I'm just your average, everyday, divorced 38 year old girl -- overweight, tragically unhip,
and trying to make a life for myself. I live with two furry beasts, Dave and Abby, whose
feline mission in life is to choke me with their fur. Nothing special.
Thursday afternoon (my Friday, since I've got tomorrow off). I wake up fairly early (for me), roll out of bed, shedding my nightgown as I stumble around the darkened bedroom. Although I'd love to stay snuggled up against the warm form of my sleeping husband, there are five miles of road calling my name and I know that I must answer their call.
After pulling on my running tights, jog bra, loose fitting t-shirt, socks, and my trusty Brooks running shoes, I tiptoe down the hallway, opening the doors to my sleeping children's rooms, knowing that, all too soon, they'll be up and ready for breakfast, so I cannot tarry to watch them sleep. I slip out the front door, take a deep breath of the cold morning air, and start to stretch.
An hour later, I'm home just in time to hear the dulcet tones of my oldest child asking, "what's for breakfast, Mommy?" I somehow navigate around the Tonka construction site that has sprung up in the hallway, get to the kitchen, and start pulling the boxes of cereal down from the top shelf. "You can have whichever "Chex" you'd like, Sweetheart," I say, sweetly, knowing she'd rather have "Frosty Flakes" or one of those other sugary cereals she gets at her grandparents' house, and determined that my children will not go to school on a huge sugar rush like their classmates. I also pop two slices of whole wheat toast into the toaster while the tub of lowfat, whipped cream cheese waits on the countertop. "Do you want some sliced strawberries?" I ask my little cherubs, busily pouring their chosen cereals. "Uh huh" and "yummy" are my answers, so I get out the little green carton, give it a good rinse, and start slicing. I put a bowl full on the table, then measure out a cup for myself.
It's at this point that a creature most closely resembling a grizzly bear just after it's woken up from its winter hibernation enters the kitchen. It's my beloved husband, in search of a cold soda and a kiss. He hopes to slip in and out unnoticed by the restless natives, but he's just not that lucky. The kids spot him and jump to their feet. "Daddy, daddy, daddy!" they cry, as they both try to hang off of his arms. "Let Daddy sit down and drink his soda," I say, fruitlessly, as he walks, with a child attached to each arm, to his chair in the dining room and sits down. I am amazed that he is able to fit both a four and two year old on his lap while still managing to drink his soda without spilling. My toast ready, I sit down at the table, too. "Sophie and Jack, sit down and finish your breakfast. Let Daddy have some peace," I say, and, this time, they reluctantly do as I ask. Breakfast is eaten, dishes are piled in the sink, and the kids head upstairs to get ready for school, leaving Chris and I in the kitchen together. I put dishes in the dishwasher as he puts all of the cereal back in the cupboard.
After I've managed a quick shower, it's off to my parents' house, to drop the kids off with Mom. I'm so lucky that I have parents that live close enough to be able to take care of my kids for me. I can't imagine being able to work if I knew I had to drop my kids off with strangers every day. Once the kids are happily playing in the backyard, it's off to work I go.
The interstate is crowded, so I slide in the latest Sheryl Crow CD and sing along, loudly. I slide my trusty Civic into my designated parking space, grab my briefcase and purse, and head to the elevators. The receptionist greets me as I walk through the frosted glass doors of City Hall, "Good morning, Mrs. G. Your meeting with the mayor has been moved up to 10:30, and the deputy mayor's office wants to talk about tomorrow's press confernece." Such is the life of the Special Assistant to the Mayor of one of the fastest growing cities in the south.
To quote John Lennon, "you may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one..."
If only I could change this INspiration into PERspiration!
Wednesday afternoon. I'm going to add some new links to my list today, including The Challenge, a really inspiring story about a woman taking control of her eating and learning to exercise regularly, topics near and dear to my heart. I've read a lot of weight loss blogs, but most of them are really dry and leave me feeling like a loser (or not, as the case may be) because I'm not as successful as they are. Both The Challenge and Amy's site (see yesterday's post) have made me really want to get out there and do it again, not in a competitive sort of way, just because it's so wonderful to read about such powerful women and I want to be like that again. I remember that glorious feeling of knowing that you can do it, wanting to do it, and then, doing it. I've done it before and I can do it again (once that part of me deep inside that is so terribly afraid of some part of being thin releases it's grip on me).
Tuesday afternoon. I totally forgot to write about my visit with my folks on Sunday. We hadn't seen each other since before Christmas, so they brought my gifts (I'd dropped mine for them off at their house on Thanksgiving) and we did lunch at Hometown Buffet. First, of course, they had to see my ring. You know, it's not the same as it was the first time I was engaged, because I'm not 24 anymore, and it's so much more special for me this time around, it's just that there's none of that giddy, girly, "whoo hooo, I'm engaged and I'm so special" stuff that happened last time. Both of my parents admired my ring (Mom's comment was, "you'd better get that thing appraised and insured, Denise!") and congratulated me, but there were no questions or plans for the wedding, no asking what I was going to wear, etc. In a way, I think that part of me is let down that no one seems to be very excited for us. I have a bad feeling it's because people don't think we're going to go through with it, which makes me very sad. I know that there are a lot of obstacles in our way but shouldn't we get the benefit of the doubt? Am I being oversensitive? Probably. After the ring viewing, I opened my presents. I got lots of scented candles and candle holders (a hint?), a book of crossword puzzles, and Barbara Bush's newest book. Pretty neat to be getting presents in the middle of January! Finally, we went to lunch, which was yummy. I love Hometown Buffet for the people watching opportunities, let alone all of the food choices. There was this wonderful lady wearing a fabulous gold lame trimmed hat with an ivory suit and gold accessories, and the man next to us that piled his plate up with nothing but lima beans and corn (twice), and the dear little old lady at the veggie bar who told everyone who'd listen that she was 92. You just don't find entertainment like that any old where.
Tuesday afternoon. Nothing exciting to report, really. I found a new website that I like, which is always nice. Amy is expecting her second child in a few months and I felt so inspired while I was reading about her successes in weight loss and becoming healthy. Go on over and check out her adorable "bump" (she's posted a picture on today's post).
Chris is home from work today because he had his aching tooth removed this morning. He gave me all of the gory (and they definitely were gory!) details, which I won't share with you. Suffice it to say that he's relieved to have it out and feeling a wee bit whacked out from the anesthetic. No work for him today and possibly not tomorrow, either. Poor baby!
I desperately need to get my hair cut and my brows waxed. To give you some perspective, I haven't had my hair cut since before the car break in and fires in October and I can't even remember the last time I had my brows waxed. I'm just so fed up with being frumpy and dumpy and, I'll confess, I'm secretly hoping that doing these two little things will help get me up and moving again.
I think I've picked up a case of paranoia in dealing with this whole extended cold thing. After a day (yesterday) of feeling really wonderful, with no signs of sore throat or cold or anything, I'm starting to feel a little twinge of pain in the back of my throat today and I've been sort of sniffling, too. I swear that if one of the people at work that came in sick gave me something else while my immune system is non existent, I'm going to have to hurt someong. I stayed home for nearly a week, both to keep others from horning in on my happiness and to help my healing process, so why can't everyone else do the same??? I'm hoping this is just an allergy thing or something equally benign, but I'm worried and I hate that.
Time to go home, blessedly. I know I haven't been particularly fascinating lately, and I'm sorry for that. I think, no, I know, that being sick has sucked a lot of the enjoyment out of me. I'll try, really and truly, to snap out of it quickly.
Monday afternoon. I'm at work today. Many of you are probably at work today, too, and I wouldn't complain about it but for the fact that I got called in Friday night for an hour at 8pm, I got called in for 4-1/2 hours on Saturday at 9am, and I got called in for 1-1/2 hours at 11am yesterday. I've been here since 8:30am (it's almost 3pm) and, since I'm exempt from OT, I'll get paid the exact same thing that I do every other week. I will, however, be able to take a floating holiday sometime between now and August 1 in lieu of MLK Day, which is nice. As for the hours I put in over the weekend, I will, no doubt, work a few hours short of 40 in a week a few times this year, so it's more than likely a wash.
I think the main source of my crankiness is that...(loud fanfare)...I'm finally feeling good and I'm stuck at work! Yes, you read that correctly. For the first time since December 13, 2003, I don't have any symptoms of a cold. Thank you, God! You really cannot appreciate the boring blandness of feeling well until you have it taken away from you for the better part of a month.
Chris, however, is not feeling well. He's got a tooth, one of his molars, that's causing him a lot of pain and will probably need to be removed. I hope he can get an appointment tomorrow because I just can't stand the thought of his being in pain long term. I guess that's how he's felt while I've had my cold misery, huh? It's especially hard when you're so far away from each other.
