Life Goes On

Wednesday August 27, 2008 Phase Two Day 128:
Last night when I got home from RS Stephen had just started the movie ‘Miracle’. It is that movie about the US hockey team that won the gold a few years back. Anyway, I came up to catch up email and post to Pigs to Twigs. By the time I was finished and the movie was over it was late. We did not get to bed until after 11:00. I am tired this morning. I think it also has something to do with all the sugar I had last night. When I finally dragged myself out of bed, I was off to walk. I am grateful I have a commitment to my walking friends, many mornings it is the only thing that gets me up and going.

Came home and had a big bowl of cantaloupe. Usually I have two slices with cottage cheese but this morning I skipped the cottage cheese in favor of two more slices of the fruit and one boiled egg. Now I think I will get to work on a newsletter for work. I can access the website from home, which is very nice.

Got into the office around 11:00 and worked until 2:30. Planned on having tuna and crackers but Stephen surprised my with a lunch invitation. He was in town and picked me up for chicken salads at Zorba’s. We talked about the email from cousin Betsy inviting us to the Tahoe cabin this weekend but decided not to go. We both have commitments this Sunday that would be hard to rearrange at such short notice. I headed home in time to meet with a boy scout for a music merit badge. Stephen had Chinese food leftovers for dinner. Oh, did I mention the night I went to RS @ Dayna’s he ordered Chinese food. Great! I do not have to think about dinner for a couple days. I wanted something light so I made a berry smoothie. Sonnet came over for our walk after Institute.

Thursday August 28, 2008 Phase Two Day 129:
Best laid plans. I planned to go to step class then off to the pool to swim laps. In the morning I changed my plan to skip step class and just go swimming when I got up. When I got up I changed my plan to go get my Mom’s laundry then go swimming. Now I am doing my Mom’s laundry and have no plan for exercise. I think the problem is I did not plan to be so tired. This getting to bed late is not for me. It was almost 11:00 by the time we got to sleep last night.

Had a couple slices of cantaloupe and a boiled egg this morning. When I get to the office I have the tuna & crackers waiting for me from yesterday. Tonight is the double baby shower fro Allison Moreno (Randall) and Stephanie Randall. Should be fun but I hope not fraught with sugar-laden delectables. Although last time there was a shower at Connie’s she served fruit and nuts, very nice. Whatever the offerings, I can make wise choices for myself, especially with Sonnet there…..Well, I was so late at work then picking out gifts for the shower I had to call Sonnet and tell her I would not be at our weight lift class today. Wow, I managed to miss all exercise today. The shower was fun. I only ate some of Connie’s main dish. It had beans, avocado, sour cream, lettuce, tomato and cheese – kind of a Mexican dip thing, but I did not have any chips, I just ate it with a fork. It was very good. She served brownie cake and ice cream but I busied myself folding the tissue paper and collecting paper garbage as the girls opened their gifts. It worked wonderfully to keep me away from the snacks. At home, I had a boiled egg before going to bed.

Friday August 29, 2008 Phase Two Day 130:
Yes – finally I got up and going on time. Out the door walking with friends after a slice of cantaloupe. Went straight to the gym to swim a few laps, good workout. What a great day so far. Came home and watched an episode of Andy Griffith while enjoying a breakfast of spam, eggs and cantaloupe. Today I am wearing a cute new dress I got on sale and John McCain just announced the Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin as his running mate. Her speech sounded pretty good and I an encouraged about the election. I finally feel I have a candidate I can get behind.

Now I am off to work. Bill is taking the department out to lunch at Riverlakes. I have already ordered a Cobb salad. This day just keeps getting better…..Back from work and it is nice to know there are others in the office that are buzzing about Sarah Palin. The department lunch was yummy. I was good and did not have any dessert. Now I am going to do a little cleaning. This place is dusty and could use a once over with the vacuum. I am somewhat hungry though. Not sure why – I guess it is not really hunger just a case of the munchies. What should I do? I’ll try a granola bar.

It felt good to clean the house. I put on a pork roast earlier so Stephen & I sat down to roast and a salad. Our Home Teachers came over for a nice visit. When they left we settled in to a movie. It was very cute – Katherine Hepburn & Cary Grant in Holiday. We had nectarine smoothies while watching. I feel very full.

Saturday August 30, 2008 Phase Two Day 131:
Stephen & I got up around 8:30 – quite a sleep in. After some cottage cheese and cantaloupe we headed out on a bike ride. Wow, I can sure tell I have not been riding in along while. It felt good to be tired in a new way – if that makes sense.

I know this blog is primarily dedicated to my journey toward improved physical health; but for a moment, I would like to interject a comment on mental and emotional health. After our bike ride today we went to take a well-earned shower. I am so glad we had this uninterrupted time together because when he asked. “Is something wrong?” The floodgates opened wide. Have you ever just opened your mouth and began with, “I don’t know, I just feel…..wa, wa, wa” Well I did. We were in that shower for almost an hour. It is a good thing we have two bench seats in our shower.

When I have something troublesome on my mind, I tend to keep it to myself and mull it over, debating back and forth. I wonder, ‘Is it really that big a deal?’ ‘Am I just being hormonal?’ ‘Should say something or keep it to myself?’ All the while, I pray very hard for direction, guidance and peace. I did a lot of talking, crying, and listening during that shower. I can sum it up by saying, it was cleansing, and I do not just mean getting the stinky sweat washed off. Stephen is a wonderful husband. He is a man, he thinks like a man and analyzes like a man. He also loves and appreciates me very much. I am amazed to hear his thoughts on our relationship and future. It is wonderful for a woman to have a man as companion and mate. I need his perspective and counsel. The balance of both male and female emotional and mental composition makes a strong union. Our conversation was lovingly comforting. I can heal and go forward.

Back to being fit - it is 1:00 now and I am hungry! I grabbed a few almonds to tide me over. First thing, I need to check out the old finances. We have been spending a lot lately and need to put the brakes on. Normally I would say, “Let’s go out to lunch”, but today I’d better have a look first…….Well, I looked and the finances aren’t quite in an iron lung but we are exploring a few changes that should make a difference. Stephen is napping now so I reached for two crackers with turkey and cheese.

After a bit, I tiptoe into the darkened bedroom to get something and was surprised to hear Stephen talking on the cell phone. I did not even know he was awake. It turned out to be Blake. They were talking politics so he put Blake on speaker phone and we all had a nice chat. When we were off the phone we were both ready for dinner. “Let’s go get some food”, he says and I head to the kitchen. “Not in there”, he adds, “let’s go out”. “Where do you want to go?” we asked each other simultaneously. “Well, what I really want is a relish tray” he confesses. “And if I thought you would go for it I’d say let’s go to McNally’s” “I thought of that three time earlier today!”, I laughed. We ended up calling our McNally buddies, Doug and Rinez. They said ‘sure’ about as fast as we did and within minutes, we were climbing into the back seat of their car and away we went. It was a lovely evening and a delicious meal. By the time we arrived, I was so hungry I dove into the crackers on the table then attacked the carrots and celery on the relish tray. I had some bread from the basket and swathed it with butter. I splurged and had some clam chowder – just a little because it was a too spicy for me. The porterhouse steak was heavenly. I passed on the potato because I had my eye on the Mudd Pie for dessert. Doug called the pie “obscene” and he was right. It was huge and I loved every bite of it. After dinner, we took a walk on the bridge spanning the river and stopped a while to visit. Good food, good friends – it doesn’t get much better than that. All in all it was the perfect ending to a superb day.

Sunday August 31, 2008 Phase Two Day 132:
Sunday, beautiful Sunday! I woke up refreshed and looking forward to church. The Relief Society is singing in church today. I ate a slice of cantaloupe then headed off. After regular choir practice, I started catching sisters to remind them to come up on the stand to sing. Many sat on the stand and several more came up when it was time for the number. The choir pews were full and the sound was angelic. I was so impressed and grateful for the Spirit’s blessing on our meeting that the sisters helped facilitated.

A nice surprise was to see Taunie in town. I knew we needed to get together so I invited all the walkie-talkie’s to ‘Breakfast by the Pond’ tomorrow morning. I feel bad because Jami is not in town however, I am sure we will do something else together this week.

Came home and had a couple almonds. Later I had a piece of turkey & cheese rolled up together. When Stephen came home, we sat down to a salad and leftover pork roast – very yummy. Now I am full and soon it will be time to go to stake choir practice. Sonnet is here and we will take our Sunday evening stroll later.

Monday September 1, 2008 Phase Two Day 133:
This morning the temperature has dropped a little to a refreshing cool. A perfect morning for an alfresco breakfast by the pond with friends. I woke up at 6:00 to get things ready. First, I tried making the won ton pastry cups filled with a yogurt/cool whip that Stephanie served at a shower earlier this month. They turned out very yummy. I made a quick run to the store for fruit and croissants. On the stove I browned a package of sausages, drained them then added whipped eggs, cheese and chopped green onion. After cutting the croissants open, I spread a light covering of sausage grave on each side then stuffed them with the egg hash. It made a delicious breakfast sandwich. The plate was rounded out with yogurt wontons and a fruit cup. Friends added to the bounty with orange juice, crumb cake and doughnut holes. It was fun to use my little white square cloth with blue and red flowers on it. The table looked crisp and cheerful. After the fact I noticed how well the red raspberries and strawberries mixed with boysenberries and blueberries played into the color scheme. I wish I could say I planned it but regardless – it worked. I know most people do not even notice things like. I am sure it is one of my many quirks but I am happy to be me. Even small aesthetic coordination’s speak to my soul and bring me pleasure.

I did not have a croissant with my eggs – that was good. I had several won ton yogurts – that was OK. I passed on the OJ and drank water – good again. Ate my berries – very good. Had about half a piece of crumb cake – not too bad because at least I limited myself. Sitting around that smorgasbord table for over an hour talking, I did have some more egg and this time had a small piece of croissant – bad again. I think eating light the rest of the day and perhaps a swim will help me recover and keep moving downward. I’ll know tomorrow when I weigh in.

We do not always get what we want in a day. I did not make it to the pool and as far as my intentions of eating light the rest of the day…….well……I guess I did not do real bad but…...During the afternoon as I sewed I snacked on a won ton yogurt here and there. Finally, they were gone. Later, Stephen & I needed to go to the grocery store but we were hungry so we went out to Marie Challender’s first. See what I mean about spending money!!! Any way we went and of course, I ordered the Cabo San Lucas salad. Note to self – it is too spicy for me – last time I thought it was the dressing so I got ranch on the side this time but it was still too hot. I thought it might be the red onion so I took them off but it was still too hot. I think now it is the cheese because the cheese is Jalapeño Jack. I need to remember that and get something else. Anyway, When Stephen, who always orders for me, ordered; she asked if I wanted corn bread or garlic toast. Always in the past I preferred corn bread so he said corn bread. I quickly amended, that I would not care for either. Stephen looked at me and said she’ll have the corn bread. We all smiled knowing he was having the corn bread. He got a corn bread with his meal also. The waitress brought out one corn bread and said when this one is finished she’d bring out the other one. Steve asked if he could change his bread to garlic toast. Sure! So, there was this big piece of piping hot corn bread staring me in the face and Stephen having decided he would rather have toast. Sabotage! I ate it. After dinner, he was telling me what a great day he had and I said mine was good but did not go just the way I wanted it. I said I was disappointed I did not get to the gym to swim and regretted having eaten the corn bread. I said I usually pass on the breads that come with salad by telling the waitress not to bring them. He felt bad that he had ordered it for him (which turned out to be me).

We made it to the store but hurried home to unload groceries because Rinez called and invited us over for Doug’s B-day cake and ice cream. We went and I was very good. I poured myself a glass of water and sipped on it while we visited. I was glad Sonnet was there or I might have gone wild – you know that whole, ‘I’ve already blown it I might as well have what I want’. I noticed Sonnet did the same water thing so maybe we helped each other tonight. I wanted a light day to perhaps dip below 145 pounds tomorrow but I do not think I am going to make it. This week exercise was sparse and food was not. I am hoping to maintain.

Tuesday September 2, 2008 Phase Two Day 134:
Weigh in day and I am where I thought I would be. No loss. Oh well, I know I can keep going. I think these last 10 pounds will be slow and the body composition change even slower. Or at least if not slower, accomplished with greater effort. I did get up today despite an 11:45 bedtime last night. I read and said prayers with Stephen around 9:30. He snoozed away but I needed to go to the computer and write a letter for Jami, type my eating journal entry and make a flyer for our rooms to rent. I am pretty slow when it comes to creating or composing. However, I am happy I got up, ate a few berries and went to step class.

I have a few errands this morning and an appointment at the office. After that I might come home and relax a bit. I am 22 hours ahead at work and can spare the time….Got to the office and ended up staying my full time. While there, I ate a bowl of mixed berries. Stopped by the Institute to drop off rental flyers then went to my Mom’s. Now that I am home I am snacking on a piece of turkey, slice of cheese and a nectarine. That should hold me through weight class.

Weight class was good. I think I will be sore which is a good thing. Sonnet came over and we measured. Small improvements. We talked about how we are doing and made some goals for this week. Stephen had interviews so I went in and fixed eggs and bacon. For some reason that sounded good to me. I put on a western and got the munchies. I decided to have two crackers and a dry hot chocolate. Later I had a handful of almonds.