Keeping on the Wagon - Friday

Trying to get back to a normal (for me) eating pattern.... B: Pro-complex (1 scoop) w/ 8oz skim milk (30g) S: cheese and multi grain crackers (8g) L: Turkey and veggie Lean Cuisine (15g) S: Carnation Instant Breakfast w/ 8oz skim milk (15g) D: Heading to a jewerly party - will have to pick up dinner along the way, planning on maybe some Wendy's chili (of course) Fluids - already rocking it with the liquids! 24oz already (at 9:30 am) and working on 16 more....will try to keep up the pace today. Excercise (ugh - it's been a bad week for that). Have the pedometer on - will take a turn or two around the lot outside today (it's a 1 mile loop) at lunch time...if it's not raining. Next week starts the 3 days a week swimming schedule, was supposed to be 5 days - but one class I ended up on the "wait list" for instead. Confessions: yesterday was a strange day...I got my protein in, but man was my eating strange....no "bad foods" so not really a confession - just an observation. True confession: I'm SICK OF THIS! Not the weight loss surgery and program - just my life in general. I have more energy now - so I am doing more....tooo much more. Yesterday was the worst. It started out Wednesday - I had a meeting after my Wednesday lesson for some wedding stuff, it ran so late I slept at my place instead of making the 45 min. drive to The Boys's. Then yesterday I had yet another lesson and another meeting (unrelated) for a board I am on....it went LOOOOONG and was out in the middle of no where. I didn't get to The Boy's until 10:30 (30 min. after "pumpkin time" for me). He was worried, he was upset. He is starting to feel like he is not as high a priority in my life as he should be. I am really trying to figure out how to cut back on my time while still earning the money we will need to be comfortable and still making time to be good to myself with excercise etc. Tonight, I won't see him either. A good friend is starting a home demo business (jewelry) and wants me to come. Since she is very sensitive and...(how odd is this)...The Boy's ex-girlfriend...she will be very upset if I don't come - he's insisting I go...it's close to my place and well over an hour from his - so I'll be sleeping at home again tonight and spending most of tomorrow packing up the apartment and cleaning, yet more time away from him.

Hi Patricia!! Girl....you need to slow down!!! I just do NOT see how you keep up this schedule! Something has to give somewhere.... I know you think you need to work all these crazy hours, but do you really? This is a dilemma my dh and I went thru when we decided for me to quit work. We took a really hard look at our income and expenses. We realized that we could make it on one income. Now, I admit, it's not easy to cut 1/3 of our income. But, to us it is worth the sacrifice to have me home again. The majority of my money was going to restaurants, entertainment and child care. Find out where your money is going and if there are things you can live without. Once you determine how much you actually NEED and what is actually important in your life, you might be able to give up some of the extra things that are pulling you two in separate directions... OR maybe you can start doing some things together....like working out or you could be on some of the same boards, etc..... I hope you guys are able to find a way to work it out so you are spending time together. It's important. And, not a good sign that The Boy is feeling as if he's not a high priority. That worries me. Good luck working everything out!!! And, take the free unsolicited advice for what it's worth..... Nothing, unless I said something that hit home....then concentrate on that and why it hit so close to the heart.... I just want the best for you. Remember, I love ya! *hugs* and and Susan

Okay...confession time. I feel like a hypocrite. I post the above about how we cut down to one income and at the same time I have another post on the board about how I want to work at home because I miss making money. While we can make it on one income, it's tight and I'm tired of "just making it" every month. I don't want a conventional job where I'm out of the house and unavailable to my family all day every day....and I don't want a "career" at home either. I just want some extra spending money so that our budget isn't quite as tight as it currently is... Okay....I feel better. Like I've explained things more fully. Hope some of this makes sense. I am in a fog from lack of sleep.... Susan

We did have a serious talk about job#2 last night...the piano lessons. I know that is the first thing that really should go. I needed the extra income when it was just me, but with our combined salaries we may be able to get by without it. However, I love those kids. We did decide that I would take the summer off from teaching and reevaluate towards fall and decide if it's worth starting up again. After I posted this, I decided that one of my boards (I'm on the state board for a national youth organization) will have to go - my heart is not as into it. The other one, I'm going to have to stick with until this current term is up (2010), but I won't feel so guilty missing the occasional meeting. I'll tell you, working at home would be WONDERUL...if the company provided benefits. When we first talked about getting married we thought I would quit my office job and concentrate on the piano business, until we realized I wouldn't be able to get benifits through his job and couldn't afford to pay out of pocket for them.

Patti!!! I'm so glad to hear that you are considering dropping some of your commitments. I know it will be hard as you are attached to the students, but it will be worth it to spend that time with The Boy. Susan