Yep. DS is scheduled to arrive tonight, and I’ve taken a vacation week for the whole time he’s going to be here. Yesterday, I was in Pittsfield, which is in the far western part of the state (@ a two hour drive from my house) for several meetings. I got up there about 45 minutes early, so I stopped at their upscale outlet center just to browse - usually, even the outlet prices are outrageous - but found myself a nice pair of Birkenstocks (that will be perfect for our stays up in the White Mountains) for only $25. Last year’s issue, no doubt, but I don’t care. I tried them on, they were uber-comfy, and I now own them. The meetings went well, but were time-consuming, and I didn’t finish up in Pittsfield until after 4:00, which made for a late arrival home, seeing as how I had to pick up a couple of prescriptions (my BP meds, which I probably could quit taking, but I suppose I’d better wait until my annual check-up in September before taking any radical steps on my own) and stop for a few groceries. So, for supper, I sliced some of Sunday’s cold roast beef into thin strips and made DH & I chef’s salads with FF cheese strips, seedless purple grapes, cucumbers, red onions, thinly sliced green peppers, and roasted, slivered almonds (good MUFAs) sprinkled across the top. Very pretty and very filling, along with a piece of lavash bread. Feathers, I am REALLY liking the Gabriel method - I don’t feel all at like I’m dieting, and neither does DH, but we are both losing weight quite noticeably, and find ourselves wanting healthier foods and *live* foods mostly. We still treat ourselves to our Weight Watchers ice cream sandwiches in the evening if we feel like it, but are quite often discovering that we really don’t feel like it. Mostly, we aren’t feeling stressed about losing or not losing, and it really DOES feel like our bodies WANT to rid themselves of the excess weight. I listen to the CD every night and sometimes DH does; sometimes not. But we’ve read the book, and will go back, I think, and review parts of it from time to time, but so far, so good! So, thanks much for pointing us to it.

Little Morgan went back to school today; I’m hoping that all goes well.

My day is stretching ahead of me in seeming endless hours. I got here at 7:45 AM - traffic was negligible for some reason - and here I sit, having responded to and sent numerous emails, chatted with a few colleagues, and have some loose ends left to tie up, but am rather unambitious in that regard. Will do, will do. Frankly, I am more focused on what I have to get done at home before DD & I leave to pick up DS at the airport. DD is planning to pick up Chinese food - there’s a place in town that’s really, really good, and NOT greasy at all, and we all love it, but DS especially, who says you just can’t get good Chinese food in L.A. BUT, the last time we all got Chinese food, my stomach was upset all the next day, and I think I am somewhat less enamored of it at this stage. I’m trying to think of a quick and easy substitute for DH & I, since he doesn’t care for Chinese food at all - never has. I’m afraid it may be salads again for us tonight. Oh well, certainly won’t hurt us a bit to have them two nights in a row.

And, I think that’s about it for now.

Hugs to all you lovely jewels -

Z