Nice - really SO nice to have an extra day to the weekend! Yesterday was perfect. Went over to feed DD’s cats, of course, and then back home & DH & I went to hunt down a grinder for our flax seed (well, for the flax seed we were going to buy, that is). Found a nice little Mr. Coffee coffee grinder at Target for $20 that should do the trick, and then went over to “Living Earth” a local natural foods store where they keep things like flax seeds and sunflower seeds and all sorts of grains and such in bins with scoops and plastic bags hanging nearby so you can scoop out however much you need. We also checked out the Omega 3 capsules that Jon Gabriel recommends in his book, but felt we could do better price-wise at the local CVS pharmacy, so didn’t get those. Then, after our successful shopping expedition, we went home, dropped our things off, picked up our walking sticks and some clippers (in case I ran into any pussy willows, or anything else interesting) and took my car up to the old Rutland prison camps, near where I lived as a child during the winters - in summer, we lived down in Little Compton, RI. The old prison camps comprise acres and acres of old dirt roads. fields, woods, and has the Ware River running through it. It was, from what I understand, in its heyday at the turn of the 20th century, a somewhat innovative (for its time) approach to criminal justice in that it was a huge working farm with massive gardens, a dairy farm providing fresh milk and beef for the prisoner’s consumption, and the operating policies seemed to revolve around working hard, eating nutritiously, and being rejuvenated and restored to good mental and physical health in the clear air of Rutland, which was already well known for its state tuberculosis sanitarium on the other side of town. The air was supposed to be especially clear and pure, with Rutland being located on a high elevation, and so on and so forth. There was also a very progressive hospital on the grounds of the prison camp itself. There are still many of the old foundations, some cement staircases that climb to nowhere, stopping abruptly where the entryways once were. The place was de-activated sometime in the forties, I believe, and soon after that, the buildings were mostly demolished. As a child, I spent many hours on my bike riding all around the dirt roads and trails of the old prison camp, and wandering the fields and along the river. SO anyway, DH & I drove up there and did a good two-mile walk along the road that parrallels the river. It was a warm, sunny afternoon - temperature in the high 60’s - with a pleasant breeze; perfect for a walk, and we enjoyed it so much!

Then, back home to heat up some of Sunday’s roast, bake some sweet potatoes, and stick a box of frozen spinach into the microwave - not exactly a gourmet meal, but plenty for us.

This morning I lugged my blender into work along with a container of soy milk, two scoops of whey protein in separate snack baggies, and a bag of frozen whole strawberries. Also took a Healthy Choice steamer bowl of rice and beef something-or-other that equals 260 calories, just in case these whey/soy shakes tasted nasty. But, I made my shake when I got here this morning - 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein powder, a cup of soy milk, and a cup of frozen strawberries - and it was PHENOMENAL!!!!! Absolutely delicious, and totally filling, and I guess I’ll have another one for lunch as is recommended, and then have a normal, low calorie supper. Hopefully, this will knock off about five pounds in a week or two, which is all I ask <g>. Yeah, DH & I are getting really committed to this health stuff lately. Must be spring; we’re feeling like we need to start fresh and get mobile and healthy. He could stand to lose 20 pounds or so, and we may as well do it together, eh?

It’s hard NOT to be enthusiastic now that good weather has finally arrived - it just feels good to be out in it for a change.

Have a great week, all,

Hugs,

Z