If only life could be as carefree as this.

So I have a date this weekend.  It’s with my friend Todd, who I’ve been seeing since November.  I’m using the term “seeing” loosely because we’ve only actually “seen” each other a couple of times for lunch for an hour or so at a time.  We definitely have the lunch thing down pat.  This weekend we’re going for an all day date.  

Now, we haven’t been able to do the real “date” thing until now for a couple of reasons.  1. He’s divorced with two kids and shares custody with his ex wife.  2.  His weekend to have the kids used to be the same weekend that I had to work at the hockey games (which is one of the reasons why I stopped working there).  3. He’s an EMT with his local fire department and is on call all the fricken time – and since I’m an EMT too, I get that – but it’s a drag when you’re trying to date.  4.  He lives in Grundy Center, which is like a 2-hour drive for both of us. 

So normally, I would have thought that all of those reasons were “too much” and broke it off by now. But I’m compelled to stick with it because whenever he and I talk on the phone or text or are together for lunch, it’s just so comfortable between us.  I don’t have to wonder what to talk to him about; I don’t have worry that I’m not 145 pounds or that I like to eat junk food or that I’m lazy and rather take a nap as opposed to working out at the gym. 

Todd gets it because he’s a normal person – a real person. He’s definitely not one of those faker men that need the perfect woman in their lives.  He likes to eat food – probably too much at times, doesn’t really work out, other than lifting ambulance gurneys (which are fricken heavy when they are empty – put a FAT person on them –Yeow!!)  and takes a nap whenever he can find the time between chasing ambulance calls or chasing his kids around.   He works a normal – low drama - job at a restaurant as a cook. 

The other cool thing about Todd is that we don’t have to talk a lot to keep in touch.  I talk to him every couple of days, usually in a text, sometimes on the phone … but it’s not every day multiple times a day, which is a good thing.  I talk on the phone all day at work, so I’m not too into the phone when I get home.  Maybe he is and I just don’t know it yet.  Or maybe he is one of those people, but gets it that I’m not.  I don’t think that he is because I’ve never known him to blow up my phone. 

Anyway, I say all this now in advance of my date on Saturday.  So next week, I’ll tell you if I’m still liking him.  At this point, I can’t see why I wouldn’t … but of course, things can always change.

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So, of course, my sister had to prove to me that we do have things in common in her blog – after she read my blog.  And yes, I guess there are those sisterly things that we do have in common – like yes, our father’s hook nose and his sweet tooth -- so okay, you’re right AGAIN.    BUT, I’m still funnier – cuz, I don’t take life so serious anymore -- even if the only place you’re going to see it is in this blog. 

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As for my endless quest to lose weight – I gained 3 pounds since last week and HA!  I’m glad it was only 3 pounds because I have done absolutely nothing to lose any weight since last week.  I went to Chicago over the weekend and drank Corona – which is rumored to have 1000 calories a bottle.  I don’t know if that’s exactly true or not, but it tasted damn smooth going down.   I had four of them.   I also had a Guinness – but I read on billboard somewhere that Guinness only has 150 calories a glass.   AND, and god have I missed this … Venti Vanilla Latte’s from Starbucks.  2 of them.  YUM. 

Never mind all the food I ate …. like yummy cheesy heart-attack style lasagna from the Irish-Italian pub, a huge plate of nachos (which I really didn’t eat too much of), more pasta at the olive garden (not on the light faire menu) and then desert.  Gawd, yum.    

So it was no surprise for me to find out I gained weight.  I haven’t exactly owned up to it at Bootcamp.  I was supposed to weigh in today, but umm, I didn’t go to bootcamp again tonight.    I went on Tuesday and I kept up with everything in my low impact way.  It was fun – sort of.  And my plan was to go tonight --- until I fell off my shoe and twisted my ankle. 

Okay, let’s talk about that.  I don’t understand how I can wear 2-inch heel shoes most everyday and walk fine, and then one day, just fall off the side of them.  And, I didn’t just do it once.  I did it twice.  The first time was more of a trip when I was navigating my cubicle and trying to step over my office chair.  I rolled over on the side of my left heel, stumbled into the desk and caught myself before I took a header on the floor.   My ankle stung a bit when I walked but it didn’t stop me from wandering through the halls looking for snacks. 

The second time was when I got off work and walked to my car in the parking lot.  It happened when I was walking down the sidewalk ramp thingy into the parking lot and just out of nowhere I rolled over on the side of my heel.  Again, I stumbled, but this time I was all bundled up in my purple pea coat and carrying my lunch bag, so I looked like Barney bar-slug that couldn’t stand up straight.  Thank god that my car was right there! I got in quick and I’d like to say that no one saw me …. but the entire side of the building is windows …so it’s possible that I didn’t get away so smoothly.   My ankle hurt like hell all the way home. When I got into the house, I had to act like there was nothing wrong because the last thing I wanted was my father getting all worried about nothing.  I just went upstairs to me suite and put the ice pack from my lunch bag on it.   It’s swollen and is a little tender.  Hopefully it will be better tomorrow, because I’m going to work and to the gym when I get off work – regardless of how bad my ankle hurts.   At least in theory anyway. 

OK back to the weight thing … one thing I have realized about myself is that I definitely need to eat every couple of hours in order to not just binge the moment I see food.  So all this week I took my little lunch pail with appropriate snacks to make it until quitting time at 2 pm.    As far as those snacks go, I’ve also realized that it can’t be all carbs, because about 11 am, I’m looking for something more substantial and if all I have is carb-like food, I’m more likely to eat junk.   Today, after I ate all my snacks – I ate one of those mini boxes of coco-puffs – definitely better than eating a snickers – but still a bunch of empty calories that I didn’t need. 

So my routine so far is oatmeal or cereal at 7:30 when I get to work and am reading my email.  Then about 10, I eat some yogurt, at noon I’ll have cheese and crackers and if I’m lucky, then I’m good till quitting time. Then when I get some I’ll eat something lunch like and then take my daily nap and then bla bla bla.  I also need to drink more water – which another big downfall of mind.  I’m not a water drinker.  Never have been.  Milk – I can drink a gallon of milk in a day.  Soda – I could drink a couple of cans a day.  Coffee – I can drink a couple of pots in a day.  Water – is the last thing I’m thinking about at any time of the day.   I usually only drink water when I’m working out – but not Dyersville water – that tastes like nasty rainspout water. 

That’s the story for this week.  Weigh in tomorrow and start this vicious diet cycle all over again.