All Hell Broke Loose

And has mostly been battled back into its place. Hold on, folks, this is going to be a long one. Weekend before last I went with my mother on a quick five-day road trip to South Dakota to visit Dad and Grandpa. It is a thirteen/fourteen-hour trip that we split between ourselves to get there in one piece. Normally no major issues.

Until.

Halfway between NM and SD a check engine light on my car went on. I tried the quick fixes that I knew that we could do on the way up. Then the temperature sensor went on at the same time. Nothing we could do, but it wasn't brining up the "HEY, IDIOT! Stop driving!" flash, so we went on since I know there is a Subaru garage in Rapid City. I immediately took it to the garage where they got it in as soon as possible. But that meant that we were down a vehicle with only Dad's monster truck to drive, and Grandpa can't get into that short of a crane. They weren't going to get it in until Tuesday--which was when we were supposed to get home, not just starting the drive. So I fretted and stewed. Eventually it was brought to my attention that I get loaner vehicles when I have work done at the shop at home. Maybe they would have one there? Lo and behold! Success! That way Dad could take the loaner while Mom and I took Grandpa's Outback to NM and still have a vehicle that Gramps could get into and out of without ending up in the ER.  That left the repair cost, which could be an arm, a nose, a leg, or the whole shebang. I got the call that I was dreading halfway home: it was fixed. And the cost? Free! Well, other than getting it back to NM. (Dad even drove all the way to NM to trade out vehicles instead of me needing to meet him halfway.) Subaru had a rider warranty on the part as a known flaw. I wonder what the cost would have been if I had the work done at a non-Subaru garage. 

As a second issue, I had never heard from my extended warranty people that I may have needed to afford the car work (that thankfully never had a bill). I emailed. I called. I begged. I eventually (today!) got a response back that I am actually covered with no additional issues. I was pissed that it took them that long to get back to me. But knowing it is in place makes me feel better. Another thing off the list.

The day we arrived in SD I got an electronic notice from New Mexico Medicaid. My coverage had been cancelled because USPS managed to lose my paperwork. So the solution was to reapply and wait for them to get it processed and a new card sent out, which they warned could take 30-40 days. That meant that meds and doctor appointments were put on hold with time to fret and stew that I might end up in the ER or need something expensive over the next month (some of my meds are damned pricey). But I got the application and only could wait. Halfway through last work week I got the quick notice that they had accepted my application and I would just have to wait for my new cards to arrive and I would be good to go. That was a lot of headache that won't be happening again since from now on I am getting a tracking receipt for my paperwork. Live, learn, then get leverage.

That left Grandpa. He's getting one to two liters of fluid taken off of his lungs a day due to the much-advertised mesothelioma. His port for draining keeps plugging up and he is needing more put in as of late. We had a good visit, not even too much nagging or news. No network news, as a matter of fact, which is a great weight lifted off of my mind. The day we left he needed another port put in, just a few days after his last one. Everyone was worried. But now it seems to be working, and we don't have another emergency trip up.

It appears that things have mostly smoothed over, just awaiting my medical cards. Probably will be going up again in October for a longer visit. But that is for next month, whenever I can get around coworkers' schedules. Link is all ready to get on another road trip and to check out the deer in the back yard. And to hop on pop. Even if he does need a boost to get on the couch occasionally. And I am happy to have life settling into a calmer status. (Maybe enough to go camping next weekend!)

Ready for a Road Trip

A Vacation to Nowhere...

 ...and nothing.

I am making it a point this week while on vacation to do as little as possible with the time I have. Work is on notice that I would rather not be bothered. Parental units know that I may or may not have phone coverage while I am out here. And it's great! I've been here three nights so far, with four more to go. I have left the house to take Link for short walks, avoiding the burrs as I went--though he was certain that he wanted to take a chance and piss on the burr plants! He apparently has no intention on self-preservation.

Him with his stylishly day-glow booties

Speaking of the dog, he's had quite a decline in health. With a diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy a few months ago, he is doing rather well for the condition. I have been grasping at things I can do to keep him up and running. My vet offers acupuncture for dogs, so, while I didn't get any benefit from it when I tried it, Link seems to be doing well on it since his decline has been slower than expected. Unfortunately, the condition is progressive and unable to be cured. Probably only a few months, but he will let me know when it's time. Knowing that he isn't in pain from it makes a big difference in my mind. Walking like he is drunk is rather cute, if not frustrating to him when he plunks down with a grunt. He's dragging his back paws quite a bit now, so I bought a new pair of shoes for him. Probably will have to get different ones that don't give his toes too much traction on pavement and gravel. He's really unsteady on his hind end, so I have rugs strewn around the house to give him a steady path. He also gets a boost up the ramp into the car with a sling that my coworker gave me. We will work with it day by day.

Poor pooch was not thrilled with the thunderstorm we had today. It wasn't long, but he was back hiding in the bathroom, squished into the foot-wide area between the tub and vanity, until it passed. But he got over it quick. Now it is raining again, but without the lights and booms, so he is happy to be down by my feet on his cushy blanketed spot.

So yes, it is raining. We will be putting off his nightly run until the chance of wet-dog-stench is lessened. Besides, the later we go out at night mean the later I can sleep in! I have a book of short stories by Sir Terry Pratchett that I am currently consuming before bed. No real reading outside of online during the day. 

And tomorrow whenever Link wakes me up for his duties I will get up and shower, then lock him away so I can take a jaunt into Silver City for breakfast/museum/groceries. That will be my main thing to do on this trip. And that's enough for me!

Family Fun vs. Vacation

I just got back from roughly 2000 miles of driving over ten days. Went from Albuquerque, NM to Hill City, SD and back with lots of small trips into the city to see the grandparents. It meant that this was less of a vacation than my solo escapes, but it was worth it.

Grandma is 88, and Grandpa is 92 (I think. Grandma may be 87). Their health is rough, with Grandpa still mostly independent, especially for his age, with my Dad's help. Grandma is in and out of various healthcare homes and is...losing her mental capacities. We needed to go up and spend some time with them in a longer time than the normal five day whirlwinds. So Mom and I did. I still had one week of vacation left for my annual leave, and Mom had some of hers left as well.

The drive up was uneventful, as was the drive home, though we stopped overnight both directions instead of forcing all the way through in one 14 hour marathon. Which was good since I was mostly dead on the way home and Mom hadn't had sleep on the way down. Up meant that we could eat in our favorite spot on the way not once but Twice (and not be driving two-lane highway at night)! The place: Drover's in Brush, Colorado in the middle of nowhere at a livestock sales spot of all places. Best biscuits and gravy or country fried steak outside of Mom's place. Could we take mostly Interstate, yes, but it would involve going through Denver at rush hour(s) and miss the food stop for the same time spent on the road, without the added time in Denver.

The pretty house on an evil hill 

Up in South Dakota, Dad, Mom, and I (and the dog) spent a lot of time on the road since all of our spots to visit were far away from each other. Luckily, Dad did the driving for all that so I could rest in the back seat with the dog when he wasn't locked away at the house on hot days. Visits were kept mostly short since the grandparents needed rest frequently. Hell, after those visits I needed rest! I love them dearly, but it is difficult to have conversations sometimes, especially with Grandma. There will come a time when we can't even do that, so I will take it while I can get it.

It was nice being up there at the very end of tourist season since the roads were open and getting into restaurants was actually doable. The Black Hills is touron (tourist morons) hell during most of the summer. Most had vacated by the time we were out there. We also got to see the leaves turn almost overnight while we were there, which was really pretty. There were supposed to be Northern Lights, but I couldn't get a glimpse of them this trip. Pretty far south for them and I have seen plenty of them while I lived up in Alaska. Would have been nice though.

So eventually we made our way back home, tired of the road and dreading going back to work. Not too much to catch up on for me, but that didn't keep the dread from looming large last night. I'm counting the days (or hours) until I get the chance to go home and not be needed by anyone other than the dog. Just me, YouTube, Zelda, and the fridge. Maybe less of the fridge. I gained four pounds while I was out there, so it is time to get a hold on that whole thing. Eating out and overeating out every meal was killer on my waistline.

A common place for him to lay his head

And now it is time to wrap up and focus on not munching my way through the day. And for dog class tonight to see what is in store for us and the dogs surrounding Link to be snippy with. I hope he tries to be a pain in the ass so the trainer can catch him and help me keep it from happening again.

Back to School

That's right, we're going back to school. Dog training time. This not-so-little pest has been gradually getting more crotchety, and hard-headed over the years and it is time that we both deal with that. His hearing is going and not just in the 'selective hearing' style where he could hear the fridge open but not a command to 'come'.  Time to figure out how to deal with that too.

He has earned himself a muzzle during class because he has bitten another dog (long ago, but he still would do it today, and I know it) and been aggressive toward people, especially tall men. We have had two classes so far, one day after the other since we are going to miss next week's meeting, and he is ahead of the curve so far. It is a basic obedience class, so he has things like lie and sit down pat. Stay is even good. Heeling and coming with distractions? Weeeeellll... we're getting back to those as the weeks of class go on.

He also earned himself some repeated correction since he already tried to intimidate another dog in the class. THAT is why he is in the novice class. I want to be able to have him pass by any dog on the path without having him over-guard me. He has, of course, got the women who run the class all eating out of his fuzzy paw (Within reason. They still are the bosses.). I wish there was a male teacher in the course to desensitize the pooch, but no luck. I will just have to start taking him to PetCo and such. Muzzle included. But not yet.

All ready to go in his day-glow car harness

In other news, I am having trouble with not gaining weight again. I had a small surge of motivation and told myself that THIS time would be my starting point again. Then my brain got down in the dumps but good. On top of that, one of my meds makes me hungry--ravenous is more like it--and I need a higher dose of it. But it works. The combo of brainz and meds means that life is going to be...interesting...for the next week and a half.

Mom and I are going to South Dakota to visit the grandparents, driving up late tonight after Mom gets off of work. It's going to be a long drive--13 hours-ish. And there are going to be so many traps to fall into for munchies. My goal, such as it is, is to just not gain any more weight. I want all the carbs. Specifically bread in all its forms. Even more specifically, biscuits and gravy. In large amounts. I am not looking forward to all the eating out. The drive is easy: only have healthy things to eat along the road. Eating out with family? Less easy and it is going to happen frequently. I'll manage. I'll manage. Just don't gain.

 

River? Creek? All mine.

Today marks the first day out at vacation in South-ish East-ish New Mexico near Ruidoso. And boy am I completely pooped and out of spoons for the time being.

Yesterday was my first whole day without that CAM moonboot thing. I've been on and off of crutches since then, using them when my foot/knees act up and then ignoring them until I need them again. I way overdid myself yesterday and paid for it today, where I also overdid myself but not to the same extent. My grand intention of leaving early and heading out to a historic site was waylaid by the need for sleep and not moving. Which was fine since, as it turns out, most of the area is not open to dogs. So it all worked out well.

I headed out for the new spot and got here around 3. I was met by a couple interested pooches and a nice gentleman who is the owner of the property. All told there were four poochies. One giant round great Dane that is completely blind was quite the surprise. After a quick overview of he property and the bells and whistles we got to introduce Link to the others. The three females who had all their faculties went well. The big beast who investigates by leaning on things? Not acceptable to Link. I stopped their introduction at a raised lip from Link. He was wearing his prong collar today as well because I was putting up with none of this shite while on crutches, let alone when dealing with other animals.

Of which there are many.

A small flock of chickens, two burrows, one goat, five horses, a rehabilitating hawk, four dogs, and a turkey. Oh, and the two raccoons in a trap waiting to be transported Far From Here. Beats a skunk in the trap.

There's also a creek/river. It would be a creek most places not-here. But it does have quite a bit more water in it than the Rio Not-So-Grande that I passed over earlier today, so I dub it a river. It has a name and everything. Not that I remember the name, but it does have one. There's even a little seating area that the owner set up for me, all mowed and everything! Note that the image does not give a good picture of the water: About five feet wide bank to bank.

Creek? River?

The location is right on the edge of an area that got burned out via forest fire about nine years ago. Took out the owner's buildings, but left most of the area around the river and surrounding non-pine trees. It is under those trees that I am currently sprawled out on a couch and typing. It is a travel trailer of pretty good size with all the amenities of home minus a tub. And a teakettle, but I'll be remedying that later. Everything else is great. Nice people. He even took in all my bags and Link's kennel so I didn't have to deal with losing spoons there. There was even a brand new Link-sized dog bed laid out and ready. Link got to be the first one to use it and get his fur all over (though I did brush him yesterday to get some of the fuzz off).

So now I am recharging the body-batteries and listening to the fan and hummingbirds flitting about and chittering. Not too bad of a way to spend an evening. Though I really need to go get groceries tomorrow if I know what is good for me since I only brought enough for a couple days plus sundries. And I need to pick up a kettle since there is no good way of making tea here and that just won't do. The coffee maker just doesn't cut it. 

So what do you think? Does a 5 ft wide foot deep body of flowing water count as a creek or river?

Boot. Not appreciated.

I hate going shoe shopping. Usually it involves great frustration and a large chunk of change. Not lately. I've been in a couple pairs of hiking boots and special insoles for the past...many many moons. I have been having trouble with my foot for a long time. It wasn't getting better with all the doc's suggestions. So I went back, complete with new x-rays. I have a ton of small fractures in three metatarsals. His suggestion: a boot for 14 days. I am not amused. But it does keep my foot from flexing as painfully. At least it is on my left foot so I can still drive! I asked since I had a cane if that would help with my balance on the blasted boot. Doc said yes, so one of my beloved/hated devices is getting some use. And it's only two weeks.

Just after those two weeks I have a vacation planned. A vacation where I was hoping that I could get out and go hiking, since there are lots of nearby trails, both hard and easy. I may still do one of the easy one for short hikes to get me back into moving and to get the dog tired a bit. Probably not a good idea. So it goes. I may end up eating my way through the town. Not good for my figure.

Not. Amused

On that, I have gained ten pounds over the last three months and I am not amused. I am the only one to blame, but I am getting depressed because of that and a host of other happenings. I tried to blame my feet on my weight, but the doc reminded me that I have gotten this AFTER I lost a bunch of weight. Yes, it can be made worse with extra weight, but that is not a likely cause. The RA is (and some congenital issues). The gift that keeps on giving. 

And to add to the fun, I am losing my Medicaid. This is a problem. I cannot afford my meds and specialists on other plans. The state flubbed a calculation, so there is a hope for me. I re-applied today. My current coverage ends the 31st. They said that it can take 45 days to get back to me. This is not ideal. Not ideal at all. So I have done what I can. I am in a waiting period where all I can do now is fret and stew. Same with the foot. Fret, stew, and cuss. Other things, fret, stew, cuss, and cry.

So now I am rather insane. I have done what I can to rectify situations I have control over. Other things just...suck. I'm crying again for small infractions. Including in the doc's office, which completely confused the doc and PA in the room. Wonderful PA grabbed me a tissue and assured me that it was okay. I need to remind myself that it is okay for me to deal with emotions, whatever those are. 

So now I am going to let the world go by and play some Zelda--Tears of the Kingdom on the big screen. Putting cartoon Link always makes me feel better...well...unless I am repeatedly getting slain.

When Murphey Meets Plans

Road Trip!!!! (s) Last post was in April and I had a bunch of stuff happen that just sort of absorbed several months without me noticing. The biggest things were two trips up to South Dakota.

Four years ago my grandparents were in a pretty bad wreck and my grandmother never really bounced back from it. She has been in a slow decline since then. At first she was home, but kept fading. Then into a nursing facility where all they did was ignore her, despite supposed to be providing physical therapy. Grandpa moved into an assisted living apartment in town, thanks to Dad's help. (Dad has been up there for many months helping out--he has the patience of Job.) So Mom and I decided to go up and visit them over a long weekend. I can move a day around at work and mom can take a half day to make it a five-day trip without losing too much, if any, work. 14 hours on the road each way, but we pretty much have it down to a science: She drives at midnight when she gets off of work and I drive once the sun comes up and get us the rest of the way in. On the way home I just drive the whole way in. I don't mind driving at night, but one of my meds plays havoc with my alertness if I take it. On the way home I just move it out a bit. 

Morning Somewhere in Eastern Colorado

So the first visit went well. Got to see Grandma and Grandpa. She was in pretty rough shape and could barely move to a chair. Wasn't eating. Just was fading into the ether. Grandpa, of course, was worried as well. I understand that feeling. But we had to keep the visit short since we had to turn around and get back home.

A few weeks ago we made the trip again, expecting Grandma to be in the Apartment with Grandpa since she could walk a little better and get around with help. Weeeeeell...life intervened. The day before we got there Dad had wrist surgery, so he was feeling under the weather (but his hand was better than he had before the surgery!) Two days before we were set to go up she fell and broke both her hip and wrist. So we got to meet her at the hospital after she had her surgeries instead of at the apartment. Fun fun. And we all know what I think of hospitals at this point. I no longer dread going into them, it's just not pleasant.

Mom got to be with her partner-in-crime-brother for the weekend and got some time to just catch up. It was good for them since they only ever talk to each other every year or so. Not by conscious choice, just how it is. I am the same way with my brother for no good reason. Anyway, after a weekend of Grandpa trying to pick fights, which Mom and I artfully dodged, it was time to go home. He would rather leave mad than sad, and both Mom and I know how this works with him. Hence the dodging. Uneventful drive home.

Update to the drama, Grandma had gallbladder surgery so now she can actually eat! It is amazing what nutrition can do for your body. We can tell that she is doing a lot better since now she has the strength to give the nurses hell when they want her to do something. She's in an actual rehabilitation home where she is required to get up and move and do strengthening exercises for her hip and legs. She's being dragged kicking and screaming back to life. It's up to her whether she wants to work at it or fight and fade again. She's of an age where that is her choice at this point. Grandpa wants to live to an expiry date of 97. Not quite sure why, though that may be how long his father lived. Grandma has no set expiry date.

But on that note, I think I should leave it at that and make more updates later since this is already a novella.

A Degree in Doing Nothing

 I have a week-long course in doing nothing. And yet not.

This last week I have spent at a tiny casita in the middle of nowhere (well, at least a half hour from a gas station). I had been looking forward to this for months, especially due to work stress, and it finally came to pass. 

Preparation

Several weeks ago the corner of my car got swiped by a trailer that turned to tightly. I got it into the shop a couple weeks ago and they said that it would be done by last Friday. No word on Thursday so I called in. I got a call on Friday: It wouldn't be ready until the coming Tuesday. That would have meant that I had to take the dog in his cage in the rental car and would be traversing two-lane gravel "highways" in a Corolla. I had it all loaded up, resigned to my fate (oh woe is me. I still had a rental car thanks to insurance), when I got a call from the garage: Loki, the Forester, was done! I had never unloaded a vehicle so fast as that car. I zoomed over to pick up my car and dump that evil car. I then proceeded to load my car just as fast as I had unloaded the rental. I can pack fast when I know everything is assembled!

Once I got that stress taken care of my brain was reeling from adrenaline, even into the next couple days. Because of that I actually forgot several things from my house when I loaded up the next day, despite having a list of things to pack. One of those things? My jacket. Sitting right under where my purse sat so I "wouldn't be able to forget it." Yup. Same thing with some of my food. I packed plenty, but just barely. But town's only a half hour away.

Useless Time

Upon getting to the casita, the landlady met me at my car and gave me the lay of the land. Cute little place for cheap that takes dogs and isn't in a city or large town. Heck, I think there are twenty houses in this "town" and I can walk from one end to the other in a half hour at a leisurely stroll. I like it!

I thought about my trip and my brain convinced me that I had done nothing while on vacation. Then I scolded that same brain. I had gone up to the Gila Cliff Dwellings and hiked both that (without Link due to rules) and a second trail with the dog. The next day I made my way to The City of Rocks and crisscrossed those towers.

The City of Rocks with a Pooch

The next day I just walked the length of town, followed by a long (for me) hike. That one about did us in. I knew going into it that it was going to be at the long end of our capabilities. We got about a quarter mile from the midpoint and were still gaining altitude. Link was starting to slow, but that is normal once he gets all out of piss. After water for both of us I stood up. He sat on my feet. I tried to go up the hill...and he went back down. Well then. I got the hint that this was one large "NOPE" from the dog and we were not going to continue up the hill. He happily led the way back to the car and needed a ramp to get up, but that is nothing new. But we both got in a good hike. 

The Wrap-up

So I did nothing if "nothing" means spending money or eating out. I even managed to get in some history with the Cliff Dwellings! Nothing includes YouTube, journaling, cooking, yelling at the dog (who is getting over a hotspot on his leg that he just now is out of a cone for), and overall relaxing. And I think I am relaxed now. Only took many days achieve that! Not looking forward to heading back into work, but everything has to end eventually. Now to think about what the next vacation will be... plotplotplot...

Of Thunder and Woods

 As of today I am on vacation. Away from work (for the most part) and cell coverage--though I do have text and internet. One must be aware of necessary comforts, especially when on call for work to a certain degree.

The cabin is wonderful, and smaller than I expected from looking at the images on the advert. Small makes me happy, though the stairs are going to kill me whether through their angle or the 2" risers on the landings. It's cozy.

I am going to have to keep an eye on the weather while I am out here. Rain and storms are supposed to be out every day in the afternoon, much to the dislike of the pooch. Tonight's storm included a strike that shook the house and cut the power. I, of course, have my handy dandy portable surge protector so my laptop does not get fried. I have had a frizzled hard drive once before when a transformer went poof. Only once.

My plans, should it not be too muddy, is to go out to the "Walk in the Past Trailhead" just ten miles from the cabin. I am hoping that it is nice, since my other two options are going to be off limits due to the monsoon rains. We shall see what it's like tomorrow. But now it is time to make sure the gear is all set and ready to go. And to watch some YouTube. It's too bad it's too wet for a fire in the handy pit out front. But that's okay. It's a change of place...er...pace.

Link, of course, had to christen all the trees

Rearin' to Go!

I still have nine days to go before I get out to my cabin in the woods. A lifetime in my brain. As I had some downtime today, I have been searching for hikes in the area outside of just the mesa out behind the cabin. I found three possibilities, taken down to two if there is any threat of rain at all as that last one is along a streambed (not likely to be on my docket). I'm really out of practice--as in no real exercise since the end of last year. I'm going to have to take it easy, at least until I can get a gage for how much endurance my body has lost.

As per usual, I am planning on making my vacation food-limiting to keep myself honest and on my nutrition. I have to make sure that I take extra, of course, just in case something happens, but I can make that something I would rather not eat on a whim. Unlike when I was near Ruidoso, I can't easily hop down to the well-stocked grocery store for midnight munchies! The closest tiny market is about 20 miles south of me--did I mention tiny? Not a terrible drive, but a definite encouragement to stick to home, with the exception of when I go south for hiking. Besides, being on this whole keto thing can make spur-of-the-moment munchies rather difficult. I think I still have my packing list from my last trip, so this should even be easy to get everything into the car without forgetting too much.

Speaking of that whole eating thing, I am losing around a pound a week pretty steadily now. If I average out from where I started to this week, it is almost exactly one a week. Not too darn shabby, if not how fast I was hoping for. I consider it consistent and safe at that. 203 right now, and on my way back down to where I was pre-plantar-fasciitis in January (194 if I recall correctly)

I'm not sure what is going to happen at work while I'm gone, but I'm sure they'll manage. Only my boss is allowed to call me on my vacation, and even then it had better be good. I'm planning on two calls over the week-ish time I'm there. Only time will tell.

On a completely different note: I have started a new book! A sequel to the monster-slaying fantasy book. I guess that it is time for me to get off my rear and just publish my first on Kindle and start some advertising somehow. The second one is being read (and boy is it more polished than the first one.) Completely different genre, but I learned a lot from the first one. The sequel is a good thing for me to keep busy, even if it never turns into a fully fledged book. already 8,000ish words in three sessions of typing. I am having fun coming up with ideas for monsters--and tapping my friends' brains for new monsters as well. But it is a great diversion to get me out of the house. It will also be something good to get me relaxed while out at the cabin. Writing just feels good.

But I guess that my break time is over and it is time to get back to that paying job instead of digital scribbles.

Detour

On a break and back safe from the grandparents--dodged and weaved the political and religious topics of conversations and made it through relatively unscathed! The dog got to enjoy all the attention and the car rides. Mom and I got to see them and Dad got to spoil the dog again. But the drive back was...well...oops.

Let me preface this by saying this: I hate Denver driving. Now that that is out of the way, we get into the adventure. I thought I had made it through Denver and its suburbs way to quickly, but I blamed it on focusing on the traffic and construction all over the place. I was confused why the mile marker numbers were getting bigger rather than smaller. I blamed this on not knowing which direction the numbers go on interstates.

I was wrong.

Mom woke up about fifty miles from Nebraska and pointed out that we may indeed be going the wrong direction. We were. Whereby "We" really means "I" was going the wrong direction since she was asleep since Denver. Oh well. We switched drivers since I was obviously no good to drive and she drove back the 45 miles till we could take a different road south on a parallel to the interstate (a road we also are familiar with). Oops.

So we got into town at around 2am, with Mom driving the night section, instead of midnight or 11 we would have been without the detour. That will teach me to focus more on construction than staying on the right road. I'll chock it up to Denver craziness instead of me just being dumb. At least that is what I tell myself.

I had to sleep in this morning, but I had already given my boss a head's up about perhaps being late or gone for today. I was sure glad I did because I am pretty tired already (though I have had less caffeine today than usual for a workday). 

I also stepped on the scale expecting to have gained another 5 pounds since last check. Nope. No change despite traveling and overeating in general. I am going to start watching what I eat even before I hear back on Mom's status for doing the keto diet. I may even be able to do it myself if need be, since I got permission to do it even while on lithium, with close monitoring and self-checkins. We shall see. Not sure if it is a good idea or not, but I can at least start the transfer over to healthy eating again after falling off the wagon for the last two months (two? I have no idea).

And now, I will begrudgingly get back to work on a caffeine low. Not long to go anyway. 

Trepidation

I have two things happening over the next week that have me freaking out majorly, like, panic attack freak. The first is that I am braving the cold with my mother to drive up to my grandparents. They are...difficult. To say the least. But at 87 and 90 they are pretty set in their ways at this point. We don't share much along the lines of politics and (unbeknownst to them) religion. I love them dearly, but I dread spending more than a day with them because lots of feelings get hurt on all sides and snide comments attack both Mom and me on a regular basis. But I love them and it means that I can keep them from trying to drive 800 miles down to see us here and kill themselves or someone else on their way (reference ages and add frail health).

Number two is self-inflicted with the idea to help both my mother and myself and scares the living crap out of me. That would be endeavoring on a ketogenic diet (with mine as only a maybe since my meds may cause troubles with it), or something near it (if there are problems). Mom initiated this journey through prodding from her healthcare provider with a free keto monitoring and support package. I'm on board if it makes us healthy and helps out her at the same time, though without the strict medical guidance. I'm comfortable on my side since I am familiar with the diet from when I was helping Jason with the diet long ago. I did a modified version for me then. Dad's not really sure what he is in for, but we are going to try to make meals that we all can eat with modifications. It's going to be difficult with all the added pitfalls around the house like dried fruit and candy around. Heck. The bread. The blasted real bread is going to be my downfall if I am not careful. I'm planning on picking up some of the fake keto stuff just to keep myself sane. And then there's cereal that will be back in the house. Those two things, bread and cereal, are the bane of my dietary health. Going low-carb should put a damper on many of the things I would normally nosh on.

So I'm a little over my head on the keto thing and I'm not sure how long either of us are going to last. When one of us falls, the other is likely to crumble. With our stubbornness we are likely to prod each other into keeping at it for at least a while. I am hoping that, after the initial withdrawal, things go smoothly without too many slip-ups. I am going to miss the cinnamon rolls and fresh treats terribly. She can't have fake sugars, but doesn't usually crave sweets so she should be fine on that route. Me? I'm going to be relying on some extra supermarket help for my sanity. I'm going to keep it real food, but I need my sweet tooth cradled from time to time. Yeah, yeah, I know that having fake-sweetened food is supposedly a bad idea, but I am going to need it, especially at first.

So there you have it: TLDR: Going to visit cranky grandparents (with Mom). Starting a new diet (with Mom).

What is This?

 

 

What in the name of all that is cold and dreary is this stuff? Is it snow? Is it rain? Is is some hellish combination of it made up to lower the temperature in a hurry?

I have dubbed it snain. Neither rain nor snow. And thunder.

Overnight we failed to have the predicted inch or so of snow and massive winds, which is fine by me. Seeing that this meant the trails were dry, I decided to go out for a walk. It was not a very long walk because the incoming weather significantly dropped the temperature and, let's face it, I'm a wimp when it comes to cold, even when bundled up in a warm coat and gloves. But it did mean that I got moving today instead of being in complete sloth mode as was the expectation as of yesterday (and will probably be tomorrow). I didn't even make it around the shorter of the hikes and instead chose to cut that one in half--reference the wimping out.

I had good timing since after I got home it continued to get colder and eventually led to the snain shown above. It was nice looking out at it from the warm inside the cabin. Made me happy to have gotten out, but equally happy to have been home when it started.

The dog, at the first sound of thunder, decided that my feet were the place to lay or right against the couch if he couldn't reach the feet because they were on the couch. He's not terrified of thunder but he certainly is not a fan. But even without the weather he is in his spot by the couch with his head stuffed under the table so he can see out the window. Silly boi. And he's snoring again.

The eating is going well, though I have exhausted my stash of roasted nuts. I made a pig of myself on my bag of cashews last night and ate all that I had saved up for the next two days. I don't want to go out to the store so I am making the most of the food that I have here and carefully rationing so I don't have to go to the store.

On that. I did go into the grocery store to get said nuts and some veggies to make chicky shoup for dinner last night...and found "keto ice cream." It's mostly cream, as it turns out, and is really tasty. I got the mint chocolate chip and I am carefully rationing it, which isn't hard because dang is that stuff rich. Now if only I had rationed the cashews.

What to do in the Mountains?

 

 

Happy Good Boy on a Break

Get moving! Day 2 of hiking and Link is once again zonked out on his couch after a hike and my feet are VERY confused. Yesterday after getting settled into the cabin I hopped on down (well...drove  fifteen minutes) down to the shorter of the two hikes, about 2 miles. I had two pairs of hiking boots to see which fit better before I went on the longer hike. The first pair was not the answer. So today I did the 3.5 mile beast (for me) of up and down in the smaller and newer of the boots. I found the answer! Except where the problems showed up from yesterday. Still a win.

So now I am dead. Given that it has been a while since I did a longer hike (I think today's was 3.5ish), I call this a success! I am, however, debating whether tomorrow's planned long-ish 4.5 mile hike is a good idea. Why shove all these hikes into such a short time? Snow/Rain. Coming in on Tuesday and continuing into Wednesday with snow overnight and rain during the day. Not ideal hiking weather in what becomes a muddy mess. I kid you not, there is a "Mud-O-Meter" at the start/end of trail. The last hike is liable to still have mud after last week's snow. We shall see if I am up to another longer hike (but it is mostly level walking instead of today's vertical shifting). There is no way I am managing that after some added moisture.

So what am I going to do with the rest of the vacation?

Be. Just Be. 

Oh, and a massage on Tuesday. The poor masseuse can de-knot all the hiking in an hour of what is going to be lots of sighing and purring on my end. Me. Netflix. Internet. Book. Tea. Open doors and a blanket to just enjoy the air. 

I'm trying a change in my diet this week, but I'll toss that up in a later post.

For now: puppy snores, carb withdrawal, and lots of tea.

Why We Stop?

 

This is one confused and wet dog wondering why we stopped and why I am looking at him through this weird brick thingie. He's my motivation to get out and move and see other places. Yes, the treadmill is great for getting myself off my rear and moving--something that is VERY necessary when at my house where it is not as safe to walk after dark than at my parents' place. Its problem is that I am not getting uneven terrain, even if I use the incline/decline features, and the great big scary outside is just strange and wonderous.

I did in fact change over my reservation for my trip to a place nearer real trails that are darn near impossible to get lost on, unlike the other place. With the weather being strange (it snowed 6" overnight) everything is probably going to be muddy, but it is supposed to be up to 70 on Sunday, so most of the snow will probably have melted by then. Muddy, but still doable. Who knows what the weather is going to do later in the week at this point. I am making sure to bring all the things I might need just in case I want it and don't have it. Granted, I am thirty minutes from a dreaded Wal-Fart, but I would rather not have to go that route.

My mission over the week food-wise: Nix the sugar. I have been living on sweets and white bread (often with butter and sugar) and it is time to nix that problem. A week of washout should be good for me. Lots of fruit, but that is fine. It will also make my wallet happier since I won't be eating out and have a full kitchen to keep me going. And a side note is that it is COVID safe!

I wonder how out of shape I have gotten over the last half a year. I will still try for the 5 mile trek and turn around if I have to...which knowing me I will be too stubborn to do. Good shoes, good buddy, good water storage (though this time I am bringing more just in case since I was running low last time by the time I got back to the truck), and hopefully a good time.

One Week.

 

Haggling, while rarely practiced anymore, can be a great thing! For a little more than the previously planned vacation I now have a spot that I know ahead of time near all the amenities needed. I should have asked for less because I didn't think to check the price, but so it goes. Everybody is happy.

Cabin. Woods. Relaxing. One week from tomorrow, after all wrap-up from our work event is complete, I will be hanging out at a cabin in the woods and enjoying myself being away from...most of everything. I do have internet, but no phone. I can be gotten a hold of, but people know mostly to leave me alone. And then there are the trails.

I like hiking. Day hikes, at least for now. The longest I have done was a little over 5 miles of up and down and left me dead, but oh so happy (and almost ran us out of water!). Fast forward to the last two months of inactivity. I am so done. I am so not here mentally. I need a break. I took two short hikes at two locations and did okay, but was definitely out of shape, but it felt good to get back outside. This is a photo of some of the cactus that we avoided on the trip. The dog was tired too after our 1-2 mile hikes, but not enough to need his ramp up into the car. Having said that, I have altered where I am going for my vacation to be nearer to designated hiking paths so I don't get my rear lost in the middle of nowhere. I'm hoping that there isn't snow on the trails, but it is supposed to be in the 50s and 60s, so it should be fine for hiking in the middle of the day without a problem. If there is, I'll deal as needed.

The two reasons that lead me to this second (known) spot is that it is comfortable for me and the dog and it is near hiking and trees. And it is beautiful. And well kempt. And quiet. Yeah. I like it, despite the skunk that tried to make himself known last time I was out there. I know that there are maintained trails at the preferred place. There may be a little mud/leftover snow in parts, but that is fine and I just plan for the extra time, warm things, and other needs. I am so done. I am so not here mentally. I need a break. 

So I'm officially taking the time off work to restart they healthy journey that I tossed to the wind these past two months. Less sugars, since I know that the biggest part of my eating habits that needs to change is how many simple sugars I eat. Not soda, thankfully, though that would be an easy one to deal with. No, this time it is sweet treats and basic (whole wheat and white) bread. I would kill for some bread and jam right now just thinking about food.

And what does that mean I will be eating? I have a giant list of me-approved foods for the journey along with some pitfall-reducing planning. If all goes to plan on the move of locations I will have a little harder time since there are food places galore within the surrounding 20 miles, those that are open in the shoulder season. I also am limiting my milk intake since it leads to massive amounts of cereal intake. I loathe most of the regular milk substitutes for moomilk (I'm especially looking at you, oatmilk), but I found a massively awesome barista version of Califa Almond Milk that is rich and great in tea but not good enough to use in cereal. Tweaking diets is difficult. Sometimes more that others.

Ability to Escape

The Traveling Buddy Hard at Work

I am cleared for a vacation after the whole annual hoopla from work calms down! I am so happy to have a job with paid leave, even for part time workers. And sick time for that matter. (Which I had to use this morning for a migraine. That sucked.) I have chosen a cabin in the middle-of-nowhere New Mexico, in general keeping with my past vacations, snow may or may not be included. Eight days of getting away from people, cooking tasty meals, hiking out the back door, and in general disturbing the elk with Link's whining. Surrounded on three sides by national forest, I can pretty much go wherever I please so long as I keep track of where I am going and how to get back home. Score! One thing that I do to take pity on work is keeping myself somewhere that has internet, if not cell coverage. It also means I have YouTube and Netflix for entertainment when I am not writing. Second benefit of my hermitage: COVID-19 free

On that. I have the second book almost ready for professional editing. This one is a monster slaying romp. I still need to tweak the end since it is rather abrupt, but other than that I am good to go. I think I will publish the first one digitally since it really isn't that good. Live and learn. And, oh, have I learned! This one wasn't written all at once though, so I will have to watch my tone to keep it consistent. Then to get a paid editor to take a look and check my timing as well since it takes place over several years. I have tried to condense it down to keep it moving, but that only has worked to a small extent. I am worried that it is too close to a currently popular tv show/game, but I wrote it before I ever heard of the characters! They are different though, I just don't know if it is going to be enough. Monster slaying with teacher/student in general is a common trope, so I don't foresee it being too much of a problem. Maybe a bonus because it is something that we already knows sells, unlike the last book that was a niche market!

To Grandmother's House We Go!

And it Was...Interesting

Dad and I decided last-minute to take a trip up to my grandparents' for Christmas, dog in tow. Spur-of-the-moment road trips are nothing new for us. Work was very accommodating switching around days off and such so we could have a longer weekend. That meant two days of 7 hours' driving instead of one marathon 14 hour hell (that we have done many times before). Buffeting wind the whole way up and back down, but no weather outside that to speak of.

Getting there was uneventful and my grandmother was in tears at seeing us. Even my grandfather, normally the stoic one, was visibly happy to see us there. Neither of them are doing well, health wise, and this was a pick-me-up that they really needed.

But.

I am a wee bit left of them on the political spectrum. Where "wee" is actually "well on the other side of the mountain" left of them. They know I hate tv news, and Grandpa pretty much followed my request of no cable news. Grandma did not and kept trying to back me into corners that would only sour the occasion. I dodged most of it, only skirting some dangerous territory by a well-placed silence. One roadblock: down.

Bigger roadblock: my grandparents had never been anything but respectful to each other (with the occasional outliers of course) in years past. Boy has that changed, on both sides of the relationship. I think pain, fear, resentment, and frustration are all wearing on them and they are taking it out on each other. Not just disrespectful--spiteful. They were called on it (gently) and it seemed to work for a while. It just kept creeping in.

I think Thursday afternoon till early Sunday morning was a little more than enough for me, but much appreciated--and needed--by them. And I will enjoy being with them as long as I can, even if they drive me crazy in the process. Now it's time to get back on the healthy eating road (versus the train wreck that was last weekend) and focus on riding that instead of eating out of frustration.

Of Quiche and Adventures

Quiche! A birthday food if I ever did see one. That and posole were the perfect lunch for my birthday. I did take that day to eat everything in sight, even if it was not the healthiest of choices. Meh. It was worth it.

I took another long hike on Thursday and had a great time getting lost on the trail due to people having broken trails for shortcuts. I eventually made my way back to the car after about 4.5 miles and almost running out of water. Not the most ideal of situations, but I didn't run out until I tried to take a drink once in the car. None to smart on my part. But it was worth it. Next time I will remember to fill the Camelbak all the way before leaving for a longer hike!

See that tower up there? Yeah. I climbed it.

I also went exploring up to the top of the mountain yesterday, by car of course. At the very end of the line was a strange rocky outcrop with a tower atop it. There were some serious and uneven stairs, which might be why my knees are quite as vocal as they were today. Worth it. 

Dog approves of the View

So today I had about a two mile hike, cut short due to complaining lower half. But I went out. Tomorrow? Back to the treadmill or flat ground again. *sigh* So it goes.

And now it is time to find lunch, chill, and YouTube my way through the rest of the day. Not a darn thing wrong with that. Maybe even open up the manuscript and get some editing on it that I haven't even touched since I got here. Meh, I see no problem with that.

Always Has to Be Something!

Never Can Run Completely Smoothly

I do believe that the trip was a success, with only one hiccup. It was good to see the family and watch a few games with the kids (and my big brother's softball game as well). Just catching up was nice and it was a relaxing trip. I managed to walk (and even jog for short spurts) every day and was fairly mindful of what I was eating. Enough so that I actually lost a little weight while I was out there! 

Now for the hiccup:
The flight home.

I was supposed to fly from California to New Mexico on my way back home. The weather was a mess in Phoenix--my layover--because we had to circle Las Vegas for a good hour before landing to refuel. We were on the ground for three and a half hours. During that time there was a lady who decided to cuss out and threaten to hit one of the stewardesses. Needless to say, that woman was escorted off the plane and probably barred from traveling on Southwest for the foreseeable future. The captain came over the speakers explaining that someone had acted like a child and we should all just take a chill pill and sit nicely like the adults we are. Only a couple kids on the flight and they had no problems out-performing the ejected woman. Had to overnight in Phoenix since there were no more flights home Saturday night and most of the hotels booked up because of other people in the same boat. Finally made it home safe on Sunday evening, but boy was it an ordeal.

So that was fun.

Now that I am home I have been slogging through the work carried over from last week and decided to finally take my lunch break. Whoops, rather late, but better than never. 

Next up: Next week Friday--away I go again, but this time no airplanes, thank goodness. Up to the mountains where there are actual trees. No really, TREES!