Quiet week! Where is everyone?

I'm finding it challenging to just weigh once per day. I'm on day 3 and have done it so far, but it is challenging! Silly, huh?!

I'm here, just preoccupied and having to be really good at time management lately.

At work, I'm training another new hire, and this one is really good. She's such an overachiever that I find myself even feeling a little threatened -- a feeling that, over time, I've learned I have to acknowledge and then squash completely, like a bug. The point is, to hire people better than yourself, rather than people you feel comfortable with and can dominate. To not let personal insecurities take over. And the compensation is, it's such a joy to teach someone who's really, really bright and absorbs everything I tell her.

And I've been putting in a lot of time at the gym and the yoga studio, too. And today have to go to the auto body place and pick out a color for my window guards from the paint chips. And then get back in time for a 9 AM staff meeting.

Plus right now I've got an attention-hungry cat rubbing against my chair legs and putting his paws on my leg, looking for his chin to be rubbed and his ears scratched.

I have nothing new to contribute so am lurking. The time change (clocks back) always kills me for a couple of weeks since my body stubbornly refuses to adapt to the new time. I go through the winter exhausted and ready for bed at 8 p.m. every night. Even drugs don't help any more.

Dagmar (whine and cheez!)

It's been a weird week, work-wise. While nothing out of the ordinary has happened, days are strange as my office assistant has rearranged her schedule a bit to be able to take her friend in for cataract surgery and followup visits. Then yesterday we had lunch with our CPA, which I had totally forgotten about (thank you Google calendar!).

I think the cats are finally catching onto two things: there was a time change and eating habits have changed. This morning, while they did come in at 4 AM, they didn't attempt to wake us up. I've put Ringo on a diet and he's been so much more alert and affectionate. It makes me think that the free-feeding of dry food made him eat himself to sleep. Now that there is less food around, he comes out a lot more (as if to say, where is my food, but that's fine).

We have another cold front here. Temperatures continue to be at least 10 degrees lower than normal and the clouds this morning are giving me a spectacular sunrise. I may have to go take a couple photos.

Morning all,

It's been a strange week for me too, at least strange for someone who is used to routine. Tuesday I took the day off to take my car to the city, knowing I needed a new muffler and sick of getting ripped off by the local mechanic. I needed an entire exhaust system (and I really did - it was in pieces, I saw it). It was more money than I'd hoped, but I really liked these mechanics who were highly recommended by a friend who has car know-how - just felt they were being honest, and they cut me a deal (I had priced exhaust before I went). Too bad they're so far away. Yesterday I was out on the boat with a co-worker and she got a really deep cut in her leg. I spent a few hours at the ER with her while she got stitched up. This AM she is in a lot of pain and I'm worried about infection/lack of antibiotics so I might leave work to take her to a clinic. The workman's comp people are not responding to her so I've been calling them also on her behalf. Still fighting that one so I'm not sure where the day will take me...

I do have a three day weekend I'm looking forward to for Veteran's day. For once I don't have any big projects to finish. I have a few little things to get done but can just relax, catch up on sleep (I hope), maybe work with the dog. Dagmar, I've started reading one of Cesar Milan's books and am trying to channel him, but have got to watch myself (2 nights ago I told BF in a calm, assertive manner to go "SIT" on the couch). My throat is kind of sore so I want to take it easy and head off a possible cold this weekend.

It's getting cold here too, Allison, and I'm hoping to finally make my bean/ham soup Saturday (perfect cold weather and physical cold food). So I have a question for those of you who make this soup. I know ideally you make it with a leftover ham bone. Can you buy one if you don't have one leftover? I've looked in 2 grocery stores and can't find a ham bone or ham shank. Can you request one from the butcher at the grocery store? I don't have any specifically butcher shops around me.

Dagmar, the time change has not been good for pets in our house! Emma is waking up a bit earlier and wants me to get up too. I don't appreciate it.

Saef, sounds like you're busy in a good way right now. Glad things are going ok at work, you're enjoying your gym and yoga, and you're making progress towards getting things together for when you can move back in to your place. Food love is tough. Bc I'm "the one who bakes" in the office I usually provide birthday cakes and other tasty treats. I feel guilty letting someone have a store-bought cake when I could make one that's so much tastier. I still do special occasion bday cakes but the random cookies and brownies have stopped - it's mentally unhealthy for me. Not exactly the same as your situation but I still play some of these mind games too. We've just got to keep working toward eliminating unhealthy behaviors as we see them and as we can.

Megan, ask the butcher if he has any ham hocks or ham shanks, many times they have them they just are not out in the display case.

I've also been lurking... busy week here.

DSS finally got used to the time change so actually slept until 6 this morning instead of trying to get up at 4:30. Now I can work on adjusting to it, as well.

DH and I are going to the Georgia Tech game tonight - Thursday night football on ESPN. Woo hoo. It is going to be cold!

I got a run in this morning before work - also cold.

Saef - training is complicated... and I'm also glad that you are keeping busy.

Megan - workman's comp... also complicated. I'm glad that your coworker is okay.

Michele - I have a hard time not weighing every day, too.

I always find either ham bones or shanks (I prefer shanks--more meat) in the meat case where the ham is--not where the pork is. But if not, ask the butcher, I'm sure they'll have it.

Mighty quiet in here. Everybody must be really busy.

Aaaahhh, glorious rain! Too bad I have to go out in it to do my grocery shopping.

I found a recipe yesterday for a wild rice and barley pilaf with pomegranate seeds. Sounds interesting, so I'm going to fix that tomorrow night with some grilled chicken and roasted green beans. Something relatively healthy. I must have been overeating (or perhaps just TOM) but regardless of the fact that I did not drink at all this week, I managed to put on 3 pounds. What is up with that?

I plan on making chili next week, so I'll just have to keep my portions small.

Next weekend starts the beginning of HECTIC for me! Friday night we'll drive to Fullerton for DD's concert. Saturday night DH and I have tickets to see Herb Alpert. Monday my Dad arrives, Tuesday my sister and BIL, Wednesday my brother, SIL and niece (and DS, DD and I have dentist appointments). DD arrives somewhere in there, with her two cats (yes, she adopted a new kitten--female named Hilda). I'll post a note on the door on Thanksgiving "Cat Room--Enter at your own Risk!" Then of course, the big day with 27 for dinner. Then two days later, I have a wedding to attend followed by dinner at my cousin's house in Orange county. After that, it will simply be a matter of shuttling everyone back to the airport and then cleaning up. I must check the calendar to see what day my housekeepers come!

I went for a facial at one of the day spas that have proliferated here over the past seven years or so. I'd been threatening to do this for a while, but they have all been running coupons in various newspapers, and they all expire before Christmas, so I decided to go.

This place was short on atmosphere. It was like showing up for a dental appointment. The receptionist had her 11-year-old son hanging around, and they were sharing a pizza for lunch, since the box was in the middle of the desk, with the oregano and pepperoni aroma filling the reception area. The 11-year-old son is the one took me to the treatment room. The technician was very young, but older than the 11-year-old. She was pretty good, very conscientious. The price was great. As low as down in Chinatown in NY. So, should I quibble about atmosphere when the service was so very affordable? Apparently that's the tradeoff at this particular place.