I wore a summer strength Polo shirt all day since it was mid-May. And I wore a wool, long-sleeved shirt over it because it was cold. And a jacket over that when outside. So deep down in my layers of clothing I could pretend that summer was here.

It was a week of eating at events. I'm so looking forward to a more simple week. I do much better with food from my own kitchen.

Good morning!

I haven't retired my fleece hoodie for the season yet - there was a frost warning here last night. Much more seasonal spring weather forecast for the coming first long weekend of the summer season for Canada.

Good week all!

Dagmar

We've had frost warnings too. I've planted my leeks a little early so I've been tucking them up under newspaper overnight.

Lovely day today but I've been out in a fleece jumper and padded jacket. Far too warm for that in the sheltered parts, though. You just can't get it right here.

A good friend came over yesterday, and I'd hoped we'd sit out on my patio, on the wicker chairs which I just dragged out last week. But there was a stiff, cold breeze, and we sat inside, and even there, we were a little cold, since the heat goes off in most NY-area apartment buildings in late April. Fortunately we held hot mugs in our hands as we talked.

This was an unexpectedly somber visit. Her husband was arrested on a DWI charge a week earlier for the third time. (The last arrest, his second, occurred 10 years ago.) She is frightened he'll be imprisoned or lose his job as superintendent of their building, which would mean they'd also lose their apartment. He has an 88-year-old mother whom he cares for. My friend only just found a new job last week after nearly a year of searching.

I have always known that this couple liked their wine and their nightly drink. She called me up once, drunk, and it was an uncomfortable moment, and told me more about them than I cared to know. I don't drink at all, mostly because it doesn't much appeal and, as you all here can relate, I'd rather expend the calories on something else. (I mean, peanut butter is more appealing to me than wine.) So this was an exercise in listening, and being very careful in phrasing my questions. It is so easy to slip into being judgmental. But then I think how I feel about food, or how I behave when I become obsessive about something, and I know I have a deeper understanding of them than I want to, or feel comfortable admitting, and I am in no position whatsoever to judge.

Life isn't easy. Or if it is, not for anyone I know. I don't know anyone who is completely comfortable and not anxious about *something* or another.

On our way home from our monthly wine women dinner, I felt it a little chilly in our convertible. It was 78. Not chilly at all, warm in fact. Too warm for a good night's sleep but I managed.

A week of work training others to take over for our vacation. Today FIL learns how to check in deliveries. Tomorrow MIL learns how to do payroll.

It sounds like you have everything worked out for when you'll be away on holiday Allison. You can enjoy yourself and know that your preparations paid off.

Dagmar

Allison - responding to your post from last week about the employees with cellulitis. I went to the doctor for mine after two weeks, when my arm had swelled and a small scratch had turned into a raised lesion the size of my palm. I ended up on steroids and antibiotics, and they told me to not let it go so long next time or I would have ended up on IV myself. I hope your employees are all doing okay.

Saef - everyone has something, even if it is small. I've learned this myself lately.

It is cool here today. My run this morning was chilly, and now I wish I had worn long sleeves.

Shannon - missed it but Happy Birthday! Nice for it to fall at the weekend.

Saef-- you are a good friend and you were right to listen without being judgemental. However, DUI is much different than eating issues. You can't kill someone because of your actions. In my opinion, what he did was inexcusable and he deserves harsh punishment. It's easy for me to be critical though, when I don't know them. And I also don't drink for the same reasons you mention, and I am my hubby's dd if he does.

Hope your birthday was amazing, Shannon!

Good luck eating at home, Bill. I do a weekly journal and prepare it on Sunday for the upcoming week. This week looks very quiet so I have no excuses!

Our weather looks to be a mixed bag this week-- some above normal temps, some below, some rain, some sun.

Yesterday I was super active/competitive! My work friends and I have a fitbit competition and one of my friends ran the Bay to Breakers marathon yesterday. Since dh was gone and all of my time was mine, I decided to try to beat her even though I wasn't running! I took multiple walks, some with Ellie, some to the stores, did yoga (no steps there) and an hour on the elliptical-- I ended up exhausted, with over 23,000 steps! I think I ended up beating her by 600 steps.... I suspect I'll be starving today.

Sorry about your friend, saef.

Life is easy AND
Life is hard.

Viewpoint is everything.

Before I quit drinking, I drove drunk many times. You might say in our group I was the "designated drunk driver" because no one else dared. I never had an accident. (ETA: Was never even pulled over, let alone arrested.)

Now I've been sober almost 30 years, and at the end of March I had an accident in which I was at fault and both cars were totalled. (I did not get cited, however.)

Go figure.

If I were someone who thought that doing everything "right" would protect me from bad things happening, I would be constantly thinking that life is not easy. So... I don't think that way now.

Well, this is interesting. Perhaps not--just par for the course. My assistant just called. She misconstrued what the doctor told her (and why she didn't have any answers to our questions is now obvious). She doesn't have cancer. She had two cancerous polyps removed (just like a few years prior). She has had a second and third opinion and she does not have cancer and she is (obviously) no longer dying. Just like her previous illnesses, she feels a little "off" and stops eating and all he&* breaks loose and it all goes downhill. Fast. Because, you know, food is kind of necessary for living. So yeah, if you don't eat, you don't poop and then. Well. You get the picture. She is fine. She's is going to take the week off to recuperate (from the not eating) and she'll be in next week.

Oh Allison. I'm speechless.

Maybe time once again to consider that "retirement plan"...

Well, we'll be having a come to Jesus meeting when she comes in.

I don't have words, Allison. Just don't. And I've heard some stories being in HR in food service for 21 years. Phew.