What's on your menu today (Thursday) RNYers?

Morning all of you Menu Family!

It was 20F when I got in my car this morning... Have I ever mentioned that OK gets ALL of the seasons here? Like to the 10th degree... 100's in the Summer for days on end... and single digits (before wind chill) in the Winter... this weekend, after a 'tease' of weather in the upper 60's, we will plummet down to a low of FOUR DEGREES! That, again, is before the wind chill... and we live on a huge tract of land that was once an old wheat field.... the biggest trees in our neighborhood MIGHT be 12' tall... there are NO wind breaks, and it's ALWAYS windy.... 

QOTD: I am one of those that hasn't prepared very well for retirement. I've got a couple of very small 401K accounts, but no retirement at any of my past jobs. So I got my Real Estate License almost 2 years ago. Right now, it's a part time gig - and I really thought I'd get laid-off from this office job during the downturn on the O&G industry, but I made it through... so I will probably sit put at this job, and continue the real estate as a part time gig for now, and then when I retire from the "Office" job, I'll move into Real Estate full time/part time as a retirement job. Hubby has some decent savings in his 401K, but I imagine he'll need something at least part time so he doesn't get stir crazy.

We will sell the house we are in as soon as my son graduates and move closer to the city. The jury is out as to whether or not we'll stay on 'land' (we do have 4 equine that will live for a long time), or we'll move smack dab into the city and buy an old home and renovate it. I really need more money, because I'd like to have both - in a MUCH WARMER climate - but I did marry a Native Oklahoman/Native American that loves his family and I am unsure I can ever talk him into making a big move across the country. This gypsy-heart would like to leave this state for greener pastures (and beaches!).

Eating isn't the greatest the last couple of days... not anything too horrible, but still... I NEED to go grocery shopping, but our schedule just doesn't seem to open up enough to do it!

Weight this morning 165.4

B: Other half of the burrito I ate yesterday (I did eat some of the tortilla, reheating it made it harder to get the cheese you know, so I just couldn't resist sticky melted cheese on a grilled tortilla)

L: I am avoiding the potluck up here today... I didn't even bring anything, so I can't feel tempted to go eat any of it! I have errands to run at lunch, so I'll grab something - Chick Fila day?

D: Oh Lord... there's nothing at our house to cook... I don't know.

S: The upside is that I haven't need any snacks aside from my coffee!

I have said it before:  I love the cold and snow.  I miss it this year!  We really just do not have the snow we need here right now.

one problem with cold and snow...I have not bought new coats since WLS.  I have sacks to wear.  Warm sacks, but still: sacks.  And really warm coats are pricey!  And I want to look cute.  So I am being picky.  Meanwhile, I am either cold, or a sack.

Daisy, I love your dog boarding plans!

last night was husband's work holiday party.  The VP ordered gobs of appetizers and Sushi.  I ordered a steak.  The group was large and it took a while to get everyone's food.  I did ok.  I tasted the appetizers, but the wait for the food was so long.  So I ate quite a bit of sushi, probably 5 pieces, and then just a small part of my steak.  I was very very glad for my restriction, which helped me not to overeat quantity, although I am not proud of the rice.

THEN I came home, and my son had made cookies for a youth service activity.  Cookies are a huge weakness for me.  I ate 2 1/2, and then another 1/2 this morning!  I know we give each other the advice to just get it all out of the house, but my family did not have the surgery.  I have to manage my eating anyway.

qotd:  goodness, this is a huge question for me right now. We will probably stay in our house until our youngest is out of the house (7-8 years), then possibly move to a larger metropolitan area, or maybe stay put because we love our house, even tho it is not big. My husband and I are both in our early 50s.  He would like to retire in  8-10 years.  We have saved since our early 20s for retirement.  

Meanwhile, I am just desperate to figure out what to do to re enter the workforce.  I have a masters degree and had a senior management position for several years before deciding on the SAHM path.  I thought I would re enter earlier, but there were always so many pressing family needs. Now, 4 children and 20 years later, coming up for air, wondering if I could have/should have worked during it all.  

I have so much admiration for women who work and raise their families.  Some of our kids have been so high maintenance, and my husband is also high maintenance.  College daughter still needs loads of support.  

I believe I could get a job at a high tech company around here, computers or medical research.  I would welcome a chance to feel professional again.  My management experience was in the computer industry, and I also served on a large hospital's IRB for several years.  What I  really want to do is write books.  My masters is in creative writing.  I also taught college writing a little. But the markets have changed so much. And every time I think things are looking like I could re enter, or write, there is some family need that throws it all askew.  What will I think of my life at the end of it?

today's food

B egg and cheese and salsa

L leftover steak!

D Italian ground beef and grape tomatoes

 S homebaked Parmesan crisps; Greek yogurt

drinking blueberry tea and crio bru, all day long

I stayed at home for 10 years with my kids... while I love that I was able to do that, be there for them, and spend so much time with them, I have had a hard time getting back into the payscale I was at 17 years ago! Of course, I don't have a college degree, and I worked up from a secretary to an executive assistant over many years. I have tried not to go back down that path of Exec Assistant because I hated it, but I'm still stuck at a desk doing things I don't love - only now I don't have the 'good' salary to go with it. It's hard, but with your degree, I bet you can get back in there if you want to!

FYI, I'm sitting at a shared work space this morning with this box of crap 3 inches from my computer. 

Frankly, I'm pretty happy that I took the Phentermine today, after all. They smell great but there is no crazy draw to eat them like I would have had. 

Why must people leave 1/2 of a donut? I have seen people leave 1/4 or a bite of a donut in a box in the kitchen at work.... I mean take the full donut and throw what you don't want away or share with someone. Maybe it's because I am a germ-a-phobe but does anyone really want a bite of a donut leftover from an unknown source?!?!?!

My prior firm had donut day every Friday (thursday was bagel day . . . I loved thursdays).  Anyway, the partner i worked for would cut a donut in half, eat his half and throw the other half in the trash.  Then he'd move on to another donut and do the same thing.  He could do that with 3-4 donuts.  Used to drive me crazy . . . 

If the germiness of that bothers you, I won't tell you what he did with a leftover tray of room service food when we were in trial. 

I'm sure I don't want to know.

Yaaargh!  At least they look gross.  My husband would say to do something like put ketchup on them.

Good Morning! The flooring is almost done, so it's just getting "moved back in". My room is back in order and the kitchen is about 1/2 way so we are feeling a little more back to normal.  Luckily the rain held off until today.

QOTD: I hope to be able to live near the Central Coast...we will see!

Time since surgery: 2 years, 4 months

B: SF latte, Oatfit, 2 sausage turkey links

L: Albacore tuna, a boiled egg and baby carrots

S: SF latte, Carbmaster yogurt and string cheese

D: Mikey's muffin, fried egg and two turkey sausage links

E: 6 miles done this morning

V/W: On track

Totals: Cals:967 Protein:87 Carbs:82 Fat:35

Have a great one!

Hope your work stress gets better. hang in there.