Day 308 – Head Down

Lunch at 12:30ish

I woke at 1AM when I heard Kev's phone buzz. I got up to pee, flipped the fan on, and went back to sleep nicely.  I woke next around 6:45 and got up and going. Kev made coffee while I fed the babies and did my little morning chores and we sipped cuppas out front on the rockers. It was a nice, mild morning with socks, slippers and an overshirt needed. A group of deer came into the front yard while we were sipping and chatting and we both stayed really still, no movement except for blinking, and watched as they tried to find something in the empty bird feeders. It was a neat moment. We went in and Monday officially began. I got laundry in the washer, had island time and got to work. It will be a packed week. I didn't take a break until around 12:30 and ran down to eat egg salad and chicken salad with a few baked pork rinds.

Dinner at 5:45ish

The afternoon was a complete blur. One thing weird happened. Poor furbaby Ted was constipated. I've never seen this before and it was weird. He'd go to different rooms and squat like he was gonna take a dump and nothing would happen. We gave him some Laxatone, which is mostly for furballs, but it must have worked because when I took a break and ran downstairs to get water I saw the biggest turd I'd ever seen. I mean this thing could have come from a very large dog. Poor Ted had come up to my office and flopped into his bed and I bet it was after his turd birth. he was worn out! He slept the rest of the day in my office as I worked. I turned on a Hallmark movie towards the end of the day, A Carol for Two. I watched it with dinner of leftover fajita flank with sauteed onions and peppers and then took it to bed-as-couch with a hot LMNT after dinner. 

After soaking in more of that class yesterday, I really am not sure what I should or shouldn't be eating at this moment in time, so I'm going to do my best and keep on with meat and some veggies, which I enjoy. I still have no cravings, and feel good, so I'm keeping on. Forward!

Day 307 – Cutting Back?

Remi Says Don't Go

After good sleep I woke at 7AM, which was the new fall back time, really 8AM body time, which meant I enjoyed a little more sleep. Kev made coffee and we sipped out on the front porch until it was time for him to head off to his final day of the climbing festival. Lis joined to tell Kev goodbye, she made coffee, packed up (I had island time while she was packing) and at 10AM she got on the road towards Austin. It was a good visit and I miss her already. I heated last night's leftover pizza for brunch around 10:30 or 11 and then got busy with laundry and vacuuming and usual chores. 

Burger Night

I swept off the back deck of leaves and then went up to do some work, getting a head start on the busy week ahead. At 1PM I took an interesting online class called "What Comes First, Gaining Weight or Rising Insulin" given by a Ketogenic/Carnivore couple I've followed for a long time. What I took away was that, although most of the Carnivore influencers push eating more fat to lose, you want to cut the fat instead. I'll need to assess what my typical fat grams per day looks like and make a plan to cut back. This will mean no keto pizza, not as much cheese, and keeping heavy cream earmarked for my coffee only. We met our first batch of house sitters today as they came into town for a wedding and realized it was just down the street from us. And they are great! Kev made Chug burgers and I had a nice Sunday shower to be all clean for clean sheet night. We ate while watching an episode of The Discovery of Witches and then had a hot LMNT (no cream in mine). I worked while watching the show and until almost 10. 

Day 306 – Second Trip

Pizza Night

I slept well but woke tired. I got up before 6AM to pee and dozed off again until 7 something. I dressed and moved a little sluggishly and got the cats fed before enjoying cuppas in the still dark out on the front porch with The Kev. He left just after 8AM and I did my morning chores before getting Lis up. I made her coffee and packed us a little cooler and we hit the road by 9 to the Unclaimed Baggage place in Scottsboro, AL. The second trip was still fascinating and I came home with a new black cardigan sweater for $8, a necklace for $6 and a book for .49. I did not realize that today was a big event there, Ski Sale day and it was like a festival. There was a DJ, which was actually great to have loud music playing, but shit tons of people. I was in hell at first but then eased into the scene, keeping the cart tucked to a side and letting Lis browse her heart out. She came away with some big brands at great prices. We left around 12:30 and I nibbled a few bits of beef jerky in the car.We got home and I had three bites of chicken salad and two of egg salad to hold me over until dinner, because it was already 3PM and I didn't want a meal. We sat out back until it got a bit cool and started pizza night just after 6PM. We ate while watching Nobody Wants This which Lis hasn't seen. I sipped an LMNT after dinner and we kept watching the show until bed.

Day 305 – Grey

Drizzly Morning

Kev was awake at 3AM, which means I woke. I got up to pee and laid back down, awake. I piddled on my phone, did Wordle and tossed until I eventually  got back to sleep. I woke around 7AM, to it raining yay! and didn't linger. We had to remove the spices above the microwave so the new microwave could be installed. The installer was to arrive between 8AM and 11AM. I dressed, Kev fed kitties and made coffee. We had just started sipping our cuppas when the man arrived early, at 7:45. Thank goodness Kev had already removed everything and it was a quick process. He didn't clean up after himself so the vacuums came out, the shop vac and Oreck. I got the spices back into place and coffee sipping resumed out back. The batch of first new freezer ice from the new fridge got dumped and I hadn't seen completely grey ice before. 😳 It was a grey as the morning was. I got Lis up, made her some coffee and we hit the door at 9AM to head down the hill to our pedi appointments. I also had a mani and I'm always shocked at how good clean/tidy/trimmed feet and hands feel. I mean, WHY so many callouses and out of control cuticles?! We stopped at Southern Start on the way home and I had a trifecta when we got home around 11:30. I had egg salad that I made yesterday, chicken salad and pimento cheese, all with some pork rinds, and a pickle. 

Taco Salad

It was an afternoon of work as I finished a Hallmark movie in the background called The Christmas Charade. I got invoices sent and started another movie called The 5 Year Christmas Party but it started acting flaky, so I turned it off. This only made me concentrate on the things that dropped in today, which included a presentation. The extra focus time was handy and I cut things off at 5PM to head down to the couch to hang with Lis. Our time is getting short and I don't know how time flies so fast. Lis had Chuy's delivered from Uber Eats and I made a taco salad for dinner. The ground beef was seasoned with chili powder, cumin, onion powder, salt and pepper and added to the bowl was some cut iceberg lettuce (which has the best crunch), avocado, green onion, cheddar, sour cream and taco sauce. Gosh I love this and ate while watching Burlesque, which is one of my favorites, and Lis had never seen. We went to bed by 11.

Day 304 – Halloween Birthday

Fresh Farm Jammy Eggs

Happy Birthday to my Kev! 🎃

After good sleep I woke at 5AM to pee when I heard the Kev moving around. He left for the gym and I got into a really deep sleep, not opening an eyeball until 8AM. I felt tired but it was Thursday and I had The Dave Hour so my morning was already cut short. I got up and moving, dressed, made the bed, scooped and fed the kitties. I made coffee and we sipped out back. I only got half when I had to put some bacon in the oven and fresh farm eggs on to boil.  I had two slices of bacon and two jammy eggs around 9:15, just in time to get it into my system good before changing and heading to the gym for warmup. The gym was sparse today and we did some cardio boxing, which was fun. It was upper body day and I left pooped.

Halloween Evening

I got home to the fridge and microwave being delivered and Kev handled all of that while I showered and got ready for my 12:30 call. I made egg salad with the rest of the eggs I boiled this morning and had about three bites with a couple pork rinds to hold me over. The call was good. I will hopefully be adding on another division of one of my client's companies, which will be so much fun. I re-loaded the fridge, finished up a little work and took my computer down to the couch to work, chatting with Lis. Around 5PM I blew the leaves off the front sidewalk and front porch, and back deck, mainly to be clear for our few trick or treaters. While I was doing this I missed the text from the up front neighbor asking if anyone was accepting early trick or treaters, so we only had two. 😂 While putting the little bit of candy into the basket I succumbed to one of the bite-sized (the wee little square, not a mini bar) of a 3 Musketeer, which used to be my favorite. It tasted like wax and I wanted no more. Kev started a fire in the pit and cooked up the Tex Mex marinated flanks. I sauteed onion and bell pepper and we made fajita bowls. I added a little sour cream, avocado, Frontera salsa and cheddar and we enjoyed outdoor dining in the beautiful evening. After dinner dishes were done we had our hot LMNTs and listened to music. Happy Halloween!

Day 303 – Welcome Back

Leftover Steak Lunch

Sleep was good. I woke just before 7:30 with a slight headache and was more tired than usual. I did Wordle and got going. After dressing and scooping and making the bed I fed the boys and Kev got coffee going once he got in from early gym. We sipped cuppas out back, in the overcast morning, and I went up for island time before starting some work. I turned on a Hallmark movie, The Christmas Charade, in the background, which had a light James Bond/Oceans Eleven vibe. I paused just after 11AM for some lunch. I melted the leftover browned butter from last night in a skillet and added in the cut up sirloin. When browned I ate out back with Lis and Remi and then went in to begin October's invoicing. I was going to mow when done but it was too close to my facial appointment at 3PM. And then it started raining. Chance missed. Before I left for my facial I made a little batch of pepperoni roll ups for Lis and took one to go in the car. I love them so. She left me one which was on the counter upon return and I ate it quickly.

Burger Night is Back

My facial was amazing, as usual. My girl gave me some more of those farm fresh eggs that a client of hers brings her. They will be used tomorrow for Kev's birthday omelet. I worked on the couch to hang with Lis the remainder of the work day and gosh time is flying and it was 5:30 in a blink. I really can't believe that we will be in November this week. Kev cranked up The Chug for a welcome home burger night and I made up the patties. They cooked for their 30 minutes and we melted on Irish cheddar. I nibbled a little raw onion and a pickle with my two and we ate on the couch, thinking we were gonna watch something but we ended up browsing the Netflix lineup. We finished dinner, dishes were done and LMNT made. Since we didn't pick anything to watch, we ended up turning on The Golden Bachelorette.

Day 302 – A Three Meal Day

Pre and Post Workout

It was a night of no getting up, which is always good. I did get up to pee at 5AM and got back into a nice sleep until around 7. I did Wordle and got moving around 7:15. I dressed, made the  bed, fed kitties and we had our cuppas out on the back deck. We are soaking up the last of the fall color before the leaves vanish until Spring. I got bacon in the oven and did my morning chores before enjoying that bacon with the last of the 6% cottage cheese. I went up for island time and some email checking before it was time to change and head to the gym for the leg day Dave Hour. I left tired but good and walked the track for thirty minutes before getting home for food and a shower. I'm usually not all that hungry after workout but I was today. I first caught up with my college buddy, and then polished off the egg salad, enjoying it with the sea salt pork rinds I love so much. I also grabbed the leftover bit of simple lettuce salad with the vinaigrette from Sunday's dinner. 

Mighty Fine Dinner

The afternoon opened up. All the early morning work I put in paid off while Lis is here, which was the goal. We went down the mountain to grocery shop, got home and my 3PM meeting was cancelled, so we got back in the car and made a Costco run. We got back just in time for me to make a Tex Mex fajita marinade for some flank steaks before the contractor arrived to discuss a few projects. When he left I cooked up Brussels and Kev grilled sirloins while I made the browned butter for dipping. It really was a fine meal and the table was quiet because it was so good. I could eat sirloin every night if it was this good all the time. Something it may be a little more chewy, or have some gristle, but these were perfection. We sipped LMNT after dinner, I worked from the couch, and The Chug (smoker) got delivered and placed back into his spot. I was done with work and hit the bed around 10:30.

Day 301 – A Balance

Leftover Early Lunch

Sleep was great. No waking until 5:30 to pee. I saw Kev off to the gym and dozed until just after 7. Wordle happened, I dressed and scooped and fed kitties, and did morning chores before making coffee. me and Kev sat out front on the rockers watching the fog roll by. It was a little chilly and I eventually put on some long sleeves and socks. After coffee we walked to collect the recycle bin from the main road and then went up to get the new week rolling. I had some island time and dove into a project. It was 10:30 when I needed some food and heated leftover Keto chicken casserole. I ate at my desk and turned on a Hallmark movie, Operation Nutcracker. It played after eating, in the background while I cranked on some client fun.

Pot Roast Dinner

The afternoon sped by. My mind was on high speed, really into the projects I was working on, and I love it when the ol brain is firing on all cylinders. I was in a definite groove. I took a break around 2PM to cut up carrots for the pot roast I started this morning in the Crock Pot, went back up to work, got into the zone again, shutting things down just after 6PM. I got our bowls filled and the roast was divine. I hadn't had carrots in almost a year and they were amazing. I savored them with each bite. After dinner I made me and Kev our hot chocolate caramel LMNT for sipping on the couch.

Day 300 – Fall at the Gardens

Breakfast and Gardens

6:30 came early. I dressed and made a to-go tumbler of coffee and we all headed out in the dark to the ATL. Kev and I had tickets to the botanic gardens to see all the hand made scarecrows. And because we are members we had a guest pass for Lis. These gardens are always spectacular and there's something to see every season. We stopped at Bucees along the way for some breakfast, mine being the favorite breakfast bowl with scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese, and the new addition of some sausage crumbles. We learned that Lis had never been into a Buc-ee's before and was a little overwhelmed. 😂 How has she lived in Texas most of her life and never been to one?! I'm glad we were her first. We arrived at the gardens around 9:30 and hit up the restrooms. We met up with some climbing friends of Kev and their little son, who is walking but also with stroller. We walked with them until the kid area and then parted ways to see all of the scarecrows that the community of Atlanta had made. Classrooms, businesses, individuals, scout troops, you name it, they made one and it was the BEST. The creativity was fantabulous. They were starting to get lights out for Christmas and we can't wait to see them. We already have our Dec tix.

Gardens and Dinner

We left around 12:30 and weren't really hungry for lunch. Me and Kev had a little beef jerky snack which was plenty. We detoured off to fill up with gas and a back route to Home Depot on a back way to the house and when we got in, at 4PM,  we immediately split up for nap time. We were all pooped. I got up at 5:30 and the Kev was building a fire in the pit for fire burgers. I made up the patties and then sauteed some onion and mushroom that needed to be used. I also made a little ho-made vinaigrette to finish up some lettuce that needed to be finished. When the burgers were done we melted on some Irish cheddar and dinner was delicious. Laundry got into the wash and then hot chocolate caramel LMNT was made for couch sipping with blankets. What a fun Sunday. 

Day 299 – Random Rain

Fresh Picked and Sunny Plate

There's something about Saturday morning, especially when nothing is planned. It's cozy and  the anticipation of weekend coffee is thrilling. Wordle was done and the day was off and rolling at 7:30. Kev made coffee and I went out and watered the front plants. We sipped out on the back deck with the fur babies, and it was the ultimate peaceful morning. there were no dogs barking, the air was cool, the colors changing more every day. I made cheddar three-egg omelets with bacon and the did the Saturday cleaning. I made what might be the last fresh flower bouquet with things clipped around the house. The zinnias and snapdragons from the garden. Lavender from a big pot next to the garden. Clumps from some bushes on the side of the house and some fern fronds from the front porch for fun. I watered the back plants and garden and Lilian the Redbud tree and blew the leaves from the deck and fire pit area. I know there will be fire burgers and some fire pit time this evening when Lis arrives. Yay! Lis is driving for a visit!

I made a run down the hill for some grocerying. I got home and noticed a little cloud cover, which was unusual because it's been a long time since we've had rain. I'd almost forgotten what that even was. Kev was installing the new digital entry keypad, which replaces the keyed lock, and when he was done a big wind came up and it rained. And rained good. He had also just washed Sterling and I had just been talking about rain down the mountain and was told that we don't want any because the leaves will all fall off and color won't be as good. So...either I caused the random rain that wasn't in the forecast, or Lis brought it with her from Texas. Because of this I was glad to have chicken casserole fixins and got to it around 5:30. Me and Lis sat out back with our blankets and ate out there, not really going in until 8PM. I made me and Kev hot LMNTs and the game was on between my college and Kev's. I hit the bed by 10.