Thank you for your lovely welcome messages! More and more I realize that part of the success of this journey will depend on those who I choose to have surround me. And I think that this group of people, at this forum, is one of the keys to my future success.

*****

Last night I flew home from my latest business trip. I'd been in Northern BC for a few days. From Prince George to Vancouver, we had a great vantage point from which to see the forest fires burning in the Okanagan and the Fraser Valley. There must have been a half-dozen small fires, and one doozie. That was probably the one near Lilooet, or maybe it was the Kelowna fire.

We've had a very dry summer, the third driest July on record in some areas. So the summer ban on campfires is in place as of noon today. Completely understandable, but it's too bad because camping without a campfire is just not the same. Luckily we have a small propane fire thingie at the trailer, and we can pretend it's a real wood fire. It can be a challenge roasting marshmallows on it, though.

I've travelled by air so much through the years that I've gotten over the shame of asking for an extender for my seat belt. Now I just automatically ask for it as I enter the plane. And the vast majority of the crew is gracious about it, and they give it to me discreetly. Now sometimes you've got someone with the sensitivity of a two-by-four, and they make a show out of giving the extender. I try not to let it get to me, and leave it to their karma to deal with them.

I look forward to the day where I won't need to ask for an extender, and where I won't have to pretend I don't see people's look of dismay when they see that they're sitting next to me on the plane. Or the look of relief when they realize that they're NOT sitting with me. That's probably why I sit in the back row. They're the last seats to fill up, and I can more easily avoid those looks.

Funny how we can be so resourceful in finding ways to protect ourselves from rejection and judgment.

In preparation for the surgery, I've started changing what I eat and how I eat it. I've started taking smaller bites, and chewing my food more completely (but now that I think of it, I scarfed my toast with peanut butter down pretty fast this morning). I'm also trying to listen to the signals my body is giving me. Am I getting full? Am I really hungry or just thirsty? Is this emotional or physical hunger?

Yesterday was a very good day, choice-wise. The day before, not so much. One of my biggest challenges is not overeating when I'm on the road. I'm in restaurants, sometimes I'm bored and lonely, and I've often turned to food for comfort. And that's what I did on Tuesday. I won't go into the gory details.

But the good news is that I picked myself up and started over yesterday, and had a good day. And so far, today's been a good day as well.

If I can't eat something, I still like having something to keep my mouth busy. So in my hotel room, and on the plane, I like ice cubes. Hell on my teeth, but it's no calorie, it fills me up, and it helps me drink my water.

But I wonder if ice is a no-no when you're banded? Just one of eleventy hundred questions I'm sure to have as the weeks progress.

Have a great day, all.