writingwyo's Journal, 20 November 2022

Stopping to pet every dog! Def can relate to that ☺️🐕🦮🐩🐕‍🦺 

The funniest was the day I saw a big, tattooed guy walking a pit bull and I immediately smiled and said, "Can I say hi to your dog?" He was so nice and the dog was just a sweet, sweet baby. And he was SO thrilled because most people just swung way, way wide of him 😂 He was walking with a woman pushing a stroller, so I figured he was OK 😊 

writingwyo, you have the makings of the next James Herriot. Have you ever read his dog stories? They are funny. 😀 

Cheese and I have a definite love/hate thing going on... 

It’s always the case, the most intimidating looking are actually the biggest Teddy Bears 🧸😂 My Uncle is like that - All gangster on the outside, big softie on the inside. We also had a Rottweiler who looked super mean, ppl were so scared of him… if they had only known …he wouldn’t hurt a fly and was the biggest baby ever!  

Thanks, gwzfire! As a matter of fact, I read a ton of his books as a kid, so I'm flattered! My dad got into reading him, and I tended to just pick up and read whatever others left lying around. Loved his stories! 

I read everything he wrote. I adore his material to this day. My grandfather was born in Aryshire, Scotland. He was raised in upstate NY and had a beef cattle farm there. He kept border collies (as you might imagine). Muchie and Clyde were their names. I stayed with my grandparents during the summers as a child and we would visit for Christmas, too. I totally identified with his work. Collect your stories; you never know!!  

You’re doing so well!💪👍 There is a lot of cheese going on around me so I usually limit it to pizza. My fave is blueberry white cheddar. I get a big block every summer but I managed to escape it this year!:)🎉 

Thanks, gwzfire! I actually do write creatively and have gotten a few things published, mostly poetry and mostly in small journals. I haven't posted on it in ages, but you can find a few things I've written at www.writingwyoming.com. Kinda got away from writing this past year, but am trying to get back to it 

Thanks, Navywifeski! Yep, pizza. My husband makes it sometimes, but it's far less decadent than typical -- part whole wheat crust, no meat, light on the cheese. I've learned when to stop after a few FS calorie tallies 😱 I try to go for strong flavored cheeses in small quantities like feta or gorgonzola. I really want to try Limburger, but that will have to wait until summer so I can eat it outside and take mercy on my poor husband 😅 I have, during my flirtation with near-veganism this year, discovered some "cheez" recipes I prefer to the real thing, so I'll probably continue to make those. Every time I play with my diet, I learn something new! 😃 

Had to laugh. I'm a dog petter too. I can be distracted easily by almost any animal actually. I was the kid who probably got lost chasing off after a squirrel. LOL. I love cheese but can't handle much dairy due to severe lactose intolerance. 

You'll be outside soon enough with all that cross country skiing, so maybe the gym is fine for now. I like petting all the dogs when I hike -- it's very stress relieving and joyful, which I do not get from a treadmill. I used to eat dairy, but now it blows me up like a balloon and trashes my cholesterol, so I'm okay with its absence in my life now. If you can get away with it, enjoy some for me!  

Morticia - my husband's convinced I'm gonna lose an arm one of these days, but I still do it! 

JustBananas -- I hope I'm skiing soon, but the arm and shoulder are still giving me fits. Trying not to get discouraged. I'm mostly doing 1% milk and the yogurt and whey we make from it, so not a ridiculous amount of sat fat. I get bloodwork every 6 months, so we'll see where I stand next time. I'll relish my next bit of cheese on your behalf! 

Sounds like you are doing well. Outside will always be more pleasant for me. I like to enjoy my moving. But I can enjoy some indoor stuff too. I am looking forward to hearing where your journey takes you 

Sounds like a great plan. I hate indoor cardio but sometimes it's what I have to do...I much prefer to ride my bike, hike, or walk outside. I may have mentioned B4 but I'm lactose intolerant. I have been experimenting to see what my body will tolerate. So far I can only have Fe a and Parm in cheese family, I can tolerate Greek yogurt once in awhile, not milk at all, and I can have premade protein shakes about 1-2 xs a week ( like premier protein or quest) but not powdered whey protein. I hope you do well with reintroducing dairy. 💜 

I'm much happier outdoors, and I've read there are health benefits to being outdoors. Not just Vitamin D (if you skip sunscreen), but the light can help with circadian rhythms and I've heard the infrared radiation -- which you do absorb through clothing -- is beneficial for the immune system. Realizing, though that I need to go at it a little harder sometimes and more days of the week. I've always said I love activity and hate exercise, but I know the exercise will build the capacity to make the activities easier and more enjoyable  

Just use the gym on rainy days, then. It's a handy supplement for when it's dark outside or during inclement weather. Or if the gym offers classes like yoga or Pilates that is more social, you might enjoy it. 

I'm afraid I'm only really sociable from behind a keyboard, JustBananas 🤣 Still, I'd enjoy a class now and then. I'd like to start lifting after this shoulder heals up, so it'll be good for that. We don't get a lot of rain, but spring and fall get miserably cold and windy. Like flinging sand into your face and ripping car doors out of your hand windy. It must be experienced to be believed. And the darkness this time of year-- doesn't get light early enough before I go to work to get out and it's dark when I get home. So the gym is a good option some days for many reasons. I am definitely not going to pass up a good skiing or hiking days to hit the gym, though!