thunderstorms

I woke up this morning to the sound of pouring rain.  Earlier, there had been quite a thunderstorm "concert", but I was able to go back to sleep. The rain, however, woke me up.  The drain at the end of our street decided to clog and the water was ankle deep when hubby left for work.  Oh yay.  The sun is now trying to make an appearance and is being more or less successful right now.

One of the pages I "like" on FB (Hudson Valley Weather) posted that if we had gotten this amount of rain in the equivalent of snow (say, like in January or February) we would have gotten 300" of snow!  Enough already, send the rain to Texas, where they need it.  Our ground is saturated, and the grass is way to green for this time of year. Another thing all this rain has done is breed mosquitoes!  The bees, while always pesky this time of year, are really being annoying, since all the flowers have been washed away.  I can only hope that all this rain isn't any indication of the amount of snow that we're going to get this winter.  <shudder>

So, I've been on a "see food" diet this week.  I'm trying to curtail it, and drink non or low cal fluids instead of eating today.  So, far, I've downed almost 2 liters of grape sugar free drink.  I guess that's better than eating a bag of cookies or chips?  I don't know if I can repair what damage I've done this week, but hopefully, but stemming the tide, I can get back on program and do what needs to be done.

In the meantime, daughter #2 is home for a long weekend.  She's doing laundry now, and will then take a shower.  It's only a little after noon, so I guess I should be grateful she's up and moving!

Fall is here

Okay, so it's been an entire week since I've written anything.  I guess that there isn't much going on with my life, and I know there isn't much going on with my "journey"!  Gained again this week, but then I was on a "see food" diet.  I really have to stop that.  I also need to find the energy to get my butt to the gym after work.  So, there you have it.  GRRRRR!
Daughter #1 was home this weekend.  She had scheduled an oil change on her car when she bought it.  She  also had her hair cut.  She hasn't found anyone in her new city whom she will trust to cut her hair.  Oh well.  She got to visit with some HS friends, and is now safely back in her apartment.
Daughter #2 is another story.  She IM's me from college saying that she lost her wallet, with her driver's license, her credit and debit cards.  And she's supposed to take the bus home on Wednesday for a long weekend.  Her school is giving them Rosh Hashanah off, and the Friday afterward.  Of course, what money she had was also in her wallet.  This isn't the first time she has lost it.  Last year, after replacing her license, SS card and debit card, she found it under the freezer in the basement!  This time, a girl at her college had picked it up, and finally called the house to ask how to get in touch with #2.  The wallet is now back with her, and she will figure out the bus schedule on Wednesday, being able to buy her ticket.
After she told me that she had lost her wallet, I finally realized that I eat when I'm stressed out.  Not just a little, a LOT.  And not fruit, but whatever junk, preferably chocolate, that is in the house.  So, I've also got to figure out how to handle stress.  So, while it's been a stressful weekend, I've learned a little bit about myself.  Now, to put those realizations into some sort of useful applications.
The other highlight of the weekend was going to see "Chapter Two" at County Players.  They did a wonderful job!  Now to get back into a decent routine and get back on program!!

Saturday, again

Went to WW last night.  Gained 0.6 pounds, but that was less than I thought I was going to gain.  Yeah, it was a tough week.  I worked 4 out of 5 days, and am just not used to the school day yet.  I'm not used to getting up at 5 AM, having lunch at 10:30, and then coming home starving.  Yeah, I only had decent snack food in the house, which I'm sure helped me to not gain 5 pounds, but still.   So, today, it's back to tracking, and not trying to play silly games with myself.  I'd like to get back to the gym on a regular basis, and then maybe I can get back into the right frame of mind.  I've thought about WLS, and right now, I don't think it's for me.  I really don't want to never be able to eat a cookie again, without significant stomach pain.  With the gastric bypass, there are too many restrictions.  Yeah, I know, it's probably a "good" thing, but I don't want to have those restrictions at this time.  There might be a possibility of the gastric sleeve, but I still have to do more research.

My knees aren't bothering me nearly as much as they were last summer, so that's a plus.  So, there's no hurry.  I know what to do, I just need to do it!

Oldest daughter is coming home next Friday, after work.  She'll bring her laundry and she wants me to make an appointment for a haircut.  You'd think she would be able to do that, but no, "Please, Mom?"  So, I'm still her secretary.  At least she has to find a doctor and dentist up there, so I don't have to make those appointments.

The other day, there was a complete rainbow in the sky, while we were having dinner.  I'd like to think of it as a sign of a new beginning.  Let's hope so.

And there's a really faint double arc, so I'm really hoping that this is MY sign, of a new beginning and getting on with my life!

Tuesday

This has not been a stellar week.  My 28th anniversary was Saturday, and I've been eating like I'm still celebrating, and it's not Tuesday.  So, maybe I can redeem myself before Friday and call it a draw?  We'll see.  I'm back to work, which wrecks havoc with my stomach and other things.  [TMI alert] I can't go to the bathroom at any given time, since I'm a substitute teacher and you have to be in the classroom.  So, you go when you can.  Then I come home and EAT.  I really have to stop that.  I also have to get the motivation to go to the gym after school.  Which is easier said than done.  I'm not used to getting up at 5 AM, so I'm usually tired when I get home.  I know, excuses, excuses, but that's what it is.  I don't have the junk in the house, but I manage to eat too much of the "good stuff".  So, now that I'm back into a "work routine", I have to get the rest of my schedule figured out, and start sticking to it.

So, tomorrow is a new day, and I'm planning on being on plan and exercising.  I'll let you know how I do!

Friday, weigh in

So, it's another weigh in day.  I actually lost a pound this week.  So, if you are keeping track, I'm down a total of 7.2 pounds since the end of July.  Slow and steady wins the race, right, but it does get frustrating when it's down one week and up the next.  I have to buckle down, plan and then do what I planned.

I also went back to work this week.  I work as a substitute teacher, and wasn't expecting to work this, the first week of school.  I got called in on Thursday, a teacher couldn't get through the flooded out roads, so I went in for her, and then today, another teacher is still dealing with flooded basements or yards or whatever.  So, I wasn't really expecting to get called, but I'll take it.  I am not used to getting up at 5 AM to go to work!  I have jobs for 4 out the 5 days next week, and it's spirit week at the high school.  Which means I get to go to a pep rally on Friday.  Not my favorite thing to do!  In fact, they usually give me a headache!

And finally, tomorrow, 9/10/11 is my 28th wedding anniversary.  Other than going out to dinner, I'm not sure how we are going to celebrate, but I do know, it's been wonder being married to my best friend for almost 3 decades.  Boy, does that make me feel old.

All for now.  Both girls are safe, even though there has been a lot of flooding upstate.  These rivers and creeks weren't "made" to take 8" of rain in August, then 10" of rain from Irene, and then another 10" more from the remnants of Lee, which churned over our area for several days.  That's like 28" of rain in about a 6 weeks time period.  Too bad we can't send it to Texas!

Sore knees = arthritis

So, it's official, I have arthritis in my knees.  I had a feeling that I did, but today, it was confirmed by the orthopedic surgeon.  I got a shot of cortisone in the left one, and it seems to help.  Although, it's so chilly and rainy that I'm feeling achy in both knees.  Actually, from the X-ray, the right one is worse than the left one, but it's not hurting me like the left one is.  I think I'm going to pursue a treatment where a synthetic lubricant is injected into the joint.  Three shots, and you supposedly get 6 months relief.  Right now, that sounds wonderful.

One of the methods to reduce pain in the knees is to (guess what?)  -- lose weight.  Today the doctor asked me if I'd consider medifast.  Um, no.  Everyone I know who has gone on medifast, optifast or whatever they are calling it has gained all their weight and then some back.  I told the doctor that I was thinking about and researching WLS, and he nodded and said that it was definitely something to consider.  I don't think he recommends it, because it does involve abdominal surgery, which always has some risks.  I have to do a bit more research, and probably attend an introductory seminar, and then make some sort of decision.  This is something I have to decide in my own time, by myself.  So, those friends who are pushing it, knock it off!

Labor Day

I survived most of Labor Day weekend.  It started with weigh in on Friday, down 1.8, so I am back to a "loss".  Saturday, we went to the Stormville flea market.  I'm not sure, but there didn't seem to be as many vendors as normal.  Could have been many were effected by Irene, or the problems with some of the roads.  Who knows.  I was looking for kitchen knives, and there was only one vendor there selling them.  So, I didn't get to compare prices.  If I wanted to get them, I had to pay what the one vendor was selling them for.  I ended up with a paring knife, and a small kitchen carving knife.  Oh well.  Then, a Renegades game.  They lost, but the fireworks were impressive.  Sunday, went to church, still not sure about the new pastor, then off to the Woodstock/New Paltz Arts and Crafts festival.  That was really disappointing.  To start with, it was really humid, and being in the vendor tents was torture.  I was looking for something to send to my mom for her birthday.  Several of the vendors we have bought from in the past weren't there.  (again, I wonder how much of this was due to the hurricane?).  I did find some a pretty "paper bead" necklace and matching earrings. So, that will go out tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, I have a doctor's appointment with an orthopedic surgeon.  My knees haven't been cooperating with me lately.  So, we'll see what he says.  Yeah, I know, lose weight, and your knees won't hurt, but that's easier said than done.  Which also leads me to confess to considering weight loss surgery.  I still don't know if I really want to do it, but I am so tired of struggling to lose weight, and the minute I stop being vigilant, I gain it right back.  I know, with the surgery, I will have to be super vigilant, but if I eat the wrong thing or too much, I will be in physical pain.  It's something to think about seriously, and I'm not sure if I really want to go down that route, but it is an option, and right now, I'm not ruling it out.