Thanksgiving was lovely. It's so wonderful being with my beautiful daughter and her sweet family.  We spent lots of time just talking and enjoying hanging out with each other.  Their home backs to a reserve featuring expansive desert views lying just beyond the backyard wall. It is an expansive cactus and plant garden providing endless and unrestricted desert views. The diversity of plant life is fantastic.  Some display flowers welcoming the upcoming Christmas season. These primarily decorate the wide variety of cactus, including, of course, the magnificent Sonoran Desert's infamous saguaro.  As if the desert doesn't provide enough beauty, a parade featuring multicolored air balloons glide through the Phoenix sky, floating by in groups of three or four, and I imagine that those inside the basket wave at me as they pass just like my daughter describes. Their home is designed in the patio style and is a haven for wild birds, so we can bird watch from the patio furniture as the cavalcade of dessert species enter and exit at will, enjoying the seeds and nectar the family makes available. Quails, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and other species I cannot name, are all chattering and protecting their space in the backyard. Watching them is great fun.  But, just sitting and relaxing there is heavenly.  Phoenix is extraordinary at this time of year. The temperature consistently stays in the mid-'70s, and it is bright and sunny.  It is a remarkable about-face from the gloomy fall weather we're experiencing in Birch Bay.  It is hard to describe the peace and contentment of simply enjoying their beautiful space, soaking in the sun and fresh, desert air.  The back yard is an oasis, with a hot tub, pool, and lounging furniture, with several sets of pygmy date palms and other flowering trees and bushes.  The neighborhood is expansive and blends beautifully with the natural desert landscape.  Paved, concrete surface pathways surround the housing areas.  Walkers, joggers, and to a lesser degree, bikers frequent these paths.  Ponds and the same dessert plants natural to the Preserve frame these extensive neighborhood paths. Hiking through them is always a unique experience, with its everchanging flora and fauna. Sometimes donkeys show up at the ponds as coyotes howl in the distance, reminding us they are out there, hoping to find easy prey. Of course, the family is careful with their three little dogs because the coyotes might think that they'd be tasty. Though they've not seen one, they've witnessed large owls in the Saguaro behind their house, which is another reason to be careful with the dogs. However, these few concerns in no way diminish the Arizona lifestyle their warm home provides. We feel like we're in a five-star hotel when we visit, and they treat us like royalty! Along with snacks and treats, the meals are luscious.  Our daughter provided a feast for Thanksgiving. The dinner she served was traditional, meaning it was a duplicate of my mother's and her grandmother's usual Thanksgiving meal, centering around a fabulous turkey and a baked ham. The sides were sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and a seven-layer salad. Of course, there were dinner rolls and several different delicious pies for dessert.  Obviously, I did not partake in everything but managed quite well with the meats and salad.  Also, I brought my cinnamon bread and was completely satisfied with it as a dessert. I also brought along some new favorite things to satisfy that desire for crunchy sides and sweet snacks. We return to Washington today, and I shall miss my precious girl, my darling granddaughter and her very patient and accommodating husband very much! Same time next year, God willing, and we're hoping that they visit Birch Bay or Hawaii or both this year.  Our family is a beautiful gift from God.

On Tuesday of this week, we will head for our daughter's home in Peoria, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. We're really looking forward to this visit. We've not seen them since our granddaughter's graduation when we all converged there to celebrate her success. Now, six months later, we'll enjoy Thanksgiving together, and it will be so much fun! While I've thought about successfully continuing Keto for Thanksgiving, I have very few concerns as most holiday meals provide several keto options. However, I need to plan for daily keto options while we're visiting for more than six days. I think that we'll stop by Costco and get our standby chicken and ribs along with spinach, macadamia nuts, broccoli, green chili, sour cream, and cheese. I'll make green chili dip, broccoli cheese soup, and salads ahead of time so I don't talk myself into eating bad stuff. I'm also going to make some of the almond bread I've been using to satisfy that carb craving that I sometimes have. In fact, I just talked myself into making some of the almond cinnamon bread to snack on this afternoon. I'll be back when I get it in the oven. I'm back!  Cinnamon bread is just the treat I need today to keep myself on track. I'm particularly fond of cinnamon, and this sweet dessert will hit the spot. I must remember to share it with my daughter. She is considering trying keto herself for several reasons, so some of these recipe ideas might help her get started. Have I mentioned that my weight loss is going very slowly? I lose ounces instead of pounds and only a few of those per week. However, I am making progress, and I don't gain any weight, so I am happy. Still, I fear that I might have to give up my evening wine.  BUMMER!  I think that I will do that after we return from Phoenix. Sad, but necessary! I'll let you know how everything goes. We're so excited to see the kids. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Stay healthy!

​My sister was diagnosed with cancer several years ago and successfully fought the disease, and so far, has remained in submission. However, she regained the weight she lost and more, so her doc sent her to a nutritionist who put her on the keto diet to lose the weight and also to help fight the cancer. She explained that there are significant differences between cancer cells and normal cells. Carbs trigger the blood sugar that almost all cancer cells feed off to multiply. The ketogenic diet causes blood sugar levels to lower dramatically, effectively starving the cancer cells, making them decrease in size and sometimes die. For whatever reason, my sister's is remaining in remission, and I am praying it stays that way, of course.  I'm excited because she will be visiting us next week.  I'm planning many things, including a three-day trip to Seattle to see the sights and enjoy some lovely restaurants.  I'm happy that my sister shared her experience with me because it got me thinking about keto for myself.  As I researched the benefits of keto, I discovered that many studies showed that it could help several chronic conditions.  Also, the doctors encouraged our Birch Bay neighbor to eat keto style along with his cancer treatment supporting her information.  Sadly, his cancer treatment was not successful, but he certainly put up a valiant fight! The Bay isn't the same without him.   Nevertheless, the benefits of keto seem abundant.  There are many positive effects of keto dieting.  However, there is a lot of misinformation out there.  Some people misperceive it as loading up with fat and red meat, which is incorrect.  Keto dieters are encouraged to eat healthy fats and proteins, as with any diet.  There must be a fat and protein balance for the diet to work, but that's not the same as the high-fat and red meat rumor. So, I'm sticking with keto for many reasons, but mostly because I'm entirely too fat, which triggers many health issues I'd like to avoid. I'm looking forward to my sister's visit and more weight loss by next week's end. I'll let you know!

What a great week!  I've begun dropping weight again, so I might not have to give up my Pino.  That makes me happy.  Also, we've found that our tomatoes aren't a total loss.  I've spent lots of time discovering new ways to use my tons of green tomatoes that will have no chance to ripen at this point.  Each recipe is delicious and we're enjoying our evening meals more than ever!  In addition, Steve decided to walk one of the crab pots out into the bay during low tide just to see what happened, and he is periodically catching a crab or two, which makes our meals even more enjoyable.  This is the first time we've spent the fall months in Birch Bay, and it is very rainy most of the time.  However, we've had some nice sunshine for the past two days, and that is adding to my great week.  My weight continues to go down incrementally, and I'm feeling very positive about it.  I'm considering adding morning Yoga to my daily regimen because I think it will set the stage for the day as well as strengthen my core.  I'm also going to add squats for the same reason, but UGH!  My legs are rather weak, and it will take some real energy to build them up.  However, it will do me a lot of good, so I shall begin squats today.  My menu focus is on vegetables and creative ways of serving them.  This is opening up some interesting ideas, particularly as they relate to keto.   Unique ways of serving veggies makes dinner a little more interesting.  It will be interesting to see if the focus on vegetables increases the weight loss this week.  Looking forward to another pound down, at least.