how about drinking?
Comments
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Steriods can increase AST. And I'm glad your onco knows that markers are iffy. I hope all goes well. I know how unsettling it all is. I have to re-do my SPEP labs for MGUS and hope I don't need a bone marrow biopsy. Between my DH's PSA going up, my lab re-do, the dishwasher, blah, blah, blah…I'm so over this.
AST can also increase from non-alcohol-fatty-liver-disease…and as we age and…well, you get the idea.
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Oh yeah - I get it. Still have to re-do my breast ULS, but can't get in until the end of January. And have to do another low dose CT after the first of the year to check the nodule in my lungs that appeared after chemo that the pulmonary doc is watching. Ex-DH supposedly is "clear" of prostate cancer for now after surgery. And we know that phrase too - only "no active disease" - but only remission, never clear.
Hope you don't need the bone marrow biopsy. Getting old is not for the faint of heart.
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NM - hope to hear from you this weekend. We are all cheering for Mom's successful relocation.
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Clarifying - I understand the danger of drinking alone. Although I am no longer married, I rarely 'celebrate' happy hour alone. Three or four days a week I meet up with girlfriends at my house or theirs for our drinkys. (hum - should that be drinkies?) The other days I have phone drinks with friends. Neither of us makes drinks until we connect by phone & we sort out all the problems of the world while we "sip & talk".
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Sunday Funday! I had to take a couple days off before seeing Mom yesterday. I was so tired and aching and stiff and sore everywhere, I just couldn't make myself do it. I did go yesterday, and the living room is pretty much set up and cleaned out of boxes, the kitchen is getting there, and the master bedroom and bath are looking pretty good. I'm not sure if she is going down to the dining room for dinner regularly or not, there was a box in the fridge that looked like dinner had been brought to her apartment Saturday. I know it's barely been a week since she moved, and I'm hoping she's adjusting. She did get her TV mounted and the cable turned on, and, blessing of blessings, the remote for the cable has big buttons that she can actually read! On the way home last night I stopped and looked in on the storage locker that I have been picturing as full to the brim to find out that it is only about 1/3 full! Tightly packed, but nowhere near as much stuff as I have been imaging. Plenty of room to start moving some boxes out of the new apartment to make room for what she does want in the apartment but is not using regularly.
Teka--she does have a great view from her bedroom, the living room, the sun porch and the guest bedroom (which will be her craft room).
Minus--I a very ready for some "me time" and praying I can start transitioning from every other day visits after this week.
Jazzy--the pics of your visit are wonderful! Looks like you had a great time. I hope you aren't being affected by the federal shutdown air traffic cutbacks on your way home.
Wally--so sorry to hear about the contractor issues. It must be so frustrating.
Minus--the AST is becoming more often listed as "aspartate aminotransferase" on blood tests as healthcare keeps moving away from using initials or short IDs that can be more easily mistaken for other things than intended. While AST is primarily used to monitor liver function, it also can go up when heart, brain, kidney or muscles are stressed or damaged. Tylenol, statins, certain antidepressants (SSRIs and tricyclics) and some antibiotics cause elevated AST levels, too. Liver damage is a known side effect of the statins and the reason people taking statins need liver function tests done regularly. Liver damage rarely results in only AST elevations, other liver enzymes are usually elevated as well.
Carole--I hear you about the rationalizing! I'm not sure I'm adjusting too well to Mom's move just yet. I feel scared and guilty every time I leave her place even though I know she is safer there than in the old apartment. I guess we both need some more time to adjust!
Minus--I live the idea of the "sip & talk" by phone!
Silk & Soul
Ingredients:
• 1.5 oz Jane Walker by Johnnie Walker
• 1 oz Orgeat
• ½ oz Donn’s Mix*
• 6 cinnamon sticks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• Fresh Grapefruit juice
• ½ oz lemon juice
• Garnish: orchid & mint
• Glassware: rocks glass
Method:
Combine all in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled rocks glass over crushed ice. Garnish with an orchid and mint, then serve.
*Donn’s Mix: Heat 6 cinnamon sticks, sugar, and water; bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Let simmer for 2 minutes then let cool. Add one part syrup, two parts fresh grapefruit juice to finish the mix.From
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I woke up to the 1st snow of the season in our backyard.
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Teka, where are you? LOVE THAT!!!!
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Good evening friends:
Hope everyone is doing well as we head into mid-November. Time surely does fly this time of the year, doesn't it? I had a good time out visiting my sister in CA this past week. Left last Sunday and had a bit longer layover plus delay in my connection in Las Vegas but did get there by dinner time. We had a good time with some shopping, the hot springs, had a wonderful seafood meal at a fav restaurant there, and just a lot of relaxing and visiting. The temps were like here in New Mexico, highs in the 70s. We didn't overbook anything so I had time relax and sister could keep up with the rest of her life. You know how it goes when people visit, one is visiting but the one hosting has things to keep up with too.
Regarding the airports, I flew home on Friday the day they started cutting flights and initially had a change to my departing flight the day before to leave a bit earlier and then it kept changing about whether it was delayed or on time. I think they got caught up and heard the captain say with the changes that started, they had very narrow windows for getting down and for gate time. The TSA folks in my city were fine but the ones out in CA were crabby. Then again, why wouldn't they be? I cannot imagine working and not getting paid, ugh. I got back on time Friday evening, and so glad to be done with air travel and airports this year. If you are traveling for the holidays, check your flights often as things change hourly…..
Back to work tomorrow and will be working for 2 weeks then off again for Thanksgiving week, whoo hoo! I will be staying in town for that week and just have lots of apts and catch-up things to do around the house. I am going to a friends house for Thanksgiving this year and waiting to hear what she wants me to bring to share for the meal. I was eyeing a small turkey today at the store (always like to buy my own to cook a small one) but will wait until I have more time on a weekend to do it.
I got a nice surprise message last week from some friends from back east who will be in town this week. We are going to meet up for dinner on Wed while they here for a birding trip (we have some huge winter bird refuges here in New Mexico). Two of the four coming I have not seen since I moved out here in the mid 1990s, but we have kept up with each other with Xmas cards, social media, etc. I also have a good friend coming to visit for six days in mid December who will be staying with me and we are going to Santa Fe for the weekend too! We will be going to be doing a lot of holiday things during her time here (will also be working part of the time but she is a good independent visitor). Excited to see some folks in the next six weeks I have not seen in a bit….
Hope everyone is doing okay and wishing everyone a good week!
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Now that Half-Flat is in a more self-sustaining place, I have returned to massage - this time as self-employed rather than at a studio. I'd rather not be an entrepreneur, but there's no way I could work for businesses that I know are breaking payroll laws. I've been an information resource for others who have found me through massage unionizing, though, and I'm excited that the trend is still running. A spa up in Seattle successfully unionized a few months ago too, making at least three that have made it all the way through their election. ✋💪🤚
In the meantime, I've launched Serotonin Massage - specializing in therapeutic and trauma-informed massage. It will be nice to get back into the field. For all the faults in the industry, I love the practice. My logo is below.
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wallycat,
Adirondacks NYS
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Monday Monkey Day! Got our first snow yesterday, mixed in with rain, didn't stick, but a harbinger of things to come. And boy was it cold, outside and inside. Some things I really planned to get done before the weather changed didn't happen, and now I've got to see what I can do about making them happen now before it gets any colder. Which means I will not be able to go to Mom's every other day, so I'm feeling guilty about that. And I just called Mom's dr's office to get orders for blood work faxed to the place she's at, they have a person come in from the local lab once a week and will draw the blood without my having to drive her to the hospital, and am having trouble getting through to the correct nurse, which has me wound up even more and ready to dissolve into tears and just go back to bed so I don't have to deal with the flat tire I've now got.
So here I am, sitting at the computer with little girl dog Zoe half in my lap, listening to me reminding myself that none of these things are insurmountable, none are life or death, and I know how to handle each thing, and I need to just take it one phone call at a time. And that I can open a new bottle of wine to go with dinner tonight to celebrate. I keep a few bottle of wine in the fridge, and when I was reloading the fridge the other day I saw I had one of my favorite wines in the wine drawer, and that's the one I'm going to open tonight.
Ok, rant and pity party done. Onward and upward.
Teka--the first snow is pretty, isn't it? Is yours sticking or did it melt off?
Morning, WallyCat!
Jazzy--I'm so glad you had a good visit with your sister. I'm also glad you didn't have any real trouble getting home with the flight cuts starting. I can't imagine being a TSA worker right now, they often aren't treated well when things are going normally, it must be a hundred times worse around without getting paid, the flight cutbacks, and the holiday travel starting all at once. Sounds liike you have a nice work schedule over the next few weeks, good for you! And you have lots of people coming to visit soon, that will be so much fun for all of you!
Miriandra--good for you for going back to massage! I'm sure you will do really well.
First Snow Cocktail Recipe
The First Snowfall cocktail is a creamy and spiced drink that captures the essence of winter. Here's how to make it:- Ingredients:
• RumChata (cream liqueur)
• Vanilla vodka
• Ice
• A garnish of cinnamon stick or nutmeg - Instructions:
• Shake all ingredients with ice.
• Pour into a chilled glass.
• Optionally, garnish with a cinnamon stick or nutmeg.
This cocktail is perfect for winter gatherings and pairs well with holiday favorites like warm apple pie and gingerbread cookies. It's a festive drink that's easy to sip and even easier to love.
1 - Ingredients:
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NM - hearing your rant. Been there and it's a no win situation. Hope you can work at letting go of the guilt. Keeping you in my thoughts.
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Our brief stint of winter is over and the weather is warming back up to 70's and even low 80's. NM, hope things are going well for your mom and for you. And for everyone else!
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Good morning friends
Made it to Friday and re-entry week at the job. Not as hectic with the new hospital open but finishing up some work on the project and before I go out again the week after next. Can you tell I am looking forward to another week off from work?
Did anyone see the northern lights this week from your locations? I was not able to see them from my back yard (I did last year though when they showed up). There are some amazing photos people shared on FB though, will send you some things I pulled down that were just amazing! I heard they were seen as far south as the Caribbean and even down to HI this time.
NM- I think now that you have your mom moved, you can exhale a bit and take care of yourself and your life. The thing about eldercare is that we can only do so much to be sure our parents are taken care of and kept safe, but we can't make the whole aging process and all that goes with that okay for them. Both my parents needed a lot from us early and often but know with memory issues, they are just struggling and frustrated a lot. You have gone above and beyond as her daughter and without your brother around to help either. I hope you can get things caught up in your life, with your flat tire, etc. You need some good rest too sister and give yourself permission to take care of yourself!
Teka- sounds like your first dusting of snow this week. We usually get some snow here in our mountains by October including to our local mountains, but it has been unusually warm (otherwise known as the new normal) so no snow here but a cold front with moisture is coming through this weekend and more this coming week. We need the moisture.
Mirianda- I hope you get settled into your massage practice again after everything that has gone on. Although being self employed is never easy, I did it for years and after working for some unethical places early on in my early career days. Hard lessons for a young woman like me back then, but got out before things got worse and both places I am thinking of are long gone. I really loved being self-employed, it was my fav from a work life balance and to be able to choose my work/clients but in the end, I needed something different at the end here. I just passed my 5 year anniversary on this current gig.
MinusTwo- hope you are doing well and still enjoying your music. I am going to see Neena Freelon here in another three weeks at our local jazz venue. We have another jazz club opening up here soon that a music friend here has been working on since she relocated from the LA area 10 plus years ago.
Hope everyone has a good slide into the weekend…..
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Jazzygirl - haven't been to any jazz venues this fall, but I did get to see Bach's complete Brandenberg Concertos, Vivaldi's Four Seasons with period instruments, and a magnificent production of Gershwin's Porgy & Bess by the Houston Grand Opera. Hope you have some fun things planned for your next week off.
NM - Jazzy hit the nail on the head about what I've been trying to say: give yourself permission to take care of yourself!
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Saturday! Things are still sorting out with Mom. The facility staff have taken over managing her pills, which takes that whole thing off me and ensures someone is laying eyes on her at least twice a day. She has started going to all 3 meals a day in the Assisted Living Dining room, is getting along great with her tablemates, and has even gotten out to a music event. Then yesterday morning I got a call, they found her on the floor in her living room when they went to get her for breakfast. Complained of pain in hip and shoulder, so they sent her to the ER for evaluation. Mom told them she fell out of bed, then she told the ER people that she got down on the floor out of bed because she wasn't supposed to stand up without her walker and it wasn't in reach, then scooted herself to the living room, headed for her chair so she could get up again. She didn't use her call button, so I suspect she will have to move to an Assisted Living apartment when this week's trial is up since that is one of the criteria for Independent Living. The staff have also turned off her stove so she can't burn anything trying to cook, and turned off her garbage disposal after finding a fork in it. So, taking things day-by-day, and waiting to see how it turns out.
Minus--thanks for the thoughts. I'm trying to let go of the guilt, but it ain't easy.
Carol--boy, talk about a short winter!
Jazzy--I looked for the Northern Lights but it's been cloudy here so not much luck. I was expecting things to get easier with Mom once she moved, but it feels even harder now, with trying to keep up with what she needs and figuring out what the facility staff is expecting of me. You are right, though, I can't make the whole aging thing better or even okay for Mom. I keep reminding myself that she is safe, her needs are being met, and everyone is still adjusting and adapting to the move, and it's ok if I stay home for 2 or 3 days in a row and start scheduling the work that needs to be done on my house and that doesn't make me a bad daughter.
Minus--I think I needed to hear that again to have it sink in. I did get the flat tire fixed, I will get my laundry caught up today, and I will spend more time playing with the puppers today.
Bee’s Knees
Ingredients
• 2 ounces gin
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 ounce honey syrup
• Garnish: lemon twist
Steps
1. Add the gin, lemon juice and honey syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with a lemon twist.From
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NM,
Assisted Living apartment in the same facility?
Jazzy,
Interesting!
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Monday Monkey Day! I talked with Mom yesterday, she seemed to be doing pretty well. I haven't gotten any calls from the facility and I'm taking that as a good sign. I'll be seeing her tomorrow and Wednesday as she has doctor's appointments. I suspect I'll get an update from the staff one of those days.
Winter seems to have decided to move in. Getting some more snow flurries today, have a visible coating on the ground, and some frozen slush to make life interesting. And I just now noticed that Thanksgiving is next week! That really snuck up on me.
Jazzy--love the petroglyphs. Do you think they are telling a story? I find them fascinating.
Teka--yes, Assisted Living apartment in the same facility.
Rock Candy Cocktail
- Prepare your glass: Brush the rim of your cocktail glass with simple syrup, agave, or honey. I’ve found that honey tends to hold the Pop Rocks better, but any of these will do the trick. Once the rim is sticky, dip it into a small plate of Pop Rocks, rotating the glass to fully coat the rim. Be gentle—Pop Rocks are delicate, and you don’t want to crush them before they make it to the party.
- Pour the vodka: Measure out 2 ounces of vodka and pour it over the ice. You can eyeball it if you’re feeling confident, but a little precision doesn’t hurt.
- Top with soda water: Fill the rest of the glass with soda water, leaving a little room at the top so the drink doesn’t overflow when you add the rock candy.
- Garnish with rock candy: Place a rock candy stick into the glass, letting it stand like a fancy swizzle stick. As it dissolves, it’ll add extra sweetness to your drink.
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Minus, recently you mentioned blood work results on liver function. I had a wellness appointment yesterday with my PCP's NP and asked whether my blood work included liver health. Apparently not since 2023. She ordered fasting blood work so I should soon get some feedback. I have been taking a statin for many years and drink alcohol regularly. I've been thinking lately that maybe I should ease off on the alcohol but thinking and doing haven't coincided. LOL.
NM, I assumed your mother was moving into an assisted living apartment, but I understand now that she wasn't.
Happy Tuesday.
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Good morning!
Remember to take care of yourself. You can't pour from an empty cup. 😘
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Carole - I agree about cutting back on my evening libations, but like you - the reality hasn't caught up with the thinking about it.
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LOL on thinking and reality.
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I’m back from Laos which was gorgeous and brutally hot. The Seattle weather is much kinder to my body. The trip was magical with both DD and DS and DDs DH. I’m still experiencing jet lag but it’s getting better. I didn’t wake up hungry at 3am last night.
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Wren, welcome back. Glad you enjoyed the trip.
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Hi ladies:
It's a rainy day here in NM and very much needed here in the dry, DRY high desert. We have not had much moisture in a month or so and getting some nice rains coming from the west that will last through tonight and then wrap up, and some more rain coming back Sunday. It's cooling down after an unusually warm November and coming into normal temps for this time of the year. Some of the mountains are getting snow too.
Regarding the National Petroglyph Monument, it is one of the many areas here out in the west inhabited by the early Anastazi (native americans) that lived in the southwest from around 800 to 1200 AD and then suddenly just "disappeared" from many of the areas they inhabited. You may be familiar with some of the more famous locations with cliff dwellings like Mesa Verde in CO or Canyon De Chelly in AZ, or the big community in NW New Mexico called Chaco Canyon and this is part of the same community. This canyon is across the street from where I live and used to go up there all the time and there are stories on those rocks for sure. We have several areas here in the Albuquerque area with these petroglyphs, some which have been made into state parks and this location was made into a National Monument since I moved here.
A couple friends of mine said they had not ever been to the park or in a while so we made a plan to go this fall and it was a perfect day for it. They have changed it some to protect the rocks more which you used to be able to get up close to and do selfies, but now protected by a fence. There has been some graffiti and they are doing some restoration work but think it would be smart to keep those fences up and the cultural assets protected.
Where did they go after 1200 AD? No one really knows but it was known there was a serious drought that year and there is some linkage that they moved closer to form the pueblos up and down the Rio Grande Valley, at least in this area. No one knows if they all moved here but it is believed they moved somewhere. Anyways, if you are ever out west and get to visit any of these locations, it is fascinating stuff and something you likely won't learn anywhere else unless you visit.
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Wren- what an interesting trip you took. Tell us more and share pics if possible?
NM- you are doing a trial and error check at the new place. I hope you can get your mom settled into what level of care she needs there. I know it's hard for you and big hugs from across the miles. Elder care is the hardest job and the least appreciated job we may ever have. That being said, she is lucky to have you!
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Jazzygirl, I have visited several of the sites you mentioned and the history is fascinating. So difficult for me to imagine people living in the unusual (for us) homes.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy TGIF day! Things with Mom just keep piling up.
Took her to her iron infusion appointment on Tuesday, got a call from the facility while were there telling me that Mom has to move into an assisted living room or move out of the facility "for safety". The "Suite" as they call it is one room with attached bathroom. No ocean view. The kitchenette will have a mini fridge and room for a microwave. The room is "coming available next week."
Wednesday I took her to her eye doctor's appointment to get new glasses. 2 hour drive from her place to the office. Got there at 12:30 for her 1:00 appointment, couldn't go in because they were having a meeting. Let in a few minutes after 1 PM, Mom is not in the system. The doctor she had an appointment with left the practice a couple months ago (Mom's appointment was made almost 4 months ago). So no new glasses and starting from square one for that project.
Thursday I was looking through some of Mom's mail that I found on the floor of her apartment and found a letter from the hematology office with a list of blood tests and a clinic appointment for Nov 25th that I knew nothing about. All of these items were listed as "self-pay." All the blood tests have already been done, now they want over $1K to do them all again? And another appointment that I was never told about? Over an hour and 4 transfers to finally get to someone who could actually access anything to find out that Mom's account was changed to show her as uninsured recently. The woman I was talking to at the end could see her prior Medicare information and put it back in. She could see where the blood tests have already been taken, but could not see a clinic appointment for Nov 25th, so not sure what that's all about. I file a third formal complaint about information screw ups as Mom has signed 3 releases allowing appointment information to be mailed to me since August.
So, just took a side trip to lay out all the details and draft a letter of complaint. Now if I can get the printer to take the paper I can start sending this off to everyone I can think of that will give the hospital system grief with me.
Carole--Mom is currently in an Independent Living apartment, about to be moved into an Assisted Living room. I'm surprised no one has checked your liver function recently, that should be done every 6 to 12 months on someone taking a statin due to the liver damage the drug itself can cause.
Teka--I'm trying to take care of myself, but it's awfully hard when there is something almost every day that I have to spend hours on getting done or getting fixed.
Wren--you went to Laos?! Wow, that must have been some trip! Can't wait to hear more about it!
Jazzy--I have heard of the Anastazi, but didn't know about the disappearance. Quite a mystery there. I'm glad the petroglyphs are being protected. I know Mom and I are still in the adjustment phase of her move, and I don't disagree that she needs a higher level of care than Independent Living, but everything feels so out of control and uncertain and I don't know what to do get past it all. Mom may be in a much safer place, but I feel like there is a lot less security about what's going to happen next than before she moved. I will adjust, I'll find a way. I know these things take time.
Me Time
Cognac 2 oz
Torani amer 0.5 oz
Lemon juice 0.5 oz
Simple syrup 0.5 oz
Saline (or a pinch of salt)
3 drops Mint
LemonPreparation
1 Place mint leaves in the base of a mixing glass and muddle
2 Add cognac, Torani Amer, lemon juice, simple syrup, saline, and ice
3 Shake well
4 Strain mix into serving glass over crushed ice
5 Garnish with mint and a lemon roundFrom
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NM, I'm sorry about all the turmoil surrounding getting your mother settled. And no ocean view? D%*m! I loved that view. And it sounds like her space will be more cramped in Assisted Living.
My blood work was all good except for the A1c, which was 6.4 and the Triglycerides, which was higher than 150, in the High category. I'm borderline diabetic and have been taking a common med twice a day for several years. Kidney function and liver numbers were all in the normal range. I remember reading that Triglycerides can be affected by recent diet and my recent diet included Popeye's fried chicken, a once or twice a year treat.
I'm back "on the wagon" with my diet with the determination to drop some lbs. Travel for Thanksgiving will interfere but I'll do my best. I would feel so much better about 15 lbs. lighter. I'm skipping the cocktail before dinner and enjoying a glass of white wine instead. One plus is more deep sleep, according to my watch gadget.
Happy weekend to all.
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