Miles and Miles of Small Brown Piles

***WARNING*** Do not read this while eating. Just in case the title didn't clue you in.

Ahh, the beautiful snow. It's pristine whiteness has covered the valley floor since the beginning of December. We haven't seen the ground, save a few patches that were purposely scraped bare, for months. Lately on the trek to the car or the bus I have noticed a large number of...umm...doo-doo piles appearing. Many more than I normally have to watch for. It's like dog-doo to the tenth power. Yuck. I never even considered the fact that for all these weeks as the dogs faithfully trotted out to do their business, the icy cold ground was preserving their offerings. It gives a whole new meaning to the term "spring thaw". I wondered why everyone scrunched up their nose when they said it.

Today was probably the hardest day to stick to my raw food plan. I made steak and baked potatoes for the family. It smelled so good when I was cooking it. I didn't even have a taste! Instead I had a bowl of cucumber, tomato, cilantro, celery and lemon juice. Almost like a gazpacho. I have also had some raw almonds, a tangelo, a good apple and a BAAAD apple (I kept hoping it would improve), and the rest of my yummy banana leather. I have now surpassed the 2 year low. think it's been easier to stick to after having given up all the stuff I had already cut out. I have been drinking at least a gallon of water every day.

Feeling like a housewife

Not a bad thing at all. Hugh took a temporary job in in Oroville, thanks to Rob K. It seems you have to know someone to get a job here, resumes and credentials seem secondary to the word of a friend. I can see whay that would be a good thing, and we feel very blessed to know a few folks who are comfortable vouching for us. Hugh is working on a condo project on Lake Osoyoos. After many years out of construction, he has been coming home sore and tired, but very thankful to be working. Anyway, I have had him here at the house for so long thats it's quite odd to be home while he is working. This is only the third day, but I will be in service all day, so I find myself prepping for dinner so that he will come home to hot food. I always do the cooking anyway, but normally on my long service days I take care of it when I get home. For some reason, I feel more compelled to be efficient with him working.
My meals are much easier to prepare. All I have to do is peel and eat (I have had a lot of citrus this week). I have lost more on a few days of 100% raw than I did the previous 3 weeks at 80% raw with calorie restriction. Interesting. I did make some tasty banana leather, some savory flax and garlic crackers (both in the dehydrator) and a failed attempt at raw potato chips. They came out gray and nasty, and not quite crispy.
I viewed a website yesterday with a 65 year old woman who has been eating raw for 40 years. She looks about 30.
I am a couple pounds away from a 2 year low, and 20 lbs away from a 5 year low.

Breaking News

We still watch the news here daily, I've been a first-30-minutes-of-the-Today- Show fan for a decade. When it breaks to go to local news, I still crack up at the "technology" of the local station. Often, the cameraman actually zooms in on the desktop PC of the reporter to show emails they have gotten or photos that viewers have sent in. They don't being the image up to the screen, they just show the monitor and slowly zoom in.
Dakota says we should start a Tonasket station (the other one is in Spokane) and use Hugh's Iphone to zoom in on for weather reports. He's always thinking.
So, I should have gone 100% raw before. I need to find out how it is physiologically (is that the right word?) to lose so much weight so fast, while taking in the same amout of calories. Raw food guru's claim it's because of the lack of toxins in what you eat, and that cooking food poisons it in a way. They say it heals whatever is wrong with your body and makes your metabolism work correctly. I need to do more research, but no complaints from this girl.

Tightening the Belt

Literally and figuratively. It's been 3 weeks since my detox started. I have been 100% strict about the artificial sweetener and caffeine. I have stuck to mostly raw and unprocessed foods. I've dropped about 6 lbs, but I am right at the sticking point that I have hit multiple times the last several months. I have dropped about 25 lbs since we moved here, but i am really craving some serious progess. So tomorrow, Monday, I start 100% raw. I am committed to 21 days raw, so I will update you on the results (mood and weight) when it's all over. If it goes like it does for most folks, I should drop about 20lbs in the 3 weeks. Enough to show. If you haven't heard of this type of eating, check out Alissa Cohen or Angela Stokes.

Tennis Elbow and Bowlers Knee

Confined to the house for excercise purposes, unless I want to ice skate, I have been playing Wii for exercise. Now, I am pretty lame at most video games. I would be the last one in a schoolyard pick. But with Wii, even I have a chance. I am not brave enough to challenge Cheyenne to baseball, or Hugh to boxing, but I have the big shiny bowling ball that labels me a "pro" in the game and it is oddly satisfying. I am embarassed to say I have a sore knee and sore arm from playing. It took a couple days to figure out what I was sore from, but yesterday, as I assumed the bowling stance and my knee protested, I was at once enlightened and ashamed.

I am really wanting to try 100% raw food for a week, to see if I can kick start. I have been about 80% raw, but that final bit MIGHT make the difference. I start every morning intending to do it, and then something happens. Usually cheese.

A Blogworthy Scream

Last night as Cheyenne was primping for the evening in the bathroom, she suddenly let out a shriek. Not just any shriek, but a long drawn-out squeek followed by a throaty "Geeet offff!!!" Moments later she sheepishly peeked around the corner and said,

"I didn't know I was afraid of spiders."

She explained that there had been one on her collar, and she had not recognized it as such until she got closer to the mirror, whereupon it became immediately terrifying. I had to torture her by telling her it had probably been IN her shirt all day and had finally broke out. She proceeded to tell me that it had only crawled in her shirt after laying an egg sack somewhere in MY clothes or shoes. I don't know where she gets that stuff.

Here is what I see just about every day now.

The snow is a little dirty, but we might get a fresh coat tonight. I hope!

This is the kids on the Weeks sledding hill. Yes, the same hill where Hugh careened into a fence post.

On the diet front, things are going GREAT. The no caffeine thing has had one really surprising effect. I am NEVER tired during the day. Truly. I would have never thought that would be the result, but all those ups and downs and "I need a nap"s seem to be a thing of the past. No longer tempted by diet soda, I have been chugging water and liking it. Plus, the high amount of fruit and veggies I have been eating has allowed me to really start tasting all the flavors in my food. I think I am onto something that is really going to work.

Lastly, you should probably check out Cheyenne's blog for an AWESOME photo she snapped of Chibi. I think she should get a hold of KFC and make Chibi the new spokesdog. When I was looking for that, I found these two that show Mack and Chibi really are soulmates:-) Enjoy.

All for the Love of Good Parking

Sometimes the smallest things bring joy, you know what I mean? I still smile with delight when I can ALWAYS pull right up in front of the store I need to go into, and park. It feels like cheating! Downtown Tonasket has like 4 blocks to it. The block where I need to be most often is faced with the pharmacy, the sporting goods store, the hardware store, a pet store, a real estate office, a radio shack, an auto parts store and a grocery store. Plus a tavern, of course. Except for Labor Day weekend and opening weekend for hunting, I can always just park AT the front door of my destination. You would think I would get used to the convenience, but it's still a high point of every trip to town.

A far cry from the old days of being happy just to find a spot at all!

On the diet front, all is still well. A whole week+ with no caffiene, no artifical sweetner and all that! Today I made fresh bread and I had a slice when it was done. What a mistake, I must have a major gluten allergy. I immediately got severe heartburn. All week, I have not had to take one antacid (I was probably popping about 50 a day prior to the diet) and I had to run for the tums. I have quite a few supplements still from my old days of trying every possible diet, so I have been able to take vitamins and keep close track of my nutrition. I would say mornings are probably the hardest for actual hunger, and evening are the worst for cravings. I miss WINE!!!! The scale has not moved a lot, but I have a feeling it's going to start dropping fast.

I got to talk to Levi today, which is always a treat. He sounds like he is doing really well, and I am always happy to hear he is associating with folks from the congregation. Sky is headed back over the end of Feb for a visit. It will be interesting to see how he feels about it once he has gone back.

Tomorrow is the LONG school day. I will try to post.

Treadmill Time

I did some time on the treadmill last night. I was at the Weeks, and was inspired by all that shiny equipmwnt. I just did 20 miniutes, interval style, but it felt GREAT, I was able to eat a really light dinner after that. Veggies only! Today, I plan on NOT staying on plan 100% (superbowl party) but I want to keep my water intake way up and look for lean snacks. Hugh is making Chili Cheese fries that I will probably have to try, though. Go Cardinals!