Wednesday Weigh-in

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I should start a book called "The Trike and I".  Because of it, I'm finally doing what I wanted to do, which was to see the city in which I dreamed of moving to.  I'm able to ride the trike and whomever I'm with just walks along with me.  I'm really respectful of people on the sidewalk, not zooming along like a tiny Honda amongst a bunch of SUV's.  Hank sold his bike cause he'd rather walk the hills, and there's so many stairs in this city - he doesn't like carrying it.  So he walks with me and I carry the load of our adventures in the bike basket.  So Handy.  

Hank, Annie and I are out on the bike, exploring the city.  I'm trying to find the Trans America building.  You'd think it'd be easy to find.  It's my third journey downtown, specifically to find "downtown".  It doesn't ever occur to me to look it up on a map beforehand - it seems like it would be easy to find, so who needs a map?  Exploring is the name of the game, right?  Hank, typically hates to ask for directions, so he's mute on the subject, which works for my exploring gene. 

But there's a problem with all this exploring on the bike.  I've been averaging at least 4 miles a day, and there's been a couple of days where I've done 8 and 10 miles.  

The problem?  

I get HUNGRY.  I haven't been hungry in a long time.  Evidently, I've been keeping myself well protected from that particular feeling.  

The evidence?

Can you see it?  It's proof that it DOES exist in San Francisco, despite my earlier belief that large, corporate chains don't exist in this city. 

It's Wal*Mart that isn't allowed - because of it's poor ... I can't think of the word.  Something about it's poor treatment of it's employees.  I hear there is a Target coming to town.  There's already a PetCo, Whole Foods galore and a Burger King.

As we walked down the street, I told Hank, "hmmm, smells like a McDonalds near by".  We looked around, and sure enough... there was a McDonalds!

Dun dun dun.

Despite it being weigh-in day at Weight Watchers later on that evening

Hello, six pound weight gain.  

Sheesh. 

Updated Thursday Morning:  The points for this McDonalds meal?  52.  Points I am allowed?  27.  Ahem.  

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Lessons Learned

Things I Learned Today on a Bike Ride that Started Out as A Dog Bathroom Break But the City Lured Me to Keep Pedaling:

1.   Bring a map.  I ended up under the Bay Bridge, and the Ferry Building.  And took the LONG way around.  I in no way planned to go there.  The street I kept looking for never showed up, and I kept going. 

2.  Bring the camera.  When you find yourself in areas of the city you hadn't planned on but suddenly you're at places you've been wanting to see... it'd be nice to have the camera.

3.  Bring money, debit or ebt card.  Today's ride was 8 miles.  I got HUNGRY, and passed a million cheap places to eat.  Alot of restaurants will take food stamps too.

4.  Always, always, always bring water for the dog.  Luckily, I ran across two parks that had water bowls for dogs next to the people fountain, which Annie didn't think was good enough for her (none of my animals like San Francisco water unless it's ice cold).

5.  Always bring a jacket.  Weather changes from neighborhood to neighborhood.

6.  Always bring an umbrella, for the same reason.

7.  Always wear the weird toe shoes.  The other shoes don't work - by the end of the ride today, my ankles were two joints made of jello and kept collapsing.  The toe shoes will work better than clogs.

8.  Don't wear twirly swirly skirts without shorts underneath - the wind is a factor in San Francisco. 

9.  Go again tomorrow cause it was so fun.



By the way, I lost 3.7 pounds on my first week with Weight Watchers.  I'm afraid I'm not a support group sort of person anymore, tho.

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Weight Watchers

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Today is day 3 of my new project.  I started it yesterday, but I was overwhelmed with too many options, including shopping properly for food.  I had to wait till today for my Magic Money (Disabiliy check that appears in my account every month when I haven't done anything to earn it) to come in.

So, off I went to the grocery store this morning, riding my back 6 blocks up the road, with Annie.  Number one item?  Cat litter.  I have to shop smart because I'm only got so much room on the bike to haul things.  Two boxes (40 lbs) of cat litter, 2 loaves of healthy bread, 2 packages of pita pockets, 1 lbs raisins, and a large bunch of bananas later, we went up to check ourselves out.

&#$%$@$%$&$#  No wallet.  I can't tell you how many times I leave the house only to discover I've forgotten something.

I had to make the trip twice, but I really didn't mind, since I saw it as exercise, rather than being a dummy who can't remember a damn thing.

Okay, now for the project.

It is me.  And I shall be completely narcissistic with all these pictures of ME Me me!  So you can see how patriotic I am.  Plus I joined Weight Watchers last nite, and I'm going to do more pictures of me on the blog to help keep me accountable.  Yea, that's it.  There must be something wrong with my camera cause most of these are blurry. 

 

I joined Weight Watchers last night and also an online support group at Sparkpeople.com.  My friend Steve, in Idaho and I are going to keep track of each other, and possible my cat-sitter down the hall will do it with me too.

Not such a big deal, right?  But I know myself.  It's not going to be enough.

Soooo...

The other part of my project has to be put on hold until my business cards come in, supposedly on the 18th of this month, but they've been known to be faster than that.  Another part requires ink in my printer, which I don't have and can't afford.  Then it dawned on me that I could go the the library and use their's, so I went to the library, which is about 4 blocks away.  Only to find it closed today.  So I thought I'd go buy some stencils and do it the old fashioned way.  But they were closed too.  Every other store on Castro seems to be open, but not the one I need!

Oh my.  The sounds of fireworks are beginning.  For some reason, Annie seems to have developed a fear of popping/gunshot sounds over the last year.  I have to ignore her and not soothe her with "pooor scared girl, it's gonna be okayyyy" sounds, because that's rewarding her scared behavior.

We're going to go do laundry now.  Fun Vill!

TTFN
Hanging in there,

FatGirlonaTrike@gmail.com

Farmer's Markets. Who knew?

I had the best time this past Sunday!

One of my dog park friends, Zill, and I went to the Heart of the City Farmer's Market. And I was FLOORED at all the great looking produce for GREAT prices!  I've been to a couple of other farmer's markets where the prices were more expensive than the grocery store.  Plus they didn't take food stamps or debit cards.  I pretty much never carry cash.  So my belief that I would be able to eat cheaper in San Francisco because of the corner markets (where the produce spoils very quickly), and the many farmer's markets were expensive didn't pan out.

I told Zill that I couldn't give a definite answer until the night before, and even then I might need to cancel Sunday morning, depending of this shit disease I may have mentioned once or twice.  I wanted to walk in order to give Annie practice with her new harness, but remembered that I never want to go thru that horrible fatigue phase ever again, so I rode my bike.

Have I mentioned that the bike (trike) is making a HUGE difference in my life?  Today I made it up the slight hill on my block, all the way, without having to get off and walk!  It's easy to gauge one's progress around here... just pick a damn hill!

Anyways, Zill walked, and I rode my bike next to her, and I had so much fun.  I was overwhelmed with the amount of selections - even the fish was priced well within my price range.  And walnuts?  One pound for $2.50!  It's over 8 dollars at Safeway!

I found out that this particular farmer's market DOES take debit cards and food stamps.  By the way, whenever I say food stamps here, cashiers look at me confused.  It's called and EBT card, and works like a debit card, only for food.  Food only, too.  No toothpaste or cat litter.  

It's a good ride on the bike - mostly no hills at all, and if I went by myself, it'd take about 15 minutes to get there.  So it's not like it's an all day ordeal.  I'm just so excited. 

My son strongly believes that diet has something to do with my MS flare-ups, and after the fatigue one, for the first time, I want to track my diet and symptoms to see if is a factor.  But of course - just eating better will improve my health overall, duh.

I'm joining Weight Watcher's next month, and am going to start a support group with my friend, Steve, in Idaho, and Gary, my cat sitter down the hall.  We're going to challenge each other, and hold each other accountable for exercising.  Steve got himself a bike too.  Gary's a dog walker, and is motivated because he was recently dx'd with diabetes.  Also, on July 1st, I'm starting something else that will hold myself accountable, but am not quite ready to reveal the "project".  Let's just say that it involves the trike and signage.

I got up at 8:30 this morning and rode the bike around and threw the ball for Annie, before the heat comes.  There was a "heat wave" of 2 days.  Still makes me laugh.  But for me, anything over 70 degrees is too hot for me, so the earlier I can get out, the better.

I feel like I'm actively take charge of this shit disease I may have mentioned before.
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Hanging in there,

FatGirlonaTrike@gmail.com

Way To Go Wednesday!

Today I accomplished several errands on a 3 mile trike bike ride:

• Applying for another Energy Credit.  Tore my apartment apart looking for a recent power bill, cause that's what they ask for, as well as proof of income, and proof of address.  Finally, it dawned on me that I don't get a power bill!  I was thinking of Idaho's requirements.  I will be getting $226.00 sometime in December.  It's no wonder California is going broke. 
• Finally got Annie's dog license.  Wish someone would have told me I should have done it within 30 days of moving here, cause there was a $25.00 late fee.  But I have to have it cause the lease requires it and the landlady sent me a letter.
• Picked up Annie's proof of getting her rabies and distemper shots.  Again, for the landlady.
• Went to library to print out ADA (American Disability Act)14 page document regarding Service Animals rules and guidelines.  Received yet another card for my wallet... a "copy card", much like a debit card, only I stick it into the machine, feed the machine cash/debit card to load copy card with $ balance to use to make copies)  
• Went to ... somewhere to apply for my disability bus card, called the Clipper Card, which will enable me to ride public transportation free.  
• Mailed another application to apply for ... another card that allows me to use cabs or door-to-door transportation, in case I can't managed public transportation.  Which sometimes I can't, depending on the errand.  For instance, it's hard to go shopping for 2 boxes of cat litter with a hand cart and Annie on the bus.
• Called 2 friends back in Idaho.  

Tonight I compose a informative, friendly letter to the San Francisco Housing Authority, educating them to the fact that there is no weight limit restrictions on Service Animals, and Service Animals do not have to be "certified" or have proof of training.  The lease says no animals over 50 lbs.  Annie is 60 lbs.  A smaller dog can't do the bracing she has to do, in order to help me when I fall.  

It was also the first day I left the apartment without consulting a map to figure out my route.  I'm getting a sense of where I am, and where to go.  

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