THE RETURN OF BALACLAVA MAN

Yesterday, the temperature in Chicago was in the mid twenties. On Friday I had let my streak of consecutive days taking some kind of walk lapse. On Saturday, I had the choice of starting a new streak. Two consecutive days of not walking or one consecutive day of walking. I chose the second. With the temperatures in the mid twenties, it was time for the return of balaclava man.

Standing in from of this giant threee story high mural, I found myself singing Bicycle Race by Queen.

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Your Food Diary For:

Saturday, December 9, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Grits	400	88	6	8	1,240	4
Egg - Poached Egg, 4	300	2	20	25	629	1
Bread - Whole-wheat, toasted	200	37	3	8	427	16
	900	127	29	41	2,296	21
L U N C H
Meatballs, 10 meatballs	540	12	40	32	1,220	4
	540	12	40	32	1,220	4
D I N N E R
Plain Kaiser Roll, 3	450	84	6	18	840	3
Sensational Seafood Salad	380	18	28	18	960	6
	830	102	34	36	1,800	9
Totals	2,270	241	103	109	5,316	34
Your Daily Goal	3,675	459	122	184	2,300	137
Remaining	1,405	218	19	75	-3,016	103
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,745 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 213.7 lbs in 5 weeks.




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I don't quite understand the fascination with this Mexican Artist from the 1950's, Frida Kahlo.  I sell fabric today, that uses her image and it is very popular. I found this mural painted on the side of a building on Milwaukee Avenue.

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CAMINO AL PARADISO

One day after turning sixty, I found myself where I have been far too often in recent years - subjected to oral surgery to correct something about my gums. This time it was a deep planing, It was not the most fun way to start my new life in the sixties. At least I made the most of it by walking to my appointment and walking back home after my appointment.

I briefly met the artist who was putting the finishing touches on this mural. His name is Josue. He told me that this mural is called: CAMINO AL PARADISO (Roads to Paradise)

You won't catch me kneeling anywhere near this flag. 

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OUT OF THIS WORLD

Each time I take a walk or hike anywhere, I am always searching for something new that I have never seen or noticed before. During an afternoon hike in Chicago on Tuesday, I discovered this long mural overlooking an empty lot that was out of this world (at least part of it)

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I used my 'panorama' option on my iphone to try to capture the entire mural in one photograph.

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Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Lewis bakery - Hawaiian special recipe bread	80	14	1	3	95	4
Eggs - Poached	300	2	20	26	600	2
Cheerios	400	80	8	12	640	4
	780	96	29	41	1,335	10
L U N C H
Hawaiian special recipe bread, 2 slice	160	28	2	6	190	8
Egg Salad	100	1	10	3	0	0
Chunky New England Clam Chowder	360	36	20	10	1,780	2
	620	65	32	19	1,970	10
D I N N E R
Home Made - Garden Salad	100	6	0	4	400	4
Johnsonville - Polish Kielbasa, 2 link	440	6	40	18	1,020	1
Seeds of Change - Seven Grains	240	47	3	6	340	1
Oreo - Thins, 12 cookies	420	63	18	3	285	36
	1,200	122	61	31	2,045	42
S N A C K S
Zico - Pure Coconut Water	280	52	0	0	640	48
UNREAL - Crispy dark chocolate	200	20	14	3	86	14
	480	72	14	3	726	62
Totals	3,080	355	136	94	6,076	124
Your Daily Goal	4,040	505	134	203	2,300	151
Remaining	960	150	-2	109	-3,776	27
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 2,110 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 215.6 lbs in 5 weeks 

THE IRON GIANT

Today, Friday, I will be up before the crack of dawn and heading to the airport for a trip to Houston for International Quilt Market. There may be an opportunity to sneak in an actual hike. In fact, I am anxious to see what the Buffalo Bayou River might look like just two months after the monstrous floods that hit Houston during the recent hurricane. But just in case, there is not time for a real hike, I took a real hike on Thursday. I trekked around Chicago for 20 miles. I revisted the IRON GIANT (actually known as the 15.6 foot LARGE WALKING FIGURE in the Edgewater section of the Lake Michigan shoreline.
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With my lightened baggage of recent weeks, I can jump again. I bet I am getting  6" off the ground.  It will be a long time before I can dunk a basketball, especially since I never have.

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In this photo we are both the same distance from the camera lens. This piece of outdoor art really is huge.

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My hike took me to every nook and cranny along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

I 'discovered' a giant mural in Lincoln Square. The mural covers more than 3000 square feet .

Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, October 26, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Grits	300	66	5	6	930	3
	300	66	5	6	930	3
L U N C H
Whole Foods Fusion Sushi - Spicy Salmon Avocado	500	71	0	16	1,033	0
	500	71	0	16	1,033	0
D I N N E R
Campbell's Chunky Manhattan Clam Chowder	240	36	6	10	1,600	6
Read - 3 Bean Salad	300	65	0	5	1,500	40
Wasa - Sourdough Crispbread	315	81	0	9	405	0
	855	182	6	24	3,505	46
S N A C K S
Crispy Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups	200	20	14	3	86	14
Crisps - Cracker	120	24	1	2	100	8
Lake Champlain - Dark Chocolate	200	64	8	8	0	51
	520	108	23	13	186	73
Totals	2,175	427	34	59	5,654	122
Your Daily Goal	5,160	645	172	259	2,300	193
Remaining	2,985	218	138	200	-3,354	71
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 3,230 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 196.4 lbs in 5 weeks     

THE 'REAL' IRON GIANT

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WHOOT

The weather in Chicago on Wednesday afternoon was superb. The temperature was hovering in the high 60's and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I set out for an afternoon urban hike.  I am always on the lookout to discover something that I have never seen before. Yesterday, my discovery was this colorful owl mural. This mural is titled: Whoot. The artist is Tony Passero. This mural can be found under the Kennedy Expressway on Belmont Avenue in the Avondale neighborhood of Chicago.  The complete mural is 17 ft 3 inches x 5 ft 6 inches.

The Whoot Mural located on Belmont Avenue between the Kennedy Expressway exit ramp and Kedzie Avenue. This mural was executed in June 2014.

Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Eggs - Poached	300	2	20	26	599	2
	300	2	20	26	599	2
L U N C H
Whole Foods - Genji Sushi- Brown Rice Snow Crab	350	58	0	12	990	0
	350	58	0	12	990	0
D I N N E R
Read - 3 Bean Salad	300	65	0	5	1,500	40
Johnsonville - Polish Kielbasa	220	3	20	9	510	1
Generic - Mostaccioli w/Meat Sauce	300	44	8	14	623	8
	820	112	28	28	2,633	49
S N A C K S
Whole Foods Dark Chocolate Coconut Chews	300	30	21	3	38	20
Snack Cheese	200	0	18	13	325	0
General Mills Pumpkin Spice Cheerios	200	40	4	4	218	15
	700	70	43	20	581	35
Totals	2,170	242	91	86	4,803	86
Your Daily Goal	4,292	536	143	215	2,300	161
Remaining	2,122	294	52	129	-2,503	75
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 2,362 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 206.3 lbs in 5 weeks     

After dark, I needed to go to Home Depot to look for something... I took the long way and logged an additional three miles.

BASEBALL SEASON STARTS TODAY!

I used to be a much more engaged baseball fan. My team was the New York Yankees. Once I moved to Chicago in 1993, my interest waned, or waxed (I forget which is the one that gets smaller) and in recent years, I don't start watching baseball until the playoffs start. That day is tonight. Tuesday October 3 at 8:00PM Eastern Time when the New York Yankees square off against the Minnesota Twins for the 'wildcard' game. I'll tell you one thing, as best I know, baseball players have not been infected with the stupidity of the professional football players in the NFL - they still stand for the National Anthem. One more reason to be a baseball fan. And what is better than rooting for your team in October!

If the Yankees lose tonight, it will be a short season.

* * * * * * * * *

On the day, the 21st of August this past summer when the sun was eclipsed by the moon, I weighed 261 lbs. I was steamrolling up a hill in the wrong direction. And I continued rolling uphill even more until one week later I weight 263 lbs.  Today I am nowhere near where I want to be, but compared to where I was, it's all 'water under the bridge.' This past Saturday, I dipped below 250 lbs for the first time in months. I am now going in the right direction.

water under the bridge

A prior issue that is now resolved or considered resolved. That argument we had is just water under thebridge now—don't even worry about it..

By the way, speaking about things under bridges. During my urban hike yesterday, I found this mosaic on Belmont Avenue under LSD (Lake Shore Drive). This piece of outdoor artwork can be found UNDER THE BRIDGE on Belmont which leads to the lakefront.

This mural can be found on Belmont Avenue under the bridge that is Lake Shore Drive.   Technically, I suppose it is the underpass.

Your Food Diary For:

Monday, October 2, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Four-Egg Omelet With Lox	350	5	21	35	1,486	3
Cinnamon Raisin Bagel w/Cream Cheese	200	34	5	6	353	5
	550	39	26	41	1,839	8
L U N C H
Mariano's - Spicy Salmon Maki	350	39	16	14	278	0
Fried Chicken Tenders	300	17	20	14	765	2
	650	56	36	28	1,043	2
D I N N E R
Wasabi Rice Crackers	420	88	5	7	298	0
Trader Joes - Turkey Burgers, 2	360	0	20	44	560	0
	780	88	25	51	858	0
S N A C K S
Trader Joe's - Mango O's	240	48	3	6	190	14
	240	48	3	6	190	14
Totals	2,220	231	90	126	3,930	24
Your Daily Goal	3,752	469	125	188	2,300	140
Remaining	1,532	238	35	62	-1,630	116
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,822 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 221.8 lbs in 5 weeks