199.8

I finally did it. The 200 pound barrier is broken and I'm on my way to 195. In In fact, I'm eating  a rice cake at this very moment. That's my new preferred snack food.

I fell on the steps of the gym swimming pool the other day and skinned my arm good. I couldn't go swimming the next day because of the bandage and I certainly missed it. I'm looking for a large sized waterproof bandaid today for tomorrows use. I need the exercise for the upcoming 5K race on Sunday.

I tried a race walking stride with hip movement the other day while on the treadmill and I think I will pass on using it during this race on Sunday. It uses up more energy than I have and the long term effects on a fused spine are unknown. I don't want to find out what they might be.

Back to the subject of weight loss; since I had promised myself a certain hamburger at a certain restaurant if I made it to 200, we had to go and order it that very day. It was close enough to our anniversary date that we combined the celebration and we split the burger. We've ben married 52 years and we have long since given up on celebrations with gifts and cards. We have all we need and we can always buy something if needed. I have a new laptop and my wife has an iPad; presents to ourselves a few weeks ago...minus the card and the party.

Ah! That hamburger! It was Niman Ranch beef cooked medium rare with spicy Guacamole plus all the other fixings. It was simply splendid. And worth every rice cake I had to eat.

We've been looking at a solid gray world the past few days as fog has socked us in. Still no rain forecast in the immediate future. This drought will bring out the worst in people and I've already read of impending legal action over water rights up and down the state. It's going to be a long hot summer.

California is unique in that they have no idea as to how much water they have. There's never been a survey of the groundwater and water rights have been handed down from the days of the 49'ers when 'ditch companies' were set up to move water from the mountains to a miners sluice box. These ditch companies grew up to be large public utilities and water districts plus a lot of large ranch's. And nobody is inclined to share. Who knows how it will all shake out.