Cloudy Days, Walkabouts, and The Weight of Scales

 I didn't take my camera with me this morning, because I took Nettie, but here are a few shots from yesterday, Odin's first outing in the neighborhood: 

Heading west - A lovely wall mural <3 

Sunrising beside the Rincons (facing East, DUH ...) 

North, looking at the Catalinas, a few houses down from ours

We left a bit earlier this morning, because COOLER, and it's been cloudy, so it's in the mid-80s, which is heavenly. Working on training Odin with some form of collar that delivers pulses or vibrations, but not the shock collars of old. I'm conflicted. At first, I thought it would be a good plan, but the thing has to be on so tight, I know it can't be comfortable. So, is it going to help when he's NOT wearing it? I don't know. He's very intelligent, and loves to go walking, so we shall see. 

So far, he hasn't been super reactive to anything, dogs or people included, so that's a bonus. He's got another session with the trainer this weekend, so hopefully, we can pick up more pointers on his in-home behaviors, get those changed or corrected, and then move on from the collar. OR, it's just something he has to wear in public, and at home, we just keep working on manners without it. We shall see. 

In other news, hoping the clouds hang out for at least the next hour or two. This weather is downright blissful. The Weather Theys say there are chances for haboobs and rain later today. We shall see. A little over two months in, and I think I'm done checking the weather obsessively. Coming to learn quickly that, in our current locale, this is what the weather will be: 

Gently borrowed from a Facebook Group

And this cycle repeats several times per week. 

I've decided to slowly step away from the weather app, and just be pleasantly surprised IF and WHEN it does decide to rain! 

IN other OTHER news, of the keto varietal, had my first protein crash yesterday. I may have snacked on a cheese stick, some almonds and a small bag of Korean BBQ pork rinds before lunch, and then at lunch, I ate a rather large serving of Buffalo chicken whatever it is, and about 40 minutes later, I was down for the count. 

This is NOT how I want to spend the duration of ketoing. I remember it well from the last time. 

So I'm currently in search of new dietary ideas, but will stick with NOT snacking on proteins before lunch, and will probably stick with some form of salad and a protein for lunch, then some other form of protein and a veggeble for dinner. 

Current snacks of choice are pork rinds, occasional chip dip, and celery with a bit of peanut butter. 

I've also encountered a few nights where it's nearly impossible to go to sleep - another symptom of ketoing. Therefore, I think I need to incorporate some magnesium glycinate before bed to help withe sleep. I would take melatonin, but past experience is getting a burning headache when I take it, so I will probably avoid it. 

I was solidly in ketosis this morning, somewhere between 4.0 and 8.0, let's say 6.0, which is cool. My body apparently has keto memory, so it didn't take long at all to get going, and the week of finishing off the sugar-based coffee creamer probably helped alleviate any form of "keto flu." A few days there were headaches, but nothing Tylenol won't solve. 

This brings me to weights and measures. Scales are FUCKED. 

If you know me at all, you know I have some penchant for keeping multiple scales in rotation. Mainly because you can't get a straight answer from any of them, so you kind of just have to take an average. 

I bought one last year or the year before, it was both digital and mechanical, and of course, those two in one contraption COULD NEVER come to an agreement. Also, you can only get a semi-accurate reading ONCE. If you step back on immediately, you'll gain four to five pounds. What the holy fuck? 

So, I bought a new digital, thinking it would work better. I was incorrect. It shot me back up over the 200s. It's being returned mainly to preserve my sanity. 

I told myself when leaving Ohio that I wouldn't do this again. I failed. 

I then went and bought another mechanical scale with large numbers so my blind arse can read it from up above. 

I think I'll be comfortable just using manual with an occasional sanity check on the other one. I fully realize the number on the scale is NOT the most important factor, so there's that. 

I also bought a new tape measure, but have yet to take any measurements, mainly because I don't care. :D If the clothes fit better or looser, I will know things are working properly. I also can tell just by how I feel and look physically. 

Since I carry most of my poundage in the mid section, it's easy to see when it diminishes, which it has. I can also see some changes in shoulders and face, even this early in. All of that helps keep me going. 

In non-keto news, I can hear the ravens chatting in the distance, and there were no less than six hummingbirds buzzing around this morning. We now have two feeders hung up, and thus far, I am not seeing them all getting along in perfect harmony. There are more than enough feeding stations, but they all fuss, and bicker, and chase each other around the yard. 

I think that's all I got today. 

Life is good and getting better. 

Thanks for stopping by! <3