I came up here fully intending to lose 15 - 20 pounds. I mean. . .how couldn't I??? No TV. . . . only my own two feet or my bike to take me everywhere I was going. For the first two weeks everything was great. I lost 2 pounds. How easy is this???
Well, 6 weeks later it will be a miracle if I haven't gained. Not that I've been overeating. . .but I guess I have. For me, overeating is having a both halves of a portobello sandwich instead of just half. Tonight I had both halves. I've ridden my bike less but still I haven't ridden a tram or shuttle all summer. I have been drinking wine. . not every night, but it is wine, afterall. I've had a total of three ice-creams. I'm going to have to break down and join weight watchers when I get back. There's just no other way, I guess.
But that is the only down-side of this summer as far as I can see. I fully intended to work out this morning. . . went to choir in my stretch capris and t-shirt (we wear robes. . . don't worry). But I was diverted at every turn. Best laid plans. . . . .
On my way to the post office, pre-going to the gym, I passed the radio booth where Diane Ackerman was being interviewed. She is the author who spoke today. Her book, One Hundred Names for Love was the book of the week. She was riveting on the radio. I just had to stay and hear what she had to say about this experience of helping bring her husband, Paul back from a major stroke. It's a good thing that I did, because at her presentation this afternoon, she turned out to be one of those authors who just reads the book the whole time. And I had already read the book, so I left and attended the orchestra rehearsal instead and watched Mei-Ann Chen, this week's conductor rehearse the orchestra. I saw her last year and was so captivated by her conducting style. Then when I went back to Afton I discovered that she also was conducting at the Wintergreen Music Festival. So I got to see her twice last year. She is a fabulous conductor. Silver lining to the "author-that-read-the-book-I-already-read" debacle!
Tonight I have to make up the last of my basmati/wild rice combo that I brought from home to "use up." Susan, my neighbor in the next apartment over, and I are making our final project in our flavor class, and I think we're going to use the rice. We're using chicken, grapefruit, melon, and green beans (all ingredients assigned by the teacher) to create a dinner that features an "umami" flavor. Just learned about that this week. There's sweet, sour, salty, bitter and Umami. . . which is kind of like savory. So our dish is supposed to explode with umami-ness! Should be fun. Let's just say dijon mustard and mushrooms will be involved!
Nights are getting cool. Several people have reported bats in their houses. And the other day, as I was walking home from the farmer's market, I was advised to avoid Miller Avenue since there was a family of skunks about. The critters are already looking for shelter. Full steam ahead.
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