This is a standard visit during the school summer holidays. I do my mother's accounts and tax return; the DB and I see swathes of extended family and go swimming a lot (this year running and basketball too as SO isn't with us this time); Mum generally makes the food; and I am given various other duties too. This morning, I sold metal at the scrap merchant and put a desk into the back of my car with my 84yo uncle. It's generally exhausting but it's a welcome change as different people do different things. I see things from different perspectives.

Thinking about it, "let's try" really is our motto. We're always having a go at things. Therefore, eating as wheel-spinning (which saef mentioned) has no place in this.

Water seems to be another theme today. Water weight. Rain. Floods. The weather was atrocious a few hours ago but it's warm and sunny now. Fingers crossed for you people west across the pond.

Yay! Congrats to the droppers of pounds (and kilograms).

ICU, let us know how it goes!!!
Krampus, what work are you doing now that your back here?
Saef, have you moved all of your antiques to higher, drier ground?

Got up and ran. Ate a good breakfast.

Yes, trying is a good thing. If trying is all one can do, well, it's still better than the alternative, which is not trying!

There's this quote:

"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward." MLK Jr

I have also read it adapted thusly:
"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl. So let's crawl, crawl, crawl until we can walk again."

Midwie - I love that quote. I used to have it framed on the wall but gave it to a friend who needed it more than me at the time. Good job on the run today!

Thinking about you today, Becky!

Birchie - sounds like a great trip to me.

Saef - I hope the yoga gives you a few minutes peace from your weather worries today.

Allison & Jay - great job OP!

I did really well for several days, stayed well under calories. The last few days have been right on maintenance with too much sodium, so carrying some water retention today. Blah.

Yay for running!

And I used to have a Yoda quote on my signature. "NO! Try not. Do or do not. There is no try."

But I like this better, "Hmmm. Control. Control. You must learn control."

Do you say it in a Yoda voice, Allison?
How's your hand, Shannon?

Hah! a true creation of the Western male mind...

Control has its place, but awareness is high on my list. And options.

Jay

I can't do a Yoda voice except in my head.

And options are good. For instance, I found a great "pasta" recipe that I'm going to fix for dinner tomorrow. The "pasta" is zucchini served with a sauce of oil, garlic, tomatoes and basil. Pair it with a chicken breast and I've got my lean and green!

The hand is doing better, Midwife. Thanks for asking. Still sore to the touch, but the cut areas are now mostly new skin instead of cuts and bruises. It hurts more than I would expect looking at the outside healing, so I'm a little worried that I've cut something important inside that will make it hurt forever.

Hi Jessica and Allison, I'm back after going through having to go back on the medicine that put 30 pounds back on me and then last September I was switched off it and at the same time gave up sugar. So the weight has slowly melted off and I'd just like to lose 6 more pounds.

I think it will happen quickly because a month ago I was diagnosed with acid reflux that is burning the muscles around my vocal chords. So I'm on a very strict diet of no fat, no caffeine, no alcohol, no fruit juice, no citric fruit or berries, no spice, and the no sugar that I'm continuing to do. I've given up almost all dairy, red meat, peanut butter, and nuts. After a month of meds and the diet, my throat is doing much better, but not perfect and my voice is better.

I'm still sailing, West Coast Swing Dancing, doing my art, and have added indoor rock climbing. But I still can't bring myself to exercise. I'll do sports, but won't go to the gym.

Hi, Carolyn, welcome aboard again!

Saef, be safe!

Interview went well, I think (I had them laughing several times). Still, a huge energy sink and I am wiped out! My portion control success tonight was having only one BLT. Within a week I should know the outcome; hoping to hear the unofficial version after interviews conclude on Monday.

Hi Carolyn! Welcome back!!! You're lucky it's only 6 pounds! Some of us (including me) have 10 or more to go. But I'm handling it. I have a goal--my trip to Costa Rica in 3 weeks.

So glad you interview went well, ICU! Best of luck that you get the job.

Carolyn, this is bad, but I remember your avatar & the blue dress -- you are the Devil With the Blue Dress On -- but not the details. Glad to see you again.

Becky, I've been interviewing people for a job as part of a committee of three, and from my experience, I'd trust your feeling that your audience was "with" you, particularly if they laughed along with you. Now is the hard part: Waiting to hear. I hope you get it.

Definition of insanity: I'm thinking of going to the gym tomorrow morning before I pack up to leave. Partly to work off stress. Partly as a promise to myself, that life will return to a new sort of normal in a few days.

My scale weighed me less today, but I still have to round up a bit for a true doctor's scale measurement.

Yesterday, I cleared out all the size 8-12 clothes from my working closet and put all the size 2-6 clothes that I can finally wear again in it. It was so much fun. Like shopping without the price tags. Today I'm wearing a green halter dress that I only wore once back in 2007 because I bought it at the end of the summer season and then it got too cold. Then in 2008 I had to switch meds again and quickly regained all the weight I had lost in 2006 & 2007.

So Saef - I was back to wearing that purple dress in my advatar photo again. Now I look like the right side, only my hair is 3 inches below my shoulders now. I tried to post a new photo with the long hair. It shows up on my signature page, but not when I post.

I'm in South Jersey and the rain just started about 45 minutes ago. I had just gotten back from the grocery to pick up extra water and dry food we can eat if we lose power for a few days.

DH has been working hard the last two days to secure our six boats that are at the shore. We have 2 more at home plus our twelve foot inflatable power boat deflated and rolled up in his car. If it floods badly, we can always inflate it to get to higher ground - which there isn't much of in South Jersey. Our house is near Philadelphia an hour and a half away from Long Beach Island where 5 of our boats are - a 34' Silverton Power Boat that we use as our shore house, 3 Hobie catamarans, and a windsurfer. DH took a half day yesterday morning to secure the boats and help all our friends secure theirs. We expect that the bay will surge 2 to 3 feet above the parking lot.

Then he evacuated at 6 pm as everyone else did and drove in the traffic jam up to our 36' Mariner sailboat in a marina in Jersey City. He lives on that boat during the week so he can commute into NYC. He had to take all the canvas down, stow the jib, rope down the main sail, tie extra lines to the dock, and put out more fenders. The marina has floating docks that go up and down with the tide, so the boat should be safe if NY harbor gets the surge they are expecting.

He's due home this afternoon, but I think he'll hit a lot of traffic on the NJ Turnpike. That's if the governor doesn't close it like he did the south bound traffic on the Garden State Parkway yesterday.

My MIL evacuated from LBI and is staying with friends not that far inland. So she may still get flooded out.

Haven't heard what my brother has done to secure his boat up in Westport Connecticut. It's dry docked on a trailer and could easily be tipped over in a hurricane. I hope he takes it to where he stores it for the winter.

Carolyn and folks in the Northeast: Hope you're hunkered down and safe.

The 2 pounds of water from my business trip are gone now. My eating is back on track.

My modified Medifast program allows one "big" meal a day, called the "lean & green." Last night we went out with friends to Ruby Tuesday, and I had the mixed grill (steak, chicken, 3 jumbo shrimp) with grilled green beans and baked spaghetti squash. Very tasty and filling! I couldn't finish the squash.

Jay

Hi all,

East Coasters - stay safe please. The Amtrak from downstate to Albany-Rensselaer was PACKED late Friday night. I'm in the splash zone but not the flash flood/evacuation zone so I predict today will be spent sitting around playing with my new Spotify account - stream any song on the system with no restrictions like Pandora has!

Weight, meh. I am up and down the same 5 lbs over and over again. Exercise is definitely slacking though and I hate that flabby feeling! All I would have to do to feel "decent" is go for two 30-minute runs. That's it!

Job is currently temp part-time data entry at a milk company. It's a $10 per hour pay cut but it puts beer in my mug (gee I wonder why I'm not at goal weight) and it's not forever. I have made a new friend who may be able to put in a good word for me at his work. He's really into hiking and I'm excited about climbing mountains together, but he's also really into eating and drinking and smoking pot too - those aren't so good for weight loss/maintenance eh!