Home again, jiggedy-jig….. and I am sooooooo glad that I took today as a vacay day, too! Even the thoughts of going back to work tomorrow are somewhat unsavory, but if I’d had to go back today, I would’ve been dismally depressed and disgusted. (Probably disenchanted, too. Possibly disoriented and definitely disorganized and emotionally and mentally devastated.) Looks like that’s it for the “d-words”. Maybe I’ll think of some more later? Hmmmm. Soooo. It was actually quite a wonderful getaway. We got up there Saturday morning somewhere around 11:30-ish - just in time to meet up with everyone for the lunch gathering, which was great fun. Greeting and hugging and catching up and chattering and sharing stories, etc. Then, time to unpack, bathe, and get dressed for the evening get-together, with more of the same chatter as at lunch, but with some smatterings of entertainment - a drumming group that was magnificent, and then lots of impromptu performances - story-telling, a song or two, a few poems recited and a flute solo (all performed by members of our odd little group, of course). Finally, off to bed in the wee hours of the morning, up on Sunday a little late, but in time to do the hike, which was wonderful, and back for a late afternoon lunch, more gathering and chattering, another evening get-together - this time outdoors around a huge campfire (much bug spray needed) with conversations ranging from politics to spirituality to quantum physics to hexayurt building (one of our friends just won an award for his hexayurt design - emergency and long-term self-contained shelters for disaster victims and minimalists of all kinds) and everything in between. Then, of course, there were the individual visits and chats - good, nutritious non-junk type foods, and lots of music, laughter, and love. Quite, quite wonderful, including, even, the QUICK dip in a COOOOLD mountain stream that left my skin blue and goose-bumped. But, I did acquire a bit of color otherwise, and outside of a few bug bites, am feeling quite refreshed and renewed. I do need to wash my hair this morning. Sat in my lovely claw-footed tub for over an hour after we got home last night. The facilities up at the retreat are a tad primitive - showers but no tubs, I’m afraid. I needed my soak.

Today is wonderfully lazy and non-productive. I’m still sitting her in my nightie. Not much to worry about doing today. Need to bring in a few more things from DH’s car, and go drop off the throwaway camera that I took pictures with over the weekend. No people, I’m afraid - just scenery; I forgot about the camera until the very last minute and since we were the last to haul out of there, I ran around snapping pictures as DH packed the last of the stuff in the car. We don’t take the digital camera on little jaunts such as this because DH needs it for his art catalogues and such, and we really wouldn’t want to have to replace it if it got damaged or forgotten somewhere along the way. Anyway, if any of them came out half-decent, I’ll post them.

Oh, I may just have myself a nap. I just thought of another “d” word - decadent. That’s what I’m feeling today - lazy and decadent - and I’ve gotta say, there’s a LOT to be said for sheer, unadulterated decadence. I feel like a cat lazing about here this morning. It’s wonderful.

I didn’t go very far off-plan (eating plan, that is) while away, but I still have to really dig my heels in and get this last ten pounds or so off ASAP. I’m still not thrilled with my less-than (or should I say MORE than) optimum body mass. I WANT TO BE THIN, damnit! THIN - not “average”, not “perfectly alright”, but THIN! THIN, THIN, THIN! Oh, how I can identify with those of you who have, at various times, wished for instant results - expressed your impatience with the whole damned process of weight loss. That would describe me, as well - and especially this morning, because I brought a pair of jean shorts up to the mountains with me that I remember wearing a few years ago, and thought surely they’d slide right on me now (I don’t know the size - the tag has long since faded into oblivion) but they DON’T! They were TOO TIGHT!!!!!! Talk about your “downers”, people! SO here I am this morning, determined yet again to lose yet MORE weight, and wishing for some magic pill that would dissolve away ten pounds by tomorrow morning! This is SO not fair!

But…oooooooohhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmm. I need to try to maintain a calm state of mind. Agitation doesn’t help with weight loss, after all. And, I was feeling pretty mellow until I thought about those freaking shorts!

Well, off to wash my hair, maybe have a nap, and do as little as I can possibly get away with for the rest of the day.

I’ve missed you, my jewels - I hope this finds you all contented and well.

Hugs,

Z