The Eyes Have It!

Spruce Flats Falls - GSMNP

March 3, 2011

Greetings from another gloomy, rainy East Tennessee morning.  It appears that in order for you to receive a blog post from me or for me to accomplish anything around the house, these rainy days should be welcomed! I simply cannot stay indoors when we have days like the past several have been.  I enjoyed marvelous hikes on both Friday and Saturday, both of which began in snow and ended in shorts!!  That may not sound incredibly inviting, but when clothed appropriately in layers of the right fabric, those are perfect hiking conditions.  Today's picture was not taken on either of those hikes, but earlier this month.  I've probably used pictures of this waterfall before, but couldn't resist this one taken a couple of weeks ago at what is probably my favorite waterfall in the GSMNP.  Due to lots of rainfall and initial snowmelt, our water levels are higher than I ever remember them and keep in mind I've lived here most of my life!  It is so beautiful, but requires one to be ready for detours or changes in plans at any moment.  This did happen to my hiking "bud" and I on Friday as we hiked about half a mile into the planned route and came to a creek crossing that is normally a simple rock-hop.  It had doubled in width and was at least two feet deep.  Needless to say, we altered the plan, but didn't fret about it or waste any time formulating another plan.

And so it is with my eating these days.  With Mr. B in France and a plan for flawless eating while he was gone, I managed about half way through the week and came to a hurdle that I chose not to cross.   That hurdle was ME!  It wasn't about binging or even making poor food choices although I won't deny that I made a few of those.  It was simply about the fact that I didn't want to do this stringent "diet" plan even for a week.  I was hungry and I didn't WANT the things I was forcing myself to eat.  I was tempted to refuse invitations from kind people who knew Mr. B was out of town and were offering gracious hospitality.  So I gave myself permission to stop.  I altered the plan, didn't fret about it and wasted NO time formulating another plan.  And you know what, that "plan" is not a new one.  It's the one I've lived with for the past six months and the one that makes me calm.  I will not "diet" any more.  I will eat and enjoy it.  I will eat what sounds good.  And the funny thing is, I will lose weight.  It is slow, but it is constant.  I like calm more than I like reverting back to what once worked (thankfully!), but is no longer a part of who I am or what I want.  And that, my friends, is progress.

Here is a picture of me on the day we hiked to Spruce Flats Falls:

 

And here's a picture of me this past Saturday:

Notice anything different????  Besides the double-chin in the second picture??  Don't know where that came from - even at my heaviest, I don't think I ever had a double chin!  And looking at this picture, it's something I want to avoid at all cost!   LOL!   Hopefully, those who have listened to my whining for the last month will immediately notice the absence of glasses in the second photo!  Yep, I was finally given the green light (after 4 weeks, 5 days of glasses) to wear my contacts.  I've done great with them and although I did exactly what the doctor said, I believe I could have worn them all day the first day.  Doc said the cornea infection had healed and thanked me for being such a good patient.  Apparently, that isn't always the case.   Believe me, when you start messing with my eyes and a serious infection, I'm going to do EXACTLY what the doctor says and am appalled that anyone would do otherwise.  After hiking Friday and Saturday with contacts back in, I really am proud of myself for persevering during that time.  There really is a huge difference in depth perception and I am truly grateful that things seem to be moving back to normal with my health.  

Mr. B is safely back from a flawless trip to France.  This blog is not about him, but I am so proud that I cannot resist sharing the link to the blog which was kept by one of the chaperones during the trip.  If you have time for nothing else, look at the video from the day the group visited and sang at Normandy.  The sound is horrible because it was windy and they were all crying, but the raw emotion is evident.  I believe they represented their college and our country well.  Here is the link.

I'm off to make a new batch of granola, do laundry, fight with my mail-order prescription company, pay bills, get groceries, yada, yada, yada!  Sunny days are coming, but not until Wednesday!

Do you have any battles to fight today?