They were giving away platters of cookies last Sunday at church. They all looked so good and I love a cookie or a dozen. I left without taking a platter home. That has got to be some kind of a milestone.

December 20 and I am still in my ideal maintenance range! From now till New Year's I'm going to relax some and not worry about gaining 3 pounds or so, it will come off easily enough. Just got back from the dentist. The teeth cleaning went so well I couldn't believe my hygienist was finished scraping off the plaque so quickly! She said it's probably because I'm eating a lot less sugar now. Plus, I have had plantar fasciitis for three years and it has finally vanished. Foot doctor says the lower weight of my body puts less stress on my heel. It's been a good year and look forward to my new life as a healthier trimmer guy! Thanks again for all your support, I rave about y'all to my friends who want to know how I'm keeping my 30 pounds off... Love to all this holiday season, Chris

Morning all,

Yoga last night was just what I needed before the hubbub of holiday travel. I picked up my dad's new yoga mat and DVD and of course, now I want a new, thicker yoga mat. These ones my teacher sells are rather pricey but seem very sturdy, thick, and address my dad's complaints that his current mat is not thick enough or wide enough. I was thinking about making some more concrete goals for myself for the new year to encourage my yoga habit, such as attending at least 3 out of 4 classes each month excepting if I get involved in a play and rehearsals interfere. If I make my goal, I can get myself a new mat.

Today I'll hand out my jellies and pickles around the office and pack some up for friends and neighbors. :santa: I sort of feel guilty about giving anyone anything with sugar in it and am not sure I'll keep doing it in future years. Am I crazy?

Bargoo, well done!!! Turning down a plate of homemade cookies takes strength.

Bill, so glad to hear your leg is doing ok and you're a bit more mobile. Just in time, you can run away from all the Christmas sweets. ;) I'm sure you'll adjust to walking more normally again in a few days.

Shannon, sorry about the stress and congestion. Having to talk to an employee/coworker in a situation like that is just never fun. I hope you get through today alright, and tomorrow is better.

Jessica, I agree w Bargoo's suggestions re: DH. And Dagmar's too! You don't need to be worrying about his worrying. Having twins will be so neat. :D

Michele, I'm always confused and amazed about pregnancy limitations, too. I'm at the age where my sis is having babies and a lot of my friends. If I'm cooking for them I try to be sensitive to their dietary needs, but have made a few blunders.

Bill-- glad your cast is off!

Megan-- your "rewards" to yourself sound like something I would do. I like to reward myself with workout clothes, etc. I did recently buy a yoga towel for hot yoga and love it.

Bargoo-- you are one strong woman!
Send some strength my way. Today will be a challenge.
Besides the landmines coming my way at work-- yesterday a student gifted me with amazing looking homemade chocolate dipped pretzels (I didn't try them but dh loved them)-- today is my work party. Dd is babysitting all day and I have to pick her up at sometime-- in a perfect world, I could go to the party for an appropriate amount of time to chat and be seen (but not partake in anything bad)-- then have the excuse to pick up dd-- and still be home in time for the gym and yoga. Crossing my fingers that plans don't go awry!

Dh leaves for Spokane tomorrow to help dd fly down with her service dog! He will also be helping her put her snow tires on the truck, etc.

It just dawned on me that I leave on Monday for Houston. I've got tons to do as well!!

Two more days of work this year. I can make it.

And congrats to you Chris!
It is great to hear that you are seeing such changes in your health due to your weight loss.

Chris, I think I posted around the same time earlier and didn't see your post. Congrats on the great check-ups! My dentist has also commented how I must not eat much sugar. This healthy lifestyle thing has some great payoffs, right?

I actually still have your address (unless you moved in the past two years, but I don't think that is the case). Remember that FB thing where we made gifts? I had to dig deep in my messages there, but I found it! LOL

Getting ready for our office party tomorrow. I think I have everything covered but am wondering if the guys will think it strange that I've cut up a bunch of red and yellow peppers and onions to grill beside the meat (I have a special thing to cook them in while on the grill). I think the veggies will add something good to the tacos. Am I right? Also have beans, rice, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, chips.

What time is lunch? I'll see if I can catch a flight from Sacramento .

bargoo~be here by noon!

Feeling somber and contemplative after reading a long, long email from my coworker up in Newtown. She goes through a security checkpoint each time she takes her little boy to school. They went to the funeral for his friend on his soccer team this past Monday. She feels imprisoned in her house, as the roads are choked with news trucks. If she emerges outside on her way to a store or church or any simple errand, reporters thrust microphones into her face. She's been filmed walking down the road with her husband, going to look at the memorials. She's been filmed dropping her son off at school. And over this all, an overwhelming grief. And she keeps reliving every minute of this past Friday, from the first calls & emails, then the helicopters overhead everywhere, the sirens, through to the end.

What can I say? I've talked with her about how a loss feels, though her own loss is indirect, and hard to describe, except a loss of normality, of a feeling of safety, of a sense of community. There is just grief all around her, and constant surveillance of living inside a fishbowl.

"Hug your kids" seems like the usual signoff to these kinds of posts. But, seriously ... Hug your normal life, with its normal, routine frustrations.

I wonder if anyone in Newtown has considered forming a support group for survivors of this unspeakable tragedy, I think uf you live in Newtown even though you have no children in that school and didn't lose someone on that horrible day you are still a survivor.

I think I've told you guys that my background is an MS in Psychology. Saef - there is a lot of evidence to show that just READING about the signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - even with no other intervention, greatly decreases the long term effects of a hugely traumatic incident. Not only was the incident itself traumatic, but they continue to be re-victimized by the media.

If you feel comfortable, you might want to let your co-worker know this. I like Web MD's site - http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/t...rder--symptoms. And a support group for survivors as suggested by bargoo is a tremendous idea.

From a personal side, I can't tell you how right you are about embracing normalacy. That really hit home to me.

Jen

Today is shaping itself into one of the better days of the year!

We're closing at 3 PM this afternoon.

But that isn't all. The lawsuit that we've been involved in FOR OVER SIX YEARS has been settled between our insurance company and all the lawyers!!! I can't tell you what kind of relief that is!

Good news, Allison. When will you be moving? What did your current lamdlord say when you gave notice ?

bargoo~we haven't given notice yet. Our lease is up at the end of February, so hopefully we'll be in by then.