April Fool

I got nothing... so no jokes here...
But how about an April 1st list?
1. We did have a failed April Fool joke at work. The entire office knew, but one person, and we were all SO excited. At zero hour, we were all hanging out near the intended recipient... and then BUSTED... It would have been awesome! Dang. (I promise it wasn't mean at all)
2. That Man's mom was moved to a rehab type facility. It's the best move and we're so happy even though she's still in a lot of pain. The staff is awesome and attentive and there's a calm, friendly vibe there. I'm sure they're going to take great care of her. Heck, they already were and she had just been transferred.
3. I love my day job friends. We all fit together so well. Today was "reveal" day - where the list of the previous months "error rate" is posted. (In my old job, the "problem log" was a horrible, horrible thing. This is not.) We're all working together to get the lowest rates possible, and it's awesome to see someone that had a rough couple of months finally make it into the "zone". There is no animosity or ugliness. Just support and congratulations. And then there are the random Facebook comments that never fail to crack me up!
4. We were told to get out of the house so K4 could take care of her April Fool joke as we were leaving to see That Man's mom... So far... nothing... She doesn't have access to my computer this year, and obviously, her joke wasn't to clean the house or do laundry or anything like that. HA! We'll see... Our bedroom light was on as we pulled in, but I haven't braved it yet...
5. I didn't play the joke I wanted to play today... We had a mice problem at work over Christmas. Turds everywhere, missing food. I wanted to get some chocolate jimmies and go to each desk and tell them the mice were back because look at the turds I found on my desk, then eat the jimmies, but I didn't. Because I'm lame...
6. I miss April Fool with a houseful of crazy kids. Last year was Nic Cage, There has been a lot of things that never made it on here and a lot of things that have, but weren't April Fool's related. I guess I just miss the chaos. And I miss being home and being in the thick of it.
7. 42 days until Retreat! It's a weird year this year with a lot of regular attendees with other writing-related commitments. It's a small group. We'll be cozy, but we'll have fun! I had to take a single room for the first time since we booked this facility. It sucked financially, and I'll miss my roomie, but I'm kind of excited about having my own room.
8. I miss blogging everyday! I know no one reads this anyway, but I love this blog. It's not a funny blog (or even slightly) anymore, but since I'm not home all day it's no wonder...
9. I'm taking a short writing break while I figure out titles and what I'm working on next. I hope to be back in the game by Saturday. That's my plan. We're concentrating on writing at the meeting Saturday...
10. This is ten. For no reason except I needed a ten... Ha!
That is all... We're gearing up for Easter, which will be awesome!
Behave!

Lame Tuesday...

I know I suck...
So Saturday was a lot of fun! The crowd was small - maybe because it was 400* below zero and there was snow in the forecast. Dinner after was a lot of fun, too. After that we did a quick shopping trip and ran home to hang out with K1 & J. We had a blast.
Sunday was cleaning and getting ready for our day with K5. Only... Due to the weather, they ended up cancelling. The family still came over to hang out though. We made stromboli's, watched SNL, and had a really great time. It was good for Mom to get out of her under construction house for a little while. It was also good to hang out with K2 & J for a while. Baby is coming soon! We're in the homestretch!! I can't wait to meet my new baby girl and find out her name!!!
Now we're into the new week... Doc appointment to find out what's going on with K3's hip, OT at work, writing, new title search (Illusions won't be Illusions soon), writing, concerts, house stuff, and a really really early morning tomorrow. I have to be at the day job before 7am. Which means I have to get up at an unholy hour. Not looking forward to that, but my clothes are laid out and I'm heading off to bed very soon.
I am still working on my year in review... I'm sorry it's so late. It's a hard one to get through...
Behave!

Winding Down...

Summer, that is...
We have precious days left... Tomorrow. Saturday. Sunday. That's all.
Tonight we went to Back to School Open House. Dealt with some frustrating information relating to K3's summer school - none of it makes sense, but they're investigating everything and have promised us they'll make things right. K4 got to meet a few of her teachers and some other students, she finally chose her electives and despite the classroom structure being different from what she expected, she's willing to give it a shot and see how it goes. K3 is happy to get back to his friends and his senior year!
Tomorrow night is school shopping. We haven't had time to do it yet. K3 doesn't need much. K4 needs pretty much everything. It's going to be a long night.
Saturday is a trip to the Renaissance Faire. We are so excited! We haven't been yet this year. This won't be our last trip. I got our tickets today!! I'm very grateful we have someone to stay with the pooch all day. Otherwise...
Sunday... well... That's kind of up in the air at this point. We're supposed to do Family Dinner at Mom's, but with everyone going back to school and a lot of us having to complete The Ice Bucket Challenge -- I don't know what we'll end up doing...
Writing... Yes, I am writing. It's slow, but I am.
The new routine will be welcome, I think. I hope. I think it's time for the new normal...
Behave!

Stay Tuned...

Oy! This has been a super long week!
I will explain... but not now... It's very late and I need to sleep.
Just know... I am still here. Doing my thing. Trying to keep up....
Tomorrow I hope to have an informative Feel Good Friday, but... don't count on it...
I might be a little flaky after this week...
Oh... and get ready for Summer Survival Journals... We're at less than 9 days until the kids get out of school!
Behave!

Is It Friday Yet?

This has been a really long week!! I think I said that on Tuesday and nothing has changed. Late nights of running errands and wrangling pies and kid homework and all of that stuff. I'm totally burned out.
The upside is that my final line edits are done and turned in as of last night. Yay! And I have a handle on the story I'm writing for Halloween. And I also know what I'm writing next!
The other upside is my kid's great report card! She really turned things around! Yay!
The pie sale was a nightmare! My helpers did a really good job, but some pies got mixed up due to having to move them twice. Money is a wreck, scout accounts need to be re-figured, I have 4 extra pies needing homes in my freezer... I'm so done with it. I hate pie more now than I did on Wednesday.
One more day to work and I don't have to deal with teenagers in the morning since they're off! I also don't have to take lunch tomorrow, which is cool. Our sales rep has bought pizza for tomorrow. I'm also taking the guys in the store doughnuts in the morning to thank them for putting up with me and answering my million questions. They don't know I'm bringing them yet. It's been good to work in the store. They're good guys with a lot of knowledge and a twisted sense of humor and I've gotten a good handle on a lot of product and procedures, and have learned a lot of stuff, but it's been so slow the past week. I still have not heard a bad word about the company, which, after three weeks, is a very good thing. Monday I go back to corporate and my desk. I am looking forward to it.
Retreat is in 27 days! I have a lot to do for it, but this is the fun stuff! I so need this retreat!
But I need to sleep now... For like a week!
Behave!

It's Tuesday?

Sorry, but this week has already been so very long. Seriously.
I am beyond tired. And my toe(s) still hurt, though not as bad as they did even this morning. I have a big bruise, and another bruise forming, but I'm not sure I have any kind of a break now. At least I don't think.
Today is tax day. I mailed my returns (the ones I owed on. The other was done electronically last week) on Saturday. I hate writing that check and I hope this is the last year I have to do it. Damn.
Today is also my parent's 53 wedding anniversary. How cool is that? Five kids and fifty-three years and they still love and like each other? Awesome stuff!
I'm currently working on my final line edits for Cursed Fate. I'm about 90% done, which means the easy stuff is done and I only need to go back and hit the stuff I have to think about. I'll share my cover as soon as I get it, but it should be out around the end of May.
We have around 235 pies coming in for scouts tomorrow. I screwed this thing up big this time because I added wrong and ended up ordering 30 extra chocolate whipped cream pies. Oy! Luckily, all but 5 or 6 are now taken, but man, I feel like a jerk! It's been chaos organizing the extras and I'm stressing because I won't be there to do the sorting and counting tomorrow. I have two really great volunteers helping until That Man and I can get there, but still...
Anyway...
I need to go to bed...
Behave!

One Day More...

(Sorry for the Les Miserables reference. Also sorry if you have no idea what the reference means... LOL)
It's Thursday. I know. You don't need me pointing out every day of the week. Too bad. It's what I do... Ha!
What's good about Thursday?
Thursday is good because, well, it's almost Friday! Duh! I can't wait for Friday! Really, as weird as it sounds, I can't wait for Monday! Monday I will start the job I really wanted! Which means tomorrow is my last day at the current job. Yay! I'll explain more later...
Thursday is good because I got to see my grandson. He's so funny and adorable. He danced for me and gave me kisses and laughed hysterically. Tomorrow I get to pick him up from the sitters and hang out with him until his momma gets here.
Thursday is also good because so far I have talked to both of my sisters and one sister(in-law). I also saw my brother for a few minutes tonight and we got in trouble for goofing off at scouts. (not really) I ran out of time to call my mom, but I will do that tomorrow.
Thursday is good because my editor sent my last round of revisions for Cursed Fate to the boss. I'll probably have another round or two of edits to do, but we're close. No cover to share yet, but as soon as I have it, you'll know.
Thursday is also good because my Kindle will arrive tomorrow! I'm so excited! I've been waiting for this for a very very long time. I think I'm the only e published author who doesn't own a device to read on.
Thursday is good because we're that much closer to the weekend. A weekend where we get to hang out with our beautiful granddaughter. I'm so excited. We decided to surprise her, so she has no idea she's coming to hang out with us!
Thursday is also good because my puppy is curled up beside me fast asleep. She's snuggled into my arm and snoring a little. She's so cute and funny. And she's getting so big!
That's all for now!
Behave!

Brutal...

The past day and a half have been absolutely brutal.
I have been with my sister in grief. I have held her as she sobbed. More times than can be counted. I have watched her cry with those that feel his loss. I have seen the grief and heard the words that come with losing someone so young and so incredible. I have learned things about him I hadn't had the chance to learn yet. I have felt at a loss to help.
I have felt the loss of a great man.
Also...
I have almost pulled hair out.
I have almost slammed a face into a counter.
I have almost punched someone.
A bunch of times.
And multiple someones.
I have lost sleep over a woman who is so heartless she doesn't deserve this sentence.
I have bothered a funeral director to the point where he may or may not have walked away from me at one point. (I followed.)
I have been outspoken, but not loud or obnoxious.
I have been told to cool my jets.
I have also been told my bail, should I need it, would be covered.
Yes. It was that bad. Brutal.
All of this as my sister mourns her best friend, her soul mate, the person who successfully saved her from herself, and the love of her life. (All things she was to him. Without doubt and verified many times over the past day and a half)
I played it cool. I didn't start anything. I kept my mouth shut and my fists of fury in my pocket. My sister didn't want me to make a scene. My husband was the voice of reason. My dad told me to cool it. The funeral direction said he had the cops on speed dial. My uncle said he'd post my bail. (see that conflict?)
We stood together as a family - my parents, my sisters, my brother, my sister-in-law, my daughter and son-in-law, my nieces, my uncle, my sister's friends, my nephew, my niece-in-law.  (and my son and daughter-in-law who tried so hard, but couldn't be there, but were there for discussion and venting.) We constantly reminded each other that everyone knew the truth of the situation. We saw it. Everyone saw it. We witnessed people proving they also knew the truth.
But, yet, it was brutal.
From the "party scene" mentality going on in front the open casket, to the complete and total lack of respect shown to anyone who wished to express their grief. The wake was more solemn and quiet that the services.
In the end though, it's about my sister and having to make a new life without her soul mate. It's about being with her and here for her as she struggles through what comes next. It's not going to be easy.
And today we learned of another passing - the mother of a dear friend. It wasn't unexpected, but that doesn't make it any easier.
Cancer sucks.
Behave!

Finding My Happy Place...

I am.
It's been a really slow process, but I'm getting there. The Happy Place is coming. I can feel it. Some of the stress of the former day job is abating - I think it's very telling that it's taking so long to leave. What I miss the most is my co-workers. And the paycheck. But that's pretty much it.
So... I move on.
I will be spending a lot of time looking for gainful employment. I don't have a choice. But in the meantime, I will focus on my family, and me. I will enjoy this time. I will shake off the depression and the worries and I will do my thing.
And I will rock it.
Behave!

Thursday... Really?

It's been a long week here...

Monday's contract signing was my highlight! (Still over the moon!!)

Since then....

1. K3 with a two and a half day migraine. Two days of school missed. Play practice missed. Poor kid.

2. Drama of the family kind. From internal to external to beyond... I don't think it ever ends...

3. The day job (still need a nickname for that). So busy and so much stuff...

4. It's so freaking cold! Why?

5. K3 turns 17 on Sunday! Really? I feel so very old!

6. Sister solidarity. If you ain't got that, you ain't got nothing! We take care of each other. That's what we do. Regardless.

7. That Man. I miss him. We need some serious "just us" time.

8. Tired!

That is all for now!

Tomorrow is Friday! Thank Goodness!!

Behave!!

Thursday Tidbits...

Come on, Friday!!
We really need you around this place! We have big plans for the weekend (big plans which will be totally screwed up by this constant rain!), but we're not giving up yet! But let's move on to the tidbits....

Writing:
It's going really well. I'm making progress and loving the new story. Loving the edits I'm currently doing, too, but that's not for the new story.

Home:
Today, K3 met his sister at the bus stop to have a discussion with K4's nemesis. This kid has bugged her since kindergarten, but lately, he's been really rude and offensive on the bus. K3 knows the kid. So they had a "conversation" today. I don't know everything that was said, except that K3 told him if he didn't stop, there would be consequences. The kid said he didn't mean to be offensive (ha ha). We'll see what happens next.
I love, love, love that K3 stood up for his sister like he did. I love that she went to him with the problem. (No one told me anything until after! Of course!) I'm proud of both of them and we left the situation that if there's further issues, That Man and I will be involved. Sometimes, it's really better if the kids handle things themselves. There is nothing more awesome than siblings as a united force.

Day Job:
(I need a nickname for the day job.)
Still harrowing. Crazy week.

Grandkids:
Baby B is pulling himself up now. I love that he gets a huge smile on his face when he sees me! He's so adorable!
K5 is so smart and funny! She starts dance classes in the fall and asks me constantly if I'm going to come and see her dance!

More Kid Stuff:
K1 is having major vehicle issues. Major - like the transmission is broken. It sucks.
K2 is loving being married! Those two are so stinking cute together! I was showing off wedding pictures tonight and I'm still amazed at how awesome the day was.

That is all! It's late and I have crap to do!
Behave!

Tuesday Randomness...

The people in my house are weird!
There has been traffic snafus, random dancing, hair straightening and then curling, wedding letter writing, awkward conversations, hamster cage cleaning, dentist appointments, cereal for dinner (for me. I don't know what anyone else ate), chores done way after dark (with attitude), an email that keeps popping up in my inbox even though I've deleted it sixty-five million times, spam messages that make me want to hit "reply" (I won't, but still...), funeral & calendar conversations, dead laptop batteries, summer camp forms, emails from friends we haven't seen in way too long (and plans to get together. Yay!), more awkward conversations, body part conversations (is it strange that this has its own category?), discussions of upcoming events and how not ready we are...
And all of that was just tonight.
That is all...
Behave!

I'm Hungry...

Okay, so I have a little over 3 months to look smoking hot in my mother-of-the-bride dress. I don't have a ton of tonnage to drop, but enough for me. (don't judge me... because this is totally about me)
I am rocking the diet plan, but oy... today... after a solid week of counting calories and exercising (Okay, so no exercise tonight, but that's not my fault - too much going on, though I did park at the farthest spot in the parking lot.) I am starving!
I've been strong. Very strong. It's almost bed time and I know I'll make it without snacking, but let me tell you, I am looking forward to dinner tomorrow. (Oh, and let me just say, I am not an evening snacker. I haven't been since I was pregnant with K4 and eating after 6 made me sick. I just don't ever think of having a snack. Until tonight.) I don't know what I'm having for dinner tomorrow yet, but it will be a little bit of cheating and very yummy. But not too much cheating. Weekends are always my downfall and I must conquer them.
The scale has finally started to work with me and I am thrilled. (Not that thrilled yet, but hopeful) I need new jeans. In a serious way... and I refuse to buy them until I am feeling more settled with the numbers...
But I am hopeful. And serious. The calculations of what I want to lose and the time I have (which is not exactly the little over three month timeframe because there is stuff before that) stresses me out. I made it through the lunch frenzy at work so far. No cheesesteaks, deli sandwiches with sides and soup, fast food, or snack box purchases for me this week. My lunch is packed for tomorrow and fits with my plan.
I will not falter.
And you totally don't care about this! Ha!
Retreat in 20 days!! Whoot!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Ummm... Monday? Edition

Well that's just conflict of interests right there! Who writes a Feel Good Friday blog on Monday? Weird! But.. it's what I got at the moment....So let's go with it...
1. Living through last week. This week is already shaping up to be the same... Oy! But tomorrow is Tuesday and it has to be better. Right?
2. Writing meeting Saturday!! It was very good and I made some good goals. (We won't talk about the rejection that rocked my foundation!)
3. Cleaning house... though I really didn't get much done. It looked presentable, but didn't feel like it.
4. Flash mobs! Very cool and so proud of K3!
5. Make up parties for the wedding! We had a blast!
6. Dress pick up. :)
7. Knowing the bridesmaids had a blast at their dinner! I love that they're bonding!
8. Bridal shower planning with my sister! The internets are amazing....
9. Making my writing goals work and kicking butt and taking names! Whoot progress!!
10. Snow in the forecast!
That's it! It's bedtime. Sleep is rare here and I need some!
Behave!!

Feel Good Friday... The Sunday Edition

Time goes so fast!!
It's late and I have to be at the day job tomorrow... Let's just get to the list...
1. Living through last week. It was brutal at times, but worked out in the end. I think.
2. Writing meeting on Saturday. Good meeting. Fun meeting. Great speaker.
3. A second viewing of Les Mis. Awesome!
4. Out with the fam for That Man's birthday! What a blast!
5. K5 today! She is such a joy!
6. Wedding dress shopping this afternoon. We had so much fun! The bride's dress and the maid of honor's dress have been purchased! And right, I mean perfectly, on budget! I am so excited for wedding planning!
7. Having most of the kids home tonight. (We were only missing K2's J). Good fun. Much fun. Baby B.
8. Baby B is getting so big! And he's so beautiful. We had a very long conversation about how weird his parents are. I think he understood... LOL
9. That man... Dinner was made. Dishes were done. Laundry also. He listened to our retelling of our bridal shop experience and didn't even cry when he saw pictures of his daughter in her dress.
10. Future plans - from dinner with friends, to bridal showers, to shopping for my dress, shopping for suits, wedding favor and decoration making, cross country visits, remodeling some of our house, potential new car purchases, and making an effort to hang out with the people we love as much as possible ... I'm looking forward to all of it, even though I know some of it will wear me to the bone (like the constant wedding stuff, remodeling, and purchases)...
It's going to be a great year! And, holy crap, it's February already!!
Behave!

Weird Wednesday...

1. Our weather here is weird. It was spring-like warm today. And rainy. Tomorrow's high will be first thing in the morning, with dropping temps throughout the day. The rain we get overnight is supposed to be torrential.
2. It's only Wednesday. All day, I thought it was Thursday. Now I have a disappoint.
3. We're under a "boil water advisory" here. That's pretty sucky. K4 was terrified to take a shower tonight, because she thought she'd get diseased. I have cases of water, jugs of water, and that was a stupid expense to have to undertake. No, they won't go to waste, but still... At least the store had a very ample supply and the manager was checking it often. I am constantly reminding my family not to drink the water. They forget.
4. My Amaryllis is in bloom. It is so pretty! We have four flowers and a bud so far, and another stalk popped out. It's a beautiful flower and I'm just impressed that we managed to keep it alive for over a year! (The kids got it for us for our anniversary in December last year)
5. I have to give a presentation at work next week. My title "Check yourself before you wreck yourself". Management has approved it. My alternate title is "Whoa, Nelly. Slow the heck down.". I think I should probably work on that, because tomorrow is Thursday (I almost wrote that today is Thursday) and I have to present it on Monday.  Plus I have to get my final draft approved before the meeting.
6. Detox update: 3 pounds down, bitches! Monday pretty much sucked. I ate things I wasn't supposed to (I was so hungry!) and I refused to weigh myself Tuesday. Tuesday I did well, though I fell off of the diet soda wagon in the evening, but not too hard. Today I did well, too. (we're just not going to discuss the diet soda thing anymore, okay? I am trying and I am doing so much better than before) The tea is growing on me, and I am so thirsty! I will continue because the wedding is in 6 months, not 8 months! Yikes! Must rock my mother of the bride dress!!
7. The writing is going pretty good. I have been kind of waylaid tonight. Some events from today have stalled my progress, but I've already met my goal for the month. I am still digging the new story. A whole lot.
8. My refrigerator is haunted. It still makes noises like it's got an icemaker. It doesn't. But we still hear ice dropping and water kicking on to refill. The water isn't even hooked up to it.
9. The cat is crazy. She is in psycho mode tonight. I need to check to see if she got into the catnip,,,
That is all...
Behave!!

Feel Good Friday

This week is easy!
1. Baby B! I got to hold him tonight! He is so fantastically adorable and perfect!
2. My daughter-in-law for being a champ and being such a good mommy! And my son for making everything so much easier for his wife!
3. K3 for actually wanting to hold Baby B. He has always had good baby skills, he just chooses not to exercise them!
4. This work week being over! A whole lot of time could pass before another week like this! I'd say it was a bad week, but Baby B changed all of that!
5. That man making a fantastic dinner tonight!
6. Chilling with the younger K's.
7. That man's mom moving to a place that will make her happy and keep her safe! It will be so weird and sad not to have her so close, but it's a good, and needed, move for her.
8. Some good writing time this week!
9. K5 time in the near future!
10. Having an adult beverage at the end of this long week!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Made it to Friday!
We lost our hot water heater this week. The verdict is still out on whether it's the cheap part or the expensive part. Obviously, I'm hoping for the cheap part. I could totally be a pioneer woman, or able to survive the zombie apocalypse. Boiling water on the stove for baths, carting that crap up the stairs to fill the tub. Fun stuff... not!
Let's get to the list, shall we?
1. My kid arriving home safely from her trip to Rome, Italy, and France. Lucky kid. She had a blast, but we missed her around here.
2. K3 getting a chance to take a break. He's been working so hard with school, practicing like a maniac for the school play and chorus, helping with stage crew, and doing scouts that he hasn't had two seconds to relax. They were off school today and he got to sleep in, play video games, and rest.
3. The fact that neither kid balked at the idea of taking a bath and carting water up the stairs.
4. Not having to go to the grocery store or run errands after work tonight. I actually managed to plan ahead and had dinner in the crock pot for tonight. Maybe I'll get around to eating soon.
5. Getting a chance to have dinner with the besties this week. We had to reschedule once because of me, but we managed to make it work. I miss them a whole lot and I miss the time we could spend the entire day together.
6. Sleeping in tomorrow.
7. Hopefully getting to see K5 this weekend.
8. K3 turns 16 in one week! How weird is that?
9. Looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas. That is also weird. I usually don't!
10. Writing time!
That is all. My kid is home and I can't wait to hug her!
Behave!

Detox...

This past week, That Man and I decided to jumpstart getting back on track with our healthy eating program by doing a week long detox. We'd both put on a few pounds - thanks to the wedding and simple not watching what we eat. I'm still not where I want to be yet, so I was ready...
Here's how it went:
Wednesday: Day 1: Fruit all day. It was recommended to eat watermelon and cantaloupe to maximize potential flushing. Black coffee was okay on this program, so I coffee'd it up in the morning. I did okay during the day - ate half a cantaloupe and over a quarter of a big watermelon. Drank a ton of water - which I do anyway. Got home looking forward to the rest of my melons only to find the house full of all children, including the newly married ones. All over for dinner - which turned out to be frozen pizza, and they'd helped themselves to my dinner, leaving That Man and I almost none. I was cranky, tired, had an enormous headache, and was starving. Truthfully, I caved and had one minuscule bit of pizza (not even a half of a quarter small slice) and I felt very guilty. I managed to pull myself together, eat some mandarin oranges, and went to bed far earlier than normal.
Thursday: Day 2: Veges all day. Down 3 pounds. Yay! Woke up sore, tired, cranky, and still with the enormous headache. The program called for a baked potato with a pat of butter for breakfast. A baked potato never tasted so good. Then, carrots, snow peas, more carrots. Did okay during the day. Came home starved, but not as bad as day one. Sucky vege stir fry for dinner (cooked with no oil and one too many hot peppers). I choked it down, trying to concentrate on other things so I didn't notice. Didn't cheat at all today. Hurting though. Went to bed far earlier than normal.
Friday: Day 3: Fruit and Veges all day. Down 2.2 more pounds. Yay! Woke up tired, headachey, not as cranky. A few cups of coffee and I was feeling more energetic than I had since forever. Braindead, though. Hyper - the coffee probably had something to do with that. Made the recommended soup the program calls for and ate like crazy. We did "fall off the wagon" so to speak and had a few adult beverages in the evening. To bed hours earlier than my usual Friday night.
Saturday: Day 4: Bananas and milk. Down .4 more pounds. Okay! Woke up excited for bananas after sleeping in. A banana, and a glass of coconut almond milk for breakfast. (The plan called for up to 8 bananas and 3 glasses of milk) Had no coffee. Should have. Shaky. Managed to do everything I had to, including nap. Ate the soup for lunch. Tried to eat it for dinner, but couldn't do it. Choked down 6 bananas and all of the milk. Bananas suck. So does the soup, but not really craving anything else. Made an awesome meatloaf and put it in the crockpot overnight. To bed early again.
Sunday: Day 5: Meat and 6 tomatoes. Gain of 1.4 pounds. Pissed about weight gain like you would not believe. I mean, I barely ate Saturday. Slept in, woke up excited about meat. Ate meatloaf for breakfast and two tomatoes. Stomach full, but feel like something is missing. Supposed to drink extra water, but it's hard to get in. Urine was supposed to be clear today. That didn't happen until late. More meatloaf for lunch and dinner. Tomatoes all day. To bed early again.Hurting, headache, but not as bad.
Monday: Day 6: Beef and veges: As much beef and veges as you want. Loss of .2 pounds from last weigh in where I lost. Still pissed and ready to quit, but don't. 2 cups of coffee. Tons of water. Carrots for breakfast. Leftover meatloaf for lunch. Pot roast with veges for dinner - didn't eat much. Stayed up later. Weird night sleeping.
Tuesday: Day 7: Last Day! Meat, fruit juice, brown rice, and veges. Loss of 2 pounds from Tuesday. Glad it's the last day and proud of myself for making it through. Feeling good - inside and out. No headaches, no aches and pains. I have energy and my jeans fit much better. Oj for breakfast, the rest of the soup on top of brown rice for lunch - only choked down half of that. Oj and carrots for a snack. Fish, coucous, and zuchini (is that spelled right?) for dinner. Coucous isn't brown rice, but it's a whole grain. To bed at our usual pre-detox time.
Today - First day off - Showed a gain this morning, but have chalked it up to the excess of sodium yesterday. The coucous had more than we should have had (didn't think about that until later) and we had a snack of green olives later. Celebratory dinner tonight of awesome sandwiches, low fat chips, and I had my first diet soda since last Tuesday. I feel like I could vomit, but I'm happy. (I don't think I will weigh myself tomorrow)
In all I lost 7.6 pounds. I feel good. I'm back on track for my goal, have lost all of the weight I gained from the wedding insanity and a little extra. My goal is reachable and I am prepared to tackled it and maintain the healthy eating  I remembered how to do this past week.
Most of the women in my office are now on this plan. They've just finished day two and the mood is mixed. Two of the women are doing well, though one has cheated several times already (she's still losing though). One is struggling because she can't eat certain things the plan calls for and she's frustrated.Another woman is pregnant and is following along with the additions of protein and logical choices for her baby. I plan to stay on it with them during the rest of the week in solidarity. And we planned our next office potluck today, which helped the general mood - that and the gift card the new downstairs tenants gave us for the total disruption of our parking spaces.
So there you have it. Questions?
Behave!

Wednesday? Really? Again?

These weeks go by way too fast!
1. The weather is psychotic. Monday I wore shorts. Today I am in a sweatshirt.
2. I have this sleep timer app on my phone. I might delete it. Since I downloaded it, only once have I achieved over 8 hours of sleep. Mostly it's 5 hours. And that sucks. Not that it's the app's fault, but...
3. Tomorrow is K2's wrist surgery. Early. We have to leave the house a little after 6am. I don't know if she's nervous, because she's not here.
4. It really bothers me when people judge other people. Worry about yourself, not others. There is nothing redeeming about picking someone else apart.
5. I want to take kick boxing classes.
6. Friday cannot come soon enough.
7. Friday is also new Supernatural.
Seven is enough for this Wednesday. I have work to do.
Behave!