Good luck on your race tomorrow, Iris! I am in awe of running a half marathon (let alone a full one, let alone triathlons! )

Shannon, how's DH?

Happy weekend! Today is DS's birthday and he asked for his usual marble cake with buttercream frosting. My plan is no BLTs and no pieces, since my weight is a few pounds higher than it should be.

We'll finally get our tree up today, after cake baking and bathroom cleaning. I think we're in pretty good shape for the holidays, except for a present for SIL. She owns a horse farm and is very outdoorsy, so a beautiful silk scarf is probably not what she needs. I found a gorgeous leather jacket but am wary of buying it because people's tastes really are so different. Still thinking.

Legs and cardio at the gym this morning. The crowds have thinned out quite a bit this month, but I'm dreading January 1.

Have a great weekend!

Bargoo I'm so sorry to hear about your ex-husband.

Iris How was the concert?

Everyone else have a great Saturday! I'm determined to finish the bulk of all my Christmas stuff this weekend and then be able to enjoy the National Ballet's production of the "Nutcracker" tomorrow.

Dagmar

Bargoo - so sorry about your ex-husband. Like Pat, I never talk to mine so I would not know if something happened to him...

Meg - DH is still having some pretty heavy duty pain, focused in his left side, radiating up to his chest and into his back at times. Also says his sense of taste is off and he is fuzzy headed. Hope those are drug side effects. He plans to go off all medicine tomorrow to see what happens. I want him to go to our doctor Monday.

Iris - hope the concert went well! And that you had a good time with the boy.

I'm back at the ER, this time with my MIL. She was recentu diagnosed with chronic bronchitis and borderline COPD. Well, apparently it isn't borderline any more. And, she is having an asthma attack on of it. They gave her a breathing treatment, have her in x-Ray now, going to push antibiotics and fluids when she gets back. Rough week for my family and our health.

I got in a 7.2 mile run this am in 36 degrees, and ja a big sugry coffee with DH just before we got the call from MIL so I'm running on adrenaline and sugr. Woo hoo.

Shannon-- how is MIL doing? You are having a run of bad luck with health in your family. My mom and dad both had COPD and it wasn't nice. Didn't help that they both smoked too.....

I haven't been to the gym since Thursday! I'm in a real funk about it and playing mind games with myself. My leg was very sore yesterday so I didn't want to push it. I'm going to go soon and take it easy-- just walking on the treadmill and upper body work. I'll see how it goes. It is amazing to me that as soon as I get out of my routine I start playing mind tricks with myself--- telling myself I should gain some weight or I can eat this or that or it's the holidays-- aack!!

I'm back from the Nutcracker. Enjoyed it immensely (particularly the comments from all the little girls around me), particularly the performance of the woman who danced the role of the bee. Fire and grace!

I've always wondered how ballet (and other) dancers manage to keep all that energy and momentum going and stay that thin. Do they use food supplements? Hmm.

I can't imagine that they just don't eat - they would crash to the ground after half the performance.

I'm making a new recipe tonite - potato and lemon casserole. From an actual recipe - not a science experiment. It would never occur to me to put those two ingredients into the same dish but I'll find out if they work together.

Later!

Dagmar