It was appalling that the USA didn’t do anything about guns after a Sandy Hook. Obama was stymied at every move. How many more children, or innocent adults have to die. The U.K. acted promptly after Dunblane and our gun laws are tougher anyway.

We’ve just settled into the airport hotel before our flight to see the gorgeous boys tomorrow. Some careful choices of dinners will be needed.

Have a lovely holiday Polly! I’ve been getting audio messages from my little Canadian granddaughter – melts my heart 💜 From the time of the calls I suspect her mum is using them as a ‘before bed’ routine – I don’t care! 😄

Yes, compared to US we are a gun free society. Most of the time when OS I don’t even think about guns, even though Canada has the same laws re being able to carry guns. However, it’s a stringent process to be approved for a gun license in Canada. Doesn’t matter how stringent the rules are though there will always be someone who finds a way around them. Reading the history of the gunman, bullying features in his childhood. This seems to be a common feature of many mass murderers. I also noticed he was quite a short guy with enormous biceps and I wondered if he was using steroids.

Re my grains theory – sort of proved the point. When I avoid grains the day after fasting( Tuesday) I have another weight loss, Wednesday weight will be the same and from then on gradually increase each day. That result is so different to what it was the first few years of fasting when I steadily lost each day, Thursday being my lowest day and weight only going on over weekend. I know it’s only water that’s being shifted but that little bit makes a difference to the size of my stomach which in turn affects the comfort of some clothes.

FM, my dad doesn’t have dementia, just old age! I took him to the doctor yesterday and doc said he’s in the top percentile of 90 year olds and seeing he’s 96 that’s a good result. It’s just distressing to see his gradual decline, most of which I believe is the result of loneliness. I notice a significant deterioration every time I go away, even if it’s only for a fortnight. It’s been a very good lesson for me that you can live too long!

Thanks for you good wishes, friends. We were very lucky to catch the flight. It’s a tripmweve done so many times that we got complacent: taxi from hotel booked for 7.45, phone alarm set an hour earlier. Woke and went to the loo, where I managed to peer at my watch and see it was only 6 am. It was a text, not the alarm

We decided to have coffee and take our time. Then another text – from American Airlines reminding us that our flight was at 10.5! 😧. Panic. We hadn’t realised that clocks had gone forward in the USA. Anyway, we made it and had a little upgrade to Main Cabin Extra – more room and quite comfortable.

The boys are gorgeous! Little one is asking me the Welsh word for everything. Eating is going to be awkward,,though. OH used to cook for us all. Now the nanny, after-school care lady, cooks for the boys. Son and dil seems to snack. 😳.

Mr P could do this Purple! Probably a few others on this site too.

https://idmprogram.com/idm-community-march-19-2019/

Hope you are all having a happy weekend. The sap is running and tomorrow I might start boiling off. Tomorrow we will make our coffee with fresh maple sap — very slightly sweet, so we use less sugar. a real treat.

On full moon night, I had some fun. Figuring it was the last ‘full moon on snow’ for the year, I grabbed the sled and went out at 9 pm. Full, bright moon. Snow just right. took 3 runs down the hill behind the house and enjoyed it immensely. Shaw said, “We don’t stop playing because we are old. We get old because we stop playing.” Go out and play!

It DOES sound fun! I’m right with you, FM, regarding play. We should never stop 😉
We have flown across the country, so can watch the sun and moon set in the Indian Ocean, as opposed to rising out of the Pacific. Such a wonderful world! Tired, with the early start and time changes, and NO interest in fasting until Tuesday 🤪 P

Is it just me, or is this someone touting for business rather than a genuine contributor to the Forum? See https://www.facebook.com/pg/Lipoxar/posts/

Anyway, I’ve reported it.

Are you having a good time on your West Coast, PVE?

Polly, are you having lovely Spring weather in Princeton? Just saw the first crocuses of the year in someone else’s garden! Very early for that around here. Nothing wrong about your OH surprising son + DIL with a dinner all prepared…. They might like not snacking.

Off to eye doctor today. Its in the city, so we will go for an early dinner at a well-regarded restaurant. ODH was a bit peeved when I told him it was ‘business casual’ — he doesn’t like ‘getting dressed up’.

After hours of driving through vineyards and olive groves today, we are convinced we must supply the whole world from here. Staggering! And we are doing our bit to use it up. 😉😉

Early canal systems fascinate me. I am a big fan of Thomas Telford, the Scottish engineer.
Some restrained, home cooked eating for the next week as we are staying with friends in a house. All keen on eating healthily.
Enjoy your trip Poll. P

I’ve never heard of LOTR Day, fasting_me. It certainly isn’t a thing in NZ.

You aren’t quite supplying the world with wine, P. Remember our day in the Wairarapa? 🙂

Report on sleeping – just getting worse and worse, not sure now when I had a full night. So session with hypnotherapist today, for actual hypnosis. But I was disappointed that he only used a light hypnosis, and really it’s all about autosuggestion. I was hoping he would give my brain firm instructions about being able to get back to sleep. But I will put it to work tonight, always positive, hoping it will work.

I was fascinated by the canals in England when we lived there. We took a narrow boat out for a week, terrific experience and something I would love to repeat. Unfortunately OH is reluctant to return to the NH, as he feels we have seen everything! What nonsense, I can put together an itinerary of new sights around Europe to please us both. I’m hoping for 18 months’ time.

We are well into autumn now, and our Indian summer has come to a screeching halt. Torrential rain fell on the South Island West Coast, and now they are cut off as a bridge was washed away yesterday. Rain and gales here, but still unseasonably warm. I went in to work today, will do so also on Friday as the end of the financial year is nigh and still work to be completed.

I knew that, P… Helping you out in the shiraz department as much as we can. 🙂

So sorry about the sleep problems, Barata. It seems to be a cycle which is tough to break. Your comment on your Oh made me smile. Every tour we’ve done has been full of Australians and Kiwis! I’ve yet to venture across the equator. OH worked in Melbourne for a month – loved it, and managed to get about in the state, sampling all sorts of produce, of course.

Talking of Kiwis, have you seen that we are rated number two in the world, just behind your mighty All Blacks. Can’t wait for the World Cup. The time difference will be awkward, though.

Bought some sneaky ice cream yesterday, but had no time eat any.

It’s early days, but my sleeping has improved since the session with the hypnotherapist on Wednesday! He put me into a light trance, and gave me suggestions to focus my mind when I wake up. And fingers crossed, something’s working! It might be the end of the stress at work with the financial year ending on Friday, so I will keep you posted. Not one night up and awake since then, though. 🙂

There are LOTRs tours you can take around certain of the filming sites, FM, but we have never followed these. I have read the books, and seen the films, but most of the country has moved on. A shame about your OH not sleeping on planes. Has he considered sleeping pills? Or you could plan shorter hops. Your food always sounds delicious! 🙂

We are also experiencing the “fun” of looking after sick grandkids,too. I’m trying to avoid the bugs (No hugging, windows open in cars, reminders to cover up coughs). Hopefully we get away without picking it up. At least we get to see real life with our kids, Polly, don’t we?😳
We have multiple time zones in Australia. 3 main time zones, Queensland defects all summer by not having Daylight Saving, A small location on the Nullabor Plain is different and WA doesn’t do Daylight Saving either. Yesterday we were 3 hours behind home, but as Daylight Savings ended over east last night, we are now only 2. At present it is pretty much 12 hours day and night.
FM, it takes us 30 hours to fly to Bostonfrom home. 23 to London. 5 from Sydney to Perth. You just end up in the zone on those long flights. Never expect to sleep, especially in economy. 😏
Have you considered the latest research, B, that is finding sleep is not vital, it is resting that rejuvenates, so worrying that you aren’t actually asleep is more harmful than not sleeping, apparently. Just a thought.
We are consuming too much red meat and not enough fish while here. The kids are VERY fussy, and with so many, we are forced to eat the most favoured. I’m hanging out for our more normal menu. 🙄
Keep well girls. P

Barata, pleased to hear you have started to sleep better, hope it continues to improve. Lack of sleep is so debilitating!
Fastingme, not sure if the crocus are saffron or not. I shall look as I walk past (they’re in my neighbors garde). I’m trying to pluck up courage to ask her if I could have a bulb or two!

Ah, purple, you’re on a working holiday lol, just like Polly!

We’ve at last had some rain here! Yay!

Pol, I notice you are celebrating UK Mother’s Day [aka Mothering Sunday, the 4th Sunday of lent] as opposed to US Mother’s Day which is in May. So nice you can spend that with your son & family. As for the Ben&Jerry’s, of course its sweet — that’s why it sells so well! Hagen Das is a US brand too. haven’t had that in years.

Carol, glad the rain has arrived. Our son & DIL in sunny California had a long rainy spell which caused the neighbor’s giant pine tree to fall across our son’s front yard, which ruptured the neighbor’s gas line which filled our son’s house with gas! They safely evacuated for the day and then went back home.

Barata, SO glad you are sleeping better. What a relief to you and to all of us.

I haven’t weighed for 10 days as we didn’t bring our travelling scales. 😐 I KNOW there will be trouble when I get home. 🙄🤨😳 P

off to a college reunion weekend today. it is a 9-11 hour drive, so I’ll stay overnight in a motel. Was hoping to get the weight down to a ‘safe’ level prior to a weekend of eating meals from the excellent college kitchen [truly!], which are prepaid and will come with wine. But i have no idea what my weight is since the scale gives me a range over 4 pounds. I always weigh twice, since the scale will not always give the same weight. Today i weighed 4 x: two were rather high, two were way too low. So no idea.

Fasting today: Reuben-Eggs served on Matzo with Russian dressing. We are not Jewish, but I needed the meal for my Passover Fasting blog entry. ODH was leery — thought the Matzo would be like cardboard. But we both found the meal to be delicious — “If you like a Reuben Sandwich,” he said. Before I leave today, I’ll prep Ham & Cheese Crepes for ODH’s dinner and Chicken Quesadillas for me to take along and eat tonight. This way we can continue to Fast!

While in my college town, I’ll visit the local ice cream stand but i’ll skip the Haagen-Daz [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Häagen-Dazs], Happy. Good weekend, Everyone.

Fasting_me,

Enjoy your reunion, and don’t worry too much about your weight! I expect you’ll be considerably slimmer than the majority of your classmates?!

Carol,

I suspect that my problem is not so much that my body doesn’t react to fasting as it did, but more that I don’t exercise the same control on non-fast days as I used to! Time will tell, but I think I’ve loosened the reins a bit too much. And I’m not as active as I should be at the moment. Last summer I inadvertently saw 56.x on the scales briefly (stress, overly busy), so I clearly can lose weight still! I’ve just been a bit better at putting it on since Christmas 😊

Reduced vigilance is an insidious fiend. “Oh, that cookie won’t matter.” Yes it does!!

We went to see “They Shall Not Grow Old.” Absolutely amazing. Disturbing, gripping, and a cinematic tour de force. If you go to see it, be sure to stay for the extra 30 minutes at the end. Then, go home and find out about the people in your family who served in WWI.

Having a great time at my reunion. Food is terrific and in sensible portions. Have avoided the potatoes, salad dressing, and rolls, but eaten the desserts. Wow, they were good! Lighter fare today, since brunch is not until 10:30. A dear friend was telling me at dinner that she’s trying to mind her blood sugar, with moderate success, by avoiding the simple carbs. I recommended the Blood Sugar diet. 4 hour drive today, 6 hours tomorrow. No exercise, no walking.

Welcome home, Polly. I hope your click settles soon.
I have been battling a grandchildren given bug and really have no interest in careful eating until I know that I will actually survive 😐
And it is 32deg today! Crazy! It’s autumn and normally cold.P

Sorry to hear your sleep issues are persisting B.
After years of sleepless nights, I have changed to taking my BP medication in the morning instead of at night. Suddenly I am sleeping all night.
Your trip to Stewart Island sounds lovely. We are yet to get there, but have been enjoying Coast NZ with the lovely Neil Oliver 😊😊
I hope everyone is having a happy weekend. P

Weight, beer, male-ness – all of the above 🙁 I think retirement will be of assistance, though. On the horizon, not just yet…

Happy birthday for Tuesday, Polly, if I don’t communicate before then. 🙂 No problems with short hair, guaranteed to resolve itself. Mine’s a bit shaggy with two weeks until the next trim.

As for snoring…ODH says I do. And then he tries to turn me over to stop me. He says it works, unless I ‘have deployed my “outriggers”‘ and I won’t roll. He doesn’t snore, but he will breathe in odd patterns and with strange sounds just as I am trying to get to sleep… Barata, I do so hope your sleep can be improved, since worrying about sleeping can be a cause of not sleeping.

Glad you are back Polly, and away from the dreaded Ben & Jerry’s. They might use lots of sugar, but they are a socially responsible company. Glad Mr P is getting back on the wagon. Have fun at the gastropub — be sure to tell what you ate and drank! I’m nosy.

Barata, you are sending me to the atlas, to look up your islands. Your trips always sound delightful.

PVE, hope you are all better now. Yesterday the temperature was 21 C, and we kept the doors open far into the evening. My sister in Philadelphia [definitely warmer than here] says she always likes to have drinks on the terrace on Easter Sunday. If its anything like yesterday, she will — and we might too!

We hosted our annual Wine Tasting benefit for the library last night. ODH does the hosting and explains the wines [8 wines of France this time], while I prepare and serve the hot and cold hors d’oeuvres [8 of them, all keyed to the wines]. Lots of fun and good companionship, but I cooked for 3 days beforehand! And now I’m Pooped! Going to stay in bed until I feel better. OK, I got up to throw the dinner together, but it was mostly out of the freezer, so it was easy. Now I’m on the sofa while ODH watches the basketball game.
Weight wasn’t bad when I returned from the reunion. But it has been creeping up all week, with no real reason…except a wee bit of carelessness here and there. Next week will be better. Fasting tomorrow.

Happy Birthday to Happy on Monday and to Polly on Tuesday.