warmth

my married sister, left, hosted our holiday this year. my mother made several of the dishes and brought them with her, but Crystal, Caryl, and I made the green beans, the ham, and the candied-liquered yams.

I managed to relax (not hosting has its privileges) in spite of my looming deadlines. My sisters are such a comfort, such a haven for me. God, it's bliss being with them.

I was back home in Baltimore as of late morning yesterday and got down to editing the stacks that were waiting for me. Once back from Sarah's this evening, I set to work again. Here it is, 12:30 and I'm just calling it quits for the night.

Chinese takeout for the second night in a row--this is not good for the waistline--has me worried about my fitness goals. I can't do it all, but in spite of a full day's work to complete tomorrow, I will go to the gym. I keep telling myself that I can't sacrifice the self-care, but it's hard to make it a priority when I just want to get back to ground zero with my scheduled deliverables.

Anyway, life keeps happening all around. In spite of a pivotal, breakthrough conversation with her husband a few weeks ago, my sister still isn't sure that they're going to go the distance. We live in a society where marriage is so disposable. And yet, I don't know that toughing it out is always the best course of action. Something to be said for cutting your losses and not wasting 20 years.

Hard to know--what's a storm to weather? What's a storm to flee?

In the spirit of Scarlett O'hara, I have to admit. I can't think about this right now. I'll think about it tomorrow. Back to my book.

Developments

nothing much to report, but I did go to the office this morning, briefly, to wrap up a few things that were left undone yesterday by close of business. afterward, I headed to the gym to put in 45 minutes on the elliptical, then did some abs and obliques work.

have heard that the trip next week is extended into Friday. Nice and busy and out of the realm of what is usual, something I welcome, the more and more I think about it. Just really hope now more than ever that I can get in some exercise while I'm away, because next weekend is Sarah's birthday and I just know I won't be making it to the gym on Saturday or Sunday.

one final scrap for the day: it might be 3 pounds, not two. I'll verify on S's scale tomorrow morning.

I'm going to go and start The Kite Runner before meeting up with S for sushi and then the theatre.

Lentils Simmering on the Stovetop

So, it's day six of my [adapted] detox program. I have been following the Fat Smash diet (courtesy of the doc on Celebrity Fit Club) pretty closely, but I have allowed myself unadorned crab meat (naturally low-cal), baked tilapia, and minimalist sushi (salmon and tuna rolls only). The first 9 days of the program call for a full stop on meat and fish, but even with tofu and eggs (I've been consuming the yolks when I do boiled, another no-no according to Fat Smash), I find that I need something extra.
In any case, I'm eating a ton of fruit and vegetables, I am drinking NO COFFEE of any kind (including decaf), a lot of herbal tea, water (no soda, not even diet), and I am exercising. I'm pleased to say that when I weighed myself two days ago, I was only 8 pounds heavier than when I dropped 60 pounds (two years ago, now).

In other news, things are really good at work. What's that line from BJ's Diary [the movie]? "It is a truth universally acknowledged that as soon as one area of your life starts going well, another falls spectacularly apart..."

Well, love is on the wane, but upward career mobility and fitness are waxing. I'll take that.