A Journey of Intention Discovered through Horses - Part 4 - (supplement)

My daily schedule for August 15 – September 15, 2021

This is a supplement to A Journey of Intention Discovered through Horses

It is a 30 day journal of how I spent my time working my way back to mental and physical health, and preparing myself and my horses to continue our journeys. This is just a start. It begins with very simple entries, just committing myself to do the things I knew I needed to prioritize in order to move forward. I think it shows a distinct turning point of intently going through the motions, to becoming actually engaged and motivated. I think I will continue this. It keeps me motivated to keep doing better, and it shows me where I’m at. I do intend to make it more organized, though!

My weekdays usually start between 4:30 - 5:00 in the morning; toward the earlier side when I need to get up to make breakfast, toward the latter when I don’t. (Now that school is back to virtual, I sleep in to 6 or 6:30.) I get up, take care of brushing/flossing/mouthwashing my teeth. Drink a glass of water, feed the dog, make BF, drink coffee. My coffee is now decaf. I am not anti-caffeine, I just got tired of caffeine withdrawals when I didn’t have it, so I just stopped drinking it. I don’t want my mood and energy to be dictated by whether or not I have a cup of coffee. Like it says “Drink me or you’re going to have bad headache and a bad day.” I don’t think so. I quit about 2.5 years ago now.

Weekends are about the same, they just start later, like around 7:00 or so. That’s about as late as I can sleep in now that I’m older and in bed before 9:00pm most days. Plus I have aches and pains and a full bladder telling me to get up!

Water: I have been slack on drinking the recommended amount of water throughout the day. According to Dr. Tom O’Bryan in the “Autoimmune Fix” that should be about ½ ounce per 1 pound of bodyweight. I should be drinking about 65-70 ounces/day – I’ve fallen short. Better than before, but still far short. I have a 40 oz thermos – I commit to consuming the water I should over the next month! That’s about 1 and ¾ of my thermos per day.

Walking: I walk most days. Only about ½ mile at a time so far, but my focus is on maintaining correct ambulation instead of distance. It makes a difference as far as maintaining balance and strength. It enhances muscle memory. I enjoy it! Especially in this Fall weather.

Yoga: I started working on adding Yoga more consistently in a daily routine. I have worked on Yoga in the past, but inconsistently. Even then, I experienced good results. I knew I wanted to focus on practicing it again, but I wanted an updated understanding and routine. I don’t have access to Yogis where I live, so I chose a book that I thought would help me progress. So far, I think it’s a good decision. I have read the book, and find it inspiring in the information and philosophy provided. I have started learning one of the routines which I think is most beneficial to me right now. I am learning about breathing, some initial warm-ups and poses for stretching, body awareness and strength. I have incorporated only a few things thus far, as I learn and practice, but already it feels good. I feel benefits mentally and physically. I am very encouraged to experience the benefits of getting through the whole routine on a regular basis.

Daily Schedule:

Day 1: August 15 (Sunday) – walk – finished Blu article/submitted

Day 2: August 16 (Monday) – walk – horse - 45 min - finished story/submitted

Day 3: August 17 (Tuesday) – teeth - walk – horse - 15 min – dishes/vacuum/dinner - promoted story/grow Twitter

Day 4: August 18 (Wednesday) – teeth - walk – horse = 10 min - dishes/dinner promo stories/website/Twitter

Day 5: August 19 (Thursday) – write - horse - walk

Day 6: August 20 (Friday) - write - horse – walk

Day 7: August 21 (Saturday) – write - horse - walk

Day 8: August 22 (Sunday) - write - horse - walk

Day 9: August 23 (Monday) – writing - started Yoga – Cassidy school orientation – walked school a lot to find locker

Day 10: August 24 (Tuesday) – writing – wine – new stove delivered

Day 11: August 25 (Wednesday) – Blu – 20 min bucket walk yoga finished & submitted story - wine

Day 12: August 26 (Thursday) – Greek yogurt w/blueberries & walnuts -salad – chips w/homemade salsa – cashews – cheese curds – bourbon – promo stories & do reads

Day 13: August 27 (Friday) – 3 organic scrambled eggs & cheese curds – yoga – wine – sausages & veggies grilled

Day 14: August 28 (Saturday) – 2 GF toast w/but & apple jelly, nectarine, cheese curds – Cassidy VB tourney, then golf/drinks/dinner with friends – chef salad w/grilled chix breast – no croutons/no dressing – wine/bloody mary/bourbon

Day 15: August 29 (Sunday) – walk – 30 secs horse time (arena too mucky/wet) cheese curds – nectarine – Fritos – kettle chips – 3 bean salad w/corn – grilled veggies

Day 16: August 30 (Monday) – Finally! The air is cooling, humidity is dropping – I’m feeling an urge to get back to riding again! What’s that I’m feeling? Optimism? -- 2 slices cheese – 2 GF toast w/butter – cheese sandwich GF bread w/mustard – kettle chips – 2 homegrown apples – grilled chix breast/squash/bean salad – wine & bourbon – walk – 20 mins horse - yoga

Day 17: August 31 (Tuesday) – 3 eggs scrambled – yoga – grilled chix breast & wing – 3 slices cheese – apple - 20+min horses – grilled California burgers on GF bun w/chips & three bean salad

Day 18: Sept. 1 (Wednesday) – First day of school! Stove not hooked up yet – 2 GF toast w/butter & apple jelly (homemade) – Cali burger – chips – cashews – yoga – writing – Blu=5 mins – grilled corn/grilled sweet potato/Greek salad – wine – it was so beautiful outside! We enjoyed an evening with a couple of drinks by the campfire!

Day 19: Sept. 2 (Thursday) – 2 GF toast w/butter & apple jelly – corn tortilla shells and cheese slices – burger w/cheese no bun & salad – apple – orange – grilled chix thighs & corn on the cob – yoga – feeling the urge to trail ride my horse!

Day 20: Sept. 3 (Friday) – 2 GF toast w/butter & apple jelly – walk – 2 burgers w/cheese & Greek salad – cashews - potato chips – wine – VB game – stopped by high school FB game

Day 21: Sept 4 (Saturday) – orange – 2 slices GF bread w/moz. Cheese – cashews – sausage potato soup w/GF croutons – watermelon - bourbon --Stove finally hooked up!

Day 22: Sept 5 (Sunday) – orange – scrambled eggs w/ sausage & bacon – sausage potato soup – nectarine – turkey burger nachos

Day 23: Sept 6 (Monday) – LABOR DAY – 2 GF toast w/butter & apple jelly – cheese curds – watermelon – turkey burger nachos – chix breasts and corn on grill w/cole slaw - 15 min Blu - writing

Day 23: Sept 7 (Tuesday) – baked apple/cinn oatmeal – chix breast – cheese curds – writing – yoga – orange – cashews – veni chili w/GF bread

I had a nice Holiday weekend, but healthwise, did poorly – no walks, no yoga, and really no horse time! Too much booze and fatty food – ok – enough of that – getting myself back inline now!

Day 24: Sept 8 (Wednesday) – baked apple/cinn oatmeal – fritos – veni chili w/GF bread – yoga – cheese curds – turkey meatloaf & roasted veggies

Day 25: Sept 9 (Thursday) – steel cut oatmeal w/flax & berries & walnuts & real maple syrup & cinnamon – turkey meatloaf & veggies – grilled turkey breast w/parm salad – cheese curds – wine

Day 26: Sept 10 (Friday) – Steel cut oatmeal w/flax, berries – turkey & cole slaw – apple sauce – 25 min horse time – processed apple sauce - wine

Day 27: Sept 11 (Saturday) – VB tourny - CANCELED for COVID – now school back ti virtual - Steel cut oats – GF pizza - wine

Day 29: Sept 12 (Sunday) – turkey/mushroom skillet scramble – Leftover GF pizza – nectarine – orange – grapes – apple sauce - veni roast and baked potato chips – brandy – processed apple sauce & spicy relish

Day 30: Sept 13 (Monday) – orange – turkey/mushroom egg scramble – venison roast – nectarine – cashews – GF noodles – yoga – potato fritters, tomato sauce, faux refry beans – walk - brandy

Day 31: Sept 14 (Tuesday) – grapes – potato fritter – cashews – oregano fried chicken w/potatoes & salad – slow cooker refried beans & tortilla chips

Day 32: Sept 15 (Wednesday) - rolled oats, flax, cinnamon, maple syrup, raisins – 3 oz.s chix breast – veggie/turkey burger/tomato soup & GF croutons – cashews - cheese

Beginning Monday, September 20, Tom and I will start our strict 3 week autoimmune reset diet again. That leaves this week for preparing – I want to develop a meal plan for the next 3 weeks so I can order the foods that I think we’ll need; much of it is not available where we are – our options here are limited. We have done this several times before, and try very diligently to sustain a gluten free diet currently, but we’re still learning. We’ve also cut out most dairy and sugar, but those things have crept back in on a very limited basis, but still, it’s time to detox those again! For the next installment, I will include my daily dietary menu.

I hope you find this material informative. I do for myself just by writing it down!