Half Pound of Joy

Today is Weigh Day, and for only the eighth time since starting my journey in January I didn't show a loss. I had a .4 pound gain. That's really not surprising after the past two weeks, though. My eating habits have been sporadic at best, I went six full days without exercising and The Professor and I haven't walked in the park for three weeks.

BUT...

Work is finally starting to slow, I'm back on my treadmill and I'm getting home early enough to cook dinner again. I'll be back on the losing side of things again next week.

Besides, I'm wearing size 10 jeans today! A stinky little half pound isn't going to spoil that joy! Especially when you compare where I was:

To where I am now:

I'm feeling skinny! Woo hoo!

Good Start to the Week

Although Dillypoo started out Monday a bit cranky, the day ended well.

For starters, it's raining again and I love rain (despite the fact we've had enough rain recently to warrant the building of a small ark for me, The Professor and the useless beasties).

I'm also loving the cooler weather. Dillypoo doesn't like the heat. If there's one thing that makes Dillypoo more cranky than working 155.5 hours in 12 days, it's hot, sticky weather.

I'm an autumn kind of gal.

The cooler temps also mean I had to buy some new sweats for lounging around the house in. My old ones were delightfully too large. I tried wearing a pair of my old sweatpants two weekends ago. They were the kind without a drawstring tie and I almost mooned the neighborhood while taking out the garbage.

Besides the cold drizzle today, I also managed to leave my office at a semi-reasonable hour (compared to the past month). I'm happy to report that Dillypoo was home before 8:00 and was able to fix dinner, catch up on her Facebooking and blog (of course).

Oh, and I had a one-point chocolate cupcake for dessert.

Life is good!

New Jeans

Dillypoo went shopping today. I decided against torturing The Professor and went alone. Although able to withstand a trip to the shoe store, hunting for girl clothes and other shiny distractions would do the poor fellow in.

I did, however, take him to lunch at my favorite salad bar, which is nowhere near the top of his list of favorite dining spots.

Yeah, he loves me.

Anyhoo, after dropping The Professor home after lunch, I decided to sneak back to DSW and see if the Cole Haans I let get away were still there.

They were. And they were on sale! It was obvious that these shoes were meant to be mine, so I bought them.

Who am I to tempt the fates?

Next I headed to Marshall's where I tried on every pair of size 10 jeans I could lay my hands on (and a sweater or two). It was a denim and turtleneck frenzy, and when it was over, Dillypoo owned a nifty yellow sweater and FOUR new pairs of jeans IN A SIZE 10.

In case you missed that, the jeans are a size TEN.

I think I'll go and stare at my closet for awhile now.

Zombies!

My plan to read books this year has pretty much failed, but I have been zipping through the audiobooks. Does that count?

In August I started listening to Harry Potter again because Harry's world is a wonderful distraction from work when I'm super busy.

And I'm a hopeless Harry Potter nerd.

But since finishing book 7 a week ago, I decided to try something new and different. I wanted something lighthearted but seasonally appropriate for Halloween.

So I downloaded Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies from iTunes.

Dillypoo isn't much of a horror fan and I've never been that interested in zombies. But since starting P&P&Z, I have, I fear, become afflicted.

Zombies are affecting the way I perceive things.

They are infecting my Facebook updates.

And I thought zombies were in the house when I got home last night (turns out it was just the cat hiding in my closet).

P&P&Z is just scary and disturbing enough to make me appropriately squeamish for the ghouls and goblins sure to descend upon my home next weekend. But it's also fun and entertaining without keeping me awake at night worrying about the undead clawing their way up the stairs.

Although I do have a sudden craving for rare steak.

By the Numbers

Number of days worked without a day off: 12

Number of hours worked in those 12 days: 155.5

Latest hour I left the office: 11:45 p.m.

Number of tears shed: one really big one Thursday night

Number of hours slept last night: 10

Keeping the Visigoths at Bay

My mother sent me an email commenting on my last post. She hasn't quite figured out how to comment directly to my blog yet. The fact that she can email me comments is an accomplishment, though. Baby steps!

Anyhoo, my dear, sweet mother had this to say:

I've been watching the History Channel way too much lately. Here's a cheery thought. Your work and work area is preferable to a visit from the Visigoths. Love, Mom.

Thanks for the perspective, Mom!

Normal Means

I left the office at 9:30 this evening only because nobody wanted to stay any later with me and I refuse to work alone. I don't blame them. I didn't want to stay later, either. Another week or two and I should be able to return to normal.

My office when I arrive each morning. The three cups of coffee I had during my morning vendor meeting made my hands a bit shaky.

Normal means seeing The Professor when he's awake instead of curled up under the covers and snoozing when I get home or leave the house.

My office soon after I arrive and start unloading my bags. One of my co-workers said I look like a pack mule coming and going.

Normal means listening to The Professor and my dad argue about politics and health care, debate the merits of high-mileage gas cars versus hybrids, and disagree about the best Mexican food restaurants in town.

My office by mid-afternoon. You can't see them, but there are a dozen people standing behind me wanting a piece of Dillypoo. And there are three phone calls holding. And a couple of instant messages blinking on the computer monitor.

Normal means having conversations with people that mean a lot to me and I don't work with. Not that my co-workers don't mean a lot to me. They do. But I miss my friends and family.

My desk is usually buried most of the day. I spend the hours after 6:00 p.m. digging through the piles until I can see the desk top.

Normal will return soon. There's a light at the end of the tunnel.

I just hope it isn't a train.

Weigh Day Update: I lost 1.6 pounds this week. I'm working so much that I sometimes forget to eat. Not the best plan, but I'm trying to get my points in each day and eat a balanced diet. So far, so good! I'm down 37.6 pounds since January!

Thrill Seeking Bug

After another 70+ hour week and an 11 hour work Saturday, Dillypoo decided to take a short break this afternoon and have lunch with The Professor, mom and her good friend. Mexican food is always a good choice after a busy week. It's a good choice anytime, really.

Daddypoo opted to stay home with a sandwich and football.

As The Professor and I were leaving the restaurant parking lot, I noticed a small winged bug on my windshield. Instead of blowing off, the little bug turned and hunkered down to face the wind.

Dillypoo: "Hang on little bug! You're in for a ride!"

The Professor: "Would you please watch the road and not the bug!"

Dillypoo: "Look at him! He's never flown this fast before!"

The Professor: "He's squashed on the windshield."

Dillypoo: "No, he's definitely adjusting his position to hang on."

The Professor: "Watch the road and not the bug!"

We entered the freeway and the little daredevil continued to hang on, his tiny wings fluttering so fast I thought they would break or tear away. I got off at the next exit and hoped for a red light, but no, it was green.

I continued down the road, trying to slow down enough for my hitchhiker to get off. He continued to adjust his stance on the windshield.

Dillypoo: "Grab my phone and take his picture."

The Professor: "It's a squashed bug."

Dillypoo: "No it isn't! He's definitely moving around a bit."

The Professor: "It's squashed."

As we finally approached a red light, I grabbed my iPhone, but, too late! As soon as we came to a stop, the bug straightened up, shook himself off and flew away.

The Professor and I just looked at each other and grinned.

Poof! She's Gone

I always send The Professor a text message after my weigh in to let him know the (hopefully) good news. Tonight was no exception (and yes, it was good news).

I lost another .6 pounds for a total of 36. Yay me!

His response to my text: "Where does it all go"

Is he fearful that I will disappear? Vanish into thin air? And where exactly does it all go?

Dillypoo is definitely taking up less space than she was 10 months ago. Although my feet are getting bigger.

What's up with that? Is my fanny fat gravitating south?

I wasn't planning to replace all of my shoes this fall. Just my wardrobe.

Gray Days

Dillypoo's birthday was last week. It passed relatively quietly and with little fanfare, although I did leave work early that day.

If you can call 9:00 p.m. early.

The day after my birthday I discovered a gray hair. In a place I wasn't expecting to find a gray hair.

I've dyed my hair for years and I'm not really sure what my natural color is. It most definitely wasn't gray when I started.

Nor was any other part of me.

I wonder if they sell hair dye for sensitive skin?

Another Corny Dilemma

It's neither popped nor buttery, but it's still corn. And it's on my desk!

And here's the reason I'm a Club WW member:

Grown-up Dillypoo: "Resist temptation! Don't eat it!"

Inner-Child Dillypoo: "But it's soooo tasty! And there's not that much!"

Grown-up Dillypoo: "Just take the candy corn and throw it away."

Inner-Child Dillypoo: "I'll just have six pieces."

Grown-up Dillypoo: "You know you can't stop at six pieces. It's all or nothing. Take the candy to the breakroom!"

Inner-Child Dillypoo: "If I eat it all right now, it'll be gone and won't tempt me anymore."

Grown-up Dillypoo: "Go to your room, missy!"

Pop Pop Pop

One of my co-workers is pushing popcorn in the office. His son is selling it to raise funds for school or Cub Scouts or something.

The smell of hot, buttery popcorn fills my office several times a day. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack...it seems like somebody is always popping popcorn.

Sometimes having an office so close to the breakroom is difficult. Popcorn is one of my trigger foods. I love, Love, LOVE popcorn.

Dillypoo has been known to eat the Big Tub during a movie by herself. And the free refill.

I don't begrudge my fellow employees their buttery, corny goodness. This time last year I was diving head first into the bags myself.

But I'll be glad when the corn is gone.

Whatever happened to the wrapping paper fundraisers?

Late Night Weigh Day Update

I guess it's technically no longer Weigh Day since it's past midnight, but as I got home less than an hour ago, I'm going to ignore that fact.

It's time for a Weigh Day update!

Working horrendous hours seems to agree with Weight Watchers. I lost another pound this week for a total of 35.4.

I'm less than 20 pounds away from goal!

That's a happy thought to fall asleep on.

Saturday Shoe Shopping

I worked 72 hours last week. That's 72 hours in five days. Dillypoo is dragging just a little bit this weekend.

The Professor is being very sweet, though. I was able to talk him into some shoe shopping this morning. Dillypoo needs a new pair of neutral flats for Fall.

This summer I fell in love with a pair of Cole Haans ballet flats and I've been wanting another pair. Before heading to Neiman Marcus where nothing is ever on sale, I decided to try DSW:

Dillypoo: "I'm in heaven!"

The Professor: "I'm in hell."

Dillypoo: "Have I told you yet today that I love you?"

The Professor: (vacant stare)

I love DSW. The boots were tempting:

I love boots but my calves have been too fat the past few years. I may have to try some on now that I'm getting skinny again.

But not today. I'm looking for Cole Haans.

Oh! These look comfy:

But no, I already have a pair of moccasins. Mine aren't bedazzled, though. I'll put these on the maybe list. I'm looking for Cole Haans.

EUREKA!

And they have my size!

But wait! More Cole Haans! I have choices!

Red patent leather penny loafers. OMG. I must have these!

They're not exactly neutral, though.

Where's The Professor?

Safe and doing the bored husband thing. Well, at least he's comfortable.

Back to the hunt. I found another pair of Cole Haans! I've obviously hit the mother lode of discount Cole Haans shopping.

I went in for one pair and came away with two. But I'm still dreaming about the third pair. And those bedazzled moccasins.

I may have to sneak back when The Professor isn't looking.

But first I have to take him to a Man Store to relieve his shoe shopping headache.


That's better!