Good and not so good

What a title. What is good --I've been doing well in exercise--3 times this week, although two times were abbreviated. Maybe I should say more efficient. Not so good--food journaling. I just can't get my self to do this for more than a day. There was food out at Oakton last night, so I had to eat it. I had part of a brownie--fair, and four cookies. Why I did this, I have not explanation except that they were there. I did so well yesterday-- before I got there.
I am getting exciting about my new classes next semester. I have to read the tests, and them plan the course and write the syllabus. I do have a time constraint, since we are out of town for a week in December. We will be in Mexico, a way to avoid the holidays that I have been dreading. Actually, the holidays are looking better than I expected. Funny how that happens.
I may even make some holiday bark and give it away.

Thanksgiving again

Yes, the Thanksgiving leftover got to me last night. I over ate the stugging, the green beans almondine and the desserts. I was overstuffed. So, today it is back on track. I hope that getting a little bit off program doesn't derail me for the week. So, it is 6 days until the next meeting.

The Biggest Loser

What a surprise! At today's meeting, I was the biggest loser. Considering that I lost 1.4 pounds, and that it was the Monday after Thanksgiving, 1.4 pounds was an achievement. I am now the proud possessor of a monkey stuffed animal, which will sit next to me in the car for a week. Well, on the other hand, I am less than 2 pounds from goal. Should I be nervous? One of my WW friends thought that I could be at goal next week. Two weeks is more realistic. My plan is to be there by the end of the month. Sooner would make me happy too.
I am going to the gym this afternoon, since my husband is going for physical therapy at the place next to the gym, I decided to ride along with him. I probably will only be able to get some cardio in since I have about an hour. That is better than sitting on my butt at home.

Happy Thanksgiving--however belatedly

Yes, there is a good excuse. My son was home for the holiday, and the computer is in his room, and I haven't have access to it since Tuesday. Since my computer is not accessible, i haven't been blogging or journaling my food. I really overdid the eating on Thanksgiving. Not so much on sweets, just on regular foods. Then the cleanup came and it was overwhelming for a few hours. I did manage to wash almost everything on Thursday night, but I did drink a little too much wine--just to keep me going. I had a personal training on Friday, which went fairly well. I had everything put away on Friday. I was quite pleased by that.
Tomorrow is weigh in day. It appeared that I gained 4 pounds between Thursday morning and Friday morning. I am up a bit, and tomorrow will give me the truth.
I went looking at the shopping mall yesterday, and nothing appeals at all. My heart isn't in the holidays at all this year. I don't want any gifts, and I really don't want to shop for anyone either. I will order a few things for my grandniece and nephew on line, and maybe later in the month my attitude may change towards to holidays.

Weight Update

Today's blog is about weight issues. This week I stayed the same. I can't be too upset about this, and I'm not. I didn't journal at all, but I did moderate my eating. Thanksgiving and the holiday period is a minefield for weight watchers, and I am no exception. I decided that I want to make goal by January 1.
I only have 3 pounds to go.
I will journal this week.
I will be back on the one day at a time program that worked so well for me before my mother passed. I am done with closing out her apartment. Today I will donate a few more items, and then I have only the job of going through all the boxes that fill up my music room. So with determination and a plan, I will make it through minefield #1. (Thanksgiving Day)

Winter is on the way

November days. Its been cloudy today, and now it is getting dark. It seems like its been twilight all day. I've been doing the laundry and various small things, and haven't been outside for more than a minute. My husband and brother went over to my mom's apartment to get a few last things, and it is cleaned out. I may go over to check it over for the final time in the next few days.
We had company over for dinner last night. My husband cooked a Mexican chicken stew that had the meat falling off the bones. It was delicious and had a little bit of spice to it. After we finished, I brought out a pile of chocolate bars and had a tasting of dark chocolate. Lindt was the winner. That is very good chocolate.
I can't find my WW book. Tomorrow is my meeting. Hopefully they can give me another book.

Wednesday is busy

For someone who has only a part time job, I find myself busier and busier. Yesterday I subbed for another teacher at the Des Plaines campus. The classes were the same subject as mine, and the students were very similar. I though perhaps that students who go to school during the day may be more focused than those who go at night. At least for my class, there is no difference. However, my class is more diverse culturally and in age. The semestser is drawing to a close, yesterday, I got the date for the exit exam. Next semester I will be teaching 3 classes, all different. That means writing 3 syllabi, 3 new texts and 3 different lesson plans. That will keep me busy.
The babies have arrived. Monday was the day, and now there are two new people in the world.
Leslie Taylor had a boy, Logan, and Mary Keener had a girl. Emily. Congratulations to both of you.
I went to the gym today, and it felt good. Tomorrow I will go for a yoga class, but no cardio. Then I take the lovely Alma for a beauty treatment. I met a new groomer, who will furminate her, which will cut down on the shedding. She hasn't been to a groomer for quite a while. She
still is quite lovely, and by this time tomorrow, she will be even lovelier. Maybe I will post a picture.

A Bit Of Finality

My mother's obituary appeared in our local papers on Thursday. That is probably the last time her name will appear in print. She did appear in the paper many times over her life, probably because she was so good looking, and probably because she did interesting things. When I looked through the old clippings, I wondered when she found the time to go to school. I will try to include a link.
We have been spending a lot of time closing out her apartment. Today, we moved the last of the furniture out, all that is left is the storage space and some things to be donated to the Botanic Garden. This is not fun. Every time I leave there, I am so tired. Not because I worked so hard, but because it drains me emotionally . My husband and I have no parents left. We have very little family left at all. This is strange, because both sets of parents had huge extended families which have drifted away, died or whatever. Our son has two first cousins, 3 second cousins and who knows how many cousins he doesn't even know about. I did manage to include the link to my mom's obituary. It follows:
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/wilmette/news/640017,wi-obitchain-110807-sl.article
So, tomorrow is Monday, and I am going to the Botanic Garden for my last required master gardener class. The subject is fall pruning. I am looking forward to it. It will make me go to a later WW meeting. So, will I be able to get back on program this week? Time will tell.

Waiting and waiting

There is a very strange situation going on now. I know two women who are expecting a baby and the due date is this week. One was due on the 1st and the other on the 5th. As of today, neither has had the baby. All I can say is that when I gave birth to my son, 23 years ago, he conveniently arrived a few days early, so I didn't have to get nervous about a post due due date.
Well. I have not been logging in my food this week. I faithfully logged in Monday's breakfast, and then didn't do anything more. I have been careful and on program for the most part, and my daily weigh in on my bathroom scale looks good. I went to the gym today, and then met a friend for lunch, and then we went over to my Mom's apt and worked on cleaning it out.
So, I have 4 days until my next meeting. I am just not ready to get back on program totally. When I calm down from my crisis situation, I think that I will be able to do a better job.

Monday Check-In

It looks like I am back to my regular schedule. I went to my Weight Watchers meeting this morning, and despite blowing off the program all week, eating non program stuff and carryout food, I managed to go down .2 pound. This makes me sort of happy, or about as happy as a person can be in my situation. I have a department meeting, which will include lunch provided by a publisher later.

I have spent most of my free time clearing out my mother's apartment. This is very sad for me, because her apartment was so attractive. Now is is so bare. My music room is full of boxes, and I don't know where I will put the stuff. My brother isn't handling this too well, and doesn't want to go there at all. I don't know if it is just unhappiness or if it is that he is angry about something. So, it looks like my husband and I will have to do it all. For some reason, I feel teary today.
Now, I will finish my Internet stuff and get ready to go to the meeting. I am glad that I have something to do that isn't related to settling my mother's affairs.

Back with some sad news

I have been absent from this blog for a while. Since the last blog, some life changing things have happened to me. My WW program is on hold, even though I did go to my meeting last Monday.

I have been under a lot of stress since my Mother passed away on October 26. She was 88 years old and was suffering from colon cancer. She chose not to have any treatment when her cancer was diagnosed in Sept 2005. She was quite a survivor, since she survived breast cancer for ten years with no treatment at all. This was her choice. She didn't talk much about dying, and didn't express many of her feelings. She chose hospice-not a big surprise, but only to avoid going to the hospital or the nursing home. My brother and I were with her when she left this earth--and we knew that she didn't want to leave alone. As for as I know, all her wishes were fulfilled--she died at home, she had no interventions, her children were holding her hands and my Dad's picture was on the bed side table. We had a memorial service for her on Tuesday, Oct 30. It was very nice and well attended and held at our church in Evanston. David played the Faure Elegy, Andy sang and Pete and I spoke. Then we ended it with "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", one of her favorite songs.

I feel like I have been hit by a truck. Her passing was not a surprise, but I still feel very depressed. I just get tired.