Where are the early risers today? I feel weird starting the chat thread!

I was online at about 5 AM, but I have to be strict with myself or I'll linger here for hours and I would have missed my 5:45 AM spin class.

I'm here downstate, and that spin class took place at my old gym, otherwise known as my second home, because I went there daily. It felt sooooo good to see all the familiar faces, to get on the bike and just go. I got a hug from the spin instructor. I have a guest pass, sort of, for the next two days.

It's amazing to me how happy I feel going through the most mundane parts of my daily routine: Going to the grocery store down the street, because blueberries were on sale, commuting to the office with my radio tuned to a familiar station, arriving at the office park. This all feels absurdly precious, because I lost it, and the loss has felt irreparable.

Bill? Dagmar? Are you up? Do you have power?

Our new water heater is not making hot water this morning. DS had to move to the guest room for his shower. Thankfully we have two water heaters, so we're never without (unless we forget to pay the gas bill). I can't run the dishwasher, and it's very full as we had guests for dinner last night. Hopefully DH can come back this morning and figure out what's wrong and then figure out how to start the dishwasher.

Golf this weekend was great! Saturday it was warm enough for shorts and sleeveless shirt. I got four pars. Sunday morning was a bit brisk, but I removed my sweater by the third hole. I got seven pars, but didn't "win" as my FIL got nine pars. For what it's worth, we count pars and birdies. DH got a birdie and then fell apart and only got two pars. MIL got six pars. Alas, no eagles (that'd be a hole in one on this course).

I was up early, everybody but had nothing much to say, except Good Morning ! I went to bed at 10:30 PM last night and got up at 3:30 AM this morning, for me that's a full night s sleep. Groan.....

I didn't want to step on Bill's toes and start the thread. Saved what I was going to post this a.m. @ 5:30.

I ate none of the usual weekend salty snacks and drank no beer. This morning I weigh 132.8 lbs. .

It seems so simple, yet I can't consistently seem to do this. WHY??? DH has a term - "willful stupidity" and I think this applies directly to my weekends.

Now there's a tiny voice inside that's saying - "Dagmar, you can get to 130 lbs. by Christmas eve".

I'm thinking I should amplify this voice and let it shout out whenever I reach for the salty or sweet stuff for the next 2 weeks.

Dagmar

Good morning everyone!

I had a wonderful, indulgent, decadent weekend in Napa with dh. He and I dearly needed the time away and the break. I allowed myself to eat what I wanted, and the scale is certainly reflecting it this morning. I was good that I went to the gym for an early spin class before we left Saturday morning and I went to the gym last night after returning, so hopefully that helped spare some of the damage. Now I've got to get back to the grindstone, make sure I get my exercise in, etc. so I don't balloon up over the holidays.

I was talking to my uncle last night (he is 80 and my only living relative). He was asking me how I was doing with my "weight situation". I asked him what he meant and he said the last time he saw me (year plus ago), I looked like a refugee from a third world country. Sigh.... I told him that I'd been maintaining a healthy weight for over 3 years. He then lectured me about going too far. Relatives!

Dagmar, you mean the sweet stuff was calling your name? I thought it was calling mine.

My weight is up this morning thanks to too much sodium over the weekend. Saturday I ended up with soup from Panera Bread for lunch and Thai food for dinner. Probably about 5x my daily recommended salt! Four pounds overnight. Oh well, at least I know it's salt weight and will hopefully go away soon. Except for how I have to go out again tonight for DH's work holiday party...

In other news I'm excited about my upcoming vacation. Not sure how much I'll be around here, I'm out of town starting Thursday. I'll probably pop in a few times but maybe not every day. I have my fingers crossed that everything goes okay with my SIL house and dog sitting. I hope Carter doesn't drive her nuts -- he's used to our bedtime of 9pm and waking up at 6am, and she (as a typical college student) goes to bed after midnight and wakes up around 10. I forsee lots of whining.

In other other news, any advice about how to deal with my MIL going baby crazy? Her SIL and cousin both became grandmothers recently and she is turning up the pressure on me and DH (not outright, more in a passive-aggressive fashion). DH and I have been thinking we will probably try to start a family next year, but to be honest hearing my MIL gripe about us not having kids yet makes me not want to do it, lest she think it was her idea or we did it because of her. It's like when I was a teenager and the more my mom nagged me to practice my violin the less I wanted to do it, when I would have done it on my own had she not said anything. I don't want to tell her we were planning to try next year either because while that might appease her, it's possible we might change our minds or we may have fertility problems or something and would rather not have it be public knowledge. This is of course made tougher by the fact that she doesn't come out and say what she's thinking -- instead we accidentally-on-purpose overhear her making comments about it to other family members.

Anyway I'm just glad my parents haven't said anything! Probably because I have an older sister, so she's first up on the chopping block. DH is the oldest in his family.

Jessica-- though it certainly isn't any of their business, you might just say that you are planning on having a family in the future and just leave it at that.

I forgot to mention that after my Napa excursion, I had terrible heartburn/acid reflux last night. I never ever have that. Would that be from fatty foods? Dh thought caffeine but I have caffeine normally so I don't think it would be that. I was nauseous, burning in my throat, and had trouble sleeping. I seem okay today though.

Yes, fatty food will do it, Michele, especially if you tossed in any carbohydrates with it.

Jay

My weekend fell into a "holiday celebration" hole Saturday night. We went to visit some friends a few towns over whose town has an annual boat parade (boats decorated with lights etc). I had a few glasses of wine and we stayed much later than I'd thought, so we slept in the next AM, I got fewer chores done than I hoped... and so it goes. These were friends I don't get to see too often, and are so fun to hang around. I hate how alcohol is so tied into social events. This Sat. is my office Christmas party so I'm afraid it will be the same. I have book club tonight and the rest of the week it will be the normal routine. I did get a big healthy casserole cooked up, veggies cooked, healthy pumpkin custard for my sweet tooth... I will rely on healthy foods, wogging the dog, and exercise to get me through the rest of this week, and take it one day at a time.

This morning I had to pass my annual pack test. I know I mention it every year. To keep up my certification to help with prescribed fires I have to walk, not run, two miles carrying 25 lbs in 30 minutes or less. Every year I think, ow. How did I carry twice this much extra weight around???

Jessica, maybe you could accidentally-on-purpose let MIL overhear you saying how you want to have kids sometime soon, but hearing MIL drop hints makes you want to put it off longer.

Michele, some people have no awareness of when comments might be crossing the line.

Saef, sounds like a nice spin class at your old gym. You will be back there for good soon.

Dagmar, great job!

Allison, sounds like you had a great time golfing. It's great that you do so much activity every weekend.

Have a great week everyone! Hi to everyone else!

Afternoon all!

Reading, but not much time to write.

DH went for his 3rd interview with the same company today. He got the interviews through a job placement agency. The agency rep emailed this afternoon and said they company was "writing up the deal".

DH is exercising "cautious optimism" that he's hired. I'm saying .

This truly will be a great Christmas if DH indeed has got the job - he's supposed to start next week! And his current employer has done her traditional laying off of everyone over Christmas (so she doesn't have to pay them during the holidays) so the timing is perfect!

Dagmar (doing a cautiously optimistic )

Dagmar, things are looking good. Fingers firmly crossed here.

Sounds promising, Dagmar. I hope it pans out for both of your sakes!

Last night at my book club gathering several of us brought in gifts. I brought in my homemade mango habanero jellies and watermelon rind pickles. Now the rest of the pickles go to work as soon as I get them dressed in gift bags and ribbons. And I realized there are 12 days until Christmas (er, 13 last night). Eek! I did a big chunk of my shopping online and feel better now, though once again I stayed up late doing it... I have a few things left today but my eyes glazed over when I looked at the selection of grill thermometers (for BF to use with his smoker) at Amazon, and couldn't finish last night. I also was invited to another party next week. I've decided that unfortunately the physical cards just aren't happening this year.