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Day 23/34
I am sitting here feeling an awful afternoon slump. Like put my head on my door and snooze for 20mins slump.  I just feel “ugh” and I’m wondering what caused it so I can stop it and prevent future ones.  Sleep – usual, morning walk – brief as my roommate gave me a lift due to rain, water intake - normal , food – I did have small piece of cake and some dried guava – I thought neither were enough to bother me but I may be wrong. 
Last weigh in was the same as a week ago – I guess the additional carbs are slowing down things, I’ll give it the rest of the week to see if I need to shake things up so I can continue losing.  I have noticed some difference in appearence but only on my face and maybe arms (if I sorta squint)- it’s like the weight has melted… measurements confirm this so I’m still not comfortably in the jeans.  Hmm maybe it’s not the 16+1 plan so much as gravity taking a rapid hold on me.

Anyway  - I’m getting creative again with food – I made a “faux tapioca” pudding with chia seeds, protein powder and almond milk – then ate it with some defrosted frozen cherries – delicious.

And I made a delicious veggie bake/lasagna on the weekend and had it for lunch today and it was so good and several co-workers asked for the recipe.  So I thought I’d share it with you.

Ingredients

• Tofu
• Turnip
• Cream cheese (I used a tofu derived version)
• Tomato sauce
• Raw spinach
• Broth
• Shredded mozzarella

Cut turnip and tofu in slices (half inch?) and boil/fry in broth (in ¼ cup doses as it evaporates) until a fork can pierce the turnip but not soft.
In a casserole dish layer :
Tomato sauce, cooked turnip, then spread tofu and spinach (together in one layer so it’s not a solid tofu layer), “cream cheese”, repeat.   I put some dairy cheese on top and some extra sauce around the sides and another ¼ cup of broth.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes covered with tin foil and then broil for 5 minutes to brown the top.
Enjoy!

Day 15 - and good things are still happening

I’ve been feeling good and as my roommate is away and the weather is lovely and warm I’ve been wandering around the place wearing less clothes than usual and enjoying checking myself out in the mirror.  *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-qN6TCY85c (1:57).
 
And even with the expected off-plan days and the day of unstoppable snacking described in the last post, the scale reads 5 pounds less than before I started this whole 16+1 thing.  I don’t remember ever having a healthy type of loss like this before.

Now how much of it is “water weight” and how much loss is stored body fat… no idea, whatever, something’s happening and in a good way. 

I'll continue with my modified plan and then start working in more exercise. My leg is getting better too with physio so I’m looking to get back to TKD in June.

Today was Victoria Day, so a holiday ("the 24th of May is the Queen's birthday!" or nearabouts) I had my family and a good friend over for dinner. I made a greek salad and a chicken coconut curry.  It was fantabulous, if I do say so myself.  Not exactly as perscribed but I did skip the rice.  Recipes like that are pretty easy to adapt, so I can keep to a lower carb plan and still be social with meals.

One down side is my eczema has acted up in the last few days (maybe all the alterna-milks) so I'll keep an eye on that.

So I can’t count and shoulda knocked on wood

It is now day 12 and within a few hours of writing that I could see this being long term I wanted to eat ev-er-y-thing!

My day was supposed to go like this
Breakfast: Smoothie ( choc almond milk, banana, blueberries, soy protein, kefir)
Snack: 3 dates
Lunch: Veggie ground round, red beans, half cob of corn, green salad with red peppers and feta
Snack: “Super yogurt”
Dinner: Chicken, veg, coconut, curry sort of soup.

I had that plus, plus, plus - I tried to pace myself with water and herbal teas but it only temporarliy slowed me down.

Also add: dried mango, papaya, strawberries, and a Kenyan puffed wheat snack, more dates, and in the evening a second helping of the soup, fresh coconut, then made up a peanut butter/cocoa/coconut treat (will refine and post recipe - not bad actually), and then a sort of tofu cream cheese /kefir/chocolate pudding. And then dark sea salt chocolate, even more dates and topped it off with a handful of cinnimon hearts.

It came to around 160 protein, 160 carbs, 50 fats, 2200 calories. The day is over, it was off-the-wagon (not just off-plan) but I’m going to hope that’s enough to convince my body there’s no famine and it will chill out the next couple of days (I'm sure I've read a theory like that).  Hoping, hoping, hoping. And I’ll have to get my head back in the game  because it really is a mind game with myself (and really only me).  Game on, game on, game on. 

Song of the day: Amii Stewart's Knock on Wood http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ztZ7WFo3nw

day 5 - note

I haven't been sleeping as much as usual because I keep waking up early- and yet I am feeling energized.  Normally I am a great sleeper and feel blah if I have less than 7.5 but yesterday on 7 hours I was kind of buzzing but in a happy productive way not a substance abuse way.

My roommate guessed it was the green tea that's a big part of the 16+1 day diet, but I haven't been drinking it. I'm not a fan though I did buy some other kinds to experiement with.

I was very hungry the first two days but the last three, not so much; I think I've worked out a better plan with my meals and snacks so I'm doing well.

Yesterday as example - calories about 1250

Breakfast - smoothie - yogurt, kefir, unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/3 banana
Morning snack - 5 almonds
Lunch - cup and a half of grilled asparagus and kale with nutritional yeast (kind of cheesy taste, good iron) and 4oz lean pork chop that had been baked in 1/4 cup applejuice.  "Super yogurt" = yogurt, kefir, teaspoon of flaxseed oil, 3 prunes
Afternoon snack - blackberres
Dinner - olive and feta scrambled eggs
Evening - big mug of unsweetened almond milk with stevia

So that's me - no weigh-ins until a week, that was a good piece of advice from a friend, it was a bad habit.

Good luck all and enjoy the weekend (if it's a break for you)

Or 16+ infinite of "the Carib-farm diet"

I haven't had time to get to a grocery store yet (none is walking distance) so I've not yet started the 16+1 plan.  However I have reverted back to what I refer to as my Carib-farm diet, what I ate on vacation for two weeks. I came back with great skin, and was temporarily back in my goal jeans.

A few years ago I did a strict no sugar thing (really, the first 10 days were even fruit free) and while it was helpful for health and useful for weightloss, it was hard to be social that way and I found any deviation resulted in a migraine.

The Carib-farm diet (like my Medi-farm diet) was more about simple, close to source food with a good mix of veggies, meat and even breads.  My daily meals at the Carib-farm were predictable -

• 8:30am - bread with butter and jam, dried cranberries (to take with my iron pill) 
• 12:30pm - constant was a big mixed green and veggie salad, rice, and pineapple for dessert. The entre varried (chicken curry, fried fishcakes, frittata, ground beef with fried cheese)
• 8:00pm - often veg and barley soup, or pasta with homemade spaghetti sauce.

And maybe at some point in the day I'd have a piece of fresh fruit (orange off the tree, more pineapple) or coconut...but not every day and I don't remember feeling hungry. I'm sure the heat affected my appetite as well but because of that I was drinking lots of water so I think there was a lot of factors that contributed.  I came back 3 pounds lighter and with that lovely holiday glow that comes from relaxtion (and good, healthy food).

So that's another approach I'm considering instead of the 16+1 diet.  I'll admit part of it is I worry and doubt that I can stick to a rigid plan (even for just 18-1 days) and I've long thought it unfair and pointless to set yourself (or myself as the case may be) up for failture.  So, I am still in the thinking/considering/pondering stage.

Good habits and another use for hockey tape

Hockey tape was the answer to my recent TKD problem of finding something to protect my feet but not land me on my behind, during last class's umpteen kicks. It kept the band-aid in place (friction burn from all the kick's last week) and allowed me to pivot.

So yay - and hockey tape is pretty ubiquitious in my rural northern town.  I also got over my fear of a certain kick (the move I tore my ACL on).  I was nervous, my hands were actually shaking before hand but after a few misses, I landed some strong ones and will only get better with practice.

Also after reading this article on creating routine and habits for success I'm making a few more minor changes. Making water drinking a habit (when I wake up, when I get in to work, before I leave work, etc.) and also taking a stronger look at my diet, I am a pretty healthy eater - veggies are some of my favourite things on the planet but I was also eatin more sweet treats than my body can handle if I want to lose weight. I'm of the philosophy that some are fine but I don't want to be counter-productive.

Need oxygen not water...but thank you

Well - long story short, I didn't yak but there were several moments I wanted to lay down and just be still.

I got changed and hung off to the side, one shy-looking gal (15?) came up to me and asked if I was trying out the class. I was not the oldest, they were mostly teens but a few I'd estimate around my age and one grandmother who is almost a black belt - yay for her!.

 A little side bar - I haven't done TKD for years, not since my coach (and friend) died in an accident. He was a phenominal instructor and made the club feel like a team, which isn't easy to do with in individual sport where you sometimes compete against each other.  I was nervous standing there for the introduction and telling my old club as it had a very high reputation and I felt a little added pressure (self-inflicted).

We started with jogging then lunge walks, hops, kicks and burpees. I have trouble pacing myself...I don't know how to modulate to a 70% effort and my brain thinks I'm still in shape though it's been a decade since I last did this stuff or a year since I did any kind of high intensity exercise. So I did what the rest of the class was doing, until I had to catch my breath and stop the spins. The instructor came up and suggested I take a break and get some water...but it was something more than that - I had trouble getting all the air in I needed. I felt so hot, like lay in the snow kind of hot.  I went to the bathroom twice to put water on my wrists and neck and to hold off the dry heaves. It was pretty rough feeling.  

On my second trip to the bathroom I thought...this is it - this stinks, I hate feeling this way. Why would I do this? I'm not coming back, the club isn't as good as my old one, they are mostly meathead teen boys here to hit things and each other hard, some of the higher belts have pretty sloppy form, no one knows Korean (my other club was big on using Korean terms and traditions), I just don't wanna do it.

I decided to finish the class (pride) and then I'd just not come back.  By then the higher intensity stuff was mostly over, so I could finish up with them and it was ok, other members came up after we finished and told me how hard their first times were and were so nice and encouraging and all “see you Wedenseday?” that somehow I found myself saying yep - see you then. 

So I’m going back…I get a little shiver thinking of it but I just have to “pull up my big girl panties and suck it up” and not let the little things throw me off.  And I can't go back to my old club, and I have to stop trying to go back in time, to hold on to something that's over (says she of the blog titled specifically trying to do just that). And not just because that time has past but because I miss out on so much that's in front of me because I'm looking back.

So on to tomorrow!

And I’ll be better prepared

• Eat at least 2 hours before to give it time to settle
• More water during the day
• Wear something the breaths
• Do only 2/3 the rep of the class
• Concentrate on form not velocity in kicks

And then came the tears

Wow – I am just through a really busy week at work – with many highlights and no real lowlights  – the public concert/ entertainment night was excellent – it rocked.  Things looked great, ran smoothly (for the most part)  and even though I forgot to decorate the Xmas tree – some people thought it was deliberate and appropriate (it was a beautiful tree).  The evening had such great energy, I had two ladies come up to me and say they hadn’t had been to a party like that in years.

The banquet the next day was also a success – the food was great (arugala salad, salmon with spicy spinach or stuffed Portobello mushrooms and local apple cheesecake tart) , the banquet servers did well and with a bunch of inspirational speakers and one who challenged the audience to match donations and we somehow started a fundraising effort and suddenly we’re up to $5000 for a student scholarship.  (that is still knocking my socks off)

So a good night, but it could have been “tighter”,  I was not as organized, candles, music were forgotten, VIP guests showed up late (delaying the whole thing) , I was just too zapped from the night/week before to put in my full effort.  

And then the goodbyes – I was fine, giving hugs, wishing good travels and then one gal gave me a hug and I started crying. Completely burst into tears! And then she did. The tears were running down my face, dripping off my cheeks, or following the smile lines to my lips – I tasted the salt.  I couldn’t stop – the others around us didn’t know what to do, I was shocked – I didn’t expect it.  I’m not one to cry at goodbyes, I stay in touch with friends far away and I’m still naïve enough to think I’ll always see people again (no matter how far) so I am not usually affected by goodbyes.  I think this was more a stress reliever than anything. 

And eventually they stopped and I felt better, the pressure was decreased, the tightness in my shoulders and neck loosened.  And then we got a picture together “two watering cans” and off she went and I continued on with the clean-up and tear down of the event.   

So all in all a good weekend.  I met my parents went for a walk along the harbor on Sunday, gathered some branches and assorted flora for a decorative planter, then helped them wash some windows and then I went home and slept.  I took yesterday off and did more of the same (putter, walk, sleep).  I still feel a little drained, a little-unfocussed but feel so good to have it behind me, and I’ve gotten lots of congrats from my team since.

I'm looking towards finding a little more balance in the coming weeks and months.  How do people work whole-heartedly and have other commitments like a dependant family, school or volunteer commitments? I’ve seen it but I can’t picture how I’d do both (and more). To those of you who do – way to go! 

Black bean brownies (for real)

I left work on time! And did laundry and sorted stuff and made pizza and then...I got an idea to do some baking (rarely happens, doesn't always work out)


In the oven currently baking are black bean brownies - I've been interested in them ever since I saw this recipe for white bean blondies  and then I saw this http://pattycake.ca/node/370 and sort of combined the two recipes to make my own...fingers crossed.  I guess the proof really "is in the pudding"

Black Bean Brownies

Puree and blend together:

1/4 cup veg oil (I used an olive-canola blend)
3/4 cup black beans, pureed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup frozen applejuice concentrate

1 tbsp ground flax seed 

pinch of salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon fruit sweetened jam

1/3 c cocoa 

1 cup flour 
1 dash cinnamon*
1 dash nutmag*

1 dash ground ginger*

* I used this as I thought it may need a kick of flavour – one of the recipes called for coffee, which I've had before in brownies and was nice.  

Grease and dust a smallish pan - baked at 350 for 30 min.

I'll report back tomorrow on them 

I forgot until I remembered

Oh I should use that heading sometime for something deep and meaningful but today it refers simply to lunch. I had a good lunch veggies steak noodle stir-fry. I just got busy and forgot to break for lunch and then suddenly I was sitting at my desk staring at my screen and felt woozy and when a student came to my office to ask a question I had trouble focusing on his face. And while I momentarily tried to figure out if I was having a stroke (minor-hypochondriac...but don't act on it. Usually just in my own thoughts or google) And then I realized it was 8 hours after I'd eaten something...and I was just having a low-sugar dip. So I ate and felt much better.

I remember once hearing a comedian's (Caroline Rhea perhaps?) blurb on never forgetting to eat...something along the lines of “I've forgotten my address, my mother's maiden name, my keys. But I've never forgotten to eat...you have to be a special kind of stupid to forget to eat.” I guess today I had a moment or two of being a special kind of stupid. 

Along with some other things I've read recently remind me of a vital truth...food is necessary. It's as simple as that, and I can choose how tasty and nutritious my food will be but I can't ignore it. I'm going to have to eat, to make good choices, to take time to buy the good stuff, to cook what I like (as I'm too frugal to eat out at the places that make healthy food) to put lots into it so I get lots out of it.

I used to know that, I guess I forgot, until I remembered

So that's today's thoughts

And as I was thinking about songs with remember in them – this one came to mind (don't click music snobs you won't be impressed)

Come on people

I'm in a good mood today (8.5 hours sleep can't hurt) and hope you are as well - ever find when you're in a groove lots of slow just roll together?  Well yesterday was good and today was better.  

A couple of projects I've been percolating came out today and got positive feedback, we did a group cheer and presentation of chocolates to two co-workers that have really done extra duty the last couple of weeks. And the men in my office are all so tickled over their moustaches, it's pretty funny. Some just look unkempt, while some are coming in well with one guy is well on his way to a Magnum...

Also I had a little discussion with my boss about some work that I don't feel is my responsibility and so I've low prioritized it but she seems to think differently.  We didn't really come to an understanding but she did acknowledge that she hadn't been clear about what was expected and didn't give me proper training on the database. So that helped, but I think it was more that it was acknowledged and out there. I've known it was coming, and was dreading the conversation, (my last supervisor and director were un-supportive, micro-managing asses by times...but that's a whole other post/blog/therapy session). And then today I was reminded that,  like so much in life, it's never as bad as I (we?) imagine it to be.

Anyway, I hope to in the next week bring it up again with her and a colleague and get clarity, about just what is expected and what time I can give to this. 

On that note  - off to beds I go. 

This post is brought to you by The Youngbloods

Highlights

• Lunch...microwaved shepherd's pie
• Sunshine...I shouldn't say it out loud for fear it'll run away - but it was lovely today
• Dinner - a conglomeration of cabbage, carrots, donair meat (wild!) - sautéed together with chicken broth (I rarely cook with oil), over pasta and a few dobs of plain yogurt for creaminess and to take some of the spiciness of the meat.   Yep...tastes good, looks like cole-slaw. This won't ever be a blog with beautiful food pics. 

Hunger Banquet

I'm off to a fundraiser for Oxfam and our local foodbank, a dinner titled "hunger banquet".  The concept is people buy tickets for a dinner and entertainment/education not knowing which "class" they will end up with.  First - full meal, nice table setting.  Second - beans and rice, plain table. Third - just rice, no tables.

So I'm sitting here having a little snack in case I end up with the rice only option...I don't want to end up diving across the "class - divide" and fighting someone for a drumstick.  A gal can only eat so much rice...not a big fan..., there's a little story behind it, I'll tell you later...it involves my grandpa and the war...ooooh cliffhanger eh?)

Happy dining, when next I write I'll have some knowledge of food security issues, global economic disparity and have a full belly.


Edit:
I ended up in the low income group. So I had water and rice. But then some of the middle-income group felt guilty and shared their beans and rice combo (nicely done with a little spice) so it ended up to be an ok meal afterall.  Good discussions.  

Oh and the rice story is basically, my grandpa joined the navy in WWII and on the ships the main starch staple was rice (at first quite an exotic treat for a farm/fisher kid).  However by the time he left the navy he didn't want to eat rice again. And that was passed down to my mom - so it hasn't really worked itself into the familial recipes.  Then in university I used rice as my main cheap staple and substituted it willy-nilly.  (Pesto and rice...not so good)

Lasagne

I was travelling this weekend and had a great visit with my aunt and some friends, an awesome meal (go local veggies, cheese and chicken!) and had a relaxing morning sitting in the sun, sheltered from the wind, watching the shore.  So, so nice.

 

Then it was time to drive to the ferry and head back home. And this is when I remembered how unpleasant the ride over had been.  I've grown up near the ocean; I love swimming or walks along the shore and canoeing or kayaking. But have never been a "boating" fan.  And crossing the strait, in a ferry, when the wind and thus waves are up...left me feeling less than chipper.  

 

However - thankfully, I did not pass out or become ill or such.  I was helped by some ginger tea but still it has taken me a few hours to feel normal again.  I'll have to look into some remedies (drugs, more ginger, bracelet?) for the next time.   Which hopefully will be on a calmer day.

 

On a different note, I had a culinary first tonight. I've only recently been able to eat tomatoes for the first time in almost 20 years - before I got really ill and so avoided them.  But a visit to a naturopath and armed with some enzyme supplements and I'm enjoying adding it back to my diet.  I had a lot of cottage cheese and spinach and thought lasagne! I haven't made one before so I kind of made the recipe up. The layers were pasta, cottage cheese, pasta, spinach, pasta, tomato sauce with carrots, cabbage and mushrooms, pasta, TVP, pasta, tomato sauce with some dobs of cottage cheese.

 

It looks odd (the noodles kind of folded in on themselves) but smells delicious - looking forward to lunch tomorrow!

 

Today's post brought to you by Smokey Robinson with hopes that my next trip will be smoother (Smokey Robinson smoother)

 

Day's highlights:

• Ginger tea
• 4 layer lasagne 
• reading in the sun, enjoying companionable quiet.

Savin'

I woke up with the Cake version of the song "I will survive" in my head.  Most specifically the line “But now I’m saving all my loving for someone who’s loving me”.  I can only imagine what I was dreaming about but it made me think how strong and valuable a statement and concept that is.  Saving all my loving for someone who’s loving me - of course!  (Acts of compassion aside)To do otherwise is a frustrating and often pointless effort. 

And I realize that this can be applied more more broadly to life -  I’m going to save my love, time, energy, money for those (person, place, projects, charities, exercise, food, etc.) I get something back from.  And let the others fade away.  A little selfish sounding?  I see how it present that way but I think about giving more to few than less to many.   

• Like choirs, I'm in two but I really only enjoy one, so now I'm going to focus on that one.
• Or food, I'd rather go with my favourite, high nutrition food (sometimes more expensive)rather than a lot of others. Yes, mangoes can be expensive but about as much as a bag of ju-jubes.  And I know which one I'm going to "get" more back from
• People, I can be polite and pleasant to almost anyone (really) but trying to have everyone my friend can be exhausting.  Rather I will accept that sometimes the timing or chemistry just isn't there (true for non-plantic and platonic friends alike) and let them be.

What do you think?  In your various paths what have you let go or chose to refocus your energies on?

 

Today's post is brought to you by Cake

Day's highlights:

• Sunshine, always nice but particularly after storms
• Edamame - such a tasty, fresh veggie (legume?) - very "spring" tasting.  I like them raw with lemon juice or mixed in with pasta and parmasean.
• Lunch time singing practice

Thoughts, info and the plan

Right then, here are some concrete plans to achieve my goal. 

• Treat my job this semester (I work at a university) as a marathon and not a sprint and reduce the overtime hours I put in.
• Get moving, and not be lazy about exercising or sooky about the cold and wet weather.
• Reduce calories from an average of 2000 a day to 1600(ish).  I use fitday.com for monitoring.  Reducing sugar is key for this.

I know when I eat too much sugar, in any simple form (be it organic, raw, honey, agave, etc.) I feel...ugh.  Three years ago I consulted a naturopathic doctor for migraines and low energy, and I followed a sugar detox.  For the first 10 days I didn't even eat fruit or sweet veggies. It wasn't easy but within a very short time I felt so much better that I knew this was something that worked for me. 

 

To do this, I found bread without sugar, used apple sauce or bananas to sweeten baked goods and or experimenting with stevia when I felt the need for something sweet (not for all as it does have a "licorice" taste).  And I all but eliminated chocolate unless it had 80% or more cocoa.  And I bought more fruit and berries so when a craving struck I had something sweet and tart to eat. 

 

I felt so much better with this, my skin looked better, the regular migraines disappeared and I also slimmed down. Not a drastic change but about 7 kg, 15 pounds or a stone over the next 6 months.  And I maintained that shape for the last couple of years.

 

So, I know what to do.

 

Today's post is brought to you by the Archies

 

Day's highlights:

• Kale and potato soup for lunch
• Running into a friend and making a dinner date
• A laugh about a scheduling issue with a colleague and a plan to fix it
• Wearing one of my favourite tops, a bright turquoise tunic

  

Mini-goal: Success

Now that fall is here I have to put away the forgiving dresses and skirts I've been happy to wear over the last few months and turn to pants again.

 

Which mostly don't fit and I've had to wear with long tops so I could leave the top button undone.  And so it was a great surprise to slip on a pair last week and not only do button up but was comfortable enough to keep it up all day and not feel like I was being squeezed.

 

This was a great boost to my self-esteem and tells me I'm on the right track. 

 

I will still have to amp up my efforts to make it back into the jeans by January but I know it can be done.

 

Today's post is brought to you by sister sledge
Day's highlights:
Beautiful sunshine, 20C in October

Kale and steak for dinner

Enjoying family time

Joking around with my brothers during car ride and having both at different times fall asleep on my shoulder, they are big grown man boys but this was a sweet reminder they are still my "little" brothers.

ps. have been out away as home computer is on the fritz and work has been too busy to post from there.

The After/Before photo

This is me, I guess this is the "after" picture to correspond with yesterday's "before" but I'm looking/working towards it being a "before" picture.  It's an alright starting point - that outfit is one of my faves, but what's hidden is that the jeans were too tight to do up the top button. That's why I want to make a change. Just to get back to "me".  I'm not trying to change myself drastically, just enough to reclaim some good habits I had and ease back into my clothes.  

August 2011

Today's post is brought to you by Billy Joel

Day's highlights:
40 mins walking 
Awesome lunch (see stir-fry below) and dinner (veg. soup) 

Tentative plans to run with some colleagues, which I hope to firm up. That'll keep me motivated. 

A supportive phone call from a project partner about a cumbersome situation. 

Let's get started

So, my plan is to move more and eat less, simple eh? Because it works. 


Specifically start jogging again, walking more and I'd like to try a dance class again.  I say again but my last one was 27 years ago. And I'll be cutting back on sweet stuff and bland carbs - talking about you dinner rolls.  I like food but I really like good food so this shouldn't be too hard. I just need to get back to my old habits, when an arugula sourdough sandwich was my ultimate treat. 
And away I go. 


Today's post is brought to you by the black eyed peas
Or if you are more old-school and prefer this MC Hammer's version

Day's highlights:
40 mins walking (20 at a fair clip)
Grapefruit - yummy grapefruit
High five from colleagues for project success
Talking to an acquaintance about her dream job