The urge to write

Lately, I've been hit by the bug to write.

I find myself sitting at my desk and between phone calls, an idea for a story pops into my head. I have a few ideas jotted down, and am working on a novel, but more ideas appear, and I wonder if I should just start writing there, or finish my work and then write.

I usually end up finishing my work, since we have to pay rent and eat and can't go naked...

But in the back of my mind, these thoughts are churning.

Time to carve out some time to write...

Stupid Olympics

I don't know why NBC waits until 11:30 to start showing the events that we all want to watch. We were up until 1:30am watching Nastia Luken win the Women's All Around on Thursday night, then had to get up at 4:45 to be ready to fly to Spokane. I've been so exhausted from going to bed at midnight or later that when lunch rolls around, I try to catch some winks instead of walking...

The diet was back burnered for awhile. I guess my friend's attitude really did fry my cheese after all. Although, I didn't go totally crazy. I had chicken & vegetables for as many meals as Dov could stand it. We had hamburgers for a few meals. I finished off the Soy Power cereal...

This weekend at Silverwood, we ate decent. It was 102 degrees, so we had lots of water. And we did get an ice cream cone that was way out of control. I ordered a double scoop and I'm sure they packed a pint of ice cream on that cone...which if I had gotten two normal size scoops and was charged $4.00 for it, I wouldn't have been as happy, so there you go...I shared a lot of it with my niece who sat next to me saying "say peas" and opening her mouth like a little bird. Still, I ate the lions share.

After looking at the pictures from this weekend, however, I am back on track. Dov and I went to the store last night and picked up the whole produce section of QFC, lots of fish and chicken and the highest Fiber cereal and bread we could find.

I got stabbed in the foot by a catfish this weekend but I don't seem to be having any ill effects from it so I should be able to walk at lunch. (The poor little guy fell into the boat instaed of the water and while he was thrashing about, he stabbed me with his pectoral fin...hurt like you would not believe. I soaked my foot in peroxide for 90 minutes. Not a whole lot of swelling, and the wound is looking good, so I think I'll be okay. And now I know that I am offically not allergic to catfish poison.)

Anyway, for breakfast this morning, I had a 1/2 cup of cereal, a 1/4 cup of blueberries and a banana. For lunch, Dov made his lemon & onion chicken with rice. I also brought a Braeburn apple. For dinner tonight, we'll steam rockfish fillets and I'll roast the brussel sprouts and we'll have boiled fingerling potatoes with salt & pepper, olive oil & italian herbs.

Yay Activity!

So, my weekend was fantastic.

We rushed around the apartment like refugees packing up our essentials and stuffing the dogs into the truck to make it to catch the 6:30 ferry. Unfortunately, there was an hour wait, and then we missed the cut-off for the 7:20...We ended up having Pad Thai, which Dov picked up at a little hole in the wall near the Edmonds Ferry dock. It was not great, but it was better than the bag of candy he bought at the market next door...

The dogs did great, except that Bubbles barked at everyone who walked by on the Ferry - unfortunately, we were parked right next to the stairs to the upper deck...



We got into Forks at 10:45 and the Hotel was right out of No Country for Old Men. I wouldn't have stayed in it by myself, but at least it didn't reek of cigarette smoke.

The next morning, we slept in until nearly 9. It was really nice. We ate at the restaurant across the street and I had hash browns and sausage and eggs which I smushed all together. I had some whole wheat toast with it.

We drove out to Cape Flattery and hiked all the way to the point. It was a half hour walk down and 45 minutes back. It was beautiful, and the weather was perfect for walking - not too hot, and overcast enough to keep the sun from burning us to a crisp.



We drove and fished our way past Neah Bay, Port Townsend, Port Angeles and Port Gamble.

We stopped at several beaches along the way and fished. It rained cats and dogs the whole time, and we got soaked. I did catch a nice fish - unfortunately, Dov did not.

We got very excited in Port Angeles when we saw a sign stating $3.72 for regular gas a block up. When we got closer to the building, we discovered the gas station was for lease...

In Port Angeles, we stopped for dinner at a place called Gordie's Pizza & Pasta. We ordered a medium Canadian Bacon & Pineapple pizza and salads. We each had two slices and saved the rest.

We then drove to Eglon Point and fished some more, but we did not catch anything.

We got back to the house at 11pm.

Saturday morning, Dov had to work, and I ended up sleeping until 10am. I had a slice of leftover pizza for breakfast and went to my friend's house for an American Home party. I had a slice of key lime pie, and fortunately, I got to cut my own slice, so I sliced a thin one. We had hot tea. Then Melissa pulled out Lemon Sherbert and I had a small one.

When I got home, I had another slice of pizza for lunch.

For dinner, we went to my Aunt and Uncle's house and had barbecued pork, potato salad and beets with onions. I also had a beer and tortilla chips with guacamole. I was very proud of myself for dishing myself a small portion and not grazing.

Sunday, we had eggs and bacon for breakfast. We drove down to Fry's to return a cable and ended up buying way too much junk...

We went to Burgermaster for lunch. I had a hamburger, fries and a shake. Call it a last hurrah...

For dinner, we had Abby over to meet Bubbles. I bought a veggie tray as an appetizer and served a parmesean artichoke jalapeno dip. We grilled shrimp skewers, had salad, garlic bread, and a flank steak. It was fantastic.

For breakfast Monday, I had scrambeled eggs and an english muffin. For lunch I took a salad and put the remaining shrimps on it. I also took the remaining veggies and snacked on them all afternoon.

For dinner, I had some rye crackers and the parmesean dip. We had the fish I caught on Friday with a little rice. We had marinated it in olive oil, soy sauce and chicken stock. It had no flavor at all.

For breakfast this morning, I had a small bowl of granola.

For lunch, I had a salad from Quiznos.

For dinner, we grilled the leftover shrimp and veggies from dinner Sunday. We also grilled some salmon. We had a small salad.

I walked at lunch and after dinner today. I probably should not have picked the hottest day of the week to do that, but changing into shorts at my desk was an adventure...

I was very proud of myself. Now my foot hurts...

It's not what you're eating...

So yesterday morning I had granola with dried strawberries for breakfast and a ham sandwich with american cheese for lunch. I had a pear from the Friday before, and discovered that I probably would have broken a tooth if I tried to eat it last week!

For dinner, I made tacos with guacamole but no cheese and had a tapioca cup. Then I had a whole wheat blueberry scone after our Bible Study. (We have a dessert after each one - I'm bringing it next week, so I'll have to find something good.)

I asked them to pray for my friend and that whole situation, so we'll see how God works it out.

I have to say, though, that I was pretty proud of myself for not letting my friend's emotional outburst sabotage my eating.

We didn't get a chance to walk last night, but tomorrow should more than make up for any activity I didn't get today.

Breakfast this morning was granola. Lunch was chicken breast and lettuce wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla with low fat ranch dressing. It was dry. I also had some red grapes.

I didn't walk at lunch because I was trying to get some dog food in Woodinville, but the PetSmart there doesn't carry their food. I'll have to stop at the other store on my way home.

Tonight for dinner - we're eating on the road. We decided this morning to drive to Forks tonight so we can fish all day on Friday. That's why I stopped by the pet store at lunch. I ended up buying another harness so Wednesday can sit with Bubbles in the backseat and be ok.

It's a four hour drive. The hotel has a check-in until 11pm, but the man said if I called he'd leave a key out for me. Really looking forward to this fishing trip.

It's going to be a busy weekend - with no forseeable break until the 23rd...

Time to brush up on the serenity prayer...

New week, new plan

I went to see Judy last night, and discovered I had lost 4 lbs and a 1/2 inch off my waist. Nice! We decided that I need to walk after dinner and to walk every day at lunch.

Whe I had gotten home, Dov had bought steaks, shrimp and salmon, and we used our new grill. He made a salad and everything was perfectly cooked.

After dinner, I had a small bowl of ice cream and a couple of Oreos. There aren't many left...I tried to explain how he couldn't bring my enemies home with him, but he doesn't understand.

For breakfast this morning, I had granola and strawberries.

I took my lunch I packed yesterday, and actually remembered to bring it this time!

At lunch, I went and saw SRM. It was a good visit, and a good outcome. We verified that I have insulin resistance. We did another blood test, and again they had to take it with a syringe. We discussed a few strategies, and Dov and I will talk more about them tonight.

For dinner, we had hamburgers, and Dov went and bought shrimp again. We both had a skewer with green bell pepper and a salad with tomatoes and balsamic vinagrette.

After dinner, we took the dogs up the hill behind our apartment and found a trail through some woods that I didn't know was there. It was great. Wednesday and I have the same fitness level - hardly any. But that will change!

Dov then asked why I don't make him cookies, and I explained that the way he itches to fish, I itch to eat sweets when they are in the house. He said I should turn that into baby-making...He's just full of ideas...

High-School reunion

So the Jerusalem Chicken was terrific.

I didn't realize that I hadn't posted on Thursday, but I had scrambled eggs for breakfast and left my lunch sitting at home. I went to Taco Time and had a chicken soft taco. And mexi fries. For dinner, I had chicken nuggets. Dov went fishing.

Friday, well, that was an experience. I had granola and blueberries in milk for breakfast and packed myself a peanut butter sandwich and a pear. I ate the sandwich on the road on the way to the funeral. The funeral was a surreal experience where all three congregations from the split were back together again. Richard summed it up as a "Museum of Evangelicals." I called it a high-school reunion where I didn't get the memo it was only for parents. It was good to see everyone again. My high-school english teacher was there. I discovered that our old next door neighbor's oldest daughter (whom I used to babysit, and helped out with when she was brought home from the hospital) turned 20 this year. (You know, you try to ignore the grey hairs...) Two of my old classmates had colon cancer. Another started a church in Mill Creek. Mr. Collord invited me to visit. (That's just a whole lot of dredging I don't want to commit to right now...) Anyway, it was wierd.

Friday night, we went to McFinsters and Dov and I had fish & Chips and shared a Guinness.

Saturday, I spent most of the day playing Tomb Raider. Our downstairs neighbor dutifully filled our apartment with cigarette smoke every hour and a half or so. I got really fed up at 4pm and shouted some choice words out the slider before I slammed it shut. Inexplicably, the truck's alarm started going off 10 minutes later. A-holes. In my fury, the entire living area was straightened and dishes done in a half hour.

For dinner, we roasted some chicken breasts and potatoes and shallots in a little chicken broth. I had a small bowl of ice cream around 9:30 with half the remaining blueberries.

Breakfast Sunday was bacon & scrambled eggs with mushrooms. For lunch I had a chicken soft Taco & mexi fries with my cousin. For dinner, we had shepherds pie made with lamb, carrots, onions and lima beans instead of peas. We also made a recipe called skillet corn, which had frozen corn, cornmeal and sugar sauteed in butter until the corn meal softens. It was interesting. I had a bowl of ice cream and blueberries at 9pm

This morning for breakfast I had mushrooms and egg substitute, which I don't think Dov liked, but he didn't really verbalize it. I packed myself a lunch with red grapes, almonds and a ham & swiss wrap, but I left it. So I bought a Turkey Bacon Guacamole sub from Quiznos and some baked lays. I'm drinking a diet snapple Peach tea.

Melissa and I went walking today, however I wore sandals and now I have a blister forming on my right foot. Oh, well...

I meet with Judy tonight and SRM tomorrow...bracing myself for the worst...

The Candy Man

So it's been a week. I knew it had been a very long time and I won't even pretend that it's all been good times and that I wrote down everything I ate. I didn't.

I did ok until Saturday night when my hubby went fishing and I had a box of macaroni for dinner. Dov went to the store to get his own dinner, and brought home two packages of Double Stuff Oreos because they were on sale, plus root beer and ice cream to make floats with. On Sunday afternoon, we went grocery shopping and stuck to my list from Meal Mixer, except that Dov bought a huge bag of bulk candy.

I don't know what to do with him. I think he's afraid I will lose too much weight. He likes the chubby girls.

But the more I lose, the better chance we have to get pregnant.

We're back on the plan today. For breakfast we had a German Pancake (which turned out more like a cracker than a pancake) and breakfast potatoes (which was a Yukon Gold potato microwaved for 8 minutes, then cut up and sauteed until golden brown in a little butter).

For lunch we had Turkey Swiss Lettuce wraps with reduced fat potato chips and applesauce, which I got a no-sugar variety and I didn't really like it, but I'll learn to...

For dinner, we're having something called "Jerusalem Chicken" which has artichokes and other veggies mixed in. Should be tasty!

I need to start walking again. My heel started hurting, so I think I need to get some better shoes. And my yoga mat got put away for a few days - so it's time to drag it back out.

I have a funeral on Friday and I'm going to be seeing some old family friends and possibly some people I went to school with. Ugh. I'm most worried about running into my friend's parents. Maybe they won't show. But they probably will.