W-W-Wagon

I am back on the proverbial wagon.  I made it official today. After a 5 year hiatus, I have signed up for Weight Watcher’s again.  In the 5 years since I fell off, I gained all the weight back that I had lost (and then some) 4-5 years ago.

I will not divulge my beginning weight.  That’s none of your business! How rude to even ask!  Geesch…some people.

I will disclose that I need to lose a whopping 82 pounds if I were to get down to what WW says I should be at, however, I don’t want to get that low (honestly, I don’t think they compensate for the *ehm* gifted proportion that I have).  I want to lose 62 pounds to be where I want to be.

What pisses me off is that I was so friggin close last time.  Then, i just quit. I was 14 pounds from where I wanted to be and when I changed jobs, I gave that up. I don’t want to do that again.

I weigh in on Tuesdays, as long as I am not traveling.  Feel free to bug me about progress.  For now, here I am, at square one. Starting it on my sister’s 30th birthday.

“My FAVORITE!!”

My nephew “Huey” was too damn cute. I posted the story about green beans before Christmas. I was worried that Huey wouldn’t remember about the beans. When I got to my brother’s house, my sister-in-law and I were wrapping the kid’s gifts and we started talking and I brought up the beans. I mentioned that I had them & she said “OH, GOOD! Louie was asking if I thought he’d get them again this year!”

Made my heart melt. He remembers! He doesn’t think it’s stupid! I am OK with him thinking it’s silly ~ it’s meant to be, but it means something to him. Yay!

We opened all the gifts. Huey, Dewy, and Louie all got Colts jerseys and lost all motor functions for a spell. It was intense for a bit. It was adorable to see them get that excited.

After we finished cleaning up and all heart rates had returned to normal ~ as normal as a child’s heartbeat can be on Christmas Eve ~ Huey came over to me, as serious as can be, which make one want to laugh coming out of a 7 year old, and says:

Aunt eldub, thank you so much for everything. The green beans are my favorite gift. I love you.

Huey, I love you so much. And it means so much to me that the beans mean as much to you as they do to me, but it’s OK if the Colts jersey (with SEWN ON NUMBERS!!!) is your favorite.

I do like it, but the beans mean a lot to me.

It was touching. Sweet. Especially since he truly meant what he said as he said it.

The Legend of Mrs. Dash

I have a Mrs. Dash packet framed on my wall in my dinning room.  My Mom has one framed in her house as well.  It’s definitely a conversation starter.

Here’s the story.  Mom & I went to Disney World in 1997.  It was my 1st trip to Disney World (yes, at the age of 24 – although I had been to Disneyland in California in 1990). 

It’s funny to think that the most memorable thing from the trip is this Mrs. Dash packet.

Mom is one of “those” people.  She can’t leave the toiletries in the hotel.  Even if she has no intension to use the bar of soap, she feels compelled to grab it.

We were at Disney in August.  Sweaty sweaty August…that’s the other thing I remember – sweaty people standing too close in hopes that encroaching in my personal “bubble” will get them on the ride that much faster.  Get off me sticky smelly man.  Get off me.

All of the restaurants had the typical condiments, ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper…and, you guessed it, Mrs. Dash.  I realized very quickly that Mom was hording them.  They started to appear everywhere in the hotel room.  The loo, the beds, on the floor.  When we got home…Mrs. Dash here, Mrs. Dash there. Here a Das, there a Dash, everywhere a Dash Dash…

A year passes and I go to open something and there is another Mrs. Dash packet.  It was insane.  I decided to stick it in my Mom’s stocking for Christmas.  I started something.  The following year, I got it in my stocking.  That Mrs. Dash packet hot-potatoed between us for a decade.

I realized that the package was getting a little worst for the wear.  The seasonings were working their way through the foil wrapped packet.  I decided it was time to preserve the packet.  So, I framed it. Wrapped it.  Gave it to her for Christmas.

And wouldn’t you know it…I found another blasted Mrs. Dash packet after I framed that one.  So, I framed that one for myself and it hangs in my dining room.  Mom has hers hanging in “my” bedroom at their house.

It always attracts attention. And when people ask, I have to smile and think about what a goofball my dear loving Mom is.  Mrs. Dash will always make me smile.

Knit Win!

YAY!  Look at what I made!  It didn’t take long either. The pattern called for red, gold & white, but I used yard that I had on hand instead.  And it called for a styrofoam form, but I had poly-fil on hand

 

 

I am way too proud of myself!

Oops! a/k/a Poor Shelf Planning

Location: Hampton Inn, Islandia, NY

Grabbing for a towel from inside the shower yields the following results:

Don’t Eat Yellow Snow…flakes

Here’s the ornament that I made for our annual exchange.  I really hope she liked it…

I thought it was funny that when you hold it up to the light, one of the iridescent pieces goes from lavender to yellow.  Not an optimal choice for a snow flake!

I’m a WINNER, I’m a Winner

Fail no more! Well, not as much of a fail…I still wish the bag part was a little deeper, but it’s still a bag! Yay. I hope she likes it…

Someone asked me what the before picture looked like. Can't really tell the difference...

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Ho Ho Ho…

You thought I meant Santa, didn’t you. Nope, I mean Green Giant. Although, it does relate to Christmas.

About 2 years/coming up on 3 Christmas ago (heh…about 3 years ago…must be a Dad story…a Blog for another time…), I was talking with my nephew about the presents that I bought for his younger brothers. We shall call them Huey, Louie, and Dewey:

eldub: Huey, tell me if you think Louie & Dewey are going to like what I got them for Christmas.

Huey: Ok. And I will promise not to tell them.

eldub: Good, thanks for that. You’re a good man, Huey.

I proceed to tell him what I got for his brothers. He showed great enthusiasm and expressed covetous intensions for the loot they were about to inherit in the coming month.

Huey: Aunt eldub, they. will. love. it. Now, what was it that said you got me?

Green Beans!

GREEN BEANS!? I LOVE GREEN BEANS!!

You Stinker, I am not going to fall for that!

He was such a good sport about it & so incredibly funny. Not to mention a little sneaky! We then go upstairs where I relay the Stinker’s story to his Dad. As I start to get to the words “green beans” his Dad chimes in with “Oh, you told him about the brussel sprouts?!”

No, Daddy, the G-R-E-E-N B-E-A-N-S and for a split second, Huey thought we were serious, but Daddy had just heard us talking

A month later, at Christmas, I come in with a very special bag. I told him it was the most important gift I will ever give him & I think he needed to open it right away. It was a can of green beans. I was worried that he wouldn’t remember the interaction from Thanksgiving, but he went right along with it. He cradled that darn can of beans all night. Well, until the real presents came out. Then Daddy put it in the pantry & it became an ordinary can of beans once again.

This will be year 3 of the beans. Let’s hope he remembers the story…and doesn’t winder why the crazy auntie is giving him canned goods for Christmas. I don’t want to be that eccentric single auntie that they are polite to, but keep that ever so slight distance from!

Yeah, but Only As a Friend

So, when I was offered the job for the organization that I work for, I hoped that I would have any territory in the country, except one.  Yeah, I got that one.

It’s tough.  I really really like my clients, but they are in a tough part of the country to travel to & from. 

It seems like I have some travel delay or issue more often than not.  Typically, it’s on the way home too.  Makes it a bit worse for ME, but in the long run, it’s better because I don’t want to miss a client visit.  But, it stinks because it’s taking my personal time.  On one trip, I had checked my baggage (don’t always do that – actually prefer not to), I was just exhausted and didn’t feel like carting the roller bag along with me & dealing with the liquids in the baggy, yadda yadda yadda.

I ended up delayed.  Good chance I wasn’t going to make it home. I was still in my suit & I REALLY didn’t feel like staying in that suit for the next 12 hours.  I bought a I<3 NY t-shirt to wear.

That t-shirt has become my “warning” symbol.  A warning to people that you might not want to talk to me.  When I had a couple of people living with me, they knew that if I had the shirt on, to leave me alone.

A Good Weekend

I had one of those weekends that you wish wouldn't end.  Just much needed time with friends.  We had our work Christmas party and I am so glad that I work for a company that people WANT to go and WANT to spend time with each other.  I could, however, do without seeing some of them dancing though!  I kid, I kid…

This is my 5th Christmas party with them.  The longer I am there, the more fun the parties have become because I know more people.  And considering how outgoing I am, I tend to know a LOT of them.

I remember back to the 1st year where I wasn’t sure who I would sit with and ended up with the Marketing senior leadership.  I felt like a leech.  But, in true company form, I was welcome as “one of them”

The years of the “oh crap, who will I sit with?!” panic attacks are long gone.  I have my “core” people that I know wouldn’t let me down.  I know them. I love them. They are part of my work like, but more importantly are part of my non-work related life too.

I went out with another group of people after the party too.  They are a newer crowd for me, yet I have been welcomed so wholly by them so quickly.  Still not sure why!  But, I value these new friendships.  We are silly and laugh a LOT.  Good hearts on these folks too.

Tonight, we had an ornament exchange.  We have historically gone out to a restaurant, but last year, I realized I didn’t speak to half the people because of the way we were seated, so since I have been the organizer, I decided to host this year.  For the 1st time in AGES, we all could make it…last minute 2 people ended up missing the event, but they were there in spirit.  I was also with one of them in spirit…she was at the Colts game!  An excellent reason to miss the event.

It was one of those weekends that just reminds you of how lucky you are.  I am truly blessed with the magnificent people I know.  People that I am honored to call friend and that let me love them.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t TOTALLY lucky though- otherwise I’d be watching the 36” LCD flat panel TV or playing Wii instead of typing this blog.  But no, they didn’t draw my number for the door prizes. 

You know, I think I am OK with that… between the 2 types of luck, I’d take the kind I have any day.

Another Christmas Memory

It was around the same time as the other Christmas memory (77 or 78).  This one wasn’t at home, but ended with tears and being reprimanded for being an ungrateful brat.  A stretch to believe, right?  Shush you…

As you might have guessed, you clever clever person, the story involves Ken.  Barbie’s just as effeminate partner ~ or at least one can assume based on the poofy images to the right.

We were at my Dad’s parent’s house with the entire family.  I am only 4 or 5 years old, therefore I am uber excited for the present opening portion of the evening.  It never comes soon enough.

I dive into my presents.  I know the familiar shape of that beautiful box…I can’t wait to rip into that paper!  Awww man, it’s just a Ken doll!  I was so bummed.  I cried.  What a little shit.  And my poor Uncle Mike…

There is probably a picture of me looking all disappointed followed by a picture of me being banished to the back room as punishment for being a brat.

2 Christmases ago, my little nephew did the ceremonial opening of the first present.  It was a book.  Now normally, the kid is a bookworm and excited about reading.  Yeah, not on Christmas Eve.  He rips into the package and exclaims “it’s just a book” in the whiniest tone.  It was quite funny.  Last year, my brother, his Daddy, opening his first present.  He followed suit.  Seems we have a new family tradition and my nephew will have a story to reminisce about when he starts his blog 30 years from now.

And seriously, what’s up with the Ken dolls? I don’t remember there being a Neil Diamond, Christopher Walken, or Justin Timberlake Ken doll…

1st Christmas Memory

The 1st memory I have of Christmas is from 1977 or 78. We were still living in the South Haven house and we were getting ready to put up the decorations. I was so excited to help put up the lights. In preparation, I decided to decorate my bedroom door. With a black crayon. Yeah. I remember being so proud. I went and got Mom and Dad to show them. They weren’t impressed. I am certain it was because of my penmanship wasn’t up to par. My L was more than likely backwards. I did that a lot.

Mom & Dad enjoyed taking pictures of us being bad. Well, not necessarily of being bad, but of us right before the eminent punishment was going to be doled out for whatever act we were in the midst of doing. “Chuck, get the camera!” made it obvious that what we were doing was a “no-no” and would soon have another picture being snapped of the punishment, usually with the tears flowing. The camera was not always our friend.

That Christmas, instead of helping put up the Christmas lights, I spent that time scrubbing my bedroom door. For the record, it is much easier to stand on a chair to write your name in crayon than it is to stand on a chair and scrub it off.

Probably got spanked after this one too...