I'm here too!

Sorry I've been AWOL, Life has been kicking my butt and this is the first day that I've had to sit down and touch base in the last few weeks. I've been thinking about you and wondering how you all are. Last month I commited to putting together a 60th surprise birthday party for my step-mother. It was 1001 Arabian Nights with all the food, booze, belly dancers and fortune tellers you can imagine. I was up sewing caftans until the wee hours of the morning and cooking my ass off, even though we had much of the food catered. Because I'm such a glutton for punishment, I decided to throw a surprise birthday party for my sister and brother the very next night. They were in town for the first party. That meant double the food, cakes, etc. and of course we couldn't have the same food as the night before so I was up smoking ribs until I couldn't see straight. I'm an IT Project Manager for the state and in the midst of all the party planning and preparations, I got assigned the menial task of recouping 7.5 million in tax dollars that were erroneously paid out by someone else's faulty computer programming. "And by the way Connie, you have 2 weeks to get it done." Thank God for my amazing staff because we got the job done, but there were some sleepless nights. They don't pay me enough for this **** I love my job, I love my job, I love my job... I did break away for a night because the BF had a conference in Sedona so I drove up and just vegged. That probably kept me from climbing into a bell tower with a rifle. As soon as the two parties were over, we got a call that the BF's brother had a heart attack in Mexico and was airlifted to Yuma for open heart surgery. They put in a stint and it's still a little iffy so my happy butt may be heading back to beautiful Yuma at any moment. Hopefully this week will be more mellow and next week I'm in Minnesota for a conference so I plan to sleep, sleep, sleep when I get there. I've got to catch up from the average of 3 or four hours a night that I've gotten the last month or so. OK enough about me... I really want to know how things have been for you guys. I'm sorry that I've been so remiss and promise to do better. Big Hugs, Connie

Hi! It's nice to see you back . Take care hoping seeing you back.

So how did you manage around all that food? I find myself snacking and grazing on all the crap whenever it's available - which is all the time. I'm not gorging on the stuff the way I used to and am somehow managing to keep my weight from climbing, but I think it's a matter of time if I don't get a handle on what I'm eating. How are you doing with this? Maureen

Reenie!!!! I've missed you! At parties that I throw, my OCD tendencies do not permit me to snack and graze. I'm busy filling bowls, offering drinks, cleaning up. The strange thing is that I have no desire to snack or graze at all. I've never liked to eat when I'm cooking. I'd probably weigh 98 pounds if I was a caterer. After the party is over, if I have food left, I'll "graze for dayzzzz" so I make sure that I have a big box of ziplock baggies and pass out bags of food as people go out the door. The rest goes in the trash. I just threw out a huge chunk of homemade triple layer chocolate cake with layers of ganache, mousse, raspberry filling and homemade buttercream frosting. My sister calls that cake "Diabetic Coma" and it takes me two days to make it. If I'm at someone else's party, it's harder for me to not surf the buffet. My remedy is to buss the tables. I've cleaned tables at weddings were I was a guest on more than one occasion just to keep from eating those stupid mints. The Man's sister-in-law gets frustrated with me because she doesn't appreciate me doing her dishes during parties, but I do what I have to do. Now if there's potato chips and some kind of sour cream dip, all bets are off. I'm probably going to be gnawing on someone's arm and kicking them in the ankles if they get in my way. Hugs, C.

its good to see you back! i am doing the grazing thing too. I'm finding that I do it most when I'm stessed so with my job I"m grazing alot! Wahts the key to control it? maybe knowing that stress brings it on? OK so I"m gonna have to quit my job but then there will be stress about paying the bills. Ut oh it goes round and round...i love my job too i love my job too

Hey Connie; It's great to hear from you. Sounds like you've been inflicted with that ancient Chinese curse: "May You Live in Interesting Times"!! Just make sure that you take care of yourself while staying "Interested". You are NOT Supergirl even if you need to act like her. Take care and stay well. Mike

HI Connie Glad to see the other side of AZ still exists. I know you guys have been dumped on a lot more than we have (rain that is). It sounds like your life is for sure full of stuff (being nice here). I can just imagine how hard it is to keep it all together. I would love to get over that way sometime & meet you and Joyce one of these day. 4 hour drive is just a little far for me. If you ever get to Vegas or Laughlin let me know & I will find a way to get to see you. Glad you are doing O.K. Take it easy & hope you don't get sick in the path of work like I did. Summer cold are hell, for sure. Marilyn, the Bearlady