[BillBlueEyes]

The neighbor was grilling in just a T-shirt last evening - I do like that look of summer even if I kept my shirt on.

My focus has to get serious about leaving for a couple of weeks in Rome in just 9 days. Naturally, I wish that I was more svelte with a matching svelte wardrobe. My prejudice is that all Europeans stay in shape, but that's based more on France than Italy. I tremble at the thought of all the good pasta and gelato that will be available.

[Mudpie]

Bill Have a wonderful trip! My cousin and his family went to Italy for a family wedding and their photos of various places and structures in Rome looked fabulous!

I am still putting on my jacket to go down to the lake to work but spent Sunday evening in my t shirt puttering in the garden. I HAVE taken the down liner out of the jacket.

My weight number for this week is written on my calendar. I will weigh MWF and record each time. I'm planning on being below redline by the end of this month. 4.2 lbs. to lose. :

Dagmar

[CalCounter1003]

Bill - Wow! Rome! Yes, the food is amazing in Italy. We are planning a big Europe trip next year for our 30th year anniversary (which is really 12/24 but we can't travel then).

Dagmar - I have a little calendar in the bathroom next to my scale, which started there as a thing where I wrote down when I changed contacts (because it was every two weeks and I couldn't keep track). Then whenever I would start a diet (like 10 times in the last 20 years), I would write down my weight every single morning. Then when I would be on a gaining spree, I would NEVER weigh. I have kept the last few years of calendars and it is so interesting to look through them and see what I weighed, etc.
I now have a Wiithings scale which records it automatically in my apps but I still write it down.

One of my running friends posted this and there has been a big discussion about it:
http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-l...to?page=single

It is from Running World, but it is really about why America has gotten so overweight. There is one quote that cracked me up:

You don't have to exercise every day. Only the days you eat.

It reminded me of when my dentist said "you don't have to floss between all your teeth." And I said "really?" And he said "yes, only the ones you want to keep."

[alinnell]

Enjoy Rome, Bill. It's funny, when I spent 12 days in Italy a few years back, we didn't eat very much pasta at all. Gelatto, yes, but not much pasta. We had some gourmet food there, too! I do remember a wonderful gnocchi and one ravioli meal and a few pizzas.

[traveling michele]

How exciting, Bill! Have you ever been to Italy? We went once about 12 years ago on a walking tour and I'm dying to go again. We would walk 10-12 miles a day (self-guided), ending up in small towns at the end of each day. The first thing we would do would be to find a gelato place in each town! And then eat pasta of course. So yummy! It was before I lost my weight, but I doubt I gained much if anything on the trip as we were so active.

My weight is still over my redline by about 2 pounds. My hope is to somehow get down below by my weigh in on Saturday. We will see if/how my new puppy derails those plans.

[Georgette]

Ahhhhhh, Italy! You will be able to order non-pasta, non-bread a LOT! There are lots of bean dishes and I'm sure salads and other wonderful, traditional foods outside of the salad box. I'm sorry to say, I would never advocate avoiding gelato in Italy.

I'm below red-line today after a very volumetric dinner last night. I ate so many veggies, I was absolutely stuffed. And woke up a pound down! I know it's just normal fluctuations, but it's nice to be below redline. My excel graph is steadily climbing recently, and I'm hoping to see a trend in the other direction, darn it!

I've been back to doing pilates/ab work in the AM, for the 10 min it takes my coffee to perk. Feels good.

[traveling michele]

So nice to be below your redline, Georgette! I hope to be able to say the same again soon. I may focus on veggies tonight too.

Today will be crazy at work. I have my normal very busy class schedule, and then we also have Yogurt parties for 22 of the classes that earned them from our recent Read-a-thon. That's almost 600 students. The local fro-yo place (Yogurtland) offered to come and serve yogurt to all of our classes that had 100% during the Read-a-thon. Last year we had 7 classes earn it, and this year 22! I've enlisted a few volunteers to help because I know I'll be busy with my classes. The parties start at 10:45 and end after 1:00, so I'll be running back and forth checking on things between my classes. I hope it all goes smoothly! I stress about things like this until they are done.

I've arranged for the pet sitter to come mid-day today through Thursday to take care of Ellie. She is super excited to meet her and has promised she will work on basic commands, etc. Ellie is already doing pretty well with "sit" and is certainly learning the word "no"! The word we use for potty is "hurry" so we are working on that one big time!

I think I mentioned that this week is staff appreciation week. I managed to avoid the homemade scones yesterday (it was hard and I see there are leftovers today). Today we are having a 50's theme (each day is a different decade)-- they are having a "sock hop" themed lunch which sounds like Subway sandwiches. I brought my regular lunch and will try to avoid! Every day is food themed.... if I ate half of what is offered I would gain 5 pounds easily this week. I get so jealous of some of my colleagues that enjoy it and never seem to gain an ounce. Tomorrow is 50's themed-- soda shop with ice cream float/sundae bar; Thursday is 80s totally rad snack day with snacks all day, Friday is 2000's themed with a soup and salad bar lunch.... sigh....

[CalCounter1003]

Michelle, In a High School we don't get appreciated, the way you do in an elementary school. We got a very generic email that was something like "thanks for all you do!" But I guess that's good to avoid all those treats.

Can't wait to hear about Ellie!!!!

[Georgette]

We had our classified staff (high school) go nuts for the teachers (well, a small group of classified at least) with a full sweet tea service on our half day last week. Tomorrow the parents are bringing more fat and carbs to the break room at lunch. Whoo Hoo!!!!

[traveling michele]

My plan to not let Ellie derail my eating and exercise has been halfway successful. I've been fine with the eating. Not so much with the exercise. Monday I took her to the vet. Yesterday I was bound and determined to go to yoga. I got home at 3:15, took her and Dewey in the backyard and shut the door behind me. The pet sitter had been there in the afternoon and locked a lock on the back door that we never lock so I couldn't get back in. Luckily I had my phone so I could contact her. She was out walking dogs and got to me as soon as she could but we were in the backyard for a full hour. No toys. No leashes. No potty (for me!). It was chilly and windy and by the time we got in the house I was too late for yoga.

My body continues to ache. I sure hope it feels better soon. My weight was down ever so slightly but I need to exercise! Hoping today goes more smoothly!!

Ellie did better last night in the kennel. I put her to bed at 10:00. I heard her stirring about 2 am, rushed to take her out and put her back to bed. I woke up right before my alarm at 5 and woke her up to take her out. No potty accidents in the crate (her poo isn't normal but it is better). So, I'll take that as a win! She still had several accidents in the house yesterday but she really doesn't get it yet. I also took her and Dewey for a few short walks so she is starting to get used to the leash. I'm sure we look comical. Dewey is pulling to go forward and she is resisting so barely moving!

My dh comes home (very late) tomorrow night so I'll have help Friday-Sunday. Then he is leaving Monday again for the week. I just want to sleep this weekend at this point....

Now to avoid the ice cream sundaes today...

[Georgette]

Hi Michelle! Glad Ellie is doing better. WTG on keeping your eating regular with the baby in the house.

My plan for the day:
B-done
S-slice of cheese and apple
L-Black bean tacos
S-latte and banana
D-Stir Fry with fried tofu. I think I can get away with the store-bought fried tofu. It's greasy, but will be a small portion of the entire stir fry.
Ds-Ice cream sundae (It's not a slip if I plan it in, right?)



Have a great day, all!

[CalCounter1003]

Michelle - oh gosh, all that puppy stuff! It's a lot to deal with! It's good summer is coming!

[traveling michele]

No kidding, Sharon. Hubby will be gone again next week, but then home most of the time until I get out of school in late June. That should help matters.

This morning I was up super early (4:40) and still ended up being late for work! I was walking Ellie (front yard, back yard, with leash, without leash, down the block) trying to get her to pee for 45 minutes (no luck). When I finally left, there was a deer standing in the street in front of my car! I think it was a baby (or teenager). Poor thing was so frightened. I keep inching forward and it finally starting heading back to where I think its family was.

Made it to the gym yesterday and hoping to make yoga today. Still trying to get back to my redline so I really need the exercise component to help.

[Georgette]

Michelle, glad you are going to get some help with Ellie from your husband soon. A puppy is a lot of work!

Today's food:

B-Omlet
S-apple and cheese
L-black bean tacos
S-high-octane cocktail with work colleagues
D-Stir-fry with tofu (didn't do this earlier this week due to schedule change)
Ds-Ice cream sundae (you know my reasoning here )

[traveling michele]

Georgette-- I see your location changed.... hmmm... and I'm afraid to ask what a high-octane cocktail might be!!

My poor hubby got home last night approx 12:30 from his trip. This morning I gave him the good news/bad news game... Bad news? You need to take Ellie's stool sample to the vet today. Good news? I already collected it. I'm hoping and assuming she has a bacteria or parasite as the diarrhea isn't abating. If so, it should be a quick fix. I feel kinda sneaky because we took her to the old vet because the new vet wasn't there on Monday. We haven't told the old vet we are switching and they are asking when we want to bring her in for shots. Ummm... we don't... she has an appointment tomorrow morning at the new vet for shots and to be micro-chipped. She is a cutie pie! Once we got her tummy under control I think the potty training will proceed quickly. Our dryer died and dh is home to get the new one today. We need it with all of the dog beds/ towels/blankets we've been washing! Hope he can get some work done from home with her underfoot.

Why am I hungry already at 7:46?? Ugh.... hope it's not going to be a hungry day!!

Weight was down ever so slightly. My redline is within reach... maybe.... dh wants sushi tomorrow night, but tomorrow morning is my weigh in. So, if I don't go off plan today, get some exercise tonight, maybe, just maybe I'll be at my redline tomorrow.

I went to yoga last night. Hadn't been since the weekend. My body has been incredibly sore/painful and I wasn't sure if yoga would help or hurt. My hip had been aching all day. At first I thought it was a mistake as my hip was hurting so much, but as the class went on, it started feeling much better. Things were cracking like crazy and I'm feeling somewhat less achy today. I'm having my laser treatment (hair removal) tomorrow and then I can get back on my anti-inflammatories (I have to stop them for 2 weeks before each treatment). I can't wait!

TGIF!!!!
We have 24 more days with kids this school year (then I work an extra week unless I take some of it off), but I only have 11 more days with classes! Woohoo!! I ran a report this morning that shows I've checked out 45,777 books this school year (and checked in and filed....).... no wonder I'm exhausted!!