Kinda, sorta. I AM in a slightly better frame of mind than I was yesterday; it was hot and humid during the morning and early afternoon hours, but a late afternoon thunder storm seems to have cleared things away, and tonight it’s actually rather pleasant - even without the AC on, miracle of miracles! I worked quite prodigiously today, coming up for air so to speak only once or twice, and achieving pretty decent concentration which is always a plus, especially when negotiating one’s way through one of those gnarly federal grant applications. Tomorrow (Oh joy!) is the office picnic, always such a supreme bore, and in this instance, inconveniently timed, inasmuch as the proposal is due on Wednesday, and I still have several more sections to complete. About the best I can say for it is that they usually manage to have veggie burgers along with all the other not-so-great cookout fare, and that suits me well enough. I haven’t had red meat in months, now, and not only don’t miss it, but find it altogether unappealing. Thunder showers are predicted for tomorrow afternoon (again) so that will (hopefully) lessen the amount of time that I’ll have to spend making nice and trotting about trying to look as if I’m enjoying myself. If there’s some decent sunshine somewhere around noontime, I won’t mind catching a little of it - what with DH’s and my walks at the lake and our measured out doses of “vitamin D therapy” ala Jon Gabriel, plus this past Saturday at the beach, I’m turning a nice and toasty color. My dad always turned a wonderful mahogany shade, what with all of his post-retirement hiking about his acreage and tending his little vegetable garden and his many rose bushes, and my *tan* tends more towards the deep red/brown tones as well. I don’t want to overdo the sun and end up growing nasty little malignancies all over my face or develop deep lines and crevasses, but I do enjoy the sunshine so much, and really feel so much more alive with a healthy glow to my rapidly aging skin. So, if it’s nice tomorrow, an hour or so out of doors wouldn’t hurt.

Anniegirl, bless her heart, asked about my sister, and I’m ever so delighted to report that not only is sis recovering quite wonderfully, but is now up to two miles a day in her walks around the park near her house. The woman never ceases to amaze me, you know? I am SO looking forward to seeing her in a couple of weeks. My kids - my two local daughters, that is, and their hubbys and kiddos (Morgan of broken wing fame, although she’s about all healed up - DD30’s little girl - and Devon the dinosaur man, DD36’s little boy) and I are driving down to NC for a reunion of sorts. My DH can’t go, as it conflicts with a longstanding annual storytelling commitment at a 3-day renaissance festival sort of thing. But no matter - it’ll be lovely to hang about with my sis for a week or so, just us girls (and the sons-in-law, of course, but they may play some golf and keep themselves at least semi-occupied for part of the time). We’re leaving Thursday, August 7th, and haven’t yet decided exactly when we’ll come back, although the following Friday seems likely.

I have <gulp> recommitted with great determination to eating right and getting off a few more of these unlovely pounds. Oh, yes, feathers, I, too, as you know, rail against the unfairness of being metabolically challenged. I feel like I’m slogging my way through life surrounded by some kind of thick, sticky glue-like stuff that makes every step a real, gut-wrenching effort while others just seem to “fly on gossamer wings”, the bitches. But, I’ve hit the familiar brick wall again - can’t gain another ounce or I’ll go mad, so it’s back to counting calories (Yeah, Jon Gabriel…neat concept, but frankly, listening repeatedly to you saying the same damned thing on that CD has me asleep before you get past “Hello, this is Jon Gabriel…”) Counting calories, on the other hand, actually WORKS so long as you write everything down, add everything up, and stay within your limits. Not great fun, no, but it does produce results. That, and having a whey protein drink a couple of times a day, although I think I may try mixing it into yogurt and see how I like that. Oh, and high fiber, and lots of water. NO chocolate. Omigawd, feathers, that picture of the chocolate cake-type dessert had me salivating on my keyboard! But no. Not now, and not for a long while. I’m going to try (yet AGAIN) to finally get this monster under control, knowing full well that there will be slips and slides and occasional cartwheels off the wagon, sometimes quite deliberately and in full knowledge that it will make things that much harder for the next few weeks. But I’ll keep at it because I don’t really have any other choice. I am uncomfortable with myself and quite, quite miserable when my weight isn’t where it needs to be. But next life…. well, LOOK OUT, because this is going to be one effortlessly slim, svelte chick, you know?

Okay. Bedtime here. Eyelids drooping, shoulders demanding that I get prone…

Hugs to all…the net of jewels; I picture you all blinking around the world in a network of beautiful colors and thoughts -

Z