is tolerant of the diaper but we know she greatly dislikes it. Last night, sometime in the night she either took it off or it came off. Doug's blanket took a direct hit (after I literally had just washed it that afternoon). 

He was in the bathroom, which upset her because heaven forbid he not be in bed with her. 

I woke up and saw the diaper on the bed, so I figured I had to get her covered back up. 

Letting the dogs out at 5:15am, that's early and she likes to bark. Thankfully they came right back in but it was Play! Wrasssssle!! Where's BREAKFAST!?! And me chasing her around with a doggie diaper in my hand. 

She sees it coming, and she goes to hide. Bribery with cookies, eventual success. She wanted to be with Doug so he went in the guest room and she went with. And Toffee went with. Then she came back. And Toffee came back. But at some point, I ended up with no dogs and a whole bed to myself. 

I fell back asleep after 6:30, I thought about just going to the gym. Just get up and put on yoga pants, shoes, go. But. Sleep came and it was nice. 

Today was a busy day, Doug had a lot of meetings and the dogs wanted to play and fight while he was in his meetings, and they would not stay up here with me. And I was in a meeting while he wanted me to get them. 

A certifiable circus, I tell ya. 

We're expecting snow and ice tonight, we'll see if this happens or not. It could be a humongous mess. 

I didn't take any pictures today so. Digits below. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. Indoor walk, 15 min/.61 miles; 7500+ steps by bedtime 

blood glucose:

9am: 124
5pm: 114
10:30pm: 134

food:

coffee/water
9am: Phentermine
10:45: metformin+glipizide
1pm: english muffin w/pb
5:45pm: metformin+glipizide; some white rice w/coconut curry chicken
8:30pm: ramekin of mixed nuts; jardiance

Heat

It's always something, innit? I may say our lives are boring, but there is always a thing happening that we're dealing with. Here's the latest.

I let the dogs out last night before bed and noticed blood spots on the floor around Doug's end of the couch and in front of the door. I asked him if he was cut and bleeding. No he was not. I cleaned it up and when the dogs came in went over both of them carefully to see if playtime had resulted in punctures. No. No wounds. Nothing. Bedtime. Let's go. But first. Spray bottle in hand, I cleaned up everything I could see, and we went to bed. 

Doug woke up this morning right before me, and when I came out of the bedroom he let me know what the source of the blood drops was. Dahlia.

"She's in heat."

Of course she is. Fantastic. 

How'd he know? The bed. She slept on his side of the bed last night, and when he got up he saw that there was blood all over his sheets and blankets. So yeah. She's in heat. 

When we took her in two weeks ago for her ear infection, we had no knowledge of her medical history. Doug's coworker got her brother to fill her in, and she updated us. Dahlia had never been to a vet. Ever. She had never ever been vaccinated (so we got her up to speed with that). And she had not been fixed. She's 3 years old so if she's never been spayed, so she's gone through this in his home probably five other times and he hasn't done anything like a responsible dog owner would do.

Coffee in hands, we both set off to Dr. Google for information on this.  

Learning a lot this morning about the process she is going through, as we've never had a dog who has not been altered. As this is most likely the start of her cycle, it could get messy. Even though we knew she wasn't fixed, I didn't really anticipate she'd go into cycle while with us. But of course. She did. Thanks for that, pup. Appreciate it. 

I walked around the house with a spray bottle and towel, cleaning the blood trail off the hardwood floor and checking the couch cushions (nothing there). Thankfully, even the spots that are dry which probably came from yesterday all come up very easily. Not what I wanted to do at 7:45am but. Needed done. 

Doug put a comforter on the couch and both dogs are liking that. Comfy cozy, cuddled together. 

We have no plans to pay for a spay for her. But I am feeling a certain way about this. I said previously that I'm not loving the idea that her former owner does not take care of her medical needs. I was happy to get her vaccinated and medications because while she's with us, I need to be the responsible human. 

At lunchtime, Doug went to the Petsmart to pick up doggie menstruation "panties" as he called them. He bought the large ones but probably should have gotten the XL. This looks like a bikini on her, instead of the granny panties I was envisioning. 

She (and Toffee) both got a nice treat bone, and initial (within the hour) frustration with them seemed to not bother her. She did sit at my feet and whimper for about 20 min. Can't say as I blame her. 

I was in a meeting and she went downstairs by Doug to hang out while he was also in a meeting. She slept on the couch nicely so he wasn't thinking about her.

Around 5pm she came upstairs "naked," having escaped from her panties. I fed them both, let her outside to do her business. Doug went to the market and I redressed her. She is not a fan, and she whimpers slightly but she has kept them on the entire night. I'm proud of her. This must be confusing. 

Our bedding got washed, the blood stains did not come out, but I will try again. I know everything is clean, just not perfect looking. 

She's been asleep all evening. Toffee is very concerned. I tell ya, when Dahlia leaves, Toffee may be very confused. 

Anyway. Pretty good day here over all. A big victory for a client in this project (we've been trying to fix something for months and boom - fixed). Dinner was great. Doug went to the market while I started cooking, and it was very very helpful. I wish you could see my couch right now, where it is all Dog and Doug. This picture will have to suffice. 

Digits below.

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. Indoor walk, 20 min/1.06 miles; 10k steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

7:45am: 133
5pm: 139
10:15pm: 95 (checked 3x)

food:

coffee/water
8am: Phentermine 
10:30am: Metformin+glipizide
11am: small bowl of mac & cheese and hamburger
1:15pm: protein shake
5:45pm: vodka diet tonic w/diet cran splash; metformin+glipizide
6:30pm: chicken parm w/sauce, one small piece of rosemary olive oil bread  
8:30pm: jardiance

Sunset Dog Walk

I had two meetings cancel today and really should have taken myself out to the gym between 11am and 2pm. A long lunch. Just go. But I putzed around and time flew. It got to be just before 3 when I had a meeting with clients in Alaska. Adorable when they say "good morning," at 3pm. 

It was a good meeting, and then a second meeting for the big project and that didn't go quite as well as expected. But the client was a good sport. We couldn't get the thing done that we needed to, so I did some extra research and digging but we're no closer.

Doug came upstairs moaning that he should take a dog (Dahlia) for a walk. She's the kind of dog that should be taken for a walk twice a day, not just a big run around the yard several times a day. She likes that, but she needs a walk walk. Toffee can go weeks without a walk, she likes it, but yeah. Her default setting is cuddling. "I should take both dogs on walks, they're impossible to walk together," he says. And I agreed. Even with two humans. It's not easy.

I looked out the window and it was looking very nice. I said "do you want me to come with you?" He was surprised and said yeah. It was 55 degrees, no wind, why not. This is good dog walking weather.

I took Dahlia. She's 72 pounds, and strong as hell, and not well trained. Pulling, yanking, disobedient, and just a challenge. Doug offered to take her from me but to be honest, Toffee is just as bad. They both want to be in front, so Doug had me go first with Dahlia. 

We turned west on one of the streets and the sunset was just spectacular. Absolutely lovely. I was having a hard time enjoying it while trying to deal with the dog, but I got to soak some of it in. 

We did a simple loop, it was a little over a mile and about 25 minutes. Skipped the gym as a result. 

Around 7pm I realized we were out of milk. Geoff usually goes to the gym after dinner but starting tomorrow he is starting a class to get his Associates (yay!) so he's switching up his schedule and going back to morning gym or no gym on class day. Shoot. I was going to have him pick up milk. 

He went out for me after dinner and got milk. Such a mensch. That's when I was digging into the client problem by Googling all the things I could come up with. 

I don't have a meeting until 11am tomorrow but it is an important one. If it is nice out, maybe I'll take just me for a walk, instead of driving up to the gym to the treadmill. 

Felt like the glucose was a little high today compared to yesterday when I had readings in the double digits. But every day is a new day. 

Digits below. No picture today, I thought of trying to take a picture of the sunset but the phone camera just didn't do it justice. Sadly. Happy I went out to see it though. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  outside dog walk, 25 min/1.16 miles. 8500+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

8am: 160
5pm: 144
10pm: 175

food:

coffee/water
8am: Phentermine
10:15am: metformin+glipizide
10:45am: chunk of pork roast (last wee bit)
11:45pm: english muffin w/pb
1:45pm: bowl of plain greek yogurt w/blueberries & small splash of splenda
6pm: metformin+glipizide
6:30pm: 2 fish filet patties on a roll w/ 1 slice of cheese; a little bit of coleslaw
8pm: ramekin of trail mix (tex mex/spicy, mostly peanuts); jardiance

Babble vs. Playlist

Doug took a nap with the dogs and I figured I'd go to the gym. I had DnD at 3:30, early this week. My sister checked in with me when I got there so we did the facebook video keep Chris interested while on the treadmill thing. She said to me, do you want to babble or listen to your playlist?

I will always choose Linda time over the playlist, even though I was looking forward to some playlist time. No one was in the gym, there was a guy 5 machines down from me who had headphones on and hardly anyone else. No one was in the circuit room, I could have gone through there but I talked to Lin for quite a while and it was 30 minutes before I knew it. I could have kept going but I needed to get home and get showered and ready for DnD. 

We had a blast tonight. Our group has been playing for over a year, and I feel like the past couple sessions we've really hit it off. We really clicked. Geoff made dinner while I was playing so I'm thankful for that. 

I took my glucose reading at the usual time (4:30pm), and it was 84. I don't think it has ever been that low. Um. So is this medication doing amazing things, combined with the exercise and super low carbs. I mean, it seems to be such a quick change. So I had crackers for snack and decided it was okay to drink wine. And eat 9 pierogies with dinner. I googled how low is dangerous blood sugar, and 70 is. So. I .... was rest assured and relaxed. But still a little like ....whoa.

At 10:30 my blood sugar was 96 so it didn't go up a whole hell of a lot. Interested in seeing what the morning brings. This is all new to me. And I'm just as terrified of hypoglycemia as hyper.

Law of averages, we keep this up, I get a lower A1C. 

Anyway. I wish we'd gone to plant swap at the brewery in DC today but. We didn't. That's okay. Maybe next weekend we'll go somewhere. Days are getting longer. I'm noticing it. 5:30 these days. Doug and I started watching Squid Game 2. I thought the first one was interesting, this one has a lot more people stuff happening, a lot of stories, less about the violence (but still a lot). 

What they've done magnificently is there is a transgender character and the marginalization and isolation, the rudeness and horrible treatment is amazing. And the elderly grandmother ... same. Really interesting.

Alright. Ready for the working week. Light meetings tomorrow but one big one with our entire team and the new COO. 

Digits below.

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. gym treadmill: 37 min/1.68miles; 10k+ by bedtime.

blood glucose:

8:30am: 133
4:30pm: 84 (whuuuuuut)
10:30pm: 96

food:

coffee/water
8:30am: Phentermine
11:15am: pizza cheese (melted from geoff's pizza bagel). Metformin+glipizide 
12:30: more cheese; 1/3 a chicken breast left over from soup prep (was saving it for a salad but ate it outright).
4:45pm: pretzel ritz crackers w/pb, baby bell cheese; 
5:30pm: metformin+glipizide
6pm: 2 pieces of roast pork loin, 9 pierogies
6:45pm: ramekin mixed nuts
white wine+diet cranberry