Author: kathleen

I am never very happy when my routine or life is disrupted. It’s tough enough to keep all the balls up in the air as it is.

So traveling isn’t easy but I do even have a routine for traveling — and workshops.

I am careful to get there early, find a place that I don’t feel trapped, a place where I can take care of my issues without disrupting the people around me. 

I did that yesterday.  I had a place that worked really well.

They rearranged the furniture yesterday so everyone felt free to move. I’m now in a place where I can’t do any of the above and I am very upset.  To the point I am very close to tears.

The walking is getting to me, I have 3500 steps on my pedometer this morning.  I put it on after I got up and dressed, so it is 3500 steps to walk to breakfast and then to walk to our workshop.  Tomorrow, I’m getting up at 6:00 am, getting dressed, getting my truck, loading everything, and then driving to breakfast.  Then I’ll drive to the workshop.

By the way, I’m a bit disappointed by the workshop, because so far it has been 1 day of lectures, and it looks like it will continue to be that way.  We lecture way too much in CS.

And while I am ranting — one of my classmates completely freaked out over my taking a shot at dinner.  EXCUSE ME!  Grow up, my students deal with it fine each day.  He’ll really freak out when I test my blood sugar around him.

I am tired.

Workshop didn’t start until 11:00 so my suitemate and I went and looked for Monticello after breakfast, we found it, she bought a mug and we didn’t do much else since we didn’t have much time.

Workshop has been good.  Food has been good and I have been able to find something to eat.  I do a lot of deconstructing sandwiches, but that is okay.

I have been a tad worried about going low and have hit the temp basal twice — once when I got up this morning before breakfast, and once this evening.  I also haven’t done a lot of bolusing — some in the afternoon when I ate some junk food.

I miss having my car close but it’s okay. We have to be out of our rooms before the workshop starts on Thursday, so my plan is to get car, load it, drive to breakfast and then drive it back to the parking lot.  I’ve got a map somewhere but we have long walks between each place.  I do have some Slimfast I need to remember I have it.

Today’s workshop topics were on why diversity, why incorporate women and then a good presentation on an introductory course.  I like mine better, but he has some good ideas that I’ll probably incorporate.

I do work my children to death, but busy children don’t have time to get in trouble.

Just had a snack a while before — blood glucose is 236

By the way, this is the boring part of the trip.

Woke up this morning and should have stayed in bed, but I ended up getting online and checking my paycheck (we get paid on the 15th, and the pay information is available on the 13th).  Went back to bed dozed awhile. Ate breakfast, starting packing and finally left the hotel around 11:00 and ran by an Avenue store to pick up a few things I thought needed (and did).  I would have done better if I had stayed in bed.

Followed the GPS to Charlottesville and got here about 2:30.

Okay, the street the dorm is off of is one-way.  Oh, and it’s illegal to park here and is a tow away area.  I park about 4 blocks away, but at least the meeting place is close to the parking lot. I think they are trying to get us better parking as there are a few spaces around the building.

The dining hall is even further away but I think only one breakfast is there and dinners.  Not sure.  We still haven’t seen an agenda.

My suite mate is really cool, and so far the people here are cool.  I’ve got one neighbor who teaches near me but it’s a private school and I get the feeling she doesn’t get why I teach in Dallas.  I don’t some days either, but that’s okay.

We (suite mate and I) went to the dining hall when it was open – 4:30 and had dinner.  It wasn’t bad, I had ham and mixed vegetables, a small slice of turtle pie and snuck an orange out.  Which I just remembered and I need.  I have used 10 units of bolus insulin today between no carbs and lots of walking.

I’m having clothing issues — thankfully I brought a smaller size of skirts, as I am pretty sure I am going to need them.

We (suite mate and I) drove around town — wish I’d know about Monticello but it closes at 5:00 — I’m going to drop by there on the way out.

We’re settled in for the night through we still have people coming into the dorm.  Plan is to get up and go to the dining hall around 7:30.  Workshop starts at 11:00 — hey, maybe we can go to Monticello in between.

Yes, the fill I had before the trip is working.  I’ll probably cancel next weeks fill, but want to wait until it gets closer.

I am noticing a major change in my eating habits. I am definitely eating LESS food and I am definitely seeing a change in my body.  No scales here (haven’t checked the fitness center, I might tomorrow), but luckily, I packed the size smaller skirt in my bags, as the size I was wearing is getting too big, and I can comfortably wear the new size.

Whew!  And I have a ton of clothing at this size. I was at this size for almost 2 years.

Man, 5 days.  Yikes!

I woke realizing that I was

• having fun
• missed my husband and dogs
• sleeping well

I went to the Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport — free to get in, $15 in parking, not bad for a family.  Very nicely done and I’ll upload pictures later.

It is basically several large hangers with planes arrayed from top to bottom and from side to side.  From balloons to gliders and sail planes, to beginning to current times.  I think there was a Mooney displayed — I couldn’t get close enough to see, and the part that was disconcerting was that it was white and red, Mooney’s are notorious for coming in hideous colors — we flew two of identical Moonies that were orange and cream.  Sounds good on paper, but odd in real life.

I had a good time.

Accomplished a goal — had seafood for lunch — Joe’s Crab Shack and had some of the best food and service on the trip.  Worth the charge (unlike the Shoney’s in Bossier City — don’t go there).

The rest of the day has been about resting, relaxing and gearing up mentally to go to work.  Got my nails done, and have just been hanging out at the hotel.

Looking forward to the rest of the week, may do some tweeting.

I am happy and sad at the same time.  My fill is working.  I can’t eat much. This is a good thing. It is something I am going to have to get used to.  It is a bad thing too.  I am still working on learning how to eat right.

Proteins are tough, breads are tougher, veggies are still okay but haven’t had much of a chance to eat them.  I’m going out and getting something to eat with the plans of having the leftovers in the room to eat tomorrow.

It will be interesting to see how things go from now on.

Today I did the tourist thing. Drove to the further station out on the Metro (Vienna/Fairfax) and took the Metro into Union Station — well, that was the plan, but I got a little diverted. My goal was to get a pass on a Hop On Bus Tour, which I finally did, but got distracted and off the wrong station.

Once I got to Union Station, I found a bus tour and took it around one loop — decided where I wanted off — Air and Space Museum.  By that time I needed to eat, so I ate part of a filet of fish sandwich (McD style).  Yes, the fill is working.

Walked around Air / Space and then got back on the tour bus (sounds easier than it was).  Met lots of fun people on the tours, and generally had a good time.

Also took the "blue" tour and went over the Potomoc to Arlington National Cemetary.  All very cool.

Was almost touristed out, so took the train back — noticed there was a Metro station near the "blue" tour.  It was a Red Line train so went to Metro, tried to get an orange train but landed on a blue train.  Not a bit deal as they run the same route, there, so I got off, got on an orange that took me ALMOST to the right station — it went "out of service" two stations from where I parked.

So had to wait for another train.  It came, finally got to my station and couldn’t remember which side I got off on.  Finally found my truck and made my way back to the hotel.

By the way, I love this Embassy Suites hotel!  It’s one of the smaller properties — the New Orleans property was HUGE, about twice as many floors, much better atrium plus another property where we stayed at.  This has only 6 floors, has two swans living in it — though I wonder how they feel about it — must be like my dogs — they have a home with good weather, get regular meals, etc.  They are "royal swans" and must be birds that are frequently raised as pets.

Breakfast is completely made to order when it comes to eggs, etc.  Very good service and very good food.  Manager’s reception has had different food each night — last night’s ended up being my supper. 

Room is extremely quiet and I slept the best I have on the entire trip.  I should be in pretty good shape before I head out to Charlottesville.

Definitely having a good trip!

I made it from Knoxville to my hotel today. I may have been too ambitious on how much driving I can do in one day. The other bad part, is when I am at touristy places, they are closed.

Once I got settled into the hotel, I drove into DC and made it all the way to the Potomac, the Capital Building and Washington Monument.

My plan tomorrow is to find a train station, and take the Metro train to Union Station.  Then I’m going to try to take a tour.  We’ll see how that goes.  I figure that I have less chances of getting lost if I park in a train station.

One nice thing about Embassy Suites, at least this one, tonight, is that they really had enough food for me to have dinner in the manager’s reception.  I’m going to hit the breakfast in the morning.

I am tired.

It’s going well, I left Brandon about 9:00 am after getting gas, etc.

Had a very nice visit with the family, and right now, and stopped at a rest stop outside of Brandon, doing the rest stop thing.

I-20 is boring and I wish my GPS had a Wal-Mart alert, I want to stop and get some AA batteries and a one to two adapter for my car lighters, though I think the cooler and Zune are probably enough to pull juice off the battery.  Don’t want to screw up the electrical system so I’ve been keeping the amateur radio gear off.

By the way, love the cooler, it’s a good size, carries about two meals plus drinks and injectable meds (insulin and symlin).  Got it at Wal-Mart and made by Coleman.

Drove a lot, made a lot of little stops and generally taking it easy.  However, I-20 is BORING!

Really had a nice visit with my mother, want to go back through but don’t know yet.  I really hate I-20.

Would like to hang out in Chattanooga Tennessee but got there to late and went on to Knoxville.  I should be half way to Washington, DC.   I would like to get there at a decent time will depend on when I get up and going.  It’s 9:25 my time and 10:25 there time which always takes a bit to get used to.

I’m staying at a decent but cheap hotel, they claim they have wireless but I haven’t gotten it to work, thankfully I have my own internet.

Looks like the latest fill is doing good, which makes me real happy.  Still have some head work to do.