Yes, Bill. Do it while watching an engrossing movie or one of your favorite TV shows. I'm afraid it's one of those dull jobs requiring patience and what used to be called "elbow grease" but it can be a very calming & centering activity also if your mind is otherwise engaged.

My mood has improved somewhat today. I believe that in a weird way I was grieving for my mother after she left, departures being a rehearsal for death. We get along so much better when we're visiting each other rather than living together for an extended period of time, and when we're task-oriented, like getting the living room arranged and pictures and objects hung on the walls.

Ahhh... Ponderosa. Yes, for those of you who don't know, they feature a GIANORMOUS buffet. They do have a huge fresh salad bar with fresh fruit. I started there, but didn't finish there LOL. Most of their other stuff is a lot of "down home country" (read fried) foods.

And they have a TON of awesome desserts. As expected I ate a lot... scale is showing up 2 pounds this morning, but most of that will go away in a couple of days I'm sure.

Since I'm new to maintenance I'm still figuring all this out, but it's nice to be able to go off plan once and a while. I RARELY allowed myself this on the way down, but I want to be able to do it once and a while now that I'm at goal.

Allison - we recently rescued a feral mother cat and her 4 kittens. We spent a month nursing them to health and taming them. We found homes for mama cat and 3 of her kids, but DH got really attached to one of the kittens, so we adopted him. We now have 10, yes I said 10, cats. We are nutbags!

In other news, I had a contractor come out to look at re-doing our kitchen. I got really excited about this and started looking at flooring and countertops this weekend. I was expecting that the contractor cost would be in the neighborhood of $2,000-$2,500. I got his quote this morning and just for his part - not including flooring or countertop costs - would be $7,000!!! WAYYYY out of my price range. So I am really disappointed.

Jen

Dagmar~the kitty has already had his first "home" removed. He and his sibling (that has been absent for 2-3 months) were "raised" in several pallets of paving stones. They would climb inside the pallets and hide and sleep. We had been storing the pavers for a year and kept getting the company to come and take them away and they finally did a few weeks ago. So the kitty moved to the trailer--prior to that his hidey place was between some skylights that are stacked up against the building (those are still there, too). The trailer will only be gone for a couple of hours, but I will put the crate down this morning to see how he does with it.

Jen~10 cats? Wow. My secretary has 5 and I thought that was a lot! And that is disappointing about the cost of redoing the kitchen.

My Dad has decided not to fix up his basement after the flood. The insurance he has does not cover replacement costs, so they'll give him $4000 for damages. The contractor was over $7000 and that didn't include carpet. I would think it prudent, however, to replace the insulation and drywall, but I don't think he's even going to do that. I'll let he and my brother be the judges on that.

I meant to share some photos of what my mother & I accomplished over the weekend with hanging up stuff, rolling out the carpets, unpacking pillows, etc.

This side of the living room is pretty much done. This is the view if I swivel around completely in my desk chair.

Okay, and if you are sitting on the sofa, between the two big pillows, and looking across at my desk, this is what you see: My desk, complete with glowing laptop and water bottle. The thing over the desk is a sunburst or fan pediment salvaged from a building. I put a coat of tung oil on it, to protect it, which darkened it.

This part of the living room is incomplete. I have purchased another chair that is pretty much like the light blue one, only a dealer in Arkansas has it. Since March, he's been talking about sending a picker to Pennsylvania to meet up with me & hand it over. That still hasn't happened. Even if it had, I'd still need to get it reupholstered. So my armchair is left lonely without a mate. Remembering highlights of its youth during the Lincoln administration, no doubt.

To the left of that blue stained-glass floor lamp there is a length of blank wall. I can't decide whether I want to put a card table there, and hang stuff over it, or if I will get a bookcase. I really want a card table, but I really could use a bookcase.

Anyway, so there is the living room, thus far. There are three paintings that I still need to hang. Well, four, when I finish paying for the big one & pick it up. I got it from one of those nice dealers who is willing to hold something and accept periodic payments.

I feel much more settled. Just a week ago, there were bare walls in the room, bare floors and boxes with stuff in bubble wrap in corners of the room & hidden in the living room closet. Now I have some kind of liveable atmosphere around me again.

Saef, your apartment looks lovely!

Not much to report here, same old same old. I'm off to Seattle Friday night for a week-long conference and I'm a little stressed because I'm supposed to be staying with a friend Friday night and I can't get a hold of her.

Saef, your apartment looks beautiful.

Yes, a do-over is what I need! Today is going a little bit better. I got more sleep, though still couldn't get to bed early last night. I went to the grocery store yesterday and stocked up on some healthy foods to cook this evening, took care of some director duties, and at least the dog is tired from daycare even if I didn't get a workout in. This is probably what my life will look like until Thanksgiving, though. At least I didn't even feel like stuffing my face with food yesterday.

Saef, your home looks wonderful! I really like the rich lustre of all of your wood, and how you carry the blue in little ways throughout each item in the room. What a unique and interesting pillow on the couch, too (the one with the cherubs? I think that's what they're called).

Allison, sorry to hear about the costs at your dad's. I'd think at least insulation would help retain heat/AC - where does he live again? Good for you for helping your office kitten. I can't watch the video since I'm at work but will try to check it out later.

Jen, I have no control at buffets. 2 lbs is not bad. You're right, it will come off in a few days. Bummer a new kitchen will cost too much, but now that you know the price perhaps you can give yourself a savings goal so you can do it in a few years.

Bill, my mom would pay my sis and I something like a dime a piece to polish silver when we were little. Got any kids nearby to foist this chore off on? Be like Huck Finn and the whitewash fence - make it look fun!

Dagmar, how was your Thanksgiving celebration?

Have a good do-over Monday, everyone.

Do-over Monday sounds awesome.

saef, your apartment is beautiful, I knew it would be .

Happy Thanksgiving Dagmar, and Bill, I can SOOOOOOO relate to eating after satisfied and then eating more. Can I feel comfortable with appetite hunger and then not eat too much to protect myself against fear of that hunger? For the first time in my life, after some real inner work, the answer is yes. I move forward towards the holidays and the chillier days with trepidation but a real hope that this time I can "go to that happy place" where I can feel safe and OK and not eat more than I need. As a result, it's now October 9 and so far no net weight gain at all since reaching my goal in August! One day at a time... to paraphrase my financial advisor, past failure to perform is no indicator of future success... the fact that I have regained weight in the past is not proff that I have to stay in that same rut now!

I'll take a do-over Monday as well!

saef~beautiful!

I'm "working" from home while awaiting my window washers. I was given an 8 AM - 11 AM window. It's after 10 and still waiting for them to show up. I hate this. I also have a vet appointment at 2:30, so my time at the office will be stressed to get my work done. I hate that, too.

So my cable phone has not been working (again). It rings, but then when we try to answer, it says system busy, try again later. And I can't make outgoing calls. So while I'm stuck here waiting, I'm on live chat with TWC. It takes 10 minutes between my typing and his reply. More waiting.

And I left my doggies at the office. I feel kind of alone as the cats are off napping.

Ok, guys, I need your help. I was just informed that I am being invited to lunch with some mucky mucks from the state for tomorrow. They want to eat at a new Japanese place that just opened.

Here is the menu: http://ruyiasianfusion.com/Catalog.aspx?cid=37

I have never eaten Japanese food before.

Can those of your that are more worldly then me give me some suggestions on healthy things to eat here?

Jen