:hug: A spunky 16 year old cat is a good sign. (and a challenge for vets!)

Thursday, back up to 154.3, with an irritated left hip muscle, and my arms are done in from my workout this morning.

Two new guys in the gym this morning who aren't usually there, pacing around, looking at everyone, randomly using machines and weight equipment. No routine, just whatever caught their eye and they saw someone else doing, and trying exactly the same weight that person was using. The gym's manager has told me she has a name for this, and she calls these people "wanderers." They make me nervous because they don't yet know the etiquette of "working in."

Shannon-- she does sound feisty! When I worked for vets, I was far more worried about holding a fighting cat, then a growling dog!

My kitty, Wilbur, is fine for now. He had a spot on his face and one on his chin. The vet said one was a scab and the other is either a mole or melanoma. However, it is too small to biopsy and there is no point to put him under just to find out it is a mole. So, I'm to watch it for now and if it grows, we will biopsy. He acts like a dog (has his whole life), so he greatly enjoyed exploring the vets office-- while very loudly meowing!

It's raining here so I didn't get my "dog walk" in this morning. I will be struggling to get my minimum steps today as I'm planning on hot pilates later. It's a half day for students too, which can mean more sitting and working at my desk. So, my challenge to myself is to keep moving.

My weight is staying pretty stable which is good and bad. Good that it is down from the start of the year. Bad that it is still over my redline. Tomorrow is dh's birthday so we are bound to have some celebrating tomorrow and this weekend.

I found out yesterday that my birthday next month is a staff development day. I decided impromptu to take the day off and dh and I will go to Napa for the weekend! Excited already! We are trying not to spend money, but you only turn 50 once, right?!

Friday morning, back to 153.6, which is where I was on Wednesday.

I went with my attorney to the crosswalk where the car hit me and we did a re-enactment and talked about timing & logistics.

Now five meetings today at work before I reach the weekend.

Saef-- are the lawyer meetings for a lawsuit you're involved in or something else from the accident?

I had a rough day yesterday. Dh texted me in the morning that Charlotte (my kitty with kidney disease) had a big seizure after I left for work. Needless to say, I worried about her all day. She was happy and purring when I got home. I'll call the vet later today to see if they want me to do anything.

I went to Hot Pilates last night and ended up with nasty skinned elbows from some of the exercises. The ones where you're in a plank and you alternate onto different elbows-- not sure what that's called....so I alternated thinking I was a bad *ss and that I just have old lady thin skin! The kids today are asking me why I have bandaids-- they're so funny about adults having injuries.

Saturday morning, down to 153 exactly.

Michele, I'm preparing for a deposition. I will go to the lawyer's office on Monday morning to engage in further preparation.

It's going to be another working weekend, as I was called in to salvage a failed project over the next few days. The guy who did not do what he was supposed to keeps lapsing into passivity. I want to kick him, but I'm an adult and that won't help various tasks be completed.

Finally feeling like the weight is starting to come off as my golf shorts fit right. No real budge in the scale to speak of. Perhaps splitting a sandwich when we went out to eat yesterday was a good choice.

Good news, Allison!

Sunday morning, back up to 153.5.

I spent several hours yesterday creating a color-coded spreadsheet, in addition to the usual Saturday domestic tasks and errands. Today, I want to go to the movies and get a pedicure, much-needed, but I need to create a detailed workflow to hand in late tomorrow.

Allison, good news about the looser shorts!

Despite eating a few handfuls of nuts before bed last night (which put me over my calorie limit by a bunch), my weight was down a half pound this morning to 123.5. It reminded me that the scale can be a bit unpredictable in both directions, even though it seems that it always goes up for no reason rather than down :) I have a cold. I feel like sitting around but need to get outside and do yard work. It is time to plant some little trees I've had in pots, and prune other trees. And it will rain later on so I need to move.

In the past few weeks our new dog with the bum leg (Jackie Jaws), started destroying the back porch by chewing wood posts, a wood bench, the wood railing, etc. This despite providing her with approved chewing items (like hooves, which she chews but then loses in the yard). Bitter Apple did nothing to deter her. I found some extreme hot sauce the kids gave DH for Christmas, called "Satan's Blood" and claiming 800,000 scoville units. I mixed some of it with a little water and painted it on the wood surfaces. So far this seems to have stopped the chewing. I know it is potent because even rinsing the paint brush in the sink made me choke. Now to see how long it will last. This is actually a good use for the super hot stuff that people like to give DH. We have at least a dozen bottles of different brands I know will never be used up in food.

I hope everyone's animals are doing okay, especially elderly cats!

Monday morning. And I'm at 156.9. Ugh!

More nuts than usual and a large piece of tilapia for dinner. But no Super Bowl snacks, as this is a holiday that I don't observe.

Fretting over this week's deposition and how much is riding on a few hours of questioning. Also having to document the workflow for staff in India -- I meant to spend the afternoon on it and instead procrastinated, deleting some of my 9,000 sent emails and 5,000 received emails to make much-needed room in my inbox.

I think you need an assistant at work. It sounds like you are doing the work of at least 3 people. But that is the corporate way now yes? :eek:

Dagmar :dizzy:

Still under 160, and doing the little yo-yo back and forth. I spent 35 minutes on the track with brisk walking and today I was finally not out of breath or feeling constrictions in my lungs at all. Time to get back to the pool!

The next two weeks will be hectic as DS finishes up his swim season and rehearses for the midwinter concert. His costume jacket is an absolute disaster for fit - they had to go up to a 2XL to fit his shoulders, and since there isn't a tall version ... the sleeves are about 2" too short and the whole thing kind of floats on him. The oversize arms holes ... aw geez. And it's a metallic fabric so not many options for tailoring. Sigggghhhh. Feeling bummed that my senior is not going to look his best for his final season in the show choir. :(

Glad to hear you are feeling better Becky.

I think when the audience hears your DS sing they will not notice the jacket. But, as his mom, of course you want him to look great too. Hope it goes well!

Dagmar :dizzy:

Tuesday morning, at 155 even, relieved to see that number, which is still not as low as I'd like.

A great poet and teacher has died, Thomas Lux, and I am mourning along with my fellow former graduate students. This is turning out to be a difficult week. I spent three hours prepping for my deposition and I am way behind on the workflow, though I did send materials to the India-based first-line editor to orient her on the project. I need to hunker in & get a lot done today. Meanwhile I'm about a half-hour late for getting to the gym this morning.