Saturday, October 11, 2008

It's Over--


These images were all taken last week when the sun warmed the area to a comfortable 85 degrees.
The vineyards are all green and their fruit is dangling. The Deer Creek Fire's aftermath can be seen behind the vines, a hillside molested by fire and loggers...

After making my dogs chase me on my bicycle down a dry, dirt road, I let them cool off in the only remaining watering hole left around here in a creek that runs parallel to our own.

And here is our creek and my neighbor's plastic chair- where in the summertime she goes and sits to throw sticks for her dogs.

Since last week, we've had a few days of rain. There are puddles on the dirt road to steer around. The grasses are all starting to green again. This morning I awoke to find frost on the ground.

The grape pickers have been busy trying to get the grapes in. Wine cometh. Wine and the turning of the leaves on the vines. That's all I know.

I weighed myself this morning. Crap! 285! I started at 285 and after a month of exercise and no beer and eating less, I ended up there. "Muscle weighs more than fat" I need to tell myself. Or I'll go back to drinking beer.

I made a commitment to the no beer lifestyle until I dip below 250 pounds. I started that on July 4th and have been solid in my commitment. My legs feel great and my blood pressure is down ten points. My lungs are wide open and I feel strong. There was a time when I casually wondered if I was an alcoholic or just a beer lover? Quitting beer was a good way to find out.

I suppose my answer is that I love beer. I don't miss the alcohol in the beer. I just miss the beer. I miss sitting around a table with a bunch of tired men, knocking back a few and repeating yourself to the familiar chorus of laughter. Bad jokes and silly stories go good with beer. That's all I know.

This will be a quiet winter around here. Mum will be problematic and the cold and wet will keep me from doing my leg work to get the weight off. If I don't do the leg work, at 45 years old, I will not lose the weight. Cold weather and no beer will combine to make me wish I were in Mexico or Bali. That, I do know...

8 comments:

Lizza said...

How I wish I could witness harvest season in grapeland.

One month of no beer? I kowtow to you, Scott. Good going!

Cheesy said...

I don't even drink beer and I want to be in Mexico!!
What do you mean the weather will keep you from your leg work?? Are you the wicked witch and melt in the rain? Unless it is snowing buckets your bike still works!

**snapping the whip**

WTG on the pressure drops!!!!!

Jeannie said...

I feel for you - It's so hard to drop pounds. I don't understand why, when you feel like you are sacrificing all the pleasurable foods, you still don't lose weight. And exercise alone certainly doesn't take pounds off although you feel better and stronger and tighter. I haven't a clue how anyone can eat less AND exercise - I was always so much hungrier.

Anne said...

Here's my recipe: Banana for breakfast. Activia yogurt mixed with Special K for lunch. Vegetables (salad, etc) (and wine) for dinner. Ride your bike every day--20 miles is good for a start! Eat Power Bars for snacks.

You'll lose (at least) 6 pounds in a month!

Sweeti said...

take measurements, weight can stay the same for 6 weeks, but your measurements will certainly shrink, adding accomplishment and hope to your efforts. good job!

Anonymous said...

Mexico or Bali huh? Australia not exotic enough?

Well done on the drop in Blood Pressure - you KNOW your body's gonna thank you for that.

And I agree with Sweeti - measure because as you pointed out muscle weighs MORE than fat!

travistee said...

I'm proud of you Scott. Regardless of the weight...you're taking care of yourself. Keep on keepin' on!

Anonymous said...

That's pobably a wse move. I increased my beer intake last year when I was trying to gain weight and it worked.