Not quite moving

We've been living out of boxes for weeks. Our moving date has now been delayed until next Friday, which actually gives us time to get stuff done to the house before we move in to it. We've closed on it, so it just remains to get it in move-in condition. Carpet cleaners, floor refinishers, painter, electrician, invisible fencers, landscapers, deck builder...I think that's it. Anyway, quite a chore, but it will be nice to finally unpack there.

I went to Mass on Saturday night last night, so Sunday morning will be free for me. We've rarely done the Saturday option, but today Bill is training this morning, biking and running for a few hours with his teammates. I think I'll just do ordinary things: paperwork, grocery shopping, laundry. It is amazing how those ordinary things fall by the wayside when the house is overturned. I think of the hurricane victims, and imagine how grateful they'd be to just be able to do normal things. The messages I get in the media are that adrenaline is better, that new adventures are the best adventures. But when life gets topsy turvy, I'm reminded how blessed one is to live an ordinary life. Right now, commonplace sounds good.

That point reminds me of a questionnaire I was given last week. I'm trying to lose weight, and so I went to L A Weight Loss. One of the questions was "Do you eat when you're bored?" To which I replied: I'm never bored. I cannot remember feeling bored. The weight counselor looked at me uncomprehendingly. "I mean, I can't answer whether I eat when I'm bored because I'm never bored." She blinked. "Just answer 'No'."

Weight. There's one we could write an essay about. I'm not genetically large. But in college, I gained weight one summer (up to 140) and immediately went on caffeine pills and lost it. After that my weight was pretty constant (120-125 and a size 6) until I had children. Each child added 5 permanent pounds. So in the end of it, my 'normal' weight was 140-145. Livable, I considered it. But about 7-8 years ago, weight started creeping up on me. In one year I think I gained 10 lbs. I tried losing it (down to 140), and managed to do that. That's when I had my hysterectomy/tummy tuck. So I got rid of the childbirth belly, and a few worn-out organs, but did I lose weight? Nooooo. Recovering from a hysterectomy is hard, no matter what anyone says. It was a year before I felt normal again. But in that year, and in the subsequent one or two, I've packed on pounds. Thankfully, I can say I carry it pretty well. When you have atummy tuck, and have fat cells permanently removed, the up side is a flat stomach. But the down side is that if you put on weight, it no longer goes to your tummy but it does go everywhere else you have fat cells...thighs, butt, etc. It isn't a pretty sight. Now I'm up to 170, and can no longer say that I carry AN EXTRA 40 POUNDS gracefully! Who am I kidding? If I could get to 130 I think I'd feel great and look much younger. So I'm reduced to 2 proteins, 3 starches, 4 veggies, 3 fruit, 1 fat, 1 dairy, and 3 condiments per day. For the record, THAT ISN'T MUCH FOOD! I'm cutting portions in half, making lots of conscious food choices, weighing whether I can 'afford' that creamer in my coffee, etc. It's insane. But hopefully, I can get there. That would be nice.