Friday, November 20, 2020

Weight still 129.4 and I was in control yesterday. I know I shouldn't expect quick results but that hope is always there.

DD arrives in 2 days. I am looking forward to seeing her and being busy next week. She has been quarantined for 2 weeks and most of the time will be just DD, Mike and I so we should be okay. And Mike's son gets tested every couple of days because of his job so should also be okay. So though we are having Thanksgiving with people not in our household I feel fine about it.

I am not looking forward to going back to Massachusetts for Christmas because I will have to figure out testing and everything is much more locked down there. There is also a curfew from 10 pm to 5 am and masks are required even outside taking a walk far apart from others.

But today we are going to the beach again, this time to Siesta Key which is supposed to be the top beach in America per TripAdvisor. I am not sure I would assign that rating but it is a really nice and huge beach (no problem social distancing).

Stay safe and healthy!

Where is Peps, Diane S., Diane O., MissBonnie, Ann, Paula, David, Stephanieplum--everyone we are thinking about you! This is a HARD time. Hugs

Weight-152.8

Yesterday was a pretty productive day but never as much as I like. Dog groomed, I had an appt, took my parents some leftovers, double checked girls PJ sizes, Sam's run that included lots and lots of beef. I feel like I'm stocking up again and honestly I'm okay with it. The last thing I want to do in this already stressful time is feel unprepared. Fear of not having food is a real thing with me. ON a small scale (am I going to be hungry if I'm at someone else's house on vacation), and now on a larger one (what if there is no food to buy). Gah

God is definitely trying to teach me to go with the flow and I'm pushing back against it all the way. I still don't know if my out of town company will be here Saturday. Honestly, I'm totally okay if not. But I just want and NEED to know.

We've been making so many improvements to our house! Some more costly and some just organizational. It feels so good to feel a bit of control on things! There is so much CHAOS with two little kids, and add to that a total lack of control this year feels like I'm spinning out. So being able to control the things I can--like my space, and my food intake, has been so positive. I've added some youtube accounts that are supposed to have workout ideas for FREE!! I'm going to try and make the best of what I currently have and once I get started maybe I will better understand what needs I might still have.

Dinner last night was leftover butternut squash and bacon pasta. It's a "cooking light" recipe but not so light! I rarely eat pasta, especially as the main, because it doesn't do wonders for my stomach. But this is a wonderful, decadent, fall dish. And then hubs and I watched Holidate on Netflix. It was cute. A little more "adult" than I was expecting. I'm usually far more critical about films, especially the ones that show up on netflix. This year is breaking me lol. Do you all have Christmas movie traditions? My dad is a huge film buff and so are Rich and I. There are a handful of films I try to watch EVERY year. But Rich's family says "why would I ever watch a movie twice." There is such great comfort in that!! These characters have almost become like family!! Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is the quintessential Thanksgiving film. I always tear up to "Everytime you go away". And then It's a Wonderful Life, Christmas Vacation, White Christmas are all repeaters at Christmas. We also enjoy Christmas in Connecticut, The Bishop's Wife, Scrooged, Scrooge (Albert Finney version), Miracle on 34th Street, Love Actually, The Santa Claus, just to name a few.

Liz-OMG you are making me so jealous! I really want to be back in Florida! We are debating going after Christmas. I find after-Christmas to be kind of a bleak time anyway. And I think shutdowns and cold weather here will make it more so. If not early January, I think I'm going to take one from DD's notebook and plan something in February or March to have something on the horizon.

Sorry to make you jealous - it is nice here! A lot of people who originally said they weren't coming came after all because at least we can go outside here.

I would spend my winter there! I dream of working from home at my parent's Florida house, but I don't know if my school district would let me go. They're talking about having special ed teachers meet with students.

My Thanksgiving movie is Home for the Holidays. Such a wonderful dysfunctional family! It cracks me up. I love Planes, Trains, and Automobiles too! But my Dad hated it. As a frequent business traveler is was like a horror movie to him.

For Christmas movies, I love A Christmas Story, The Ref (more dysfunctional family fun), Christmas Vacation, The Holiday, Elf...

A Christmas Story is an almost perfect movie. I used to show it before winter break, and we would use it to study literary terms, the narration is so richly written. A couple years ago we went to Cleveland to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There is also A Christmas Story Movie museum. Some very smart person bought the house that was used for the exterior shots and remodeled it to look just like the movie inside. I just about lost my mind! The lamp, the BBC gun, the life boy soap and the Orphan Annie Decoder! It was all there!!!

It's a Wonderful Life is another favorite. Our Christmas village is Bedford Falls.

Weight down from yesterday, but still up a pound so far this week. grrr.

Back is continuing to feel better. At least I seem to be over the worst of these in a few days. I can't imagine it dragging on for weeks like some people have happen. I'm walking with a friend later. It'll be short as she has a bum knee. The walking wounded!

I bought the makings for a pie this year. I usually buy pies at the pie restaurants nearby, but there are only 3 of us this year and I am the only one who likes pumpkin and I don't need a whole pie to myself (much as that's my Thanksgiving fantasy - nothing but me, a whole pumpkin pie, and a fork while everyone else eats turkey). My dad and his wife like pecan, so I'm making a deep dish pecan pie that has chocolate chips and bourbon. The bourbon will ensure I don't eat much, but they will love it! I might buy a single slice of pumpkin (the market sells them) to go with my leftovers and leave the pecan one with them.

Yesterday's excitement was I found a little Pomeranian dog lost without a collar in my neighborhood. I tried a few houses nearby and no one recognized it. I took a picture and put it on NextDoor and since I happened to be heading to the vet to pick up dog pills when I saw him, I took him with me to see if he had a microchip. He did, but the microchip people said no one answered the number. So we hung out at my place until the owners also posted on ND they had lost their dog. Happy reunion.

Ferg found the dog very interesting and followed it all around wagging and sniffing.

How sweet of Ferg! I am glad you were able to reunite the dog with its owners!

A PS to my rant yesterday. Guess who's considered an "essential worker" not subject to the new curfew? Entertainment industry workers. So filming is important, but other businesses are not. Gotcha.

WHAT!!!!