The Gulf Coast - Sat., Aug. 3

My turn to drive, so at 7:00 a.m. I was at the meet-up area for a San Antonio Hill Country Hikers day trip to Mustang Island State Park on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Two people rode with me: Mara and Glenn. Both were gracious and contributed to the gas fund.

We had lively conversation in the car for our 2-1/2 hour drive. Topics ranged from Comic-Con to Peace Corps to full time RVing to where everyone grew up to movies and much more. Bob did not attend today as his plantar fasciitis is still bothering him (it hurt to walk), and he had work to do.

Once we got to the beach different parts of our group set up at shaded picnic tables far from each other. Then Gary arrived with his ocean kayaks and drove waaaay down the beach near the jetty.

Mara

A visitor in Mexican ground squirrel clothing.

Mexican ground squirrel.

Laughing gulls.

Dave and Jessie pointing to where Gary put his truck.

Our table with a view.

Lilibeth

In an effort to get the group together, Theresa (our leader) came to let us know where Gary was and we were invited to join everyone down there. "Down there" (by the jetty) was approximately 1/2 mile away. We had two coolers, chairs, an umbrella tent and bags of towels, food, and clothes to transport. None of the six of us wanted to haul our stuff 1/2 mile, slogging through sand in the midday heat. We stayed where we were.

Mara and I walked to the water and waded out to our knees. It's the first time I've put my feet in the Gulf in Texas. The water was nice and warm, so different from the frigid Oregon coastal waters. Maybe next time I'll go swimming.

Our group certainly brought enough food! Mara packed chicken salad sandwiches, home-made chocolate chip cookies, jalapeno chips, Baby Bel cheese, apple slices and crackers. I brought mustard potato salad, Sun Chips, Chex Mix, fresh strawberries, paper plates and plastic forks, Jacob brought Bud Light, and Lilibeth brought onion-chive potato chips to share. We would not starve.

Later on some of us walked down to visit the rest of the group while Glenn guarded our stuff.

Amanda and Jake hauling out kayaks.

Theresa and Amanda.

Gary emptying water out of kayak.

Hilary.

Theresa and Gary heading out into the surf.

Looking toward our spot from where the rest of the group landed.

Now you can see why we didn't want to haul all our stuff. It was a long way!

Gary's kayaks were a hit. Jessie, Amanda, Jacob, Jake, Theresa and Gary took turns kayaking beyond the surf and coming back in on the waves. More people may have kayaked as well; I only knew about those mentioned. The kayakers said ocean kayaking really kicked their butts, plum wore 'em out.

While we were visiting Gary, Theresa, Amanda, Hilary, Jacob, Jessie and Gary, we saw a small import car stuck in the sand up to its frame. A park ranger hooked up tow straps and pulled it free. Two minutes later, after the ranger left, they were stuck again. The ranger saw them and towed them out again. According to Gary, even he got stuck in the sand in his truck on the way out. I'm glad we didn't try to drive across the sand!

Susan, Mara, Glenn

At 3 p.m., we decided it was time to leave. The six of us at our picnic table decided to eat supper at Snoopy's Pier just before crossing the bridge off Padre Island. Snoopy's Pier has an interesting history. You can read about Snoopy's Pier and the Redfish Wars here.

Mara and Glenn at the entrance to Snoopy's.

 They insisted on taking my photo too, hat hair and all. I look like I'm doing a scout pledge.

Yours truly.

For dinner, I opted for the shrimp plate with six deep-fried shrimp, fries, hush puppies (they call 'em "pups"), coleslaw and a drink. Jacob ate my hush puppies because I'm not a big fan of them. The shrimp were so yummy!

In addition to Snoopy's Pier, the same owners run Scoopy's Veranda next door for ice cream desserts. We were too full to partake of ice cream.

We headed back to San Antonio; a very relaxing day at the beach accomplished. Thank you to Theresa for organizing the event and keeping track of us, and to Gary for bringing sea kayaks, folding chairs and a tent or two for us to use. What a fun, thoughtful group to belong to.

Have a good week.

Travel Bug out.

Sleep, Eat and Exercise -- Fri., Oct. 12

I must need sleep. Last night I slept ten hours; then this afternoon I fell asleep in the recliner for another three hours. That's not like me. Usually I get by on seven hours a night, if that. So I decided to do a little reading up on sleep and I would like to share the results.

The article that made the most sense to me was this one and it's a doozy. I don't think most of us get enough restorative sleep, which is Phase 4 sleep. Read the article, you'll understand this better. Sleep, the Great Healer, by Don Bennett, DAS

Also, an article from an early study on Lack of Sleep Can Lead to Weight Gain sheds light on the relationship of sleep and diet. Recent studies (2008) indicate that our hormones ghrelin and leptin are dependent on sleeping--but not just any sleep--a good deep sleep (Phase 4) for enough hours. "In a properly functioning brain, the two hormones are released on and off to regulate normal feelings of hunger. But research has shown that sleep deprivation can alter ghrelin and leptin levels." The following three-page article is excellent in explaining the effect sleep has on your weight: Why a Lack of Sleep Can Make You Fat, and How to Keep From Gaining Weight. Be sure to read it to the third page.

I'm including the following article because it's slightly related, but mostly because it's downright interesting: Hibernating Bears' Wounds Heal Without Scars. Who knows if bears' hibernating habits will reveal cures or will provide help for humans' scars or other related ailments. It's still interesting to learn about bears' restorative powers.

Anyway, my thinking is: with enough sleep  I'll heal better, feel better and lose weight faster. (Of course the wired jaw liquid diet is causing a fast weight loss--11 lbs in 3 weeks. I don't recommend it to anyone!)

In my current healing state, I CAN sleep more. That's the easy part since I'm not working at this time. So I'm making that my goal for now: get enough deep sleep. 

I can work on the correct way to eat and lose weight when I'm better. 

Exercise will be brought into play when I am getting enough protein and other nourishment.

But for the rest of you, remember, it's all related in your body--sleeping, eating and exercising--to help you feel and do your best. 
 
Take care of your body--it's your temple. Or, as a friend of mine used to say, which totally works for me: "My body is an amusement park." 

Enjoy the ride called life.

Travel Bug being amused.

Food -- Sat., Sept. 29

Oktoberfest 2006 -- Germany with Susan's relatives.

We* take food for granted AND enjoy: the tastes, textures, spices, scents, temperature, presentation, sustenance, and social aspect. 

Texas-sized pork chop on my plate. Yikes!

We abuse food: over-eat, super-size, over-salt, over-sugar, over-fat, over-process, genetically modify, become addicted. 

[*We=People in industrialized nations.]

Human beings need food to survive, although some would argue this point as I have heard about monks in some foreign land who can go years without food. I've never really studied them, so am not totally speaking from a base of knowledge, only rumor.

Different cultures have different tastes and different etiquette regarding food. Some eat with their hands, some eat only with their right hand, some use Western utensils; some use chopsticks.

In parts of the world, people hunt and gather their food; others shop and cook; some plant and raise their own food on farms; some fish, and use crab and lobster traps, and others simply dine out. By choice or by tradition, people can be carnivores, omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, follow strict religious guidelines, avoid genetically modified foods, or simply eat whatever they want. So many choices.

The one thing people seem to have in common when it comes to food is: they like to share it! Potlucks, weddings, family reunions, parties, wakes, church gatherings, picnics, cruises, vacations, family meals, eating out, community events, fairs, holidays, just about any occasion we can think of, people like to get together and eat.

Susan's family at Cheesecake Factory in Portland, Oregon. (2002)

 There's something almost primeval in our attitudes toward food. We savor it and enjoy "breaking bread" with others. Having food to eat is essential to our well-being, I'd venture to say, physically and spiritually. Sharing food is a tradition with most people. 

2009 Puerto Vallarta -- River Cafe

Sometimes you see someone eating alone. If I'm in a restaurant by myself, I feel an unspoken social stigma. "What's wrong with her?" I try to bring a book or magazine to read if I'm by myself. It's probably just me being paranoid, but hey, I try not to let it bother me.

Sharing food and socializing is a long-standing event in the human race. It starts when we're at our mother's breast. Comfort, warmth, love, caring, sharing. Some cultures take it a bit further and more than one woman may raise and suckle a baby.

So what's got me doing a soliloquy on food? I miss regular eating, that's what. With jaws wired shut everything is reduced to liquid in some shape or form. I miss eating cereal and chewing food while "chewing the fat." I don't know how long this will last. These bands and wires make me feel a bit claustrophobic too. It's impossible to yawn and very hard to sneeze, cough, spit stuff out, and talk.

A few years ago, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise did a bizarre movie called "Eyes Wide Shut." I think a new documentary should be made called "Jaws Wired Shut" which shows what it's like to live for weeks without the usual use of your mouth.  It could be very interesting. Anyway, it's a good word play.

Enough rambling, I want lamb, applesauce, beets, asparagus, chocolate, chips, cereal. I'll find out Monday what I can expect for the next few weeks. Stay tuned.

Welcome to new readers Rick and Kathy of It's About Time.

Hungry Travel Bug out.