Alligatorob's Diary

[Cate]

It's great that they really, really want you to go to China. That must feel good. I have never travelled business class. What a shame you're only going for one day though.

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, I ate well and feel good. Drank a bit more wine than usual, and ended up with a few extra calories as a result, but today was the 100th anniversary of the establishment of prohibition in the US. Fortunately it did not last, so I drank to that. And the calories did not turn out badly, just a few more than most days.

I am officially calling you and recognizing you as the Irish King

Thanks, now I have to call Charles and company to confer!

I am currently investigating some ancestry and have been in contact with a lady In Tennessee

That would be interesting. The test did identify some of my "relatives" in their system, about 1,400. But they seem to mostly be in the US, apparently my ancestors migrated from Europe 200 to 300+ years ago, making European relatives harder to name, too many intervening generations.

At the moment these kinds of tests are a bit like reading your horrorscope in the daily paper

I think you are right, and kind of fun like the daily horoscopes.

Thanks for the video Flyer, I did watch it, I am not sure I saw much breakfast food on my diet, maybe the rice porridge stuff. I have had the steamed dumplings, they are good.

Thanks to all on the support, I appreciate it. And today I sent off my application for a Chinese visa, so I maybe committed. Last trip I made like this was to Indonesia, about 5 or 6 years ago, I had decided that one would be my last. But things have changed, I think I will now be better able to withstand the travel than I was 90 lbs back.



Börte, Genghis Khan's first wife was born in 1161. At that time Genghis was quite young and known as Temüjin, Börte was kidnapped from the family compound. Temüjin organized a daring rescue raid to get Börte, that is now generally recognized as his first experience with pillaging, his first step towards becoming Genghis Khan. Börte was a captive for several months, and gave birth to a son not long after being rescued. To Genghis' credit he raised the boy as his own son, Jochi, who went on to lead the Golden Horde. Genghis would go on to marry many more wives, and have even more girlfriends, but Börte was always recognized as the senior wife, and held much sway with Genghis.

 

[Llama]

To Genghis' credit he raised the boy as his own son, Jochi, who went on to lead the Golden Horde. Genghis would go on to marry many more wives, and have even more girlfriends, but Börte was always recognized as the senior wife, and held much sway with Genghis.

Yay, good news from history!

 

[bibbidi_bobbidi]

90lbs down is crazy! Well done!!

 

[Emilyrose]

I hate the idea of being a 'senior' wife. Eff that. I'd be gone off to find a toyboy of my own at that point.

 

[Petal001]

Happy news on China visit Rob

 

[Llama]

I hate the idea of being a 'senior' wife. Eff that. I'd be gone off to find a toyboy of my own at that point.

I agree it sounds awful but senior in the sense of main, most important would be excellent for the time and place, I think.

 

[alligatorob]

Yesterday was a good day, ate well and I feel good. Grandkids were on the computer last night, so I couldn't post. Off to a sleigh ride to feed the elk this morning.

 

[Emilyrose]

I like your positive affirmation at the start of every post. Those can be very powerful.

 

[liza]

Off to a sleigh ride to feed the elk this morning.

That sounds Fun!!! Where are the elk?

 

[alligatorob]

That sounds Fun!!! Where are the elk?

Hardware Ranch (https://wildlife.utah.gov/discover/hardware-ranch.html ). Its about a 45 min drive from here. You don't really feed the elk, but they take you on a sleigh ride to see the elk being fed. Utah has a good wild elk population, but in winter they often don't get enough to eat, so this is done to augment their feed. Naturally the elk would winter in the valley bottoms, but that's where we live today. Feeding them in the mountains also keeps them off the roads.

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, I ate well and feel good. Took the grandkids to see the elk, and in the process got it a long walk, not something I could have done just a few months ago. Not sure how long it was, some up and down hill in the snow and I was on my feet a couple of hours, not all walking. Feels good to be able to do that. Afterwards we took them to this new pizza place, a buffet with all kinds of pizza, stuff I had never seen before. They had desert pizza, a black forest pizza. Really just looked like brownie crust with icing. I had no pizza, just a big salad without dressing. Watching the kids eat I wasn't even tempted. That felt good.

I like your positive affirmation at the start of every post.

Thanks, I do mean it, since going on this diet most days are good days. The rare few that aren't I think I say so.



1025 on the Muslim calendar is approximately 1616 on our Gregorian calendar, and it was in 1616 that father António Vieira was born. António became a Jesuit priest, Portuguese diplomat, orator, preacher, philosopher, writer, and member of the Royal Council to the King of Portugal. He was particularly enlightened for his time. He advocated for the rights of Jews and Muslims, and through his influence with the Pope was instrumental in slowing and limiting the inquisition in Portugal. He lived for many years in Brazil where he successfully put protections in place for the Native Americans. A unique thing is that his mother was reportedly a mulatto, meaning half black at the time. António must have faced discrimination, and been an amazing person to have accomplished what he did. Maybe that helped form his thinking. It is nice to find a good man in that age, too bad there weren't more Antónios, perhaps things would have been different.

 

[liza]

Love those pictures! Thanks for sharing them. Looks and sounds like a really great day out. So lovely that the humans take care to keep the elk fed and cared for through the winter. Those look like beautiful horses as well.
So great that you are able to be on your feet for a couple of hours too! A true reward to have a day out like that with the grandkids

 

[Llama]

Naturally the elk would winter in the valley bottoms, but that's where we live today. Feeding them in the mountains also keeps them off the roads.

Sounds sensible and there's nothing wrong with doing good for slightly selfish reasons.

I do mean it, since going on this diet most days are good days.

That's so great to hear!

 

[Petal001]

Love the beautiful pictures Rob and the fact you enjoyed something you might not have a few months ago . That's the stuff we need to focus on

 

[aiminglow]

I love that whole paragraph about the sleigh-ride to the elk-feeding. That is a TOTAL non-scale victory, if ever I've heard one!

.... a long walk, not something I could have done just a few months ago. Not sure how long it was, some up and down hill in the snow and I was on my feet a couple of hours, not all walking. Feels good to be able to do that.

Up hill and down in snow - that's pretty demanding walking - I love that you're able to do that now! And not feeling even mildly tempted by the pizza menu is pretty darn exhilarating, too! Just great! Go, you!

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, I ate well, exercised a bit, and feel good. My exercise was some walking at the bird refuge, in the snow, and general walking around the house and yard, avoiding the snow. I need to get one of those step counters to see how much or little I really am or am not doing.

Thanks, Liza and LaMa, the truth is the elk feeding is mostly paid for with funds from hunters. I am not against hunting and I think it helps bring a more diverse political base to habitat preservation than without. Years ago I hunted elk, but don't think I will again.

Thanks Petal, yes those are the things we need to focus on, more important than the scales.

Thanks Amy, you are a great cheerleader!



In 1050 the real King Macbeth (the Red King) of Scotland made a pilgrimage to Rome. Where according to historian Marianus Scotus "he gave money to the poor as if it were seed". Unfortunately the real Macbeth had little to do with Shakespeare's version. Too bad I really like the opening witch scene, but maybe it was true, who knows. And some ideas for a diet:

Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Any idea the calories?

 

[aiminglow]

Any idea the calories?

A challenge!
Okay, let's see... average snake, cleaned for eating, about 500 kcal? Divided by three, because there's three witches dining, that's roughly 140 calories each, for the protein part... hhmmm... now that I look, the ingredients are all protein.
How much protein in an owlet's wing, though? - not much, I'd think - owlets are pretty small. Same for toe of frog - and the newt's eye and the bat's wool. Okay, the protein is mostly the snake and the lizard's leg - which, supposing a good big, goanna, would be maybe another 200 calories each? So all up, less than 400kcal per witch, made up of two protein courses, and a lot of dubious garnishes.
Verdict - needs more vegetable - and I'm not sure that root of hemlock, digged i'the dark is exactly the best option. How about a nice, green salad instead?

 

[liza]

My exercise was some walking at the bird refuge, in the snow,

That sounds really nice! Sounds like you have lots of really beautiful nature all around you.

 

[Llama]

My exercise was some walking at the bird refuge, in the snow, and general walking around the house and yard, avoiding the snow.

Walking at a bird refuge sounds wonderful! And the life of the real McBeth was at least as interesting as Shakespeare's hit piece on him, worth a read/watch.