This weekend we spent some time touring Decorah homes that were part of the "dig in" tours. It was pretty thought provoking to to learn about how people are living off the grid and making the most of the resources they have to reduce their "footprint".
The first home we toured was a little less thought provoking. Albeit a great and beautiful home, I had a hard time being there listening and looking around without constantly considering how easy it would be to adapt your lifestyle and "live off the grid" with a seemingly bottomless checkbook. The wind turbine alone is as much as we paid for this house in 1995. Hmmm.
The rest of our stops were much more realistic for the average Joe, however. The common thread seemed to be that no matter your budget there is always something you can do to live even a little bit green. Alot of these families have spent years perfecting and adding to this lifestyle commitment, which seems more do-able in my mind. I think anything you take on in small thoughtful steps that you can expand upon over time, will have staying power.
As August is nearing completion I am realizing that I am not looking forward to winter and I hate that. I have wrote about this before, but as I was mowing yesterday I had a flash in my mind envisioning 40 mph winds and white as far as the eye can see. I will have to do a little mental work on this methinks since I have no plan to leave the area anytime soon! Maybe if we got some snowmobiles I would grow to like it again! Now that might be a thought! ;-)
Switch gears. There was a time in my life where I had a great deal of trouble losing weight. Knowing you have more than 70 pounds to shed is daunting to say the least. So, now (fast forward a few years) that weight is gone - but 10 or 15 is back. That 5 pounds I blogged about so long ago, did exactly what I unknowingly predicted and now its about 15 I should lose. I still exercise every day, but I eat way too much. I am living proof that you can gain piles of weight eating healthy.
I asked my doc at Mayo about this and she assured me that nothing abnormal was going on. The good news is that my body has finally adapted to its own normal again but the bad news is that I am taking in way too many calories for my body as it is now. I should have taken this more seriously when it was only 5 pounds. Famous last words, eh! I think the hardest part is that I don't really eat "bad foods". I am just taking in too much in the wrong combinations I suppose. The busy summer has not helped. Lots of eating out this summer. Lots of hidden calories as I think about it.
So, here it is. That 15 pounds will be GONE by the class reunion. Anyone care to join me?
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