Back on the diet train

I fell off.  How badly, I don't know.  I haven't looked at the scale in a while. I told A that we both need to get our acts together, set a goal to be in shape for our friend's wedding in the DR in September.  That certainly is plenty of time.  But I need to do something more immediate.  I'm dealing with a limited wardrobe because of just 5 or so pounds.  I really want to lose 10 - but even getting rid of 5 will open up my options wardrobe-wise, so I really need to get on it.  I also need to get back to my C25K program.  I was up to running for 25 minutes.  Then my latest cold while in San Antonio set me back.  I settled for walk 5, run 10, walk 5, run 10.  I think that's still pretty good.  My goal is to run a 5K before turning 50.  I don't think that the distance will be a problem, I can get there, but I want to get faster.  We'll see how it goes.

Pictures on a weekend

I was playing with my filters a couple of weeks ago.  So - you are being treated (or subjected) to a series of photos of the same subject - one of my azaleas - with different lenses and filters.  And, as always, a shot of Boomer.

to plan or not to plan

I got to thinking about planning your life when I learned that someone I knew was having her third child.  It's none of my business, but I have to admit that the first thing that came to mind was "I wonder if this was a surprise or did they plan this."  Followed by "if she planned this - what was she thinking?"  Now - I thought that because of my knowledge of her family situation and her work situation.  My primary concern was her having a 3rd child considering things that may happen with her work and, if they do happen, her family situation is not ideal for handling the circumstance.  Again, none of it is really any of my business - but it got me thinking about planning your life and how much should you plan?  There's a saying that goes something like "life is what happens while you're busy making plans".  We really do have the capability to do family planning in ways that they didn't in years past.  Of course, we don't have quite the capabilities that some people think we do!  Planning when not to have a family by preventing is much easier to do than planning conception.  I think that some people end up regretting having planned and waited.  If you're doing that - determining when it is the right time has got to be the hardest.  If you wait for it all to fall into place - well - that just might never happen.  I don't think there is ever a "perfect" time.  Money, siblings, work, day care, housing, cars - too many things can make it a bad time.  Had my parents waited for the right time, I may not exist.  They had just moved in with my father's mother.  Picture this living situation - my father's sister and her husband lived in the first floor apartment with their two children.  We shared the second and third floor with my grandmother.  Her bedroom was on the second floor.  My father converted the attic into two bedrooms - one for him and Mom and one for the three of us kids.  Certainly not an ideal situation - but they decided the timing was right.  Weird, I know.  And for this woman - given what she does for a living, the timing may never be good for her to plan her 3rd child.  If she had waited for a resolution to what she faces at work, it may have ended up being too late for her to have more children.  I won't deny that it worries me what may happen to that little family, but really -  you could have the perfect circumstances to expand your family and tomorrow, your spouse gets hit by a bus on the way home from work and then, not so perfect after all.  So, I say just do it.  Do what comes naturally and let life happen.  If you want more kids, do it.  If you want to take that job, go for it.  Don't be stupid and overextend yourself, but if opportunity arises, think real long and hard before you pass it up waiting for the "right" time.  That right time may never come.

Friday Photos

Happiness is...

....a white dog with brindle, green and purple patches.  What?  Green and purple?  Yup.  The green I'm assuming is from him rolling around in the grass, which he will do.  But it's on the top of his head - kind of weird.  The purple I'm not quite sure about.  That appeared this morning.  In the mornings, if it's nice out, we tend to leave the back door open and just let him wander around the back door doing whatever it is he does.  This morning, he came in, sat next to me, waiting for me to finish my breakfast and get him his breakfast.  As he sat there, I noticed this spot, which at first looked pinkish and I thought was his skin - fearing he had injured himself.  Nope.  It was a purple spot.  Who knows what he was rolling in, but my puppy dog now has green and purple spots alongside his beautiful brindle patches.

If you can't say something nice....

.....don't say anything at all.  My mom says that all the time.  I try to follow it.  So today, I'm going to follow it as best I can.  The man who defeated my father in his last run for First Selectman (mayor) of our town passed away this week.  Had my father been a lesser man, a man without a high level of integrity, a man who didn't insist on running on his outstanding record, but instead told some sad, but unfortunate truths about his opponent, then my father would have won re-election easily.  Instead, he lost by a slim margin.  My father was gracious in defeat.  Sadly, winners are not always gracious.  Their wives even less so.  If my father had won re-election, then perhaps when he died suddenly two weeks later, perhaps his opponent and his wife would not have put on a distasteful display on at my father's funeral.  The town would not have suffered through two years of embarassing leadership and smudging of ethical lines.  My mother would have been spared the pain caused by two people trying to justify their actions and glorify their position.

So, back to my mother's credo.  I don't need to really say anything bad about him.  He said it himself some years ago when accused of an ethical violation and someone suggested that he was either stupid or dishonest.  His own words were "I would rather be called dishonest than stupid."  Allrighty then.

Friday Photos

Not my photo - but pertinent for today.  Coming soon, to a patio near me....

I am excited to be getting a patio set.  It's being delivered this morning.  We can have guests comfortably for an outdoor meal.  It will match a coffee and side table we already have, so we could set up a little seating area with some of the chairs.  Now all we have to do is get an umbrella.

Happiness is....

....sometimes nothing in particular.  It's work going well, flowers growing, simple dinners with loved ones, a nice walk, a good run.  Or, it can be realizing that your lot in life is pretty good.  So - some good things from the past week, just randomly....

• my boss supporting me on something important
• learning how to turn a heel knitting socks
• having an indoor job on a rainy day
• ordering new patio furniture
• cooking dinner for myself
• a good workout
• eating something new (tres leches cake) and liking it
• playing with the dog in the yard

DEAD!

I was watching TV on a non-major network.  A came up and told me to switch to the news, that Bin Laden was dead.  American forces had killed him. I felt like celebrating.  Is that horrible?  This morning, I still feel like celebrating, but it's tempered with tears for those he killed.  I'll be flying my flag today.