Some days it is hard

So I've had this horrible cold for the past three days (no improvement at all) and that has been pretty bad trying to get stuff done at work and get ready to go to Burning Man. So today things get worse: I severely broke my left big toe to the point that I need surgery to fix it. I am still planning to go away, but everything is different now...and I'll probably have surgery as soon as I'm back.

Trying to stay positive...

Back to work for a few days...

...tired, probably vastly fatter than last week and, to top it all off, sick today! :-(

Have been having a lot of fun with the family: loved the resort in the desert (although it was so hot as to be unbearable outside for more than 10 seconds without getting in a pool...luckily there were SEVEN pools at our resort!). Took the kids to the Toy District on Sunday to shop for them and for us for Burning Man. Had a sleepover with DB's granddaughter Princess (who looks up to my 3-years-older -- 10-year-old -- niece Muffin). Went to Hollywood. Went to amusement park at the pier, etc.

I am in LOVE with boogie-boarding. It is SO much fun and I think it's actually good exercise too!! I may end up doing this every day as long as it is warm enough because the waves at the end of our street are fantastic. I just may have to learn to surf...some day. ;-)

Despite boogie-boarding and biking and walking, I have been eating like a pig so am sure that I have gained. I feel like a blob and have no time with family here and pre-BM stuff to do actual planned exercise. On top of this, I woke up this morning with a horribly sore throat and my nose is getting stuffy...I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS!! :-(

I'm working 3 days this week then off until Sept. 5...before vacations, I often wonder if it's worth it...SO much stress getting ready to go...

And Vacation Month begins...

...my sister and her family from NYC arrive tomorrow...I am SO excited!!! DB and I have been working hard to make the new place fun and nice for the fam. Even now as I type DB is cleaning up his part of the pad and working on our home for Burning Man. Sweetie that he is! :-)

DB has lost about 10 pounds recently!! He just found out today and is so happy. Me? I think he was super sexy with those 10 pounds so it doesn't really make a difference to me, but since it means so much to HIM, I am happy. :-) Boys have it so much easier than we do...he cuts down a little and doesn't do any organized exercise and LOSES. Not what happens with me! But I'm happy that I'm doing so well considering that I am not eating or exercising perfectly. We both are getting a lot of inadvertent exercise with the move and walking and biking at the beach so that is good. But I'm also deliberately doing heavy-duty yoga and other stuff a few times a week...so we'll see.

I'll be here intermittently until September. We leave for Burning Man the day my sister and her family leave (Aug. 26) and will be back in September. There will be a LOT of inadvertent exercise at BM so....crossing fingers all is even-steven when we get back. :-)

Staying accountable on weigh-in day

I wasn't too keen on the idea of getting on the scale this week, but by some miracle, my weight is up by only 0.6. I say it's a miracle because I have done NO (and I mean NO) organized exercise all week. Family stuff, pet stuff, work stuff, house stuff all took priority with my time. I guess I'm lucky that I'm getting at least small walks daily and a little biking.

Oh yeah, I ate ice cream a few times this week too.

How is it possible that I didn't gain 5 pounds? Well, I'm not taking this for granted...back on the program right away!!

My sweet Polar Bear (Gus the kitty)...

...went across the Rainbow Bridge today. I am writing this so you all know what happened and so I don't have to talk about it too much more because when I do, I cry.

I came home tonight and was getting ready to give Gus his usual insulin injection and when I looked at him...I knew. He was lying in his bed, very relaxed, very peaceful...but his eyes were slightly open. I looked closer and I didn't see him breathing. I shook him and called his name and then I really knew that he was gone. He is gone.

I have never had a pet who died at home like this...so peacefully, without human intervention. He has seemed very happy and ALIVE lately. It's a surprise even though he's been so sickly for so long. I actually wanted to take a photo of him...he looked so peaceful. I last saw him in his bed, all comfy, covered up and cozy. I am happy to remember him that way.

Gus, my sweet polar bear, lived a long life...I tried to make it happy for him...he was always a sweet soul. I have soo many stories about him and I lived with him longer than any other pet I have ever had.

I will miss him. I will comfort myself knowing that he is running free with his back legs (which have been so weak) totally strong so he is able to explore his new world.

Sleep softly, my sweet polar bear...

Something sweet that I want to remember

Last night after work I was meeting with my pet-sitter showing her the lay-of-the-land at the new place for when we go away next week. DB's granddaughter, "Princess", was walking down the street with us and Doglet and I was telling Pet-Sitter how special Princess is to DB and me because she was on 4 of our first 5 dates with us! (I met Princess on my second date with DB because she was visiting for a week.) And Princess said to Pet-Sitter, "and now we're a family!". I love that. :-)

Busy busy bees

This weekend was the beginning of a month where there will be a lot of family fun...and my long-awaiting vacations (yes, vacationS!). :-)

Friday night I went and purchased a bike I found on Craigs List -- DB and I have been wanting to get some extra bikes for guests who come to our beach house and this was a nice cheap one. Unfortunately it just didn't quite fit in my Fit so I didn't get it all the way home but dropped it off at my office to wait for a day when I can get it in DB's bigger car. Then I went home and made an amazing (if I do say so myself!) Brazilian fish stew for dinner. Very low fat and with a salad on the side and some whole-grain bread. YUMMY.

Saturday was Project Day for DB and me. We slept in a little, but got up and headed out for errands by 10. We started with Home Depot: got several things we needed for the new house and piled them in the Fit. Then we headed over to where we store our Burning Man van, Vera. We took everything out of the van, inventoried it, put it back, made lists of what we need to get, etc. I'm our camp Procurement Officer (a/k/a The One Who Loves To Shop). After we got home, we dug in to getting the place nice for our Sunday Beach Fun Day with DB's kids and grandkids. We worked HARD -- I did a lot of planting, watering, etc. and DB packed more stuff into our garage storage areas. Then we cleaned and swept our patio and deck and collapsed about 6 from all our labor!

Sunday Fun Day: both of DB's daughters came down with one son-in-law and 4 grandkids. We had a BALL. It was the Festival of India in Venice Beach yesterday so there was a big parade with some grand floats and lots of food, music and shopping for cheap Indian products. We also had a nice meal at a local restaurant that DB and I have really been enjoying (we ate there THREE times this weekend!). Then one daughter left with two of the grandkids (she left the oldest with us to stay for a day or two -- yippee!). The rest of us headed to the sand about 5 pm and had SO MUCH FUN jumping in the waves and then body-surfing! We finally went home about 7, washed off all the sand in our outdoor shower (luxury!) then took real showers and got some take-out for dinner. We had a little excitement in the evening when a Mylar balloon in electric wires caused a black-out of our place and about 4 blocks around us. We had no power for a few hours, but it was fun with Granddaughter with us. I'm hoping she gets to stay at least another night -- of course, this was unplanned so she has no clothes other than what she wore so we're washing them every night and she's sleeping in a big t-shirt!

My weigh-in on Friday was surprisingly good, but I was not perfect with food this weekend. I hope all the work we did on Saturday and all the walking and water-play yesterday will balance that out. My GAK seems better although I'm still taking ibuprofen daily to make sure it stays that way...and I'm not walking on sand any more than I have to!! Biking seems ok though...on Thursday we took a picnic down to the free concert about a mile or so away and it was fine. Crossing fingers that it was just a weird aberration last week...

My sister and her family from NYC arrive a week from tomorrow so I will have 2 days off next week and two the next week and THEN a whole week for Burning Man. I really need a vacation!!!!!