The weekend included being in Maine for Maine Maple Sugar Sunday - a day when zillions of folks converge on the local maple sugar processing places to indulge. I worked at buying none and eating none; I find it easy to over consume maple sugar candies and maple syrup in any form.

My muscles feel like I've forgotten how to walk and exercise. I've got to get back in the habit of going out in the frigid cold since it doesn't seem to be going away.

Sounds like a great event Bill and a nice way to spend the weekend. We are having what I hope is the last double digit below zero Celsius temperature tonite (-10) and I'm hoping things just get better from there.

I plan to wash and put away the big parka next weekend.

Good week all!

Dagmar no more!

I'm in a time of transition. Since my mother left on Saturday, I've been figuring out how to run my own life within the limitations of my weak leg.

There will be a lot of "first times" this week, including my first time driving myself to physical therapy, my first session with my psychotherapist since this past November, my first time walking to the gym in the morning on the same day of the week and at the same hour when I was struck by the car, and possibly, my first day driving to the office in CT and working there for the day.

I'm trying to figure out what I can do, what's pushing it and what is too much for me.

Yesterday, after a grocery shopping session and heavy bags to carry into my apartment, I was nearly too tired for the gym, and then after the gym, I was even more tired, and then after standing in the kitchen doing some food prep, I was pretty much done for the day -- all accomplished by 3 PM.

That was eye-opening for me and shows me how very far I have to go, even though I am upright and walking with a cane.

I should say that I am loving the sunlight, even with the brisk chilly winds, and that is one of the things that makes me feel that some kind of recovery is possible.

Monday morning after a fun weekend of golf.

My son is home from college this week and that is really nice.

I'm still trying to figure out what is up with my Mac and this site--I've checked the url and it is not the mobile site (wouldn't there be an m in there somewhere if it were?).

We're having our Bliss lights installed today!! Can't wait until dark to see how they work.

My in-laws put in an offer on a house here and it sounds quite promising. The house (really a mobile home) was built in 1980 but was gutted and redone last year with all new wiring and plumbing. New everything (roof, kitchen, bathrooms, etc.). It is really nice. It'll be a huge change for them going from a 300 square foot motor home to a 1700 square foot house. They'll have a lot of things to buy!

Don't push too hard, Saef! That does sound like a lot. Sounds like you'll be transitioning back to the office soon?

Book fair done. Phew. Just have to do the financials and other stuff related to it. Trying to get the library back in working order today.

Dh comes home Thursday. Hoping to have my weight back in control more or less by then as we leave for our cruise in less than 2 weeks.

In exciting news, we (dd and I) looked at puppies/ met a breeder on Saturday. I put a deposit on a 3 week old Doberman so it looks like we are getting a puppy! She'll be ready to go the end of April, but we will have to see if dh is around. If not, I may wait a week or two as I don't want to get her and then not have one of us home with her. We are debating names, but percolating on Ellie.

Announcing a puppy adoption on National Puppy Day! Yay, Michele!!!

I think I figured out the site. It had to have morphed me into the mobile site. I logged out, did a Google search for the site, logged back in and it's back to normal. No idea why it did that other than to annoy the heck out of me!

Saef, you will get stronger. and it will come quickly just like when you did the NRWL (forgot the exact letters). I am still amazed you did that!

Michelle, a puppy! Exhausting but fun!

DD went back to school yesterday. She enjoyed the Florida sunshine and we had a fun week. She said she got her graduation tickets today! I finished making the arrangements for our trip up for the graduation. Going to visit some relatives on Long Island after we spend a few days in the city. Graduation is on a Wednesday, so we will hang out Thursday and Friday and then go Saturday-Monday to see them. Still a couple months away but time flies. Better not still be cold!

Spring break is finally next week. This Friday we are driving up to va to visit my mom. Only staying a few days because I have to be back to teach the college class on Thursday night.

Weight is doing well, still staying between 139-142. It is always up high on Monday and Tuesday after the weekend. We bike many hours and it burns tons of calories so I eat a lot, because it makes me so hungry! But by Thursday its back to where it was.

Hope it warms up for you all in the NE!

Sharon I went to NYC in May once and it was just beautiful! Sunny but not too hot and everything was fresh, clean and green in Central Park. Amazing! Hope it's the same for you!

Just did a small weights workout. Everything felt fine and boy have I missed doing the weights. I'll see how all the injuries are tomorrow morning.

Dagmar

Allison - I sent you a pic on FB before I read the whole thread and saw you resolved the problem.

Michele - congrats on the puppy!

Saef - take care of yourself and get back into things slowly.

Conference call, back later.

Allison, I know you like cooking. How do you manage not to nibble (or eat wildly) when you're making food at the end of the day? I've just put pasta bake (bacon, eggs, cheese) in the oven and ate some cheese whilst making it. This despite congratulating myself half an hour ago on cutting up an apple nicely, arranging it on a plate with very good cottage cheese and eating it at the table.

Birchie~it really depends on what I'm cooking. If there is cheese involved I cannot help myself from nibbling. But there are many dishes that get completely done without my tasting during the preparation. I usually have a snack around 3 or 4 PM so that when I'm cooking around 5 PM I'm not hungry and therefore stay away from the BLTs (bite, lick, taste). For instance, tonight I'm making a spinach and ricotta pie with sausage. I can't remember offhand if there is Parmesan in it or not but none of the other ingredients lend themselves to tasting so I probably won't be tempted. I also have a jar of pistachios on my counter for those times when I feel the need to nibble--I allot those out 6 or 8 at a time.

Thanks, Allison, that's useful. It's very helpful to know what other people do. Now I can imagine you at your counter when I'm at mine, and follow your good example! I like the pistachios idea because you have to fiddle with them and so you can't eat so many.

Birchie- I like to cook but I just follow recipes and rarely change them. I never taste when I cook - which I think shows I'm not a good cook.
A good friend of mine is a really good cook and when she cooks she goes through about 20 spoons to taste and this is full when the meal is served. She is always adjusting the spices, I guess. I'm a by-the-book cooker so I figure it must taste okay and I wouldn't know what to add if it wasn't good.

Sharon I'm in between you and your friend. I taste a couple of times during cooking and adjust if necessary. Usually I add more spices as DH and I like spicier food. But tasting 20 times? I don't have that discerning a palate.

Dagmar