November 27 & 28
Muhle R41 (2013) head & SS Big Bomber handle
Feather (3, 1)
30 DC LE figured maple handle with 24 mm APShaveCo Tuxedo knot
Soap Commander Love
Alum, Thayers Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and Alt Innsbruck
I'm still hangin' in there with the same set up. Results are slightly better when I complete a traditional WTG first pass before the ATG second pass. I can get away with more XTG and ATG strokes on the first pass using my Russian blades, but the Feather blade seems to be less tolerant. I hope to get my groove back with Feather blades over the next week or so.
I received some great news from my doc yesterday. BP was 108/78, which is down from 142/86 when I started my new lifestyle this summer. I'm waiting on the blood work test results, hoping to see a reduction in my LDL cholesterol. The weight continues to come off slowly. My doc wants me to target 210 lbs (which translates to 205 lbs on my home scale), and hang out there for awhile to see how I feel. I'm 28 lbs from my goal...with three more pairs of pants set for donation. I'm ordering a leather punch for my belts today.

If things continue as they have, I'll reach my goal sometime this spring. No hurry, though. I want to do it safely and keep reinforcing good eating and exercising habits. I can't begin to tell you all how much better I feel. Anytime I'm tempted to return to my bad habits, I think about what it was like to carry all that extra weight compared to how I feel now. If we have a 2019 meetup, I'll make an exception for the traditional BBQ rib dinner.
Lots of activity on the house...electricians are wrapping up, HVAC installation and brickwork are underway, and the low voltage wiring installation started yesterday. It's been awhile since we've had such a wintry November. We're beginning to see a small break in the weather, and hopefully it will hang around for awhile.
Have a great hump day!
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