Had a lovely weekend away from my home high-speed cable Internet. Just enough to feel like I could actually make an absolutely clean break for a short spell. But I still had a weak link that I used to track Japan and Libya - I hate the thought of arriving home after a spell and not know that World War III or the end of the world were underway.

But I over ate snack between meals for the whole weekend; Big Ouch. Looking forward to my own fridge and getting back on track.

Sending supportive thoughts, Alison, for dealing with your mother's health and discussions.

to the first day of spring!

I have been going "hog wild" (yes the phrase is quite appropriate) with the food for about a week now. Today I weigh 140 lbs.

I am now starting a diet, rather than maintaining. The usual stuff - write down all food/cals, stay under 1500 cals every day. I will spare all of you the details (you've been there, done that) but I think I will stay here (if I may) rather than move to one of the dieting forums.

Good Monday all!

Dagmar

Good morning. Thanks for the supportive thoughts, Bill. I need them today. The hospital called at 5:15 AM and my Dad didn't answer so they called my SIL (poor girl--she drove in from Vegas last night and probably didn't get home until 2 AM). SIL called me, Mom is in a great deal of pain and we're considering hospice at this point so she can have all the pain meds she wants rather than be restricted to doctor's orders. My brother and SIL are on the way to the hospital, my sister is checking flights from Dallas and I'm here wondering whether or not to wake my Dad...He doesn't function quickly in the morning, usually doesn't get up before 7:30 (2 hours from now) and I don't want to upset him. I think I'll wait, it's not like the "end" is going to be today...

So, that's where I am. Stressful, yes, but I've justified it and it isn't as sad as it could be. Sure I get weepy but we all do at times like this. I think it's worse seeing how my Dad keeps telling her to get better when to the rest of us, we just don't see her ever coming home from the hospital.

So I think I'll go in and drink some coffee and surf the net at wait for my brother to call. This trip has been good for one thing--I haven't had any alcohol for 5 days (although with my sister coming, that my change). And I've not been eating nearly as much as I do at home and strangely, I don't feel hungry. Perhaps it's the stress or just the change in my routine.

Allison, this is a stressful time for you. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. Stay strong.

Allison, lots of hugs and support for you and your family.

Allison, We are all thinking of you and your family.

Morning all,

Alison, I agree it's best to let your dad sleep. Waking him up early won't help, especially if he doesn't do well in the AM. The stress that you're under could certainly be affecting your appetite. You & your parents are in my thoughts.

Lesson of the day: the squirrels will only get in your car if you've just vacuumed it out! Sat. I made cookies for my friend catering co. to sell at a local benefit. The leftovers were given back to me but I left them in my car to bring to work today. I didn't want to take them upstairs bc I knew I'd eat too many! Yesterday I took my car downtown to the vacuum, wiped down the interior with armorall, etc. I left the window open a crack bc I didn't want it to get too hot with the cookies inside. This morning, cookie fiesta on the passenger seat. And then I leaked my soup while on the way to work... le sigh. I hope this isn't how the rest of the week is going to go!

Dagmar, me too! I've finally eaten the leftovers from my parents visit, and it's time to start clean with lots of veggies, fruits, chickpeas sound really yum right now. Fresh foods sound really appealing right now, always a sign I've been eating too much junk. We can clean it up together!

How was everyone else's weekend?

Allison - for your and your family. You are in my thoughts today.

Megan - while I know it is annoying the picture in my head of squirrels eating cookies in your car sounds cute.

Dagmar - you can pull the food back under control, I know that you can.

Bill - sounds like a great weekend!

I ran my half marathon on Sunday - the weather was great for it. Cloudy, 64 degrees, fantastic. I finished in 2:26:52, 0:02:28 faster than last year. I fully expected to be slower than last year, and I walked several times this year where I only walked once in mile 12 last year. I guess I ran faster overall. I'm a little sore today, more up and down stairs than on flats. Not as bad as I expected with what I though was my total lack of preparation. Sometimes we surprise ourselves.

Haha! Reclining on the dashboard, little feet propped up, eating cookies. Unfortunately, they will soon have to be accountable on 3FatSquirrels.com for their cookie indiscretion!

Good job on the half, Shannon!! You are awesome!

Shannon, awesome job on the run!!!

I tell myself I should just be glad that whatever ate the cookies didn't poop in my car too (in the backseat with a newspaper)! That's why I'm thinking squirrels (of course, we've got some cats running around too, but it was a small opening). Birds would definitely poop a lot.

Megan, that is too funny about the squirrels. I love Midwife's 3FatSquirrels.com! Maybe I'll have to go register that domain...

Shannon, great job on the run!

Carter got checked out by the vet and was pretty much given a clean bill of health. He's now allowed to start going up and down stairs again (supervised), and after another month of gradually returning him to his old activities he will be allowed to do whatever he wants. The vet even said it would be fine for him to jump on the couch once his legs are stronger. He said the thing about dogs who have one disc rupture being prone to having more really only applies to breeds like Dachshunds who are prone to disc diseases, and that for Carter to have two ruptures in his lifetime would be extremely unlikely (well, having one to begin with was extremely unlikely, but still).

All in all I'm pretty happy about where things stand right now. Being able to do the steps in and out of the backyard means we don't have to supervise him outside anymore, and we'll be able to move our bedroom back upstairs. We took Carter to the park the other day and he had a great time sniffing around and didn't seem bothered by the fact that he was a little wobbly. Now he just needs to toughen up the pads on that back foot so he can stop wearing the boot.

We had dinner at my in-laws' house last night for BIL's birthday and we were talking about Carter's injury and his progress, and DH's grandma showed yet again that there is a big generational difference in how we think of dogs. I was saying how we had moved downstairs to take care of Carter, and she was like, forget the dog, you need to have a baby to take care of. I was like, I think taking care of the dog is hard enough, without a baby too. She said, well, when you have a baby you just get rid of the dog. I was like but didn't say anything.

3Fat Squirrels... Where squirrels go for inspiration to meet their goals.


Hehe.

Jessica - I'm so glad that Carter is doing so well! I've seen differences in how people think about pets even in our same age bracket - one woman I know just doesn't get it and is pretty critical when people talk about things with their pets being upsetting. I address it with her when she mentions it, but she will never change her opinion. With your grandmother I imagine that there wasn't much that you could say.

Before and after squirrel pix!!

Now I've got to stalk the fat squirrels so I can get a picture for you ladies!

I live in a place with hungry wildlife. Once a few years ago when I lived w roommates, I had 2 bags of pita bread and on the counter. I spent the night at BF's and the next AM on my way home got a msg from my roomie: "Megan, something came in the house and ate some of your pita bread." Whaaat? It was fall and the windows were all open all the time, and we found a screen had fallen out of one of the windows on the porch. We thought maybe a raccoon, but why wouldn't it have gone for the greasy chicken pan in the sink? My BF's answer: "Oh, maybe it was the cat who eats the bread out of my boat. It likes bread." Me: "What do you mean, BF?" BF kept his boat under the house, and since he's out every day, just keeps bread, lunchmeat, etc in his cooler, replenishes ice every day. Turns out one of the feral cats had figured out how to knock his cooler open and get to the bread, and ate it frequently. We were still skeptical it was a cat, but we did have a bunch running around... then BF realized he might have seen the cat. "What BF?!" Two nights before a friend had slept over on the couch. BF left at about 5 AM for work, and a cat ran from the porch down the stairs. He thought our friend had brought her cat with her to stay the night. And never said anything to us. Now I love the man, but I had to give him trouble for that one. He said it was just really early and maybe his brain wasn't working right at the time.

Allison, just looking in from a busy day at work, since you're on my mind. My mother & I were making decisions about calling hospice at just about this time of year back in 2008. My father stayed in a hospital bed at home, in the living room. The hospice workers were amazingly good to us. I can't begin to tell you what quality of people came to the house & the different ways in which they helped us. We weren't quite sane, but we would have been even worse without their assistance.