[TiogaGirl]

Howdy! After a very fun weekend of having the TiogaBabies back in the house, I’m all alone (except for the cat and the dogs) while hubs drives them back to their respective university cities. So why not come here for companionship?

 

Saturday I took my new bike out for a spin, no destination, just loving the feel of flying around the river paths under the blue sky, leaves drifting down over the path ❤️ Then back home to do a coaching workout then hang out with the family. We celebrated the final day of summer with margaritas AND a trip to the neighbourhood ice cream parlour ? 

 

(Safe to say my calories were more than a little over that day (while still not managing to hit protein target, yikes). But it’s looking like only one day of eating like a jerk this week and six of nailing goals, pretty much. That is an improvement over last week!

 

Today, first day of fall, and we took ourselves down to our favourite downtown diner for breakfast. That is not a low calorie meal either!! But it totally tided me over ‘til tonight’s dinner, and I think I managed to Tetris in enough protein and fibre, so macros and calories are on track to be sensible. It was a rest day from workouts but I did a couple set of plank and one of chair squats- barely need any assist from the ring setup at all now!  And went for a little walk with the TBabies earlier in the day. I think I’ll go for another little stroll in a bit, maybe once I finish the files I’m working on.

 

TiogaHubby is the chef in the house like 99.9% of the time, but tonight I was on my own, so tried out a new-to-me chili recipe. FANTASTIC!! Well, after I cranked up the spice level to my tastes. Sweet potatoes, onion, black and pinto beans, fire roasted tomatoes, a grilled poblano, ground turkey. Then some plain Greek yogurt dolloped on the top *swoon* I love it. And I guess I will have leftovers for awhile as it’s hard to make single serve chili!

 

 

[Everstorm]

Ooh, that chili recipe sounds amazing.  Do you mind sharing?

[TiogaGirl]

So happy to talk food and recipes at any time ❤️

I used this base recipe https://dishingouthealth.com/slow-cooker-sweet-potato-black-bean-chili/ except:

1. made it on the stovetop in a le creuset as I don't have a slow cooker

2. added a tablespoon or so of olive oil to sauté the onion and garlic in (probably can skip if you use slow cooker)

3. added a pound of ground turkey

4. boosted chili powder from 2T to 6T, boosted garlic and smoked paprika a bit too

5. added 1-2 T of unsweetened cocoa powder for that mole vibe

 

bon appétit!

[TiogaGirl]

Busy day today! Had a 9:00 meeting, but was able to bike past the long long line of cars stopped at the picket lines and made it to campus in plenty of time. Then fiddled with spreadsheets, lab meeting, move group seminar, biked home, alto section mini rehearsal, and home about 9:30p for dinner. Whew!

 

Big goal this week is to keep calories at or under 1850. Managed it today, thanks to meal prep and some pre planning! ?

[TiogaGirl]

Ooh it’s been a minute. Busy, busy week! ? that’s end stage September for ya.

 

How’ve I done against my stated big goal of 1850 cals/day average? Hmm, not great, I am heading into the last day of the week about 500 over. Had two work lunches and two dinners out which are really to blame. At least the dinners were fun (one just me and hubby at our little neighbourhood burger joint celebrating the end of a long week, the other a reunion with my Grease cast mates at a groovy resto bar I’d been really wanting to try). Work lunches were just, eh, work lunches, tried my best to keep the macros solid but obviously didn’t do well enough.

 

the good! Hubs and I talked to both kids Friday and both are happy and busy, doing well at school so far. ❤️ Saturday we took our bikes out for a long ride along the river path and that was glorious to be out there riding together. Saturday also did some yin yoga at the studio, and Friday and today both I made it to the gym for some real lifting!!! 

 

I also buckled down and braved our reimbursement system to submit well over $1000 of health claims (assorted physio visits, massage, post surgery assistive equipment, new glasses…) —should really have done that months ago but I always build it up in my head to be more of a barrier than it actually is. 

 

For the rest of today, going to shower, then back to the yoga studio, then some data wrangling: I have tomorrow set aside for blah not-my-real-science-but-gotta-get-done tasks, like meetings, writing a slew of reference letters, editorial stuff, so if I want these data to get entered by the end of the month it’s really today’s job. Oh, and homemade pizza tonight, woohoo!

[TiogaGirl]

^^^ ah, bold plans, TG! ?

 

I did shower and go to yin yoga, which was awesome. Then remembered that I had kind of committed to doing a meal prep, so got turkey sweet potato chili all a-simmer.  And posted assistive devices that I needed after surgery onto the local buy nothing group, and found takers for all of them (and all picked up already, too!) No data entry though. Just going to take it easy tonight and rest up for a big day tomorrow (of doing things i don’t really want to do but they all need to be done!)

 

RIP Kris Kristofferson

 

 

 

[Salinger]

Hey TG

 

So glad your kids are well and happy!

 

And that you had lovely bike ride with hubby.

 

You sound great and makes me smile

 

Are you still bird watching/listening? Xx

[TiogaGirl]

Hey birthday girl! Yeah it was a great weekend just the two of us, it really helps knowing that the little ones are doing well!

 

I need to go birding again, ‘cause it is getting into peak fall migration time here. I’m not as good at identifying birds in their fall plumage as in the spring though! Even the Merlin app is not so much help as they don’t sing much this time of year. Like, it’s always exciting when you hear your first X (oriole, flycatcher, gnatcatcher etc) of the spring, but when you see or hear the last one of the fall you don’t usually know it’s the last at the time. Still, it’s a great way of spending time outside, and feeling connected to the natural world and the changing of the seasons.

[TiogaGirl]

Gulp, September 30th is the deadline day for so many commitments and past-me has punted a LOT of things to this day.

 

Gonna need a list!

Spoiler

• Walk Dante
• coaching workout
• shower and get presentable
• Breakfast, track, brush teeth
• ride to campus
• Smith letter
• ack, whittle cv from 20 pages to 2
• Stealth data entry until
• committee meeting
• email faculty support person re new centre
• Meds letter J
• Meds letter C
• Scholarship letter S
• Scholarship letter J
• Lunch, track
• Editorial pomodoro new paper
• editorial pomodoro papers needing more reviewers
• outdoor physio bout
• look over R thesis revisions, comment back
• Check due date for colleague promotion letter, calendar a day for working on that
• ride home, feel smug

[TiogaGirl]

UGH so many letters, they're all taking so long, but trying to work through the list as best I can!!

Going to take a little walk around campus now for a mental health break, then back to it

[TiogaGirl]

Whew, that was a day. I didn’t finish everything on the list, but…

 

1. I did get done everything that was drop dead depending on me (like, without my reference letters being submitted the students’ applications to various things would not be considered). I feel a little bad knowing that most of them were sweating about whether I’d get ‘em done. I always do, though!

2. I smartly did the coaching workout before going to work, instead of hopiumming that I’d be motivated at the end of the workday (hint, I never am)

3. My bike ride home with Mr TG was so fun and the weather was so perfect that I was bewailing our commute being too short, that I wanted to just keep on riding. He sweetly took my backpack home for me so I could zip off for a half hour’s ride along the trails!

[TiogaGirl]

Hey all!

I shook things up today by working out in the campus gym in the morning, right after getting to campus. It's a lot less crowded! This won't work as a long term tactic once I am back in the classroom each morning, but felt good to get that lifting knocked off the list today. Then did a little editorial stuff (I'm still so far behind it's scandalous, but getting better now at least). My student meeting today had to be postponed as student just tested positive for covid  It's really going around! Kid 1 and her gf have it now too, again, eek. This is like the 3rd bout for kid 1 so I'm really hoping no serious long term effects!

 

Other than that we're all well and happy. I have an appt with my knee surgeon in a couple hours (I think just some X-rays and the normal 12 week checkin), so may use that as a delineator - keep working on tasks I need to get done until it's time to go to that, then after I get back treat myself to an hour or so of doing my own science!

[TiogaGirl]

X rays look great, the ortho team was very happy with my range of motion, and I am cleared to drive again! (I actually far prefer riding my bike but there are some trips that the car is more convenient).

 

Biked home with hubby after his class, got into jammies, listened to the rain pouring outside, ate spaghetti with meat sauce. All’s good

[Everstorm]

Yay for recovery from knee surgery!

[TiogaGirl]

Oh, I can do un-assisted squats now! Surprised myself and my physio guy with that one, knocked off 3 sets of 10. Just bodyweight obvs but still!

 

beautiful, classic October day here. Did some science I wanted to do, some other stuff I had to do, did physio, rode around on my bike. Now getting ready for choir rehearsal (long one tonight and I’m not super motivated to go, but eh, I’m committed).

[TiogaGirl]

Well… rehearsal was fun. I’m glad I went. Choir friend and I got stymied by a looooong train crossing on the way home though so didn’t get home til like 945, so no dinner until 10 ? it’s either eat at 5 pm or wait until 930, no reasonable options on a choir night!

 

Nonetheless, protein, fibre and calories bang on every day this week so far (and last week was pretty good too)! I am definitely benefiting from meal prep & some leftover-generating meals on the weekend.

 

I’m so excited for Saturday because Mr TG and I are driving our bikes out of town to a rail trail and going for a long ride!  This weekend can’t come soon enough!! But tomorrow should be good, nothing scheduled except some lifting and some science.

 

[Everstorm]

Congrats on hitting your nutrient goals!  Meal prep is such a game changer, isn't it?

[Salinger]

Hey TG

 

How did your mega bike ride go??xx

[TiogaGirl]

6 hours ago, Salinger said:

Hey TG

 

How did your mega bike ride go??xx

Mmmm… we decided to just do a shorter one around the city today, as we had a celebration of life this afternoon for a dear colleague. I was a little delusional and optimistic thinking that we could drive out of town, do a long ride, then get back in time for the event! But we rescheduled the long one for Oct 20th.

 

It’s probably a good thing that we only went out for a few hours today as my legs were super shakey and sore during the celebration even as it was!! ? 

 

Anyway… was a FANTASTIC day for a ride, and we had a good time except for a brief foray onto a super busy highway!! We noped right out of that as soon as we could and rode back through the fall foliage, goldenrod, and river views. Pretty perfect. The celebration of life was also nice (we rode up to campus for that too!), lots of good memories of this colleague (who led a long and full and exciting life); chatting and catching up with people I hadn’t seen for awhile and even the people I see often but don’t hang out with too much.

 

Came home, changed back into fuzzy fleece pants, and iced my legs while hubby built a fire in the fireplace ❤️ so overall a pretty nice day.

 

I’m still super super psyched for the mega ride though! Next weekend we’re traveling for Canadian thanksgiving which is why we have to wait two weeks to pull it off.

[Everstorm]

18 hours ago, TiogaGirl said:

through the fall foliage, goldenrod, and river views

 

Sounds magical ✨️ 

[TiogaGirl]

On 10/6/2024 at 3:55 PM, Everstorm said:

 

Sounds magical ✨️ 

Yeah ❤️  

 

Quiet day on Sunday. All the dogs got baths then I went to a really great gentle yoga class! That was… pretty much it?  Really cooled down during the night, but we were prepared with the coziest flannel sheets out of the dryer. 

 

Today, I woke up super early stressing about my newest student’s thesis project. Checked my email and he was stressing and second guessing it too! So we met up today and hashed out a new project that I feel a lot better about. Had a productive lab meeting too, a bunch of writing (paper revisions) then met up with two progressive minded colleagues for scheming (we are in a massive minority on Big Important Superconservative Board). Rode my bike to campus (in the rain, boo) and home (sunshine, yay) but otherwise not a lot of exercise. Still, felt good to have a productive day and some troubleshooting.

 

Was meant to go to alto practice, but that got canceled, so I got to have dinner with hubby then we cuddled up with hot cider spiked with nonalcoholic spiced rum and watched some Pride & Prejudice. Boy, Mondays take it out of me, but I love a Monday evening at home! Peak coziness!!

[TiogaGirl]

…and then slept like an absolute log until 7!! That was all sorts of awesome as I’ve been struggling with sleep issues lately- usually I can fall asleep okay but wake up & can’t get back into it. So cold and busy Mondays are all right as long as they bring great sleep.

 

today: not so busy in terms of meetings (just one, and no prep for it or homework after it). Looking to be cold and sunny. Lots to do: paper wrangling for a few hours, updating colleagues about the state of said paper, lifting, editorial stuff, and maybe a swim???

 

And riding my bike, obvs. Best part

[TiogaGirl]

Setting those plans for today!

Spoiler

• Walk dante
• breakfast & track
• brush teeth & sunscreen
• pack lunch & track
• ride to campus
• gym, lifting before it gets too packed
• wrangle paper: non stats bits to text
• work pomodoro style & take little walking breaks (bring the walking poles!)
• Meet with student
• wrangle paper: stats bits
• wrangle paper: non stats bits to ESM
• ride home
• shower and get cozy

 

[Everstorm]

14 hours ago, TiogaGirl said:

I’ve been struggling with sleep issues lately- usually I can fall asleep okay but wake up & can’t get back into it

 

My sleep has been pretty erratic too.  I can't seem to find a balance between over and under sleeping.  Maybe it's seasonal?

[TiogaGirl]

On 10/8/2024 at 9:35 PM, Everstorm said:

 

My sleep has been pretty erratic too.  I can't seem to find a balance between over and under sleeping.  Maybe it's seasonal?

I hope it’s seasonal, then it should get better soon! ? I guess this equinox adjacent time of year is when the day length is changing most rapidly.

 

Oh gosh, tomorrow starts the (Canadian) thanksgiving weekend! I love this holiday, colonial roots notwithstanding, but there are SO MANY THINGS I had meant to have done by now - or at the very least by this time next week. After next week I’m back to lecturing 6x/week plus office hours on my day off plus answering ALL THE QUESTIONS. That is okay, in a weird way I love it and get energized by the interactions, but it will definitely backburner other stuff (research, editorial stuff beyond the bare minimum, grad student pastoral care beyond the bare minimum) until end November. So a gentle reminder to myself to get this manuscript out the door, and to clear out my editorial inbox as much as I can before the crazy starts.

 

Things are good though! Tuesday was productive paper-wise plus activity; rode my bike, walked across campus to the gym, lifted for about an hour. Then yesterday was another good one, hubby and I both worked from home (okay, I didn’t really work that hard, but did comment up my undergrad student’s proposal draft). We both had bike service appointments down at the bike cafe, so rode down there, dropped off the cycles, drank lattes and browsed panniers etc, then rode back home via the little hole in the wall banh mi place and picked up awesome sandwiches. ❤️ THEN hubby needed to make a trip to the mall, so I came along and hit up the shoe store to replace my very-need-of-replacement sneakers and hiking shoes, then a lil visit to LUSH, then home for an awesome afternoon bath!! Then show choir practice in the evening. Whew!

 

Today: physio clinic first thing this morning, then a student committee meeting, then 2-3 hours to buckle down and get some work done/ things crossed off the list before the next meeting.  Rewarding myself with yoga at 6 pm, then we’re having homemade pizza for dinner!!