[ICUwishing]

saef, I hope you can find a good spot near a window. Heavy snows are a major inconvenience, but ridiculously pretty if you can enjoy the moment. So quiet, so fresh, so clean ... til it's down and gotta be dealt with. Sounds like the whole Northeast is buttoning up for the day!

[saef]

Friday morning, with the wind howling. I am not looking forward to the pre-dawn trudge through snow and ice to the gym.

I'm at 155.7, though, and I was confined all day yesterday. Though the deposition was cancelled, and I kind of took the day off in that I just attended one of four meetings that I would have otherwise held, I had to communicate merit increases and finish up documenting workflow. It was a more easygoing day than usual.

I need to dig out my car today. I forgot yesterday and went to bed leaving that undone. Hope it hasn't frozen solid overnight.

[Mudpie]

We are starting to buckle down for our share of the snow. People are scurrying around anxiously. Natalie is outside, while Trix and I eat brekkie/lunch, so she will be less of a pain the next couple of days.

I'm hoping I get the last walk (1:30-2:30) done before it really starts coming down. If they pre-salt the hills it won't be such a bad drive home. Might even get to the grocery and pick up a roast on the way home.

Dagmar

[traveling michele]

Stay safe those of you with inclement weather!!

Our rains are hopefully ending later today so we can dry out for a few days before the next round of rain arrives.

Dh is sort of taking today off (has a doctor appointment and conference calls) to try to tackle some of the house projects he started and didn't finish. His back has been bothering him for a week though, so I hope he doesn't push it. I am looking forward to seeing what he gets done though!

Weight is not at all where I want it. Dh cooked last night and I suspect much more sodium than I'm used to-- he swears he only uses a pinch of salt but I know better. I'm puffy all over.

[saef]

Saturday morning, down to 154.3, after a salt-bloated week.

I foresee a lot of time working at the laptop this weekend, and I need to think of something pleasant to do, as a respite. Lots of good movies playing in advance of the Academy Awards ceremony.

[alinnell]

We're golfing this morning despite the threat of rain. They say that if it does rain, it will be brief. We were thinking of going to a car show today but have opted instead to do chores around the house. That means I get to straighten a closet that is in dire need of straightening and DH will do the same in the garage and build a chair I bought for our bedroom which we're redoing after having the house painted.

Wednesday, we leave for Nevada for a golf tournament and we're thinking of a stop-over in Las Vegas to go to Counts Kustom's for a tour (they have a show on TV called Counting Cars or something--kind of entertaining).

My weight is down slightly. Still not as much as I'd like, but I'm still plodding on.

[saef]

Sunday morning, after a caloric Saturday. I ate many roasted cubes of butternut squash and too many nuts at lunchtime, after eating my salad. No surprise to weigh in at 156.4.

I don't feel very good about this spike. I believed once I moved back into my apartment and got my life in order, my weight would drop. That only happened briefly. Then, as work stress returned, with projects converging and the deposition looming, I ate more and my weight crept back up.

[alinnell]

Weight same today as yesterday. I thought it might go up because of the cheeseburger at lunch, but I guess my dinner countered it. I got a bag each of riced cauliflower and broccoli at Trader Joe's and sautéed it and then topped it with marinara and a little Parmesan. Very good and I expect very low in calories. I'll do that again!

Today will be interesting. Wine luncheon at the polo grounds followed by dinner at the in-law's.

[saef]

Monday morning, at 156.5. Online early for a half-hour call starting at 5:30 AM.

I had to show one of our staff members in India how to complete tasks for the failed project that I'm salvaging. I think she's going to be very good, but she was quiet and deferential. She had some good questions.

This will be a jam-packed week, what with monitoring this project as the two workers commence their tasks and also teaching analysts in a writing class.

The wind is howling today after yesterday's ice storm and I am late for the gym because of this call.

[traveling michele]

Allison-- did you add any protein to the riced cauliflower and broccoli? Did it need it? I saw them advertised in the Trader Joe's flyer-- I'll have to pick some up soon!

[alinnell]

Michele~no, it did not. And I don't think it needed it, although some ground beef, turkey or sausage would be good. I do like to have a vegetarian meal now and again.

Too much salt yesterday and I'm paying for it today with my weight being higher than I wanted to see.

[saef]

Tuesday, and I'm sad today. I have been shut in and working at the laptop for too many days in a row, just going out for the gym and a trip to the grocery store or drugstore.

Weight reflects that, at 156.7.

I had to suit up today and drive into CT for the class I'll be teaching, which is three hours today and eight hours tomorrow. I always get stage nerves before I do this, but then settle into it and discover I do have some useful things to tell the newly hired analysts. Still, I will be glad when it's over.

[saef]

Wednesday, and I'm at 157.5, a new high. I feel like it, too. I keep adjusting to eating larger & larger quantities.

Teaching in a class all day but I can't stay away from the news during breaks.

[traveling michele]

I'm sorry, Saef-- it sounds like you're struggling recently.

Dh cooked Valentine's dinner and I didn't know what it would be. Of course, more calories than my norm and my weight reflects it. Wonderful evening though.

I got a bizarre text yesterday afternoon from a "friend". I say "friend" because she is a yoga friend that I haven't seen or spoken to in months and months. She is sweet but I don't think she is all that sane-- or she may have substance abuse issues-- she is an all or nothing kind of person. Her work schedule made it impossible for her to go to yoga so I hadn't seen her. Her text (out of the blue) was to ask me to go to Hawaii with her NEXT WEEK (along with another yoga friend she invited). She has a place to stay there and already bought her plane ticket. It blew my mind. I didn't know how to reply. Of course, I can't go and even if I could, I don't think I'd want to. I was also pretty sad for her that she considers me such a good friend (??) when I really don't know her outside of chatting at yoga. I spoke to my other yoga friend that was invited (who also can't/won't go) and we said we would reach out to her and set up a date to hike and have lunch. I sent her a sweet text basically saying I couldn't take time off from work and my daughter is coming to visit (all true) and suggested we get together after her trip. She replied with a text that didn't make much sense.... Who does something like that?!

[saef]

Michele, thanks. It's been a stressful two weeks. First the deposition, which felt like prepping for a performance, then the all-day teaching, and also working through the past three weekends.

I'm at 156.7. I went to bed early, but woke around midnight and had to get out of bed & do some things before I made myself go back to bed and wake up at 4:30 AM. This kind of middle-of-the-night waking is a sign of anxiety.

I'm crawling toward the three-day weekend.