Tuesday, November 25, 2008

"Good Helen" and two fun weekends

Last weekend was SUPER fun -- in addition to Twilight (see my review below) Friday night (I guess I'm an official Twilighter...me and the rest of the 14-year-olds! It was HOT), we went to a ball on Saturday night with some friends. I wore a long slinky gown and black and white Converse tennis shoes. I carried a wand. It was incredible fun...dressing up, lots of nice people, lots of dancing, no food! (Although we did go out for late dinner at about midnight and I had a veggie wrap and rice...good Helen!)

Sunday, I made my pies (3 sweet potato -- one to give to the local homeless dinner -- and two pumpkin). DB and I walked the beach. And I went to the gym both days...good Helen!

We had to replace the water heater for our rental apartment today (our new tenants moved in and had no hot water!)...not a fun expense, but I know this is the price you pay for home ownership. Our new tenants (a young couple from Virginia) seem really sweet.

Today DB then went up to Nearby Town to prepare the way for us all to descend for Thanksgiving.

Tonight after work I'm taking my mom to the eye doctor (she's having some retinal problems), then bringing her home with me to spend the night before we drive up to Nearby Town tomorrow night. I hope to get to the gym tonight if it's not too late. If it is, I'll do pilates at home...I canNOT go all week without formal exercise and I know I won't be able to get to a gym in Nearby Town.

Oh yeah, I finally went to my orthopedist yesterday for a very painful problem I've been having with my right elbow since soon after I cracked my wrist this summer. It had started to radiate all over my arm and shoulder and even was causing a headache this weekend. I have tendinitis in my elbow, a/k/a "golf elbow". OUCH. Started PT today and have a little band thing to wear below my elbow. PT hurt a lot, but it's going to be good to get this fixed...it had gotten to the point that, over the weekend, I had to have DB open the cans for me for my pie filling ingredients! Yikes.

Tomorrow after work my mom and I will pack up the ingredients for Thanksgiving that DB did not take today (like the turkey!) and head to Nearby Town. She will stay in a hotel tomorrow night and we will stay at the family home. Thursday, the PDs and their families will arrive (both of DB's brothers will be there with family too) so we will stay in a hotel on Thursday night too. We're coming back on Friday and going to see Spring Awakening (musical). I hope to get going on Christmas decorating over the weekend...it's only a month away...yikes!!!

I LOVE THANKSGIVING. I have so much to be grateful for... :-)

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Friday, November 21, 2008

Got a grip...now what?

Despite the ice cream fiasco of last weekend (for which I remained mad at myself pretty much all week), I did a little better than maintain this week: I'm down over a pound and a half. It feels good to know that discipline works (sometimes at least!). But now I'm thinking:

NOW WHAT?

Thanksgiving is next week and even if I have a small bite of everything that will be offered (which is NOT going to happen), I will not be able to maintain my losing. I know it. If I am totally great next week other than that one day, I might be able to maintain and I am going to go for that and hope for more. But:

THEN WHAT?

The holidays will start in earnest. I am usually (not last year) good about avoiding the bad sugary stuff and that will help. So, assuming I will maintain or inch down during December:

THEN WHAT?

Like I said earlier this week, I am FAIRLY comfortable at the weight I am...but I have NO cushion (LOL) to gain even a couple of pounds. And I still want to weigh at least 15 pounds less than I do now. When I look in the mirror, I see fat. It's weird because last year at this time I was at least 15 pounds heavier (closer to 20) and, after these months (since June) of mostly maintaining my good February - June loss, the smaller me looks fatter to me than the really fatter me of last year. I'm thinking this means it's nearing time to get off this plateau and start losing again. I don't think this is possible for December (although I, and I know some of you, have done that before) but I will just keep plugging away, making good food and drink choices as often as I can and exercise, exercise, exercise!

On to my day-to-day: going to see Twilight tonight with a friend whose teenager wants to go with friends rather than a MOM, LOL. The mom and I have been coincidentally reading the books at the same time (she's on book 3 and I'm savoring book 4)...a little unusual for women not in their teens! ;-) Tomorrow I have to grocery shop for Thanksgiving, go to the gym then get ready for a "ball" tomorrow night (DB and I think dancing is good exercise!). Sunday, after gym, I will make pies, get packed for our trip to Nearby Town and do odds and ends.

Hope everyone has a great weekend...man, do I love Fridays! :-)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Got a grip

I got a grip and got away from the BAD food yesterday. It will be a miracle if I lose this week, but I hope to maintain. I am mad at myself for overdoing like I did. And, as a bonus, I got a bladder infection so am now on antibiotics for a few days. Nothing like that to make you feel even WORSE in your body!

I'm also getting scared of the holidays. I know me. I know that I will not say "no" to everything. I am scared that I will gain. While the weight I am now is OK, even a couple more pounds is NOT.

With that in mind, now I'm planning our Thanksgiving which we will have in Nearby Town this year. I am very excited because we will have a lot of people there: my mom, DB's two brothers, a sister-in-law, the PDs and their families, etc. The PDs and I are planning our dishes and DB will go up a couple of days early to get the house ready for the influx of kids/grandkids. (Oh yeah, DB ended up not having to go up there last weekend at all. Yay!) I am very VERY excited. :-)

Monday, November 17, 2008

Crockpot for a Crackpot?

Quickee survey today: does anyone have a recommendation for a really (or pretty) good Crockpot? I have never had one, have asked for one for Xmas and my mom is asking me to be more specific...I had no idea there were choices!! ;-)

Very BAD food weekend. But lots of exercise. I still feel like YUCK today. :-(

Friday, November 14, 2008

Maintaining

Scale was not happy for me this morning...up 0.2 from last week. And I was VERY good this week...no real "bad" food at all and exercise exactly the same number of days as usual. This is very perplexing (and, to be honest, upsetting). I was looking for a loss of a few pounds today...in my body, I actually FEEL slimmer this week. But the scale doesn't lie. Although it IS capricious...after I weighed this morning (naked, before eating or drinking anything, after bathroom -- all as usual) I went on a walk with DB at the beach for coffee. When we got back, I thought I'd get on the scale again...maybe the earlier thing was an aberration? NOPE. I was THREE POUNDS more and I am SURE I did not drink three pounds of coffee or add three pounds of clothing. It's really hard to understand. :-(

So I'm looking for any good news I can find today. I guess it's good that I've been maintaining at a net of about 20 pounds down. I haven't moved up or down the scale more than a few pounds in about three months. But I do not WANT to maintain here. While this is a good weight for me and, I guess, easy to maintain (seems to be where I settle when eating well and exercising, but not being totally Drastic), it's at the high end of where I WANT to be. If I were down 8-10 or so pounds, I would have leeway for upcoming holidaying. I really NEED that leeway. My maintenance weight needs to be 10 pounds less than I am now (although I'd like to be about 8 pounds less than that).

It sure was nice to get up early and do the coffee walk on the beach though! In the winter I think I may need to do this more often....with the change in time, if I don't see the ocean in the morning, I don't see it at all except on the weekends because it's dark when I get home. It is truly beautiful...I could watch the surfers all day...and I feel energized this morning!

Bad news is the bad fire north of here in Montecito...there was a minute this morning when I thought DB would have to go up to Nearby Town (VERY nearby Montecito) to help protect his family's house from the fires, but it seems that, for now, the house is safe. Either way, he's going up tomorrow for his week of duty (although we heard this morning that The Good One is headed into town unexpectedly so DB will probably get to come home after only a few days this week -- yay!). Please send good thought to all those families who lost their homes so quickly last night...DB's niece, her wife and baby were evacuated last night.

Other than this, it's been a good week...I celebrated my 15-year anniversary at my job so I've been there about a third of my life! Wow, hard to believe. And there are MANY employees who have been at the firm longer. That tells you something about how special a place it is. I am lucky that my path led me to this firm. :-)

Have a good weekend everyone!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

A weekend of Too Much

(But, thankfully, not too much food!)

I've been meaning to write because it was a big weekend, but haven't had time...and I came in early to work today because I have to leave at 4 to take my mom to the doctor...but I need a little break so here we go!

We had a wine-tasting party to go to at our new neighbor's old house on Friday night but it didn't start until 8 so we went to Our Local next door for Happy Hour sushi dinner. We had had one appetizer and half a drink when, at 7 pm, my phone rang, then went right to voicemail. I picked up the message and it was Lifeline saying they had gotten a signal from my mom and couldn't reach her and would I go check. My mom is a half hour from me!! So I ran out of the restaurant leaving DB to deal with paying and called my mom's number. It rang two times, then was "answered", but no voice, no voicemail. It was like she pushed the button to answer, but couldn't speak. I freaked out. Called 911 and got them to send someone over...while I'm making all these calls, DB is pulling his car out and we're headed down toward my mom's. I called a neighbor of hers who has a key and (feeling horrible about this) asked her to go check on my mom. When I hadn't heard from my mom in 10 minutes, I knew something was wrong...I figured if she was there and her neighbor checked on her and she was ok she would call me. I tried other numbers for other neighbors. I tried my mom's complex's answering service and they couldn't reach the on-site manager and said they'd call me back (which they did TWENTY MINUTES LATER). In the meantime, 911 kept calling me back getting clues as to how to access my mom's apartment and finally saying they were forcing entry because they were getting no response (DUH, hurry up!). When we were about 3 minutes from her place (this is now close to 1/2 hour from the first call...you can imagine what was running through my head), I got a call from 911 that she was not in her apartment!!! This still wasn't GOOD news because, for all I knew, she tripped the button from somewhere else (I now know that the Lifeline thing only works within 300 feet of the base in her apartment). They searched the premises. When I got there, I saw her car was gone. I wasn't sure if she could trip the Lifeline from somewhere away from her house so we went to her neighbor's apartment and she said she thought my mom was at a concert and she told us where. We headed out to try to find the place, but at this point, were pretty sure that she was ok so headed home soon after...after leaving a message for my mom to call as soon as she could.

Yes, she was at a concert. And her Lifeline malfunctioned. And I believe that phone answer was part of the malfunction because they use the phone line to call out from the unit in the apartment. Bottom line is that my mom is ok (THANK GOD) and we learned a lot of good lessons -- like she always has to tell me when she's going out, her complex needs MUCH quicker response time, she needs a new Lifeline unit (and we need to make sure they call 911 too if they can't reach anyone because I'm not sure they did). It was a NIGHTMARE.

Anyway...after that, we went back to dinner and then to the wine party (which was more of just wine-drinking and socializing than TASTING!). We got home around 1:30, I think...

Saturday we had a birthday party for the one-year-old of some new Burning friends. It was supposed to start around 2. We had to shop for presents (it was also the daddy's birthday) and I had to get to the gym...after sleeping in. But wait...I wake up in bed at 10:30 and DB is not with me. I figure he's in his office (although I almost never don't hear him get up). I finally get up and go looking for him and he is NOWHERE. The doors are locked. There is no note. He is GONE. I call his phone and NO ANSWER. Finally, I e-mail him with "where are you?". He left to go walk for coffee and was just walking back along the beach!! I was frantic...couldn't stop crying (leftover from the night before I'm sure). When he got home, I cried and cried and told him he HAS to leave me a note if he leaves like that...but that I would prefer that he wake me (he didn't want to because I was so asleep so that is nice, but...).

OK, that trauma over, I head to the gym and shop for Baby birthday gift. Just as we were leaving, I got a call that my aunt in Northern Indiana (who we had just seen last month) died. I am so happy I got to see her -- she had Alzheimers (and had had a stroke before), but she was in fine form and very lovey. That will be my last memory of her and that is so great!! When we were in Indiana, we went to the cemetery where my grandparents are and where my uncle (my dad's brother) got a stone for my dad (he had a hard time with the fact that we didn't do that when Daddy died). He and I stood there and cried. And he said to me "I know I'll be standing here crying again soon over her [meaning my aunt]". They had been together for something like 66 years. My heart is breaking for my uncle (and my cousin, of course). But I am SO HAPPY we got to see them last month. Hallelujah!! Aunt Mary's service is tomorrow, but we sent flowers to the mortuary today...I had never done that so had no idea how to!! Had to call my cousin's wife (who works at the local flower shop) for advice.

Anyway... on Saturday, we made it to their pad around 4 pm and most everyone was already there!! They had a roast pig (family is Filipino) and a big spread of food...and I didn't eat TOO much. We had a really good time...stayed there until 10:30 or so...the last to leave except for the family!

Sunday we had yet MORE socializing!! We had planned to have dinner with some other friends (whose house we went to for Samhain). So we had breakfast out, I went to the gym and barely had time to shower and read my vampire book a little before they arrived at 4!!! We did a beach walk, then dinner at Our Local (the 1/2 price appetizers make a great meal!), then went back to our place. They are looking to move out of L.A....and are looking at an area we are maybe interested in someday along with some other Burner friends of ours. The girls get along great and so do the boys and we get along great together. We had a really fun time dreaming of the future!! :-)

Yesterday DB and I went for our flu shots at lunchtime (which is why I had no time to blog) and last night I did the gym since I have to miss it tonight to take Mommy to the doc (she's got something weird with her eye).

Whew....
So how was YOUR weekend? ;-)

Friday, November 7, 2008

Magic Week

So I guess the magic of the week extended to my weigh-in today...I am down a teensy weensy bit...but at least I'm not UP (which my behavior this week would deserve). I was perfect yesterday and kept up with exercising so that saved me. Am still over my lowest and not looking forward to the coming Party Season. I vow to be careful, keep up exercising a lot and watch food at all times when not partying (and even at parties...just a little less strictly).

Party Season starts for us this week with plans Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights! Whew...we're both actually tired already thinking about it and have planned to leave the party tonight early to get some sleep. Tonight is a wine-tasting at our new neighbor's old house (if that makes sense?), tomorrow is a first birthday party for a friend's baby, and Sunday is dinner with a couple who are new friends. Somewhere in there I have to get to the gym twice and maybe, if I'm lucky, get some down time too.

I'm starting to think about skiing...one of our favorite places opened the other day with a huge dump of snow...hmmmm...

Still floating on a cloud about the Obama election...and trying to stay there as long as I can! ;-)

Happy weekend!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

And the celebrating continues...

Wow, what a crazy two days...I haven't had a single day that I haven't cried since Tuesday. I read somewhere that someone said these last days have brought the country together in tears in a way it hasn't been since 9/11...but that we like these tears of JOY better! I feel so much happier and more hopeful than I have in a LONG time. Hallelujah and welcome President Obama!!!!!

I feel like personally thanking and hugging every single person in the UNITED States that voted for President O...I am THAT grateful. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Having said that, I also realize that the next years are going to be HARD and we need each other more than ever. I too will be praying hard for our new president...his task is unimaginable. But, if anyone can get us through this, I think he can. Yes, we can!! (oh oh, I think I'm gonna cry again...)

If you saw Oprah come out screaming at the beginning of her show yesterday that is pretty much what I looked like (with paler skin and different hair and maybe, hopefully a bit thinner!) on Tuesday night. I kept screaming out my door "I love you, California" and "thank you, America". There were even fireworks in our neighborhood. Cool.

Then yesterday was my mom's 79th birthday and DB and I took her out for more celebrating. We had a great time. And cake.

SO...all this celebrating comes with, well, calories.

Once again, I have been "bad" this week. The only saving grace is that I continue to watch what I eat and I haven't missed any scheduled exercise at all (I even went to the gym on Tuesday night before celebrations commenced). But I got on the scale this morning to prepare myself since I was having a mini-physical for life insurance and knew they would be weighing me and it was NOT PRETTY. Luckily the examiner's scale was a full seven pounds less than mine...not that I believed it (I believe mine), but at least I wasn't as embarrassed by the number as I could have been.

So I'm going into tomorrow with trepidation...but I will weigh...I will face the music. I am so happy this week that (almost) nothing can make me sad.

The future looks brighter...

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

"Happy Election Day"

I think it's interesting how people today are saying "Happy Election Day". I don't remember that before. Maybe because it's been a LONG time since Election Day was "happy".

Personally I have NEVER felt like I do today or like I have felt in the run-up to this election. What is it that I feel? HOPE (while kind of a cliche for Team Obama) is definitely part of it.

I also feel proud. When I went to vote this morning and saw the HUGE lines (I waited for 50 minutes...never waited before for more than 5 minutes), I saw that my fellow citizens actually do care (which I have seriously doubted these past dark years). I saw that Senator Obama has INSPIRED us to get off our butts and go vote in ways like never before (and, yes, I do think it is him and not The Other One that has made this happen).

I feel community. Standing in that line this morning was FUN. We all were so happy to be voting. People were driving by honking and shouting. And I did the same when driving to work later and I saw the same lines block after block. I have NEVER seen something like that before in my entire life.

While I always get excited by elections, I have never been as inspired as I am this year. And this is in the midst of some pretty serious doomsday fright on my part. But this man, Barack Obama, who is a mere 6 months older than me has stirred my heart in a way that NO candidate ever has before. Ever.

And tonight when, as I truly hope and BELIEVE will happen, he speaks to this nation as our president-elect, I will cry. I will cry for JOY that this country has put aside petty differences and prejudices and has elected a unique and special person who is a GIFT to us. I will cry...and I will laugh and I will smile and I will feel HOPE like I haven't felt in a very long time. It's time. It's time for US. This is OUR moment.

Happy Election Day. :-)

Monday, November 3, 2008

I can't WAIT until tomorrow

Celebration weekend




Photos above from Halloween at the office and Halloween with friends.

We also had a great time celebrating PD2's birthday on Saturday night at her new house and Samhain with some Wiccan friends last night!

Bad food was plentiful. We are back on the wagon today and looking toward a week of being better (although we do hope for much celebrating tomorrow night and celebrating my mom's b-day on Wednesday).