New Bread Recipe

Tried a new bread recipe today. I've followed recipes (in my Zojirushi bread machine book) for whole wheat nut bread and whole wheat fruit bread but decided today to combine them into what I'm calling - Whole wheat walnut and raison bread from the old country.

450ml water
300g whole wheat flour
300g European flour (so-named by King Arthur Flour); contains wheat & malted barley flour)
20g Truvia Baking Blend (sugar substitute)
8g dry milk
8g salt
28g unsalted butter
40g vital wheat gluten
73g chopped walnuts
80g raisons
5.6g active dry yeast

Huge rise!

Moist, light, and with a hint of sweet - delicious!

Swim Nutrition

I've read a lot about what to eat before and after swimming and other exercise; doesn't seem to be a consensus and it is difficult to tell who (if anyone) is an expert but it does seem important for your body to have sufficient fuel to perform the task (in this case swimming). Post-exercise fueling appears (to me) a bit more divided as to what is best and when but several sources suggest consuming protein within 30 minutes of vigorous exercise. I've experimented a lot over the past 6 months; photos below show what I had before and after today's swim (16x50s interval).

Pre-swim - almond butter on a slice of my freshly baked whole wheat walnut and raison bread, topped with banana and sesame seeds.

Post-swim - carrot top happy meal:) Another slice of my whole-wheat walnut/raison bread topped with avocado, tomatoes, grated carrot, mushroom, and sesame seeds; and sprinkled with olive oil and balsamic.

My new indoor 25-m lap pool at the Aspen Hill Club. To date, I've only seen 3-4 lanes open for lap swimming at one time.

Swimming in MD

Yesterday, was my first swim in about 2 weeks and it felt like it:) I joined the local tennis club where they have a fitness room and indoor pool. The pool is nice but only 3 lanes were open in the morning so we were doubled up. I felt out of shape so only swam 16x50s intervals. It wasn't until after my swim that I realized lengths are 25 meters. I'm used to swimming yards and 50m is about 54 yards - makes a difference. 16x50s is about 1/2 mile. I started with a 1:30 practice split but soon reverted to my old 1:55; now I know why and don't feel like a slug:) Hope to hit the pool again around lunch time; hopefully, less people.

Back to Baking

As luck would have it, one of the boxes I unpacked yesterday contained my Zojirushi bread maker. While I prefer to make no knead bread without a machine, the Zojirushi makes pretty good bread and is much quicker than doing it by hand. Since the bread machine makes it easy (and fun!), I've been experimenting; today I'm making a whole wheat bread with 1/2 European flour and including nuts and raisons. Yesterday I made cracked wheat bread (see photos) and used it for an open faced avocado sandwich. Can't wait to get organized enough to feel comfortable making no knead bread; I can already feel the added pounds:)

The bread machine!

Cracked wheat with slices of avocado;topped with tomato, feta cheese, spinach leaf, and fresh cracked pepper.

Uneven rise...

But tasty inside:)

Maryland

Five days. 1750 miles, and 92 gallons of diesel after leaving Denver, I arrived in Rockville, MD where I'll be spending the summer (and maybe longer). After unloading the truck and trailer and unpacking about 15 boxes, I'm moved in! Seriously... still a lot to do but no hurry; now that I've got a bed with clean sheets; kitchen with appliances and utensils; and food in the frig! More later...

Indiana to Maryland

Today I drove from the Ohio/Indiana border to western Maryland (Cumberland); another long day but thankfully my last as I'm now only 2 hours away from my Rockville destination. Another day without rain but it was cloudy and cool (45 degrees) all day; with the humidity, it felt cold to my western bones:) Hope it warms up soon.

Didn't get a chance to try the food at this restaurant but thought the name was a good omen:)

Illinois to Indiana

Long drive today - Alton, Illinois to about 20 miles west of Dayton, Ohio. For some reason, no hotels are available in Indiana tonight so had to drive all the way to western Ohio - about 400 miles/6.5 hours.  Given the lack of hotels, one would think it was Memorial Day weekend (this is what I thought until someone reminded me Memorial Day is the last weekend in May - not April). Not sure what is going on in IN; feel like I'm missing something:)

My memory of Illinois and Indiana is captured in the two photos below - "cone zone" and semi-trucks. It seemed like 90% of the road (I-70) was under construction and after seeing the number of semi-trucks on the road, I can understand why. There were long stretches of Interstate where there were clearly more trucks than cars on the road. I guess Indiana's welcome sign is correct - "Crossroads of American":)

Maeva's

Before leaving Alton, IL this morning, I had breakfast with my niece Karen at Maeva's Coffee (http://www.maevascoffee.com). After dinner last night, we Googled Alton coffee shops and were surprised to learn about Maeva's; it claims to be Alton's only independently owned coffee shop as well as 100% crowd-sourced funded. Maeva's is built (I believe in 2014) inside Alton's historic Milton Schoolhouse; seems like a great repurposing of this old building.

I wanted to try their baked steel-cut oatmeal but it includes sugar (not sure why) so I ordered the artichoke/tomato quiche instead with white tea. The tea was very good, the quiche was ok. They had several other baked goods including scones, muffins, cookies, and blueberry coffee cake (Karen ordered the latter). She had coffee with her coffee cake (kinda makes sense:) and loved the coffee.

Really like the atmosphere of the coffee shop but we both wondered how they could possible make a go of it. One customer arrived before us (we got there at 6:55am - 5 minutes before they opened) and only a couple after so not a lot of traffic.

Turns out my niece and I share a passion for baking; must be in our genes as my mother (her grandmother) was the family baker. Can't wait to start baking again. Before leaving Alton, I gave Karen the sourdough starter my sister Jean gave me before I left Colorado; I'll get more when I land in MD.

The baked goods.

The menu - very affordable.

Would love to have this spoonbill artwork on my wall if I had a wall:)

The entrance.

Me (I'm o the right) and a species of African antelope (I think).

Blueberry coffee cake.

Pearl's Cafe

Enjoyed a lovely dinner with family last night at Pearl's Cafe (http://www.yelp.com/biz/pearl-cafe-florissant) Pearl-Cafe/330457015623 a Thai Restaurant in Florissant, (suburb of STL) MO. Our entrees were presented well and the ingredients appeared fresh. Mine was delicious and everyone else seemed to enjoy theirs; the wine less so:)

It was great to see family and to reconnect; the last time I saw most of them was about 2 years ago and my niece's (Karen) wedding. They are a fun-loving group:)

Family, including sister, brother, nieces, and spouses.

Scallops with very fresh looking spinach.

Thai braised chicken.

Don't recall what this is but appears to include shrimp.

Green Curry with Tofu (my dish).

Sriracha Fried Rice.

Chef's Spicy Fried Rice (I think).

Phad Thai.

Over 200 varieties of beer; I had water:) and the family shared a bottle of wine.

Missouri to Illinois

Only about a 5 hour drive from Independence, MO to Alton Illinois this morning. I was thankful for the relatively short drive compared to previous days. Alton is just a couple of miles over the border with Missouri; I'm staying here a couple of days to visit my sister, brother, and nieces.

It has been a long time since I've seen a purple martin house. Common in the midwest, this house appears to be occupied by house sparrows. Purple martins have a voracious appetite for mosquitoes.

Another thing I haven't seen in awhile is the beautiful redbud tree.

Across the street from where I stopped for diesel is this bird sanctuary located next to the Mississippi River. In the background is  a beautiful bridge that takes one across the Mississippi river from Missouri to Illinois.

Kansas to Missouri

Woke up early again this morning so after meditation and breakfast I hit the road around 6:15am; now that I'm on Central time and headed east I think my body is adjusting to the earlier hour:)

I really enjoyed driving through Kansas this time; everything was green, the winds were relatively calm, and the temps perfect; started the day around 36 degrees and climbed to 50 degrees by the time I arrived in Independence, MO. Kansas is such a pretty state with green (this time of year) agricultural fields, fence rows, wildlife, and picturesque farms.

Unfortunately, a poor little bird flew right in front of my truck and was instantly killed; I felt so sad. Interesting how we often don't feel sad when bugs are hit by our vehicles but hitting a larger animal like a bird can evoke strong emotion.  Within a few miles of this accident, I saw a dead raccoon on the side of the road, a red-tailed hawk flying low nearby, a lone coyote hunting in a field, and several turkey vultures. The midwest is blessed with lots of visible wildlife.

Drove through KC mid-day so traffic wasn't an issue; arrived at my hotel in Independence, MO around 12:30pm ahead of schedule.

If I'd stopped to photograph of all the picturesque farms along today's drive I'd still be driving; they bring back memories of the farm I grew up on.

Sunrise along I-70 east of Hays

 Wind farm around Salina

Spring is here! This oak tree is in full bloom.

The flint hills

Colorado to Kansas

Woke up a little after 3 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep so got up, meditated, ate breakfast, packed, and left my Colorado hotel around 6am. After 7 hours driving (including a couple of rest areas), I stopped for the day in Hays, Kansas; 335 miles - whew! I took I-25 South out of Denver to Castle Rock where I connected to 86 East to I-70; nicer drive (in my opinion) compared to taking E-470 or I-225 to I-70. I love going through towns like Elizabeth and Kiowa, CO.

Although it started out cool (around 34 F), the sun warmed things up nicely; fortunately, the winds stayed relatively calm so driving was a breeze:)  Given the small, light trailer, I need to keep driving speeds around 55mph so it is slow going; no big deal, I've given myself plenty of time.

Discovered one disadvantage to losing so much weight - no rear end padding, so despite a comfortable driver's seat, my rear end gets really sore after a couple of hundred miles:)

The sun was rising as I made my way east on Hwy. 86 out of Castle Rock.

Wind farm east of Limon, CO near Bovine?

After morning tea, cup of milk, and 48 ounces of water, it was time to stop at my first rest area just over the Colorado border.

Kansas wheat field with the Hays water tower looming in the background.

Like many small towns, Walmart is within walking distance of hotels.

Staying at the Holiday Inn Express; evidently they had a fire Saturday and are cleaning up - quite noisy on the 1st floor.

Today in Hays is the warmest weather I've experienced in a couple of weeks so I took a walk around the outskirts of town and couldn't pass up this photo at the local John Deere implement dealer. This implement is designed to spray weeds and pests; maybe the menacing look also helps scare them away:)

Packing, Repacking, and Consolidating

With the help of a friend, I now have only 1 storage unit in Denver:) I've been packing and repacking this past week and today, we loaded my truck and u-haul trailer with lots of boxes, my bike, and a bit of furniture; all of which is going with me to Maryland. With this stuff out of the way, we were able to consolidate my 2 storage units into 1! It will be nice to avoid paying for a 2nd unit, but as important is the happiness I feel from accomplishing this relatively simple task. I really enjoy the simple things in life these days:)

My work in Denver is now complete and I will leave town tomorrow morning. So glad I was able to see some of my friends during this brief visit; for those I didn't connect with, I hope to see you next time and wish everyone happiness.

After towing my Airstream for the past 13 months, this 8' u-haul trailer seems so tiny:) Had to downsize my hitch/ball and electric connection to accommodate this trailer; evidently most people tow with a car.

Tasting Food

It may surprise those who know how much I love to cook and eat but I don't always taste the food I eat. Seems silly doesn't it? How can one eat food and not taste it? For me, a wondering mind often distracts from truly tasting the food I'm putting in my mouth.  To truly taste (and therefore enjoy) food, I need to be present to experience the chemical, texture, and smell of each bite. Sounds simple; so why is it so hard?

Tasting the first bite of a meal is easy but I'm probably not alone in the habit of continuing to eat while I think, read, listen to the radio/music/other people, check email, surf the web, etc.); some would call this multi-tasking but I've come to view multi-tasking as a misnomer. 

I'm trying to be present while preparing and especially eating meals. It helps to close my eyes while I chew and focus on the texture and smell of the food as well as the chemical reaction with me taste buds. Counting 25 or more chews for each bite also helps. This is a work in progress but I'm enjoying my food more. I'm also more mindful of what and how much I'm putting in my mouth. I wondered about this approach as a couple or family; seems like it would be even more difficult.

I don't claim perfection and it is not my intent to criticize others; just sharing my thoughts:). I wndered about this approach as a couple or family; seems like it would be even more difficult.

Mindfulness and Money

Interesting article in the New Yorker about meditation on Wall St.
http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/the-long-marriage-of-mindfulness-and-money

Article references Deepak Chopra and a 21-day free online meditation opportunity, as well as several books/articles. I'm not recommending anything here; just find it interesting thought I'd share. Yoga seems to be a popular fad these days, maybe meditation is following the same path. The one thing I take away from the apparent increasing popularity of yoga and meditation is that people are dissatisfied and are searching for help; I hope they find it.

Wild Ginger Thai Restaurant

Lunched with two buddies at the Wild Ginger Thai Restaurant (http://www.wildginger.info) in Littleton, CO yesterday. Used to eat here when I lived in Colorado; the atmosphere is casual but nice enough for a client lunch or dinner. The service and food are very good and evidently others think so too because it is still in business; at least 10 years.

I had the Gaeng Keow Wan (Thai Curry); made with coconut milk, jalapeño pepper, eggplant, bamboo shoots, tofu, and basil; served with a side of white rice. I asked for vegetarian (tofu) and medium heat which was just right.

One of my friends had the Massamun curry (with chicken I think); made with coconut milk, potatoes, onions, and roasted peanuts; served with a side of white rice.

Can't recall what my other friend had but it looked delicious; photos below.

While taking a Thai cooking class in Bangkok a couple of years ago I recall the instructor emphasizing the importance of which coconut milk to use; he told us it must be from Thailand, otherwise, no good:) Turns out there are a lot of different brands of coconut milk and I find it pays to read the label; I typically buy light coconut milk with less fat but the "full strength" sure tastes good; kind of like the difference between whole and 2% milk in my book:) Sometimes I'll pour coconut milk over my muesli and fresh fruit breakfast - what a treat!

I love to cook and eat Thai food; like any cuisine, authentic (e.g., Kaffir lime; Galangal root; turmeric root; lemon grass; etc.) and fresh ingredients are essential and it isn't always easy finding fresh Thai ingredients, especially in smaller towns. Out of necessity, we (i.e., Americans) tend to substitute (e.g., using lime instead of Kaffir lime although the two are not even close) domestic ingredients for the real thing. Denver is fortunate to have a couple of well-stocked asian markets that carry Thai cuisine ingredients; smaller towns are not so fortunate. Ordering via the Internet is sometimes an option.

Hot tea in cute little cups:)

Forgot the name of this complimentary soup but I obviously liked it:)

Gaeng Keow Wan 

Don't recall the name of this dish

Massamun 

Last Swim for Awhile

Swam 20x50s (intervals) at the Lone Tree Recreation Center this morning; given packing and moving, this will likely be my last swim until I get settled in Maryland. I swam a 1:45 (1 minute 45 seconds) practice split; this is the total time to swim 50 yards (1 lap or 2 pool lengths) and rest. I start out swimming 50 yards in about 1:10 which means I get to rest for 35 seconds but about half way through my workout, I slow down to about 1:15 which leaves 30 seconds rest. I felt good today; back didn't hurt and my stroke was good (for the most part:). Its a great feeling when your stroke is on; I feel so streamlined and coordinated. When I start to get tired, my stroke starts to suffer and that's when I think about stopping because it doesn't do any good (in my opinion) to keep swimming with improper stroke.

I'll miss the Lone Tree pool; even though they only have 3 lap lanes, there haven't been many people there when I swam so most times I had a lane to myself. Not as intimidated about sharing lanes with people like I used to be because I feel more in control of my stroke and my ability to stay on my side of the lane:)

Friends and Meditation

Had lunch with a friend yesterday at Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill in Lone Tree. Turns out this chain has at least 2 restaurants in the Lone Tree area; we discovered this as we were each waiting for the other person at two different locations. When I setup the lunch, I evidently provided my friend with the address but I ended up going to the other location; I felt bad my friend had to wait but when he didn't show up (at the wrong location:) I was worried he'd been in a car accident - yesterday was a wet, snowy day in Denver (like today:) so it all turned out well and we had a great chat. I think my mistake was due in part to meeting another friend for lunch at the same restaurant the previous day. I'm catching up with a lot of my friends while I'm in Colorado, mostly over meals; hopefully, I'll put on some weight:)

I've known my friend for about 8 years; he used to be my client and we always worked well together but over time became good friends. About a year after my diagnosis with Osteoporosis, my friend was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Good reminder that no matter how "bad" your situation, there is always someone (and probably millions throughout the world) who is worse off.

My friend has always struck me as a positive, happy person who finds joy in helping others. When I spoke to him shortly after his initial diagnosis, he remained upbeat and positive. Now, after about a year of doctor visits, chemo, radiation, and surgery, his doctor thinks the cancer is gone; however, it could return so he needs to go in for tests every two years. Despite all he has been through, he remains positive and still looks like I remembered him (he didn't loose his hair). I think a big factor in his healthy look and his successful fight against the cancer is his positive energy.

We talked about positive energy and meditation and my experience with the latter. My friend says he wants to try it so I sent him a couple of suggestions for books to read and suggested he find local group meditation support. Some of the things I like best about meditation are:

• Inexpensive (price of a cushion) 
• Can do it anywhere
• You decides when and for how long to meditate 
• Unlike drugs, there are no adverse side effects:)

Koshihikari Rice

Before I left on my journey, dear friends gave me a bag of Koshihikari rice which they brought back from Japan last year. The rice has accompanied on my journey over the past 16 months and I'm just getting around to eating it:) I typically eat white rice with sushi and making sushi and rice in the Airstream was not something I tried so it sat in my pantry all this time.

Finally tried it this week and despite the long-term storage conditions, it is delicious; the best white rice I've eaten. I didn't know much about it but Koshihikari rice is a very popular variety of rice cultivated in Japan (as well as the US). Evidently it is very popular in Japan due in part to its appearance; I believe it is also very expensive.

The rice comes in this cute little bag, complete with tie to keep the bag closed.

Spring in the Rockies

Woke up to snow today; so glad I decided to leave the Airstream in Albuquerque rather than tow it to Denver.  Typical Denver spring - 70 degrees the other day; cold and snowy today:) April is traditionally #1 or #2 in heaviest snow months; hopefully the mountains are getting pounded not only for snowpack but for spring skiing! Love not having to shovel a driveway/sidewalk:)

From my hotel window this morning.

Another test

Had blood drawn today for testosterone test; should get results in a couple of days. Relative to Osteoporosis.

Things are different

One benefit of my new lifestyle is exposure to different people, places, and experiences. Although I traveled a lot while working, my experience was primarily limited to a relative narrow group of people (i.e., professionals) and places (conference rooms and cities where company and client offices were located). Don't get me wrong; I traveled a lot, including all 50 states and multiple countries. However, I was typically on a mission, rushed, and rarely present.

I still travel a lot but now I deal more with non-professionals (e.g., store clerks, campsite/hotel host/front desk, gas station attendants, fitness center greeters, auto/truck/rv shop service people, etc. I now notice the people I interact with more than I used to. I'm not saying one group of people is any better or more interesting than the other; indeed, I find people from all walks of life more similar than different - most are just trying to survive in their own way. The difference now is that I've changed; I'm more aware.

I occasionally still experience stress and anxiety (e.g., driving in congested traffic); however, this type of stress is miniscule compared to when I was working. Also, my meditation practice helps me manage stress and anxiety by bringing me back to the present and reminding me how insignificant daily issues (e.g., like being cutoff by another driver, long grocery store lines, being put on hold, etc.) really are. Still a long way from 100% but more frequently I'm aware that the stress or anxiety I used to think was caused by daily activities, other people, or work are instead just thoughts and emotions generated by the mind when I'm not present. I choose whether to just observe or to engage.

Bone Density Test

After 15 months of daily Forteo shots, exercise, and changing my diet to include more calcium and vitamins, I decided to see if I could do another bone density test while in Denver; my last was May 13, 2013. It was touch and go yesterday when I spoke to the testing center - they informed me that individuals could not schedule a bone density test; the request by law had to come from a Doctor. This blew me away; I even told them that I would be paying for it myself so didn't need to go through insurance. Didn't matter, they had to have a Doctor's request. Interesting that we Americans can buy a house, car, boat, food, clothes, drugs, guns, or just about anything else we want in this consumer economy we live in but we can't purchase a simple, 15 minute, noninvasive, health care test for bone density; go figure.

Moving around a lot like I do appears to complicate things like health care.  Readers may recall I applied December 14, 2014 to healthcare.gov and discovered I'm eligible for Medicaid in Arizona; however, I didn't receive official authorization and a Medicaid card until a week before leaving for Colorado on April 1st; not enough time to see a new Primary Care Physician in Tucson so I'm in between Doctors.  I explained this to my "former" Doctor in Lone Tree and he was nice enough to submit the request yesterday and the testing center had an opening this morning! I'm so grateful for people like this Doctor who use common sense; I'll miss his sensible approach to practicing medicine.

A bit of explanation for the uninitiated:) The DXA Bone Density test yields two numbers: T- and Z-Scores. The following definitions are from the Mayo Clinic website.

T-score is your bone density compared with what is normally expected in a healthy young adult of your sex. It is the number of units — called standard deviations — that your bone density is above or below the average where:

• > 1 = normal
• Between -1 and -2.5 = Osteopenia; below normal and may lead to osteoporosis
• -2.5 and below = Osteoporosis

Z-score is the number of standard deviations above or below what's normally expected for someone of your age, sex, weight, and ethnic or racial origin. Z-score of -2 or lower (i.e., me:) may suggest something other than aging is causing abnormal bone loss. 

Bone density tests are typically done on bones most likely to break because of osteoporosis:

• Lower spine bones (lumbar vertebrae)
• The narrow neck of your thighbone (femur), next to your hip joint
• Bones in your forearm

My tests in 2013 and today were performed at the same medical center on the spine, right femur, and total right hip; not sure why they didn't also test forearm. It is an easy, quick (10 minutes), and painless test which I highly recommend men and women take this test sooner rather than later. They say our bone density peaks around age 30 and thereafter starts to decrease. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have taken the test at 30 to establish my baseline; my bill was $165. The first thing they do is measure your height and weight; I've lost about an inch in height and 16 pounds since my last test (5/13/13); down to 137 pounds. My BMI is 19.5.

Comparing my 2013 results with today's the lab Doctor who signed the paperwork said:
Compared with the previous bone density tests, there has been a significant increase in bone density within the lumbar spine and no significant change in the right hip.

Good news for my spine although its still osteoporosis and its puzzling why bone density in my hip didn't also increase. Probably never know whether the increase in spine bone density is due to the Forteo, exercise, diet, vitamins, some combination, or something completely different, but I'm thankful. My T- an Z-Score results follow.

Spine T-Score
-3.3 (5/13/2013)
-2.8 (4/14/2015)

Total Hip (Right) T-Score
-1.9 (5/13/2013)
-2.0 (4/14/2015)

Spine Z-Score
-2.8 (5/13/2013)
-2.2 (4/14/2015)

Total Hip (Right) Z-Score
-1.5 (5/13/2013)
-1.6 (4/14/2015)

My weight loss makes me feel very thin and "boney"; so much so that in this morning's yoga class, I was hesitant to do some of the poses for fear of breaking something.

Yoga

Being back in Colorado is great for lots of reasons not the least of which is attending my old yoga class at the Lone Tree Recreation Center (LTRC). I've taken yoga classes across the country but have never found an instructor as good as Cindy at LTRC. She practices with the class; her voice is pleasant, her knowledge is vast, and her personality is so soothing, I always leave class with a smile on my face. She teaches Tuesday and Thursdays at 5:30am so unfortunately, I'll only be around for 1 more class:(

Morning Jog

After a disappointing visit with my (former) bone specialist, I decided today was a good day to stress my bones:) so I jogged/walked several miles at the Bluffs Regional Park in Lone Tree, CO near my former home. There are about 7 miles of run/walk/bike trails between the park and what is called the East/West Regional Trail; all gravel/dirt. Used to walk/run/bike this trail whenever I was in town; the trailhead was only about 100 yards from my house.

Herd of deer just off the path at Bluffs Regional Park in Lone Tree.