"My" Beach House Story

Happy New Year from Flagler Beach, Florida

January 1, 2013

Greetings from "my" home for the month of January.   We arrived here on Saturday afternoon after a three-year absence to find a brand new kitchen, new living room furniture, but the same incredible view from any point in the house and a sleepy, slightly bohemic community that I totally love and pray NEVER changes.  It is now Thursday and thanks to perfect weather (sunny, mid-70s), we've been on the go since arrival leaving little time for writing journal updates.  I'll get caught up on our travels for those arriving from Facebook and somewhere along the way, will add New Year's Goals for those who read the blog all the time.  But since several have expressed an interest in how I've managed to snag such an incredible place for an entire month especially after a three year hiatus which I thought would result in losing the opportunity permanently, here's the story.................

We have enjoyed a week or so in Florida during Bill's Christmas break for many years.  Winter has always been an extremely difficult time for me both physically and mentally.  Becoming a savvy, properly dressed, physically fit and well-equipped hiker has changed my entire winter outlook, HOWEVER, I still relish the days spent in Florida as a reminder that spring will come!

Quite by chance, we rented a house in Flagler Beach for 10 days in December/January of 2006.   Flagler Beach was an area of Florida we hadn't really discovered and was a random pick of somewhere new to explore.  Other than its location directly on the Atlantic, that house was nothing special, however, the couple that managed its rental program lived next door on the upper floor of a duplex.  The bottom unit in the duplex, they rent weekly in the summer and seasonally in the winter.  We became good friends and before we left that year, I casually made the remark that when Bill retired, we hoped to winter in Florida and would they keep us in mind.  

Imagine my surprise when a few months later, the Conways called asking if we would be interested in renting for the entire month of January.  I won't take time to share details of why the rental was to be available ONLY for January rather than the required winter seasonal winter, except to say we considered it a lucky break for us since we only knew about the unit by pure coincidence.  We considered the pros and cons and decided to try it.  This was the same year Allegiant Air initiated direct flights from Sanford (Orlando area) to Knoxville and we were able to book Bill TWO round trip tickets for less than $100.  Because of his school schedule, he is able to stay through January 8th or so and then he returns for the long MLK weekend.  Or as we prefer to think of it, his birthday weekend!!  

Here's where the story gets tricky!!   Bill turned 50 in January of 2006.   The plan was that he would retire in five years (already five years past the retirement plans we made at age 30) and we would already have our January "nest" secured.   Although I am safe, secure and content here and we became quite accustomed to being separated during the final years of my career, it was something we hadn't planned on doing again.  But it was only for five years and since the MLK weekend fell in the middle of the month, we were never separated for more than 10-11 days.  Always in the back of our minds, we knew that the Conways maintained a waiting list for winter and if we gave it up, we would lose it.  And that is how the story went for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.

By January, 2010, it was evident that Bill needed a refresher course in math because when asked when he planned to retire, his answer was still five years!   Funny how he'd always neglected to let me in on the fact that the five-year plan was a "rolling" five years!!  My sweet father-in-law was ill, we knew he was not likely to make it another year, 2010 had been a HORRIBLE weather year in Florida, Allegiant Air was now flying into Orlando International (1 1/2 hours away) instead of Sanford (40 minutes away) all leading us to believe it was time to let it go.  So we did!  And it was the right thing to do!

I truly believed I would never hear from the Conways again as my arrangement with them had been so specialized.  Remember it's a "seasonal" rental meaning I was splitting it with a couple from Michigan who only wanted Feb/Mar.  I assumed if it was ever available again, our only option would be for the entire season.   

Last summer, I was delighted to get a call from Mrs. Conway asking if we'd be interested in January again.  I think I asked her to repeat it five times - ONLY January and the answer was yes.  I was more than ready to return and it happened to be the year that Bill's academic calendar fell perfectly giving him the maximum amount of time here before reporting back to school.  I'm still not sure exactly what transpired to make January and ONLY January available again, but right now, am so thankful that it did.  

We were able to negotiate a couple of extra days, so have been here since Saturday, the 28th.  The weather has been Florida postcard perfect and we've been on the go since the day we arrived.  Today dawned cloudy, but still quite warm with calm winds.  We've declared it a "rest" day.  Later this afternoon, we'll go for a long walk (gotta get those 10,000 steps), Chef Bill will prepare a delicious dinner and we'll watch the Lady Vols play basketball tonight.  Tomorrow, we'll visit the absolutely amazing Flagler Beach farmers market and after that, who know??

I hadn't planned to go into this much detail, but like I said, several have asked, so there you have it.  Much more to come, but in the meantime, here's the link to the house.  These pics are better than mine!  It's off the market for the winter months, but available by the week during the summer.  The only negative I can mention is that it is small.  Perfect for a couple or family of three, maybe four.  If you want peace, quiet, nothing but the sound of the surf, away from anything touristy or commercial, it's perfect. 

 Thanks for reading!!

Fun In Music City USA

Bryant Grove Trail - Long Hunter State Park, Mt. Juliet, TN

December 22, 2012

Greetings from Nashville, Tennessee or technically, Mt. Juliet, TN, a few miles east of Nashville.  We made our way west on Friday morning very nearly getting blown off the Cumberland Plateau as our part of the blizzard which hit the midwest and northeast came through.  We received rain and some of the strongest winds I've ever experienced.  Driving was not easy - being outside was downright painful.  But what a difference a day can make.  By Saturday, brilliant sunshine and moderate temperatures had returned making for a perfect day for a middle Tennessee hike.  But I'm getting way ahead of myself...............

We make an effort to spend a few days in the Nashville area each Christmas holiday because there are a few things we love to see and do.  But our primary reason this year is that my sister, who lives in a small town 30 miles east of Nashville, is hosting my family Christmas.  Normally, everyone comes to our house on Christmas Day, but her family is growing and she expressed a desire to have her own family together on Christmas Day rather than having to travel as they'd always done.  I certainly understand, respect and fully support this, so after making sure our parents were comfortable getting to middle Tennessee, we proceeded with the new plan.  We will gather at her home later this morning, exchange gifts, eat a delicious meal, then Bill and I will head back in time to participate in the Christmas Eve service at our church.  

We traditionally visit Opryland Hotel during the holidays as the Christmas displays throughout this gigantic facility are simply amazing.  It takes at least an hour simply to walk through the three sections of the hotel.  We look forward to it every year.  

This year, a Google Search of "Christmas lights in Nashville" brought some ideas for things we'd never done before and the first thing on the agenda turned out to be a real winner.  I have always loved Nativity Scenes and during our early years of travel abroad, I began collecting handcrafted nativity sets from the countries we visited.  For reasons to complicated for this post, I abandoned that idea a long time ago, but truly cherish the 20 or so scenes that I have from around the world.  And I've certainly never lost the appreciation for viewing Nativity settings from various cultures.  It simply fascinates me.  So to stumble upon the Night of The Child exhibit featuring more than 100 Nativity sets from 30 different cultures had me practically shivering in anticipation. And it most certainly did NOT disappoint.  Housed in the Upper Room Chapel and Museum in downtown Nashville, the exhibit runs through the end of January.  Although a $4.00 donation is requested, the box is discreetly placed (in fact, I had to go back to the desk and ask where to place my donation) and you are in no way coerced to donate.  

Here are a few pictures although as you well know, I am not a photographer and most of these pictures were taken through glass.  They are not of high quality, but I wanted you to have some idea how special this was.  If you have any interest in viewing handcrafted Nativity Sets from many different cultures and are anywhere in the vicinity of Nashville, TN, put this on your to-do list.  

 

We settled in at our very favorite cabin, Uncle Pete's at Rockhaven Farms,  We've stayed here so many times, it seems like home, yet we never grow tired of being in this lovely place.  Plus, it is close to Long Hunter State Park where we planned to hike on Saturday and Sunday.  

Saturday dawned as clear and calm as Friday had been brutally cold and blustery.  We headed out to hike the Bryant Grove Trail in Long Hunter State Park.  Tennessee has a terrific state park system most of which have miles of well-marked and perfectly maintained trails.  I had hiked this particular trail on my very first hike with now good friends, Gene and Judi and wanted Bill to enjoy it with me.  I'll let a few pictures take the place of words...................

After experiencing the pure luxury of the cabin's whirlpool tub (which I do not have at home), steaks grilled by chef Bill, and our traditional holiday viewing of The Polar Express, we called it a night anticipating another great hike on Sunday.

Sunday's weather called for mostly cloudy skies with rain moving in by early afternoon, so we got an earlier start.  Our trail today was the Volunteer Day Loop, a trail that was new to both of us.  This trail turned out to be our favorite of the two that we did.  Trails in middle Tennessee are so different from those in the Smokies primarily because they are flat and much smoother.  They are truly a pleasure to walk and even a clumsy soul like me can look up from time to time without stopping simply because the trail is so smooth it isn't likely you'll trip over a rock or a root.  Benches were placed at strategic points all along this trail and the solitude was wonderful.  We talked about some important things going on in our lives, some upcoming decisions that need to be made and our much anticipated trip to Florida coming up, but mostly we hiked in silence left to our own individual thoughts.  It was wonderful.  Enjoy these pictures from the Volunteer Day Loop.

 This rock garden along the trail was absolutely beautiful. 

This one just kind of summed it all up.  How peaceful does this look?  Who knows what I was thinking about?  I could have sat there for hours!

Trailheads in the Smokies where I most often hike, are usually far from any towns, so it felt quite odd to be sitting in Red Lobster less than ten minutes after finishing this trail.  I enjoyed one of their seasonal specials, Tilapia with Roasted Vegetables, that was delicious!  We made it back to the cabin just as the rain arrived and spent a quiet afternoon together gearing up for today's very hectic schedule.

I want to wish each of you the very best Christmas Day.  Your friendship is important to me and I treasure each one of your kind comments.  You've stuck with me through good times, bad times, quiet times and times when I did little but whine about any and everything!  I count all of you as friends!  Let's walk together into 2013 anticipating another year of cultivating healthy habits and deepening friendships!

Merry Christmas!

Revitalized!

Laurel Falls Trail - GSMNP

December 17, 2011

Except for a lingering cough and a very frustrating lack of energy, I seem to be back to normal after losing a full two weeks of productivity at a time I least wanted to do so.  As if anyone EVER wants to be sick enough to lose two weeks!  It was, however, a good lesson for me to experience.  A reminder that giving in and letting others "do" for you plus simply accepting that things which you thought HAD to be done really aren't all that important.  Thanks again for all your concern and well wishes.   Illness is ugly and it seems I've had more than my share over the past six months, but I'm thankful to be feeling good again and excited about the holidays and the new year. 

Bill finished a very successful school term this past Friday and completed his responsibilties as Assistant Choral Conductor for the Knoxville Choral Society on Sunday afternoon.   Did you hear the shout??  December is an extremely trying month for any musician and as much as he loves the performance aspect, he is always glad when that last concert ends.  We've had some low-key fun this week with a combination of activity, rest, spending time with friends/family, evening movie watching, etc. as we gear up for the frenzy that will start on Friday. 

So here are the three things on my mind this morning that I wanted to share with you........

1)  Hiking - I have hiked only once since my last post and it was a short one.  I have missed it terribly and likely will not be hiking again in MY mountains until the first of February. (Read on for the reason why that is).  Thanks to the two weeks lost due to illness, I will not reach my secondary goal of 400 miles hiked in 2012, but that's o.k.  I did reach the original goal of 350 miles and that, in itself, was an increase over mileage hiked in 2011.   One hiking friendship ended in 2012, one enjoyed extended hiking time due to the unexpected availability of this person (translate: became unemployed), and new relationships were established and solidified.  I am thankful for this blog as through it, I first found Gene and Judi (who no longer blog) and then Becca.  Now that I am at goal weight, I am a stronger and more confident hiker and my plans in 2013 include becoming an active part of some area hiking clubs which will always provide opportunities to hike most any time.  The friend who became unemployed is actively working on completing all 900+ trails in the Smokies and we've had such a good time helping each other out planning routes and getting new trail mileage accomplished.  After a well deserved break, his job prospects look good and I expect, he'll be employed once again by the time I return from Florida.  I hike for the peace and solitude, so my preference will always be to hike solo or with a friend, but those aren't always options and becoming a part of the groups will increase those options considerably plus give me opportunities to hike in new places. 

2) Weight -  I don't mind confessing that I am just a tad above my scream weight.  I unexpectedly gained a few pounds (I still find this unbelievable) while I was sick.  Your thoughts about that helped me relax.  The weight, however, did NOT fall off once I was able to return to normal eating.  I am not worried.   In fact, I am very relaxed about it.  With Bill home, we traditionally enjoy some of our favorite restaurants* and he COOKS, so I'm placing my focus on sticking with the habits I've learned over the past year, maintaining portion control and avoiding white sugar/flour.  The pounds are actually coming back off - it's just slower than it would be if I would revert to Cycle 1 of the 17DD.  That's what will happen in January!! (*When Bill is out of school, we love having breakfast or lunch at some of our favorite NICE restaurants in town which we avoid during dinner hours for two reasons, expense and portions)

3) Our Plans - Here's the holiday schedule.  I am so excited because it includes some things that are very different from years past and that always energizes the radical part of my personality.  Although I love tradition, I'm not one who stays enthusiastic about doing things exactly the same way they've been done for the past thirty years.  I love change and I love being creative in the way traditions are done.  We will be traveling to my sister's home for our family Christmas this year.  That will happen on Christmas Eve morning, but Bill and I are headed to Nashville on Friday morning for a few days in our favorite cabin and the chance to check out some of the places we love in Nashville.  We'll be back home in time for our church's Christmas Eve service and then dinner with Bill's mom that includes family friends.  We will enjoy a very quiet Christmas Day (this is new and I am SO excited about it) just the two of us.  We remain flexible about what we will actually do on that day.  As best we can remember, there has NEVER been a Christmas Day when we didn't have at least one place we HAD to be at a specific time.  Wednesday and Thursday following Christmas will be frantic as we prepare to leave for Florida.  Heading to Florida is a tradition that was put on hold three years ago when Bill's dad became ill.  It is a tradition which I am thrilled to be reviving as I thought we'd likely forever lost the chance to return to our favorite place when I gave it up in January of 2010.  I also realized that this part of our life was pre-Blog which means YOU know nothing about it.  Funny how this blog seems to have ALWAYS been a part of my life.  So next post (whenever I can get it written) will tell you more about where you might find me for New Year's and most of January.  Prepare to be envious - I am a lucky girl!  And like I said, so happy to be given the chance to return to a place that feels like home which I thought I'd lost forever!! 

Curiosity about you always gets the best of me.......

What are your plans for Christmas and New Year's???

Regrouping

Rabbit Creek Trail - GSMNP

December 4, 2012

A resounding thank-you is my top priority to start!  As I expected, you came through with kind words, thoughtful suggestions and much appreciated wisdom after my last post.  This has been a tough couple of weeks and unfortunately, it isn't over yet, but I can see light at the end of the tunnel.  It occurred to me that I've only been sick for two weeks, but it feels like a lifetime!  Here's the latest on that and then believe me, I am more than ready to let the subject go!  On Thursday, I had my regularly scheduled visit with my rheumatologist who was THRILLED with my progress since restarting the Enbrel as my primary medication for Rheumatoid Arthritis.  She and I are both still astounded at the immediate relief once that specific med was reintroduced.  The whole episode which lasted from mid-August until mid-October was quite the wake-up call to me.  It reminded me that no matter how good I might feel, the fact remains that for 30 years, I have had a debilitating, chronic illness for which there is no cure.  Yes, tremendous advances have been made and continue to be made in the treatments available, but I must never become complacent enough to believe that this will not be a primary challenge for the remainder of my life.  Each "flare" takes its toll in one way or the other.

Unfortunately, my rheumatologist (who is also a board-certified internist) was NOT happy with the way I looked or sounded.  Since she noted that right away, I must've still looked pretty washed out although I'd completed my first round of antibiotics and thought I was on the mend.  She promptly sent in a prescription for seven MORE days of antibiotics and I am on day five of that.  I can tell that it is working, but this particular med doesn't agree with my system very well, so I've had to endure some rather unpleasant side effects, most notably a headache.  But as I said, the respiratory part seems much better and I'm hoping for good things this week.  Another lesson reminder has been that sometimes, you just give in and let some things go.  Basically, I've lost two weeks and many of my Christmas traditions simply will not happen this year.  And that's o.k.

For now, I think I've found a way to work around the picture quota limit issue.  Upon further research and based on what some of you indicated, I've learned that this is one of Google/Blogger/Picasa's "known" issues and it seems some accounts are being shown as having reached their quota when technically, they haven't.  Since many of you who have blogged far longer and post lots more pictures than I do report you've NEVER been told you'd reached a limit, nor do you pay for extra storage, I'm going to sit tight for a few weeks and see if the issue might fix itself.  In the meantime, I have reset my camera to take pictures using less pixels and found that I can now upload with no problem.  Quite frankly, I can't see any huge difference in the quality of today's pictures compared to those I'd been posting.  So we'll see.

I was able to hike one day this week, but quickly realized my stamina level had got up and gone so they say.  Knowing I'd spent the better part of the previous week on the sofa, we picked a shorter hike (7.4 miles) that would also net me one mile of new trail.  Thanks to a very patient hiking partner, it was a wonderfully enjoyable day, but jeepers, was I ever slow.   A slow hiker by choice at any time, believe me, when I concede that I'm trudging along, the pace must be brutal to whomever is walking with me!!  But then, surprisingly, when we reached the end and calculated time hiked, the pace wasn't any slower than normal, so guess it was all in my head.

Yeah, yeah, I can hear you all thinking loudly.....she needs to end this rambling, drug induced post immediately.  And I'm going to do just that.   Enjoy a few other pictures from my hike!

This trail was closed for several months following the April, 2011 tornado that ripped through the south wreaking havoc along a swath through Alabama, Tennessee and points further north.  The park service did an amazing job getting trails reopened, but even now, there are still two trails in this section of the park that remain closed  I've hiked many of the trails that sustained damage, but none as evident as this one.  Having hiked Rabbit Creek Trail many times, I had a basis for comparison and can only tell you that it doesn't even resemble the same trail.  What was once shaded forest is now completely open and would appear to a newcomer as if the trail had just recently been constructed.  I understand that this is the circle of life and the forest will come back, but to those of us who love it so much, it is heartbreaking.  These two pictures don't even begin to depict what we saw, but maybe you can get the idea.

 Rabbit Creek Trail - GSMNP

December 4, 2012

This river is crossed via log bridge at the beginning and then the end of this out and back hike.  It is always so peaceful.  This is one of the most remote entrances to the park and one of my favorites.  I always enjoy hiking in this area.

Please continue to remember my friend Jo (A Well Kept Life) as she cares for her terminally ill husband and my friend Tami (Nutmeg Notebook) as she recovers from foot surgery.  This is when blog friendships are tough.  I want to DO something - I want to hug Jo and I want to take Tami a casserole.  I hope they both know that I care.  And I know you do as well!  Update:  Jo posted a short notice late Sunday evening that her husband passed away on Saturday.  Please keep her in your closest thoughts this week.  I simply cannot imagine what that must feel like.  They had been married 29 years.

Are you ready for Christmas?

 

Sharon's Sad Post-Thanksgiving Saga

Traditional After-Thanksgiving Hike - West Prong Trail - GSMNP
November 24, 2012

To say that I am in the midst of a full blown tussle with life is putting it mildly, so let's just say from the outset that this will likely become a whine-fest of epic proportions.  My hope is that you will ignore it and move on.  Not the post - please don't ignore it.   Ignore the whining and know that at some point, I'll return to the version of myself which I actually like!!   

I need some help quickly, so will start with this plea.........

1)  If your blog is set up through Blogger, read on.   If not, move on to whiney post subject #2!  When trying to upload today's picture, I received that unexpected message that I had reached the end of my 1 GB picture storage limit and could no longer post pictures to my blog without upgrading to a paid subscription.  This happened once before and somehow (unfortunately, I can't remember how), I was able to get around it.  This time, however, no dice.  The only way I was able to get today's picture uploaded was to compress it which makes the quality horrible.  Many of you who post through Blogger have been blogging longer than I have and post LOTS more pictures than I do.  Do you mind sharing your secret?  Are you paying for the extra storage or is there a way around this?  And let me qualify.....an EASY way around this.  Technology is not my strong suit and I have absolutely ZERO additional time to fool with it.  As important as this blog is to me, maintaining it HAS to be simple.  If it can't be, the pictures will have to go.  Suggestions please......................

Moving on..............

2)  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.   Bill and I enjoyed a perfect post-Thanksgiving Day hike (of which I'd love to post some pictures if I could) and celebrated the one year anniversary of my beginning the 17 Day Diet.  My weight on Friday morning was exactly 25 pounds less than my weight on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving one year ago.  Unfortunately, the post-Thanksgiving euphoria hit a resounding thud by Saturday evening as the dull headache, scratchy throat and hoarse voice indicated an upcoming problem which I chose to ignore and lived to regret.  I took some over the counter meds, gargled salt water and moved on.  We were having dinner guests Sunday evening whom I always look forward to spending time with, plus I really didn't feel bad and at that point, truly hadn't come to the realization that I was getting sick.  By Monday afternoon, my thought process included calling my doctor and requesting an antibiotic with the idea that we'd nip this in the bud from the beginning.  Tuesday morning, I met Becca for coffee.  Although it seemed the chest congestion was getting worse and the dry, hacking cough more troublesome, I still was not giving in to the fact that I truly was sick.  By Tuesday afternoon, I was on the sofa where I stayed until Saturday.  Can't recall ever having anything quite like this.  Thankfully, never any fever, nor the chills and pain associated with flu.  Just a deep, unrelenting chest cough that has left every muscle in my chest and back prone to spasms from the incessant coughing episodes.  This is something I try every which way to prevent because with a compromised (translate: non-existant) immune system, it is likely this cough will persist throughout December.  Needless to say, it has been a depressing, discouraging week in which I've felt myself getting further and further behind.  I've been unable to attend a couple of events which are important to Bill forcing him to attend alone and I've missed some important choir rehearsals for our Christmas Music performance which is now less than a week away.

The saga continues..................

3)  Since Monday evening, I've have existed on three things as it has been ONLY these three things that have sounded or tasted good to me.  I have eaten oatmeal, cereal and cream of chicken soup.  I've tried throwing some yogurt in, but that just didn't work.  This may sound impossible, but I've managed to eat enough of those three things that I've gained some weight and am above my scream weight.  That's got to turn around although I suppose there's some humor to be found in what crazy person gains holiday weight eating oatmeal and cream of chicken soup.  Unfortunately, food still doesn't sound or taste good, so the oatmeal/soup/cereal diet continues.  

But the tone of this post is about to change.....................

Yes, I am still sick.   Yes, I am discouraged as I've yet to buy the first Christmas gift for my family and I have LOST an entire week.   Yes, our weather all week last week was gorgeous and I was unable to hike a single time.   Granted, I've felt so bad, I didn't care, yet nothing makes me feel better than time out in nature.  Yes, I have settled into a gloomy outlook for the upcoming weeks and that is so not my normal way of looking at things.   I've got to find some fight and turn it around.   

And I will..................

It started Saturday morning with a trial early morning run to Walmart just to see how I did and if there was any stamina at all.   Two traditions of giving that Bill and I celebrate together are buying items needed for the Mission of Hope (gifts for the children of rural Appalachia) community drive and the annual Christmas Brunch (a special "nice" brunch for the homeless and low income families of our community) sponsored by our church.  Believe me, no matter how rotten I've felt this week, it took only about 30 seconds of choosing hats, gloves, scarves, underwear, socks, etc. for folks WHO HAVE NONE OF THOSE THINGS.   For all these days, I have laid on a comfortable sofa in a beautifully decorated den (which I would post pictures of, if I could!!) knowing that at some point each day, Bill would call and say, "do you need anything?"  And that we were able to easily afford the prescription I needed plus anything I wanted that would help me feel better.  Go armed with a list of items for folks who likely have NONE of those things and it'll put things in perspective very quickly.  Yeah, I lost a week and my Christmas shopping may include more gift cards than usual this year because of it, but that's o.k.  I can afford those too!!

And last of all, but certainly not least..................

Please, PLEASE remember my blog friend, Jo, who blogs at A Well-Kept Life.  Jo and I began blogging at approximately the same time and we live in the same state, so there has been a connection from the beginning.   Just a few short weeks ago, her husband was suddenly, almost without warning it seemed, diagnosed with esophageal cancer.   His condition has deteriorated rapidly and their heartbreak is palpable through the written page.  My heart breaks for them.  Hospice has been secured and he has chosen to forego any further treatments.  Please remember them in your prayers.  I cannot begin to imagine what this precious friend of mine must be feeling.

So once again, from me you receive a long and rambling post.  With or without pictures, it's "me" and is pretty much a reflection of why I named this blog, "Gains and Losses:  LIFE Through Sharon's Eyes."  Please do two things for me...................

a)  If you have any insight regarding the picture saga, help me out.   Posting the pictures is important to me and you've always seemed to really like that.  I hate to have to eliminate that aspect of the blog.

b)  I'd rather have some upbeat comments on what your week has been like than sympathy because I've been sick.  For starters, tell me what you and your family do each Christmas to "give back" to your community or those less fortunate.  I know you all - I don't think anyone reading this will say they do nothing.

Thanks so much for reading and commenting!

Priority Check

Brushy Mountain Trail - GSMNP

November 10, 2012

I could write about successfully navigating the next six weeks while remaining true to your healthy eating plans, but it seems everyone else is writing those posts and there is absolutely nothing I could write any to offer anything different and certainly not better.  For me right now, the issues seem to revolve around another set of priorities causing me to take stock and carefully consider the ways in which I am spending my time.  What are the things about which I am most passionate and are those the BEST things?  What, if anything, has become a time gobbler (pun intended!!) that needs to be refined or changed?  

In the 2 1/2 years that I've been writing this blog, I've only been through a "blog" crises once, but knew even at that time (as I know now) that stopping wasn't an alternative.  I love writing the blog and have no desire to leave BlogLand anytime soon.  If anything, the ideas keep coming and I look for ways to expand.  But I've got to do a better job with time management because, as we all know, writing and reading blogs can become quite addicting at the expense of other real life things calling for our attention.  

For me, the thing that suffers when my BlogLife gets out of whack is my morning quiet time.  For decades, this ritual has been the most important hour of my day.  As my morning devotional time goes, so goes the rest of the day.  Until the blog came along, it was a non-negotiable.  And it is STILL a non-negotiable.  But over time, I've developed the habit of "checking the google reader" before settling in with my Bible and/or whatever devotional material I'm working with at that particular time.  And funny, how there's so much good stuff in the reader that I glance at the clock and an hour has past.  It's time to get Bill up, make the smoothie and head out for our walk.  

So there's priority check #1 - Nothing else happens until the morning quiet time is done.  On busy days, this may mean I NEVER get back to the google reader or to a post I'd planned to write.  I reinstated this priority a week ago and was immediately able to tell a difference in my attitude, actions and behavior. 

Tomorrow, I will reach my 350 mile 2012 hiking goal and that's another explanation for my very sporadic blog posting.  I am hiking the heck out of these two feet and loving every minute of it.  We've had a phenomenal autumn with ideal hiking weather and it's not over yet.  Remember that there was a time back in September and October when I was questioning whether I'd be hiking at all because I was in so much pain from an unexpected Rheumatoid Disease flare-up.  I am so full of gratitude for the turnaround that I make no apologies for the fact that being outside right now is a top, TOP priority.  Those who truly know me, understand that I feel most alive and in touch with both myself and my creator when out on a trail.  I am thankful for a spouse who doesn't fully "get it" about the hiking, but knows he experiences the same "high" when he steps out onto a stage and raises that conductor's baton to lead a group of musician's in a masterful performance.  He goes with me when he can (as long as it's not over five miles - LOL!), but has NEVER minded my going with others or resented the time I spend on the trail or the amount of gas I use getting there.

Priority check #2 - I will maximize every opportunity I have to spend time outside.  Everything else can wait.  I'm a good organizer, planner and disciplinarian.  The laundry will get done, the bills will be paid, we won't starve and no responsibilities to anyone will be neglected.  I'm not selfish - I just know that I'm better when this passion is fulfilled.  You either understand this or you don't!!

Priority check #3 is going to be a bit harder to explain, but I'll try.  In the past year, I have lost the extra weight I had regained since my 65-pound loss in 2006-2007,  I have now maintained at or very near goal weight for several months.  I am thrilled with those new healthy eating habits.  I became ecstatic in July when Bill joined me in changing some habits and starting a regular walking routine.  Not only did he feel better almost immediately, but it gave us a built-in 40 minutes every morning to communicate with each other.

But the one thing that doesn't seem to have changed is that my life and thought patterns still revolve almost 100% around food.   Yes, the thoughts are much different, but I'm still TIRED OF IT!  I can't get away from it whether it be my surroundings or my own mind.  Over the past year as I've reassessed and reevaluated, I've come to learn that I am actually a very simple eater.  I don't need or demand a three-course dinner every evening.  I'm not, nor will I ever be, passionate about cooking even though I've come to realize that it's something I can do well when I choose to.  I'm just as happy with a bowl of cereal for dinner as I am when Bill (an excellent cook who LOVES doing it) prepares one of those three-course dinners.  Problem is, I can't get away from it.  Everywhere you turn, it just seems as if life revolves around food.  

Disclaimer:  Please don't anyone take offense.  This does NOT in any way, shape or form apply to any of you, my precious friends who write about food.  That is the focus of your BLOG.  For the most part, I only know that aspect of you.  There is much more to you than your blog and I strongly suspect, there is more to your life than what I see you write.  

So my last Priority Check for today is a concentrated effort to reframe my mind and my conversations towards subjects other than food.

I want to wish each of you a joyful and happy Thanksgiving.  I hope that it is a day you anticipate with a smile and warm memories.  We certainly do.   For us, this Thanksgiving has taken on a more somber note as twice in the past two months, we've personally dealt with a tragedy in life of someone we care about.   On September 16th, this accident changed forever the lives of two people we've known since they were teenagers.  Jeff's wife, Kim, who was driving in front of the van and witnessed the accident which killed her husband, was a member of the youth group at a church Bill worked at during the 80's and early 90's.  Jeff came along a bit later and as you can see, they had grown into adults working as Youth Directors in a church of their own. On Monday, one of Bill's students was killed in a horrible house fire leaving her three children without either parent.  Music majors, because of the time required spent together, become a tight-knit group and this was no exception.  Bill is totally exhausted after two days of dealing with his own grief while helping bewildered college students (many of whom this is their first experience with death) begin to cope with theirs.  Kristina was with them one day, gone the next.

I don't write any of that to be morbid.  Thanksgiving is a day of joy and these things serve to make us even more grateful for the gift of being able to approach it in that way.   My family is healthy and happy.  My heart almost explodes to think about it.   I have friends here and all over the US who love and care about me.  What more could I possibly want?  Absolutely nothing!

But that isn't the case for everyone.  Somewhere close to you is someone who looks toward the holidays with dread, sadness or a myriad of other emotions.  I'm asking you to think through your life and find at least one person who might NOT be looking forward to Thanksgiving and even less, to Christmas.  Make a call, give a hug, write a note, do SOMETHING!  Just don't close your eyes to the suffering around you while luxuriating in your own pleasure!  

Share with me one non-food related priority you'd like to reevaluate!

Safety Net

Meigs Creek Trail - GSMNP

This is creek crossing number one of 17 on this 3.5 mile trail

October 31, 2012

Sometimes, just getting a post started is the hardest part for me.   In this month of Thanksgiving, I am so totally overwhelmed with gratitude for consecutive days in which I feel normal and are relatively pain-free that words simply fail me.  Once more, let me thank so many of you for your kind words of support both in the blog and through email.  I simply remain in disbelief that restarting a medication after a four month break made that much difference in such a short amount of time, but it did and I refuse to question it.  I am just thankful for it and in introspect, will take no moments for granted plus pray that I can be the friend and support system to others that so many have been to me.  Pain comes in many forms, it shows no mercy and is absolutely no respecter of persons.  Never, ever take one moment of your health for granted.  

Barbara Berkely, who blogs at Refuse to Regain, posted one of the best articles I recall on the fine art of weight maintenance.  You can find it here.  Barbara has some pretty harsh stances on eating not all of which I agree with, however, she writes with great wisdom about the challenges involved once one moves from weight loss mode into weight maintenance.  I love her acronyms, D.U.M and S.M.A.R.T.  You'll have to read the article to learn about them.  I'd already been doing some thinking as to how I planned to navigate my first holiday season as a maintainer.  

It didn't take long to realize and become comfortable with the fact that I will approach it by doing exactly what I've been doing for the last year.  I have established a final goal weight, plan to stay within a two pound range of that goal weight and have determined that my "scream" weight will be five pounds above the goal weight.  

I view "holiday" eating in the same way that I view travel/vacation eating.  For me, nothing changes.  If I start trying to fit in extras or compromises, I'll be at that scream weight and beyond before you know it.  I'm not willing to let that happen.  It is not worth it.  

Each of us has to develop the plan that works for us individually.  The important thing is to establish your plan for holiday eating NOW.  One of my favorite one liners applicable to most any life situation, but TOTALLY applicable to this is, "failing to plan is planning to fail."  No matter where you are in your journey, much damage can be done in the next two months leading to major discouragement and remorse come January 1.  Please don't let that happen to you.  

 Creek Crossing #4

During the weeks of difficulty in getting my RA under control, hiking never lost its joy, but it certainly lost some of its pleasure.  I was also made to confront the idea of having to strictly curtail my hiking or getting to the point of not being able to hike at all.  These thoughts were not pretty and were the days when I reached my lowest point.  So to be back on the trail week before last with Becca and then twice last week with another hiking friend from my church at times brought out emotions so deep I could hardly contain them.  I felt strong and energetic.  It felt good!   And to be blessed with so many friends who are willing to adjust their pace to mine and lend a hand when I need it.

 Creek Crossing #7

Meigs Creek Trail is one of my favorites because in all of its 3.5 miles, you are rarely away from the sound of rushing water.  Those 17 creek crossings are challenging, but fun and with low water in the park, we felt they would be easily rock hopped or might require changing into water shoes for wading.

Creek Crossing #14

Sandy did quite a number at the higher elevations dumping record breaking snowfall amounts unheard of for October.   It was difficult for me to be out having such a good time when so many were (and are) still suffering.  But the beauty of being out in the woods on a clear, sunny day listening to the gentle crunch of my boots in the snow and reflecting on the many reasons I have for celebration right now brought the pleasure I'd been missing and an indescribable joy!  

Grapeyard Ridge Trail - GSMNP

November 1, 2012

You really can't see it so much in this picture, but the grin from ear to ear says it all.  We call it the hiker smile and my friend (who took the picture) told me I smiled for the entire 7.6 miles of this trail!  I don't doubt it for a minute!

What Are YOU Smiling About Today?

Tell Someone You Love Them, Be Active, Pay It Forward!