Category Archives: Family matters

In which we discuss matters of the family.

Family matters

My week without Nichole and Poppy

Well, it’s been almost a week of me without Nichole and Poppy and boy am I ready to be back together. Heck, I was ready to be back together five minutes after I left Michigan in the wee hours of last Tuesday morning with Poppy still asleep and Nichole waving to me from the window. It has been quite a week — here’s a quick review for anyone who cares to read farther

Tuesday, December 5, 2006: Drove from St. Charles, Michigan to Washington DC through just about every weather type imaginable and stayed the night with my grandmother. We had a lovely dinner with my Aunt Anita, Uncle Troy and my cousin Austin.

Wednesday, December 6, 2006: Drove home to the Durham area, stopping along the way to keep from killing some of the horrible drivers on I-95. I really dislike that road. Went straight to lab and worked until 10:00 and fianlly went home to a very quiet house

Thursday, December 7, 2006: Woke up in the same very quiet house and had a very quiet breakfast. Worked all day, except the hour I took at 5:00 to attend a departmental Christmas party. Since I missed the food at the party, I stopped at Fosters Market on MLK boulevard here in Chapel Hill for dinner. Tres tasty. Went home and watched CSI and Shark while I wrapped some Christmas presents

Friday, December 8, 2006: A big day because I went to Target in Burlington after work and made some returns. Please don’t laugh — I really enjoy walking around Target. Had dinner at Moe’s and was unimpressed. Back home for more housework and bed

Saturday, December 9, 2006: Got up and enjoyed a nice temperate morning. Worked all afternoon adn then met my good friend Terry Roberts and we went to the UNC vs. High Point game together. Terry works for the sports information department and he got me a great seat in the Dean Dome for the slaughter that ensued. Lucky me — it was Roy Williams’ 500 victory. Anyway, I had dinner afterwards with Terry and my good friend Daniel Hooker from my days at WCU. All-in-all, a very nice day

Sunday, December 10, 2006: After a morning of work, I picked up Terry and we went to the UNC vs. WCU womens game at the fieldhouse. WCU played well considering the ability of UNC. The cool part was that I got to sit on press row and I was the halftime interview for the Catamount Sports Network (yes, that’s how hard up they were to fill dead air…). Spent the evening installing door locks in the kitchen so Poppy can’t toss trash all over the place or crack her head on pots and pans. I wrapped some more presents and watched the CBS Sunday evening lineup all the way from 60 minutes to Without a Trace. I fell asleep to the sounds of Hank Hill berating Bobby about being himself

Monday, December 11, 2006: …which brings us to today. Work, work, work, eat, work, work, work, eat, clean, sleep. And then it’ll be tomorrow!!!!!! I am so happy that tomorrow is the day Nichole and Poppy come home. I have missed them so much it’s hard to describe. But tomorrow they’re coming home and everything will be as it should be.

Y’all take care and enjoy your Monday. (I said “y’all” because I’m listening to Whiskytown right now and you can’t listen to them without saying “y’all” for at least an hour afterwards.)

Family matters

1.5 down

I found this My Virtual Model site a few weeks ago, and I made three “models” of myself: One at my then-current weight, one at my 10% goal weight and one at my ultimate goal weight. I’m going to try to update it once a month and put it on here. Not terribly exciting for you guys, I know, but I’m trying to get some motivation over here.

I haven’t had a terribly successful week, diet-wise (I mean, “lifestyle”-wise. Sorry, Weight Watchers!). I had all of our dinners planned out, but we ended up tossing the menu aside and eating out three times. Not good for the waistline or for the budget. And my exercise plan went by the wayside, too. I woke up every morning this week with a head full of cold-related unpleasantness (I’ll spare you the details), and I just couldn’t make myself go down to the gym and run.

But I still lost 1.5 pounds this week. I’ll take it.

Right now I’m working on this week’s menu, and I’ve pushed all of the upcoming dates on the running schedule back a week. Hopefully I’ll have clear sinuses come Monday and I’ll be back down there on the treadmill.

NOTE: Amy would like it to be known that her second comment on this post was meant to go on the one about Poppy’s diet.

Family matters

Weights and measures

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Having Poppy around has changed the way I view myself.

There was a time when getting dressed every morning was a struggle. Even after I lost 40 pounds, nothing fit — or nothing fit the way I wanted it to fit. There were days I wanted to call in sick simply because everything I tried on touched me.

Now, even after gaining most of my 40 pounds back, those days are rare. Most days I just toss something on, and Poppy and I go on about our day.

I’m not sure what it is about having her here that has changed things. It might just be that she needs me, and I don’t have time for drama at the closet doors. Maybe it’s her hugs. It’s hard to feel sorry for yourself with 28 pounds of precious wrapped around you.

That being said, I know I still need to lose weight. I’ve started Weight Watchers again, and I’ve been trying to work out regularly.

The first time I joined Weight Watchers, it was because someone asked me when the baby was due. And there was no baby in the works! That was awkward! And embarassing!

So I joined Weight Watchers.

I was shocked at how much I weighed. Growing up, I don’t remember there being a scale in the house. I always suspected I was heavy. In retrospect I think that may have been a little skewed by having a step-sister who cried in the tenth grade when she crested 100 pounds.

By the time I joined Weight Watchers, I was definitely quite overweight. I haven’t reached that number again, but the weight has steadily crept back on. And sure, there are a few things I can blame for that. But I’m not going to pin this one on depression or baby weight or stress. If I do that, I’m likely not to change anything.

And I need to change something.

I want Poppy to be healthy. I want her to be confidant. And she has to learn those things from me.