Th-th-th-thursday

It's Thursday, it's Thursday! Only one more day till the weekend! I finally found the cause for the difference. All that effort, and it was one line, one variable. I referenced the wrong variable. One change later, and the world was once more sweet. The tests are now with the BA (Business Analyst), and I'm now working on code coverage. I need 100% code coverage, which is why I had to do so much testing. I love Xpeditor!

Today went smoothly. No issues (yet) at school. Lunch with a coworker. I went to the gym but didn't work out - I weighed in and measured. In 2 weeks, I've lost 3.5 pounds. I lost 1/2 inch each in my waist, thigh, hips. At first I was bummed it was only 1/2 inch, but then I realized that was a 2 week difference. So, it actually seems pretty good. Now I gotta keep it up. Diet - diet - diet! It is getting easier to make the right choices. And if something is just too tempting, I make sure it's only 1 or 2 times max a week. And I make up for it by working out extra and/or eating more carefully for a few days. You go Girl! (Always nice to pat oneself on the back.) I am SO not motivated to fix my lunch for tomorrow. But I've got to. It keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Other than dealing with the fallout of school issues, it was an ok day. Chris went with me to work. He did his homework and read. It was Early Release day, so we left around 12:45 to pick up Cassie. I spent the afternoon working from home, in the living room, while C & C enjoyed reading - in the living room. If I have to work from home because of their misdeeds, they get to suffer some while I'm working. Not that I would call reading suffering, but as no computers, TV, Gameboys, etc. was permitted, they felt it was suffering enough.

We ordered pizza for C&C&G and Rufus and I went out to dinner. Amazingly, I kept to my diet - mahi and broccoli. It was nice and relaxing and delicious. Rufus gave me some lovely tulips. My maternal grandmother grew tulips. They circled the trees in the backyard. - I'm getting tired. Stayed up too late last night, and now I'm paying for it, so signing off. Till next time.

Turbulent Tuesday

Well, at least Monday was good. Today was a bit more exciting. I still didn't figure out why my test has a difference. But I do have a suspicion. That is first on my agenda tomorrow. That and mentoring a newbie, a not so newbie, and an up-and-comer.

(The picture is of my husband's nephew (on the left) and his crew - Iraq. He is SUCH a sweetie! Check out his MySpace - he's known as Carface.)

I woke up this morning, as usual, each time my alarms (yes, alarms) when off. I just didn't get up until 45 minutes later. So, I got to work at 7:30 - my almost usual time. Then, at 11:00, the first of two wonderful phone calls. This one from my son's middle school. He was involved in an altercation at the beginning of second period, and as a result, he is suspended for one day - Valentine's Day. Lovely.

At 1:00, the second of the two phone calls. This one from my daughter's high school. She got a second school bus referral - blocking the aisle with her legs. And now she's suspended from the school bus for a day - Valentine's Day. Double lovely.

The good thing, if it can be called good, is that my son didn't initiate the altercation. He was being harassed, and he retaliated in kind. The other boy admitted as such, so both were punished. There isn't anything good about being suspended from the bus. It means I have to leave work early to pick her up. Fortunately, my boss understands. And since I can work from home, I can make up my time tomorrow. I have plenty of work!

Gabe was such a chatterbox today. I took him to the gym with me. He enjoys the daycare. And once again, he was playing pretend - pretending to prepare and eat food. I had a good workout - 8 minutes on the ARC, 15 minutes on the Elliptical, and workout the legs and butt. The burn feels good!

Well, hopefully tomorrow will be better. Chris is going with me to work. No Gameboy, all homework and reading. Nice and boring. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. We're going to a Japanese buffet restaurant called Wasabi's. I'm still debating whether to take the kids or let them have pizza at home. Remember, they're serving suspensions tomorrow. Other than that, it'll be another day. Valentine's Day is well and good; it just comes at an inconvenient time.

Happy Heart Day!

Day 1 of the "new diet".

Breakfast: 1 scoop of scrambled eggs
Mid-morning: 1 1/2 cup fruit, 1/8 c almonds
Lunch: salad - lettuce, 2 tbsp sliced black olives, 1/4 cup turkey, 2 tbsp shredded cheddar, 1/4 cup carrots, 1 tbsp chopped onion, 1 tbsp chopped bell pepper, 3 tbsp lowfat Ranch
Mid-afternoon: 1 1/2 cup fruit, 1/8 c almonds
Dinner: 2 breakfast burritos - southwestern eggbeaters w/ chorizo and 1/2 c potatoes on 2 whole grain wraps
Water: 9 glasses
Diet Coke: 3 20 oz bottles
Gym: yes
Stairs: 2 flights

Actually, the food part wasn't so bad. The mid AM/PM snacks came along right when I was getting hungry, and amazingly, they filled me up. I was a bit hungry before going to the gym. And after working out, I wasn't hungry for a while. Kinda nice. Other than the wraps, no wheat products.

Tomorrow I'll be going to lunch with a coworker. We've already agreed to go to a restaurant where they make great salads. My only problem is they also make great flat bread, which goes great with the salad. And then tomorrow night I have to make muffins for Gabriel's Thursday and Friday lunches. Yum!

All right, enough about food! I have been sedentary all my life. I've had asthma all my life, too. Unfortunately, it wasn't diagnosed until 10 years ago. Growing up, exercise of almost any kind was agony. I remember having to run the mile in 11 minutes in high school. I started running with everyone else but a quarter of a lap later I was gasping for breath. I walked most of my way through that mile, and the PE coach passed me even though it took me 2 minutes longer. Even today I watch any and all athletes and marvel at the ease with which they accomplish their goals.

So, I am finding that I enjoy working out; that I don't have to lean on asthma as a crutch. Oh, I bring my inhaler with me every time, and it's rare that I don't have to use it. But for the first time in my life I'm feeling 'the burn' and I'm enjoying it. I'm seeing muscle definition, and I'm able to get around more easily. I've been plagued with knee problems, and a few years ago I had to have artheroscopic surgery on my left knee. After the surgery, I pretty much became an old lady. It was painful even moving slowly. But now I'm moving and more quickly, too. I'll have to have artheroscopic surgery on my other knee soon, but until then I'm going to continue working out. I actually enjoy sweating!

So, I'm starting to feel more attractive and desirable since I've started working out. Now I need to lose weight. Thus, the diet. Like so many other people, I've started and stopped diets several times. I hope this time is different.