Milestones!

It's almost time for another reprieve from reality. But so far reality hasn't been too bad in general.

On the health front: I have been using the FitBit app to track my exercise and food intake. Well, the food seems to be spot on, but the exercise tally almost doubles the calories expended rather than reality. As such, I am altering how I am working on it. That also means that for the past monthish I have been taking in far more calories than I need. Not horrible, as I am still a good two to three pounds lower than when I got back from Indiana, but still not ideal.

As for that over-tallied exercise, I have managed 30 minutes of brisk walking every day since the 27th of August. That makes it a habit at this point! I just have to remember not to eat back all that I expend--the evenings are my downfall, but I have taken to walking more then instead of in the morning (unless I am hiking and avoiding heat/rain). Also got a tv for above the treadmill for excuse-free walking. And it died within the first day. So I'm taking it back and will get a new one once I get back from my trip. It really helps to have something to distract me from plodding along!

And I am killing the treadmill at my parents' house. After 23 years of mostly disuse, it is finally showing its age by falling apart. I am now saving up my pennies for a good mid-level machine to take my abuse. It is looking a lot like how much I spent for my little vacation! Luckily the current one still works for the most part so I will run it till it dies/gets unsafe.

It's that time again, a vacation--the last one of the year. I'm looking forward to being up in mountains and trees again. Trying a different place this time and I may have goofed on my choice. As it turns out it is located in a little community of rental homes instead of out on its own like my previous two places. Also no dog run, though that will be fine eventually once dog realizes that he has to do his duty on a leash. Eventually being the main word there.

Speaking of the dog, he's an unhappy pooch. He tried to eat a hole in his tail last week and I have been treating it at home...not particularly well since I used the wrong bandage. Called in to the doc and he says to bring him in tomorrow for a test and looksee at it. Poor pooch is none-too-pleased to once again be back in the cone-of-shame. Also found out that about 2 miles is the max Link's joints can really tolerate. Went for a walk out by the volcanoes by Mom and Dad's place and it was even mostly level. So over the next week I will have to really watch how far we go, especially if there are hills.

I know that I am going to come back to a sizeable amount of work given that it is in the first week of the month, but that's okay. It will keep me busy for a couple days. I will be on-call for computer/connectivity issues while I am out there (on-email? cell doesn't work well), so that should be interesting. No calls last month, so I am expecting something to break this round. 

And now all I can think about is food. Joy. It's going to be a long last-day-before-vacation.