Joyful Darkness: My Life's a ball (of yarn)

100 days of Fitness Challenge: Weeks 2 and 3

2021-08-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

I've already had a mild setback/bump in the road. It's true that reality does not match up with Instagram.

Week 2 went great, however week 3... not so much. I hit a bit of a snag with some exhaustion, extremely busy work schedule, my birthday, and a day at AwesomeCon.

Here are the work out stats for weeks 2 and 3 - you can see that I added a set in week 2, which went well.

While I did not make time for workouts in week 3, I still made sure I got walks in. Here you can see the numbers my Fitbit recorded for workouts, walks, and overall movement/HR throughout the day.

Similarly, food was not as on point in week 3, as it had been in weeks 1 and 2. I will update you in my Week 4 post as to what I am generally eating, now that I am back on that habit.

All in all, this was a simple blip in the timeline, and I will go back to the Plan. These kinds of weeks are bound to happen, and I am not concerned overall with the occasional unintended workout vacation.

Overall Stats round up

Workout

Reps - 1031

Miles - 20.1

FitBit

Stairs - 1179

Steps - 231,681

Calories - 59,714

Zone Calories - 25,516

Remember to be as kind to yourself as you would be to a friend. You deserve that grace and understanding too.

100 days of Fitness Challenge: Week 1

2021-08-12T15:11:00.000-07:00

Week 1 of my self-challenge has flown by - so much so that it is halfway through week 2!

Let's talk about how I am going about this challenge.

The Workout

Every day I aim for a 1 mile walk. I will ramp this up in week 2, so that I end up with 1.25 miles a day. We also hike on the weekends, however that doesn't count towards the challenge - we were already doing that.
After my walk I do some simple exercises to jump start my day. In week 2 I will add a second set later in the day.
The Exercises are as follows

4 way leg lifts - start 10 each direction, then add 1 more every day.
I did these way back when I was in ballet, and was reintroduced when I had ACL surgery. This is a good video that shows all 4 directions with a resistance band. I do mine in what I call 'dancer style'. (if I get brave I'll video it for you)
Push ups - start at 20, add 1 more everyday
Currently I do counter level push ups, and will probably keep that up until I can do 50 push ups 3x a day, then move to the floor.
Squats - start 10 each regular and sumo every other day, add 2 every time.
I like squats, however I am out of practice
Bent Over Dumbbell Rows - start 10-15, 5lbs
My decision was to use enough weight that I couldn't comfortably do more - but not so much that I was shaking or really pushing myself - however I could only find my 5lbs weights.
I also do some basic arm warm ups like arm circles front/back, and tricep pulses, because my joints are starting to be really stiff in the morning.

I log everything in a google sheet, and keep track of workouts and walks, as well as my overall Fitbit details. This is what week one looks like:

The Food

I eat the same thing Monday through Friday. It really keeps things simple. I used the Satiety index, coupled with my own food allergies and sensitivities, to create a quick and easy base menu. On the weekends we are a bit more loosey-goosey with food. My main focus is ensuring I eat enough during the week when I am hyper-focusing on work. I will out line my day to day food next week.

The Scale

I am not focusing as much on the weight portion of the scale, however I do still weigh myself on Saturday morning to see my numbers. My goal is aimed at adding muscle and regaining my cardio endurance, so the weight alone isn't really useful, as muscle is heavier than fat by volume.

Therefore, I am tracking:

Weight
Body Fat %
Muscle %

I made a great little google sheet that shows all the details of what those three numbers mean as pounds.

100 days of Fitness Challenge

2021-08-04T10:44:00.003-07:00

"There are no quick fixes. But, by taking action just a little bit every day, you will build up a powerful reservoir of confidence, self-esteem, and discipline." —Scott Allan

I like to challenge myself - I've done the 100 day dress challenge from Wool& recently, and that has led me to a "Right sizing the wardrobe" challenge I'll be organizing for myself for September.

Right now though, as the weather promises to turn cool in the foreseeable future, and I [maybe] return to pants that aren't leggings, I am reminded that I want to be more fit. Specifically I want to:

Have less body fat
Have more muscle
Be able to walk for longer distances
Do a pull up. A real honest pull up. Not expecting that in these 100 days, however my exercise plan include things that should help me get there.

I have long since lost my work out habits after years of change, changing houses, changing family structure, changing responsibilities, changing access to workout facilities. So I have opted to challenge myself to get the fitness habit back over the next 100 days.

Why 100?

It's a nice round number. Look at those zero's!
Building a habit requires more that 21 days, some research says closer to 60 day, and I want to not only build habits (multiple small ones) but also to make them stick. 100 days is time to tweak, perfect, and add new habits as I go.
I can do 3 sets of 100 a year, with breaks in between to reset, and plan new shenanigans.
I can tell myself that if I really hate this challenge there are only X number of days left. It's not forever, and I will still feel accomplished.

I began the challenge August 1, and will be finished November 9th. Then I'll do a mini session as I get prepped for another 100 days starting January 1.

Looking forward to sharing more info with you shortly.

Shower Loofah - Bulky

2020-08-06T14:44:00.003-07:00

This shower loofah will feel great on your back or feet! Make in a rainbow of cotton colors, to coordinate with our Petal or Basic Knit cloths, or a solid color that matches your bathroom! Great as a set for house warming gifts, or for a craft fair.

Supplies:

Lion Brand Sponge Cake - approx 288 yards/264 meters. I used approx 1/2 a ball of 6 colors.

K/10.5 (6.5 mm hook)

Notes:

Sc BLO - Single Crochet in Back Loop Only.

This pattern is made from 6 loops, and 2 braided or crocheted 'ropes'.

Pattern

Loop (make 6, or however many you want)

ch9

Row 1 - Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc to end (8sc)

Row 2-20 - ch1, turn, Sc in first st, Sc BLO in next 6, sc in last stitch (2sc, 6 sc in blo)

Cut yarn, Sew the ends together to make a loop. Weave in ends.

Rope (make 2) (this is what you hold the loofah with, and hang it up in the shower by)

for a braided rope, cut 3 strands of preferred color(s) approx 2 times as long as you want the cords to be . knot together and braid.

for a crocheted rope, chain a length 2 times as long as you want the cords to be.

Assemble:

take 2 Loops, and lay them across each other to make an X.
grab one rope, and fold in half.
take one end of the folded rope and feed it through one end of the bottom loop, and then through the other end of the bottom loop, knot the ends of the rope (either overhand for a nice big knot, or feed one loose end of the rope through the loop at the other end, tie the two loose ends into a square knot)
Pinch the bottom loop ends together over top the top loop. tighten the rope that goes through this loop, while pinching loop number two so that points in the opposite direction (image)
Pull a third loop through the ends of loop two, so that half loop three is on each side (this 'captures' loop 1).
Continue in this manner for loops 4, 5, and 6 (or however many loops you made.
grab the other rope, and fold in half.
Feed this rope through the open ends of the last loop, and tie in the same manner as the first rope.

Petal cloth - Bulky

2020-08-06T14:21:00.001-07:00

The Petal Cloth was inspired by my favorite type of blanket - the round ripple - and the hippie-style flowers that were popular when I was in high school (back in the 90's). Made with a bulky cotton yarn, this cloth works up super fast for a great last minute gift, or craft fair item.

Supplies:

Less than 1/4 ball of Lion Brand Sponge Cake (approx 23 yards/22 meters)

K-10.5 (6.5mm) hook.

Pattern:

Make a Magic Circle, or ch 4 closing with a slip stich in the 4th chain from hook to create a circle.

Rnd 1: Ch 3, DC 11 times in the circle, slip stitch to top of Ch 3.

Rnd 2: Ch 3, DC in same stitch, 2 DC in each DC, slip stitch to top of Ch 3 (23 DC, 1 CH3)

Rnd 3: Ch 3, 2 DC in same space, sk 1, *slip stitch in next stitch, sk 1, 6 DC in next stitch, sk 1* 5 times, 3 DC in the first stitch (where you made the ch3, 2 DC), slip stitch to top of Ch 3

Cut a short tail, weave in ends.

Quick Knit cloth - Bulky

2020-08-06T14:20:00.002-07:00

The most basic bulky cloth, for showers or dishes, made in bright cotton yarn, is a cheery project - perfect for beginners, quick gifts, and craft fairs!

Supplies:

Lion Brand Sponge Cake - Approx 1/4 cake (23 yards/22 meters)

Size 10/6mm knitting needles (I prefer circulars)

Pattern:

Cast on 20 in your preferred method.

Knit 38 rows (19 'bumps' on one side)

Bind off in your preferred method. Weave in ends.

Yarn Review: Yummy Yarn by The Hook Nook

2020-06-24T10:59:00.005-07:00

About this yarn:
Yummy is a Hook Nook brand yarn. For more information about The Hook Nook visit their website - https://www.thehooknooklife.com/ The Yummy yarn is listed as a Size 5 Bulky weight yarn 80% acrylic, 20% wool (for non metallic) 77% acrylic, 20% wool, 3% metallic yarn (for metallics) 3.5 ounce, 100 grams 185 yards, 170 yards Gauge: 11 stitches, 15 rows to 4-inch, Hook: k/6.5mm, Needles: 6-7 Hand wash, do not bleach, do not iron, do not tumble dry. I bought my Yummy yarn at Joann Fabrics on sale, Regular price is listed as $8.99. It is also available TheHookNookLife website (https://www.thehooknooklife.com/shop/thn-yummy-yarn) for $9.00.
Knitting with Yummy:
The Scarf is a simple garter stitch (Knit every row). I cast on 20 stitches. Final Size: 5"X54"; 14cmX138cm Supplies: 1 Skein of Yummy in Blue Skies size 6 knitting needles ( I used the interchangeable set I bought at AC Moore in their going-out-of-business sale)

Crocheting with Yummy: 12 point round ripple, I use the SmoothFox Beginner Round Ripple Pattern (http://smoothfoxlover.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-smoothfoxs-beginners-round-ripple.html) Final Size: 21"; 53cm (Diameter) Supplies: 1 Skein of Yummy in Like a Dove size K crochet hook (unknown brand)

Summary Score:

Wearability - Very soft, a little fuzzy, no scratch from the metallic thread, nice drape at guage, a little 'sheddy' at first. (4/5)
Snuggly-ness - Very snuggly, very soft. (5/5)
Craftability - This would be great for scarves, fall/winter shawls, leg/arm warmers, bulky mittens, hats, cowls. I might use this for a blanket, were it not for the 'handwash only'ness of it. (4/5)

Overall Score 15/20

Agile Shawl - The Basic Recipe

2020-03-20T07:04:00.003-07:00

Add to Ravelry Queue

I created this shawl because I love pockets, but I hate sewing them on to projects. This shawl is made in 3 parts.

1. The Pockets - these are your gauge swatch too!

2. The center of the shawl - this is worked in rounds to meet the size of your pockets

3. The 'Border' - the first round adds on your pockets, and then continues until you have hit your goal width or length. For additional width/length, you can add more rows on the preferred side(s).

The basic steps for this shawl are:

Gather your preferred materials - you can make this with any yarn you like. I recommend a hooksize that will give you some drape, this is a shawl after all.

Next, measure your wingspan, OR determine where you want your pockets to be - measuring from the bottom of where one pocket would be to the bottom of the other pocket. Decide how big you want your pocket to be. I made mine 8" so they would fit my phone.

Decide your overall preferred length and width, so you can decide how much to add after you make the first two sections of the shawl

Make your pockets, and then do a tiny bit of math to determine your starting chain.

My Sample Pattern:

3 skeins of worsted weight yarn (approx 24oz)

H hook

Note - this is how I made my shawl, your sizes may be different, based on the math outlined above.

Granny Square - Make 2 (I like to turn after every row, others do not, do what you prefer)

Rnd 1 - starting with a magic circle, ch 3, 2dc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, slip stitch to top of ch3.

Rnd 2 - ch3, (2dc, ch1, 3dc) in first ch1 space. (3dc, ch1, 3dc) in the next 3 ch1 sps, slip stitch to top of ch3.

Rnd 3 - 8, (3dc, ch1, 3dc) in the corners, and 3dc in each space in between 3dc clusters.

Break off yarn, weave in your ends.

Rectangle -

Ch 123

Rnd 1 - in 4th ch from hook (2dc, ch1, dc), dc along one side of chain until last chain, in last chain (1dc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 1dc), turn chain over and dc back to the end (be sure to dc in the same ch you made the original cluster in), ch1 and slip stitch to the top of the ch3 .

Rnd 2 - create the granny clusters - the basic idea here is to create the (3dc, ch1, 3dc) in the corner ch1's, and then BETWEEN every 3rd dc on the row below do 3dc.

Rnd3 - Rnd 8 - (3dc, ch1, 3dc) in each ch1 corner space, 3dc between the 3dc clusters below.

DO NOT END .

Put the pockets on - I like to clip the squares onto the rectangle, or use stitch markers, to hold them together all lined up so that you do not have to stop and count spaces while you are crocheting this next round.

Rnd 9 - Ch3, 2dc into the space between the 3dc clusters on BOTH the rectangle and the square at the same time to attach the pockets. continue the standard increases at the corners. Take care to get through both the rectangle and the square in the pocket area.

continue until the shawl is the width and/or length you would like.

if you want the shawl longer - add more rows to the ends

if you want the shawl wider - add more rows to the side(s)

More iterations of this basic recipe are forthcoming.

Tag me on Instagram @edgardianlife or use the tag #AgileShawl when you post pics, I love to see what everyone is making!

Happy Stitching,

Joyful Darkness.

2019 Birthday Post.

2019-08-20T08:49:00.002-07:00

Last years post.

The past year has gone by painfully. We experienced the most stereotypically bad deployment that I can imagine (family members passed away, house issues including heating problems and boiler leakage, car issues, the company I work for was acquired, and being seperated for all the special holidays and fall birthdays.)

And just before the deployment started (and I mean the morning before he left) we found out that they were subdividing the property we rent into 19 houses.

Which means we began the house hunting process as well.

All in all being 39 is not something I would ever want to repeat. Here's to 40 being much more about growth, and whole lot less about loss.

Stats!!

1. I have been alive for 480 months.
2. The Kid is 4 years and 10 months, that means I have been a mom for 12.08% of my life.
2. The Kilted One and I have been married for 17 years and 4 months, which is 43.33% of my life, if you go back to when we started dating then we have been together for 20 years and 3 months or 50.6% of my life.
3. I have worked at my job for 15 years and 8 months full time, with just over 2 years of contract work before that. That means I've been working at the same place full time for 38.33% of my life, and in total I have worked with this company for 44.16% of my life. However under the new name it's only been 9 months, which is 1.875%

Goals for the next year:

1. Buy a house

2. Reduce what we own in the moving process
3. Nature more, technology less.

With Celebration:

Joyful Darkness

2018 Birthday Post

2018-08-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

Last years post.

The past year has gone by quite quickly - we've successfully navigated crazy travel schedules for myself and the Kilted One, moved to a house from our apartment, helped my parents move out of the family home into an apartment...

Stats!!

1. I have been alive for 468 months.
2. The Kid is 3 years and 10 months, that means I have been a mom for 9.8% of my life.
2. The Kilted One and I have been married for 16 years and 4 months, which is 41.8% of my life, if you go back to when we started dating then we have been together for 19 years and 3 months or 49.35% of my life.
3. I have worked at my job for 14 years and 8 months full time, with just over 2 years of contract work before that. That means I've been working at the same place full time for 37.6% of my life, and in total I have worked with this company for 43.58% of my life.

Goals for the next year:

1. Rearrange the entire house.

2. Do 40 things I have never done before.

3. Survive potty training, and never look back.

With Celebration:

Joyful Darkness

In Memoriam

2018-07-26T17:28:00.002-07:00

We buried him today - father of 3, grandfather of 8, friend of many, writer of stories, caster of pods, player of bass and guitar, teller of puns, player of board games, encourager, creator, reader, and so much more.

He was like Mr. Rogers had a young mischievous brother - quiet, kind, unassuming, always planning something wonderful, or silly. He would hide your shoes to make you laugh. He would calmly tell you that 'you can do this' when you felt like you couldn't.

Mostly though, he would share.

Gary shared books, ideas, thoughts, prayers, songs, time. He shared his love, his kindness, his calm, and his quiet. He shared his silly mischievous plots. He shared.

The wonderful thing about sharing, and sharing is a wonderful thing, is that when you share a book, or a song with someone you are also sharing a little bit of yourself. And so it was with Gary. Now we each have a little bit of him, living inside our hearts, our souls.

So each of you take your piece, and share it with others. Share books, share music, share time, share encouraging words, share kindness - and in doing those things, you will share your piece of what Gary was to this world.

Do not worry, friends, because when you share that little piece it does not diminish -instead, it grows. It does not fade, it brightens.

And so, like songs, and stories, the more you share these gifts he gave you the longer he lives on in the hearts and minds of us all.

Here are three of the treasures that he gave me:

1. When I was a very young girl I asked him what he recommended I read, he said (paraphrased) "You will never go wrong with the Bible, and Tolkien".
2. Not being good at something was no reason to not do it. No one is an expert on day one.
3. The best place to hide a flip flop is the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Joyful Darkness.

This Week's Food!

2018-04-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

Breakfast
3 hard boiled eggs
3 strips bacon

Lunch
1oz / 1 small dill pickle (split into 4 pieces)
2 oz of deli turkey (2 - 4 slices depending on brand)
3 cups of broccoli and cauliflower
1 tbsp butter

Dinner
4oz chicken
1 cup brussels (cut into small pieces)
butter
garlic
1oz mozzarella, shredded

OR

3 Meatballs
2 cups broccoli
1 tbsp butter

Snack
Keto Cheescake
Turmeric Tea

(I also keep 1oz of Whisp crisps in my bag, in case I need an extra snack)

Beverages
Coffee (half-decaf) with Coconut Milk or cream
Water
Sparkling Water
Tea

Yarn Review: Red Heart Ombre

2018-03-19T07:31:00.005-07:00

Crocheting with Red Heart Ombre

Overall, this is very much a Red Heart basic yarn in terms of feel and performance.

Round ripple measurements: 34 inches peak to peak. Did not wash or block, I loved the way the color changes worked up. Pattern I used is found here -http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/beginners-round-ripple

Elements CAL: Lightly blocked, this was a nice pattern, I would not do such a large project in this pattern, however, and would instead do the actual CAL the way it is written. This would make a very nice base block for multi-block afghan.

Knitting with Red Heart Ombre

Basic seed stitch was a bit tedious in this yarn, and I would recommend doing something a little more adventurous to assist the transition-y set up of this ombre.

Scarf Measurements: 71 in. long. Washed and lightly blocked.

Overall -
If you enjoy using Red Heart with Love, then this yarn will be very comfortable for you. I would recommend doing a extra hot wash with a cup of white vinegar to help soften this up if you want to make a wearable item.

These were $8.99 at Joann Fabrics and A.C.Moore

Knit gauge: 17 sts and 23 rows = 4" (10cm), US Size 8 (5 mm)
Crochet gauge: 12 sc and 15 rows = 4" (10cm), US Size I-9 (5.5 mm)
Skein Weight: 10 oz / 283 g Yardage: 482 yd. / 440m
Contents: 100% Acrylic Yarn Weight - Worsted #4

Price per yard/meter - $0.0186/$0.0204
Price per ounce/gram - $0.899/$0.0317

Summary Score:

Washability - It is definitely washable, does not desperately need to be blocked, and you can toss it in the dryer. (5/5)
Wearability - It's a basic Red Heart acrylic, with a little washing it will be fairly wearable (4/5)
Snuggly-ness - Not very 'snuggly', no squoosh. (3/5)
Craftability - This is a workhorse yarn, like most basic Red Heart Super Saver and With Love. You can make blankets, scarves, hats, toys, shawls, and more with this, no problem (see above for drawbacks) (4/5)

Total score - 16/20. I may buy this again, if it is on sale or I have a great coupon (I'm looking at you '55% off one item' at ACMoore coupons).

2018 Food Blog - January

2018-01-29T07:50:00.004-08:00

Here are all the Recipes I tried out in January, I did figure out the cost of my breakfast and that breakdown is at the top. I will be doing my best to figure this out going forward this year, so you can see what different things cost per recipe and per ACTUAL serving.

BREAKFAST

I make an Egg dish that is mostly Eggs and Veggies. I keep the effort and cost down by buying the largest pack of eggs I can, and using frozen veggies. Ham and seasonings round out the flavors, but are used sparingly, to keep the calories and fat down to a livable level for me. The cost of the seasonings are negligible - I barely use a whole container in a year, and I use these 5 for everything.

Ingredients:
20 large eggs - $2.66
1 16 oz bag frozen spinach - $.99
1/2 16 oz bag of chopped broccoli - $0.495
1/4 ham steak - $1.5625
1 cup of shredded swiss cheese - this is about 1/8th of the block I bought.
Italian Seasoning
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder

Total Cost - $6.41875
10 servings = $0.641875 per serving.

Sometimes I can get my frozen veggies on sale (like this week), so I will buy more. I looked back and saw that once in awhile I have to get $1.99 spinach, which brings this to $0.75 a serving.

LUNCH

I've not been feeling too great as a whole this month, plus it's been cold. So homemade Chicken Rice soup made with leftover roasted chicken has been my go-to. I am not sure what the cost is on that.

I also made a vegan chili for our office chili cook-off. (recipe here) It came to about $1.46 for an actual serving, 4 lunches. The recipe says it makes 8 cups - so about $0.73 a cup.

DINNER

I got an Instant Pot, and the Crock Pot version too, so this month has been an adventure of pressure cooking.

Chicken Broccoli cheesy rice - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/65654107052142370/
Meatloaf and mashed potatoes- https://www.pinterest.com/pin/65654107052164298/
Cauliflower Soup - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/65654107052063121/

Dragons Ep2: Organization, Moved

2017-10-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

I began this Dragon Slaying journey with the intention to either buy a house or stay in our apartment. It was very black and white for me. Life is not so cut and dry, so instead we have rented a house - but we did so very last minute. No preplanning, prompted entirely on a forward from a friend about a house for rent at a reasonable rate.

Which means:

I have to reorganize.

So this episode has moved to another time, when I can show you how I have changed my life to be a little more organized... since we are totally in disarray at this time.

For those of you keeping track, who can hold me accountable - my base-level goal is to be ready for Thanksgiving to be at my house.

Organizational Change goals:

1. Reassess and tweak my routine tasks - I have already begun this process in Habitica.

2. Unpack. - This little word holds so many hours. We haven't ever lived in this much space - and deciding what goes where is already a gigantic task for us, more than doubling our square footage is insanity. So this is where the most brain power has to go.

3. Get rid of stuff. - If I am being honest, which I am, we have too much stuff. Most of us do, so that's not a surprise. However, when moving one tends to realize just HOW much stuff one has. Lots of things have made their way to the trash, recycle, and thrift stores. More will be heading that way as time goes by.

4. Keep It Up, Tweak As Needed (KIUTAN?) - That's my motto these days. Keep doing it until

More to come on all of these things.

Moving On,

Joyful Darkness.

Yarn Review: Caron TeaCakes

2017-09-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

Crocheting with Caron TeaCakes

This is a great bulky yarn for fall and winter projects. The sqooosh factor here is pretty high. The yarn is not as smooth as you might think, since there is a little wool in there (just like the Caron Cakes).

Round ripple measurements: Did not wash or block, really just did this for comparisons sake. This would make a great couch blanket with another ball or two. Pattern I used is found here -http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/beginners-round-ripple

Cowl: Sqoooshy, warm, and just the right size for a small cowl that will keep your neck, chest, and head warm this winter. Pattern I used is found here - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/one-row-lace-cowl

Knitting with Caron Tea Cakes
Fast knit. I was done in 2 meetings and a short car trip. Knitting is much slower for me than crochet, so to be done this in less than a week was amazing. This was a basic seed stitch.

Scarf Measurements: 67" long. Washed and lightly blocked.

Overall -
This is a nice yarn if you are looking for an easy care acrylic blend, in a bulky weight. Basically if you like Caron Cakes, but you are dreaming of something thicker - this is the right yarn for you!

Rolls were purchased for $9.99 a cake at Michaels Arts and Crafts

Knit gauge:
22 sts and 30 rows = 4" (10cm), US Size 5 (3.75 mm)

Crochet gauge:
16 sc and 20 rows = 4" (10cm), US Size h-8 (5 mm)

Skein Weight: 5.3 oz / 150 g
Yardage: 590 yd. / 540 m
Contents: 100% Acrylic
Yarn Weight - Light #3

Price per yard
Price per ounce

Summary Score:

Washability - It is definitely washable, does not desperately need to be blocked, and you can toss it in the dryer. (5/5)
Wearability - Soft, warm, but has a little rough edge to it due to the wool. Would not recommend if you have sensitive skin. (4.5/5)
Snuggly-ness - Soft and snuggly. High sqooosh factor. Not suitable for all seasons, definitely a late fall to early spring yarn (4/5)
Craftability - This is great for bulky scarves, but I wouldn't make a sweater out of it. It would make a great couch blanket for the really cold months, but it may be cost prohibitive to make a full bed sized blanket out of it - unless you *really* rock your Michaels coupons and are really patient. (3.5/5)

Total score - 17/20. I may buy this again, if it is on sale and I need a bulky yarn.

Let me know in the comments what you would make from this yarn.

2017 Birthday Post

2017-08-21T13:39:00.003-07:00

Last years post located here.

Another year gone by! We ran, but did not complete, a 10k at Disney World, we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary, our son had his first plane ride... and that was just April!

Stats!!

1. I have been alive for 456 months.
2. The Kid is 2 years and 10 months, that means I have been a mom for 7.4% of my life.
2. The Kilted One and I have been married for 15 years and 4 months, which is 40.13% of my life, if you go back to when we started dating then we have been together for 18 years and 3 months or 48% of my life.
3. I have worked at my job for 13 years and 8 months full time, with just over 2 years of contract work before that. That means I've been working at the same place full time for 35.9% of my life, and in total I have worked with this company for 42% of my life.

Plans for the next year: I am focusing on changing some very basic things about me - as those of you who are following my Dragon Slaying (and Riding) posts will already know. One of the things that I am focusing on right now is organization. My goals are more organized home, and more importantly a more organized way to be; food plans, regular exercise, and forethought on activities.

Looking forward to what the next year brings, and how I am going to organize it all!

With much love,
Joyful Darkness.

Yarn Review: Lion Brand Mandala

2017-08-09T20:26:00.003-07:00

Crocheting with Lion Brand Mandala

The recommended hook size was pretty good for me. The yarn is soft, and the end result had lots of drape. This would be a great yarn for baby blankets, scarves, and other light projects that you will be wearing.

Round ripple measurements: 36" from peak to peak, I did not wash and block - just about perfect for a baby car seat/stroller blanket.

Knitting with Lion Brand Mandala
Drapey, drapey, drapey. Even with my history of being a loose knitter, this worked up great. I am looking forward to giving this project as a gift to someone who appreciates large scarves and bright colors.

Scarf Measurements: 90/91" long. Washed and lightly blocked.

Overall -
I am a fan of this yarn. I am looking forward to making more projects with this yarn. I have already planned out 2 more projects, with one underway.

Rolls were purchased for $9.99 a cake on Lion Brand Yarns Website. The price has been lowered to $7.99 on their website since, additionally you can find Mandala at WalMart for $4.97.

Knit gauge:
22 sts and 30 rows = 4" (10cm), US Size 5 (3.75 mm)

Crochet gauge:
16 sc and 20 rows = 4" (10cm), US Size h-8 (5 mm)

Skein Weight: 5.3 oz / 150 g
Yardage: 590 yd. / 540 m
Contents: 100% Acrylic
Yarn Weight - Light #3

Rolls were purchased for $9.99 a cake on Lion Brand Yarns Website. The price has been lowered to $7.99 on their website since I purchased mine, additionally you can find Mandala at WalMart for $4.97.

Price per yard [Lion Brand Site/Walmart] - $.013/$.008
Price per ounce [Lion Brand Site/Walmart] - $1.507/$0.937

Summary Score:

Washability - It is definitely washable, does not desperately need to be blocked, and you can toss it in the dryer. (5/5)
Wearability - Soft. So Soft. Did I mention soft? It does not feel all 'acrylic-y', and it drapes well. (5/5)
Snuggly-ness - Soft and snuggly. Loses a point for thin-ness, but still a really nice yarn. (4/5)
Craftability - I'm deducting one point for not being ideal for ALL projects - I wouldn't really use this for a bed-sized blanket, functional sweaters, or toys. (4/5)

Total score - 18/20. Will be using this again, and again (once it is back in stock)

Let me know in the comments what you would make from this yarn.

Yarn Review: Premier Sweet Rolls

2017-07-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

Crocheting with Premier Sweet Rolls

I tend to be a looser crocheter, but in the future I may size up the hook that I use with this yarn. It was a thicker #4 Medium Weight, and felt a bit heavy and stiff as I was working.

Round ripple measurements: 21" from peak to peak, I did not wash and block. I will be ripping this out and making something new.

Knitting with Premier Sweet Rolls
As a looser gauged knitter, this was spot on for me comfort-wise. The stitches were not too tight or loose, and while that is more of a function of my style than the yarn itself it does mean that this yarn is a bit heftier than most with a similar recommended gauge.

Scarf Measurements: 31" long, 11" wide. I did not wash and block, I will be ripping this out and adding it to another blanket I am working on.

Overall -
I'm fairly ambivalent on this yarn. Once I redo these skeins into new projects, I will update this review.

Knit gauge:
17 sts and 23 rows = 4" (10cm), US Size 9 (5.5 mm)

Crochet gauge:
14 sc and 16 rows = 4" (10cm), US Size I-9 (5.5 mm)

Regular Roll
Skein Weight: 5 oz / 140 g
Yardage: 245 yd. / 224 m
Contents: 100% Acrylic
Yarn Weight - Medium #4

Large Roll
Skein Weight: 9.87 oz / 280 g
Yardage: 489 yd. / 448 m
Contents: 100% Acrylic
Yarn Weight - Medium #4

Price per cake - $5.99 for the 5oz at Joann Fabrics and A.C. Moore/ $9.99 for the 9.87oz skein at A.C. Moore

Price per yard - $.024/$.0204
Price per ounce - $1.198/$1.012

Summary Score:

Washability - Never got to the wash stage, however this yarn is 100% acrylic so it should wash well. (No Score)
Wearability - Warm, thick, Heavy (3/5)
Snuggly-ness - Not particularly snuggly. It suffers from "acrylicyness" (3/5)
Craftablilty - Knits Ok, Crochets OK. I might use this for Amigurumi, due to its heft and thick feel. (3/5)

Total score - 9/15. I will check back with you when I rework these, maybe the scores will change.

I'd love to hear your feedback in the comments. Let me know how you would score this yarn!

Dragons Ep 1: The Schedule Clan

2017-05-30T09:22:00.001-07:00

The Schedule Clan

Why I am Overwhelmed, Overscheduled, and Underperforming

When we first discussed my plan to Slay and Ride Dragons I explained how I picked out what my Dragons were. In my list of keywords SCHEDULE really stood out. Almost everything linked to my deep need to overestimate how much I can do, and underestimate how much time it takes to do it.

Because so many issues and solutions revolved around Scheduling, I knew that tackling that first would make the rest of the items so much easier to deal with.

Slay these Dragons
These are a few of the main themes that came up in my original list of issues:

1. Morning Rush - I was a mess in the mornings. Late out the door, my lunch and breakfast often sacrificed so that The Kid would have his lunch completely packed.
2. Workday Blues - I wanted to 'get more done' in the 8 hours a day I devoted to work.
3. What did I need here? - Getting to the store and getting things I didn't need, but not remembering the things I did. AKA - I know that list is around here somewhere...
4. Overbooking - For some reason I think that I can fit more stuff into a day than there are hours. As such sleep, exercise, and good nutrition were the first things to get shoved out of the way.
5. What was I doing today? - Getting up and not having a plan in place led to me thinking there was time, when in fact there was not.

Ride these Dragons
Here are the proposed solutions:

1. Habitica - Use Habitica.com to organize my daily activities, as well as keeping a list of future to-do items and habits I would like to implement.
2. Monday Morning Work Week in Review - the first hour or so of my work week is set aside to make sure that I have all my calendar items set, and organize my goals for the week.
3. Cluster some things - Group small related tasks together for efficiency
4. Chunk other things - Group parts of a larger task together to make things less daunting.
5. Primacy, Recency, Linking - Applying training/learning principles to organizing my daily schedule so that I could make things a little more 'autopilot' and a little less 'confused zombie'.

How I implemented The Plan

Step 1 - Set up my proposed schedule:
Using Habitica, I clustered daily activities into parts of the day - Morning, Work, Gym, Evening, and Night. In each of these groups I entered the names of actions I have to do during that time frame.

This is my Daily To-Do list, which is about to change again, as I am about to tweak my schedule to fit different goals. You will notice I do not micro-manage myself - these are fairly broad items - I did not include showers, getting myself dressed, etc.

Step 2 - Try it out for a week.
Each time I tweak a little item here and there, I try the new thing out for a week. I tried to follow the basic outline for a week, and decided I liked it, at a high level.

Step 3 - Make it brainless
I set up calendar reminders on my work calendar, which syncs to my phone calendar, so that I could manage my time without having to keep an eye on my phone, or FitBit. If I didn't have to check the time as much, I could get more done - using the limited willpower one has in a given day more effectively.

Step 4 - Go a little deeper
Once the main outline of Daily items was settled, I went about clustering subtasks so that I could get the same things done faster. For example: I clustered making lunches for myself and The Kid. I created a linked workflow to make it faster. Think of this like an assembly like - one thing leads to the next to the next. Reality Check time - this has been my least successful item in the whole process. Some days I just do. not. want. to stand in the kitchen and make all the things. So I give myself some grace after a long day. I go to bed a little earlier, and lunches get packed as best I can in the morning.

Step 5 - Rinse and Repeat.
I keep updating Dailies, I take stock at the end of the week to think about what worked, and what didn't. If it didn't work - I look at why, and tweak. If it did work, I think about what make that item work and try to apply that to other areas of my schedule.

Examples:

Didn't work:

Gym in the morning before work. It left me with so safety net for mornings when The Kid was not as cooperative as usual. Tweak: I do yoga in the morning as a quick pick me up, and then if The Kid is being his sweet self, I get to work a little early, and can take a walk at lunch time!
Making all lunches on the weekend. While it seemed like a great way to cluster an activity, it just led to waste when either The Kid or I did not finished everything one day. Tweak: I make 2 days of food for me, and one larger lunch for The Kid. Some days he finishes everything, but most of the time I can pack once, and repack the leftovers for the next day. Additionally this gives me a quick out if for some reason he decides that this week he hates meatballs.

Worked:

Making lunches while dinner cooks: 2 to 3 days a week I have to pack lunches now, instead of every day. During the cold months I would cook a casserole, or roast chicken, etc. 2 -3 times a week, and we would eat leftovers other nights. So I clustered making dinner, and making lunches, so that I could use the 20-45 minutes of time (and an already dirty cutting board) effectively. This will probably need to be rethought for the warmer months, as dinner is mostly salad with chicken or other protein on top. Lesson Learned: by clustering related items (food prep) I can save time. I applied that to our nighttime routine as well.
Starting and Ending the day with review, and music. - Our brains remember firsts and lasts really well (this is Primacy and Recency). So by framing my day with review and music, I could make my daily goals a little easier to remember to accomplish. Every morning I get up and review my To Do list in Habitica, and once I start my activities for the morning, I put on Spotify to a playlist, and get my things done. At the end of the day, I make sure things are all checked off my To Do list, move forward those that aren't, add new items to the To Do list as needed, and listen to some Disney songs on a playlist for The Kid. Starting with energetic music, and moving to slow, calming music. Lesson Learned: I am a quick start, slow let down kind of person. Once I am up, I have to get moving or I will get lost in some random activity. Music helps distract my brain from thinking about things that are not important right now, and focus on the task at hand. At night, reviewing what I accomplished, and getting all the items for the next day already brewing in my mind keeps my motivated to get to bed on time. The calm-down playlist that I have for The Kid moves my brain and my body into sleep mode slowly, so that getting off to bed is faster when I actually get into bed (instead of laying there thinking about everything I did or didn't do today, and all the things I might need to do tomorrow).
I put my clothes out on Sunday for the whole week. - This one is the craziest thing I do. I seriously put out Monday thru Friday clothes out on Sunday night (I have gotten away from this lately, but I am working this back into my week). Hear me out though - I work an office job M-F. I already know when meetings are planned. I can easily set out 5 days of basic outfits on a Sunday, do ONE load of laundry on a Friday Evening, and NOT have to think about my clothes all week. There they are, already ready every morning. Lesson Learned: This is amazing for my morning routine. Once I get myself back into the swing of this, I plan on implementing the same thing for The Kid. 20ish minutes on a Sunday Afternoon is worth it to not have to think about clothes in the morning.

A Note about Linking:

I tried to set up my schedule so that each activity was linked to the one before. This makes it easier to move between activities without having to remember what is next. Less work remembering what comes next, less opportunity to disrupt my morning with random activities. The concept of linking can be taken a lot farther. You can link (in your mind) areas of your house, people, or places to activities. I link the couch to yarn; If I am sitting there I should be involved in yarn somehow - knitting, crocheting, weaving in ends. This is why you can be on autopilot some days - I get up, do the same tasks, in the same order, and drive to the same places Monday through Friday. I do not have to think which way to turn out anywhere along the way because I have linked the actions I take, and one action leads me to the next. This is also why you may feel uncomfortable or miss things if you have to go out of order - your brain is working a little harder to make sure that everything is still getting done.

Here is more on linking, and memory -

Right on Time,
Joyful Darkness.

Habitica: How I use it - To Dos

2017-04-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

As part of my Dragon Slaying/Riding efforts this year, I am heavily using Habitica, both the online interface, and the app. It is, in short, a way to RPG-ify your boring daily tasks, one-off to-do items, and habits that you want to create. You can join guilds and participate in challenges, create or join a party and do group quests, and level up your character by gaining XP by doing all your seemingly mundane tasks.

So- As part of the Schedule Dragon efforts, I will show you how I use the To Do feature. As you may remember I am an over scheduler, and an underestimator when it comes to time management. As such, I have opted to HEAVILY use the To Do list portion of Habitica to keep track of what needs to be done this week, today, AND keep a list of projects to work on, things to buy and at which store, as well as future planning.

Wow, That sounds like a lot. Here is what that looks like 'in real life' on a Monday. Red items have been in my list for a long time - for a variety of reasons, think of these as future plans or long term projects. Yellow Items are new - I had just added all the days for this particular week, so I could scope out my work calendar, and coordinate that with my personal - non-daily - tasks.

What you don't see there are the items I end up adding as the week goes on - Wegmans, Target, Craft Store - complete with checklists for each item that we need at those locations. I do this so that I have one place to look when I head to the store. The satisfaction of checking off everything from that list PLUS the huge boost to my XP is highly motivating.

You'll notice that at the top of the To-Dos is a little bar graph image - there are statistics available there. You can look at how much you get done, if that interests you.

Not everyone uses their To Do's this way - you could use it more bullet journal/stream of consciousness style where everything is it's own item, and you don't have checklists inside of your items.

I do what I do because clustering actions makes me feel less overwhelmed. If I see 100 To Do's I am demotivated. But 10 or so To Do's (even with HUGE checklists) for the week feels more manageable.

Motivated,
Joyful Darkness

Dark, Happy Thought

2017-04-06T14:50:00.002-07:00

I scrolled past an article in my Facebook newsfeed the other day, but never got around to clicking on it. The title was something like "People are realising that someday there will be nothing left that they have touched." or something like that. I tried googling it, with no luck.

The idea has stuck with me, because the image in the article link was a sad one. A woman was sad that someday the metro or subway station that she used regularly would no longer be there. I assume because we will all have jet packs, or self driving cars, or something like that.

But why was she sad? There are more things that don't exist anymore than currently exist, right? Clothes, tools, pottery, buildings, etc from so many generations of people have become one with the earth again. So much so that we have entire buildings set aside across the world to showcase bits and pieces of what we have found that are left from those generations. People dedicate their entire lives to digging up the past - and so very little of it is left.

And yet, the very idea that someday all these things that I am touching - my clothes, my phone, this laptop, my desk, EVERYTHING - could be gone is so very calming. These things are temporary, and SO AM I. That really makes me happy.

I'm not in any rush to go, mind you. Nothing here to worry about.

It is the idea that when the things around us are done, we can reuse them, recycle them, and new things will come out. Last January I wrote a post about dealing with death - and what brings me comfort there is also what makes me hopeful about my future, and afterlife.

Thoughtfully,
Joyful Darkness

Dragons: What are They, and How do You Find Them

2017-01-30T13:07:00.001-08:00

Dragons

Large, almost insurmountable beasts. They steal and hoard resources, sucking the surrounding areas dry.

This is the year I slay my own Dragons. We all have Dragons. They suck up our time, our energy, our money... And they leave us nothing in return.

My Dragons:

Schedule - How I plan my time, both work and home.

Attention - What I do with my time, both planned and unplanned

Ambition - Desire to succeed, level up, do more, learn more

Motivation - What keeps me going, or not going.

Organization - Where things go, and making sure that they are there - both physically, like The Kid's toys and my clothes; and mentally, like my thoughts, and future plans.

Now, these are more like Dragon Clans - some of the Dragons in each of these clans must go, while others are necessary (maybe even useful, beautiful creatures). The ones that do not need to go, must be saddled and ridden into battle on the next go round.

Discover Your Dragons:

To make changes previously I would tackle one issue at a time - food, or the gym, or my deep desire to not put my laundry away. I thought about it, and decided to write down all the actions (or inactions) that bothered me. It wasn't as long a list as I thought.

Then I listed next to each one, what about those items bothered me. For instance -

I do not like it when I do not check off all my To Do's for the day. It makes me feel like I am under performing, or over scheduling myself. This affects my motivation for the next day, often in a negative way.

I looked for key ideas (Motivation, Schedule, Performance) and then looked for patterns. I also made a column for solutions to that issue.

To increase the likelihood of completing all the items on my to do list for any given day, I could use the Cluster concept [where you cluster tasks together based on resources or location. Think multiple errands in one shopping center, or doing all the tasks in your craft room one after the other], and make a note of actual time spent on the task so I can more correctly estimate time required the next time I do a task. Additionally, I could use the Bulk Task concept [Where you work the same task repeatedly at one time. Think folding one shirt vs. folding a basket of laundry] to reduce the times per week the task needs to be done.

Then I looked in the solutions for key ideas (Schedule, Organization), and looked for patterns.

I counted up each time the keyword occurred in the lists, and ranked the keywords based on this. The more occurrences, the higher the ranking.

Next I looked for linked keywords. Schedule and Organization came up together frequently. So there is a good chance that if I conquer the higher ranked keyword first, the other keyword in the linked pair would be easier to conquer. This helped me map out my plan of attack.

Schedule was my number one keyword - which I will from here out refer to as a Dragon. I needed to slay the Schedule Dragons that were in my Issue column, and saddle up the ones that were in my solution column.

So how do I go about slaying some dragons, and riding others? I guess you'll have to wait and see.

Blog posts coming on that soon.

Strongly,

Joyful Darkness.

Seamless Pussyhat Pattern

2017-01-11T11:46:00.001-08:00

I made this pattern for the Pussyhat Project, for some friends who are going to the march. All the patterns that I found required sewing, which I don’t like, so I made a pattern that eliminates it.

The hat is very easy to size up and down.

I used less than half a skein for each hat - multiple hats were made from each skein (2 from Sincerely, 1 from each partial skein of Red Heart that I had left from another project)

First here is the recipe for the hat (with pictures), then I will share the exact details of the hats that I made.

1. Chain half as many stitches as you need to go around the head of the wearer, then add one chain.

2. In 2nd chain from hook single crochet in 1/2 of the V of the chain, single crochet along the same half of your chain

3. turn your chain 180 degrees and continue around (do NOT add an extra stitch on the end, or your ears will not be as perky), I recommend that you crochet over the tail, so you do not have to weave that in at the end.

4. join with a slip stitch at the end of the round. Ch 2. turn if you want, or don't - it's your hat.
5. Round two - double crochet around (ch 2 counts as first DC here and on every round to follow).

6. Continue making rounds until you are 2 inches away from desired length. On next round switch to alternating back and front post doubles to make a nice ribbed band.

7. Repeat the front and back post stitches for 2 inches. Finish off, weave in end.

My hats:
Row 1: Ch 34. Sc 66 around the chain join to first sc with a slip stitch

Row 2 - 10: Ch 2 at the beginning, DC in the next stitch and DC around.

Row 11 - 13: Ch 2, front post double crochet (FPDC) around next dc, back post double crochet (BPDC) around the next, repeat alternating FPDC and BPDC until you reach the end of the round. Join to top of ch 2, and finish off, weave in end.

Toy Hat:
Row 1: Ch 15, Sc 28 around chain, join to first sc with a slip stitch.

Row 2-5: ch 2, Half double in next stitch, repeat for the entire round, joining to top of ch 2 with a slip stitch.

Row 6-7: Ch2, Front Post Half Double Crochet around next stitch, Back Post Half Double Crochet around the next, then repeat FPHDC and BPHDC until end of round, join to top of ch2 with a slip stitch.

Finish off, weave in end.

NOTES on adding length -

Raveler zephietx asked for a way to get a little more length in the back of the hat. Here are the two ways I thought of to accomplish this.

#1 - I used an additional front post half double crochet at each end of my short row to keep the hat from folding.

If you are going to add additional rounds, you may want to add 2 post half doubles at each end of the short row- when you are connecting it to the previous row - so that you can continue in FP/BP pattern. This is a great way to add a quick bit of length to the back of the hat.

Here is the video that I made to explain how to make a short row in the back of the ribbing.

#2 - Switch to half double post stitches in the front, with doubles in the back. A few repeats of this pattern will add space in the back without increasing your stitch count.

Gall Bladder Saga: Episode 1 - The Pre Surgical Diet.

2017-01-04T13:07:00.000-08:00

Prologue:

December 9th I went to the emergency room with severe pain in my upper right abdomen, radiating into my back.

Wait, Take blood, Wait, Get Pain Meds, Wait, Get Ultrasound, WAIT, run into Co-Worker, WAIT. Get a bed, Get a diagnosis, Go Home.

Gallstones, low-fat diet, no spicy food, schedule surgery.

The Diet:

I looked at a lot of articles (both medical, and personal experience), and determined that 20% of my daily calories from fat was the upper limit that worked for most people. Some still had pain with 5%, and others could take 30%. Of course, I threw out the outliers and focused on the averages. I chose to start low and work up, 10% of my daily calories from fat for the first week (after my clear liquid diet for 24 hours, and slowly working up to normal food the next 24)

I used MyFitnessPal app to plan my food, and I made sure that I could make it work even with dinners that The Kilted One would eat too.

Here is what worked for me:

Breakfast 1:

1 cup GF Honey Nut Cheerios
1/4 cup Skim Milk (or almond, but that has some fat in it)

Breakfast 2:

Fat-Free Greek Yogurt with fruit

Lunch:

Egg Dish (1/4 cup rice, 1/4 black beans, 1/2 cup pepper/onion mix, 2 egg whites, Italian seasoning, onion salt, garlic salt, white pepper)

Snack 1:

2 oz. Fat-Free or Low-Fat Turkey and California Mix (Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots) about 1 cup with a tablespoon of Brown Sauce.

Snack 2:

1 medium, or 2 small white potatoes
1 cup Fat-Free or Low-Fat soup (Wegmans Red Pepper, Butternut Squash, or some Progresso flavors)

Snack 3:

4-6 Stalk of celery
2tbsp salsa
2tbsp Plain Fat-Free Greek Yogurt

Dinner:

1 Lean meat (2-3 oz), 2 veggies, no sauce or maybe a teaspoon of salad dressing brushed on the meat.

Examples - Paleo Sloppy Joes made with 99/1 or 96/4 ground turkey; Alton Browns Shepard's Pie made with no oil, 96/4 ground turkey, no half and half, 2 tbsp of butter, no yolk; Bone in, skin on chicken roasted in the oven, remove skin, cut meat off bone (these can be used to make chicken broth for later if you are so inclined), with roasted sweet potatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts (use a spray oil to reduce fat, go light on the spray. I tossed my sprouts with balsamic vinegar).

Dessert:

Protein 'pudding' made with Quest Protein powder, vanilla probiotic yogurt, and a mild sweetener - blend in a blender or with immersion/stick blender, add a bit of skim to thin out of needed.
1 serving of Fat-Free pretzels (most pretzels are Fat-Free but do read labels, not all Gluten Free pretzels are Fat-Free.)
or
Protein shake - Quest Powder, Milk, coffee flavoring syrup if desired.

This all comes to about 1400 calories, 10%fat, 30% protein, 60% carb (no gluten if you can find Fat-Free GF pretzels)

I tried to increase my fat % and it did not feel good, so I moved back to this.

I did find that once a week I have been able to handle a Dunkin Donuts ham, egg, and cheese on an English muffin with a coffee that has skim milk. 7ish grams of fat for that meal, however, I simply adjust the rest of my day to accommodate it.

Epilogue:
After almost a month of this diet, I have lost almost 10 pounds. the downside - your body needs fat, and in the absence of sufficient fat my skin is now dry, and I am tired and cranky all the time.

More to come, as my surgery date looms.

With Gall and Bile,
Joyful Darkness.