On the road again....

Today's weight: 175.2 (pounds lost 1.2)

Ok, that's fine. As long as it keeps going down... I've probably been drinking more wine than I should, when one is trying to lose weight. But it's okay. Only 2 more pounds and I reach my first goal and my new workout gear! The hard part is that Monday, I leave town, driving back down to the Bay Area. Nothing like challenging the diet by hanging out with friends and working an erratic schedule! But it's a good challenge and I am planning things out, so I think I'll manage to be successful!

Did I mention is exactly 2 weeks until M comes here??!!! Geez, I cannot wait! It seems like it's been forever since we've been together! I can't wait for the reunion (hubba, hubba..).

So, other than that, it's been quiet around here. Other than the friend I'm staying with, I don't have too many friends here. So, I haven't had a lot going on, which is fine. I'd love to go out to a pub or out to dinner or even just a wander through our fun new neighborhood, so I can't wait til M gets here. (It looks like they are having music at my favorite coffee shop, so this should be fun... I hope my typing isn't distracting! lol)

That's all for now. I'll keep you posted from the road when I get a chance.

Yes Joe, I'm afraid so...

Today's weight: 176.4 (loss of 1.6 pounds!)

Ok, I'm happy with that. I want it to be slow because I'm changing my lifestyle, not necessarily what I eat. I mean, this weekend we went to eastern Washington for a great wine tasting at an amazing little winery. So, of course, there was wine drinking and I partook. I've just decided that, for now, I'm working on portion control and just better eating habits. RG, I can't wait til we can meet up - I hope for your sake you are feeling better soon because I know all about not feeling good... Take care, you.

Let me share a bit about this weekend... My friend's co-worker bid on a wine tasting event at the Alexandria Nicole winery in Prosser, WA. He bid the highest, I guess, and got to invite 20 people over as well. It was a good group, all 30-40 somethings, fun, smart people. We went to the winery, a small estate winery, and we got to pick grapes as well as taste some wines in various stages of production. I really learned alot more than I ever knew about wine - like even the fact that an estate winery means that the wines produced only use grapes from that winery's vineyard. Fascinating! lol We tasted syrah and a really spectacular blend. A few hours after that finished, we sat down to dinner in the tasting room. They had organized a 5 course meal that highlighted each of their wines. The servings were just the right size so you didn't walk out feeling all bloated and the wines were really nice (even the whites and I'm not a white wine lover). My friend and I bought a couple bottles to enjoy later! We drove back yesterday, through the beautiful autumn colors that dot the Cascade mountains. I took a couple gorgeous photos... Here's the nicest one...



So that's it. I've had the top down on the car a bit, enjoying the sunshine that we've been having. Doesn't matter that it's 58 degrees (that's about 10 degrees C), with the heat turned up, it feels like summer!!

Deidre, I'm looking forward to getting to the Southwest again. I used to live in Phoenix and you're right about it. Not much personality. But there's some lovely areas around it!!

a sunny day in seattle

and I'm sitting inside.... go figure!

G, not much happening with the house. I've been checking the mail and mowing the lawn, that's about the extent of it! Waiting for M to get here and start buying furniture and that other domestic stuff. It's all good.

Can I just say that people are so fricken friendly here?! I love it. I love people just smiling at you randomly, making eye contact. It makes up for the fact that mostly, the weather has been dreary. Today, however, it's gorgeous. I'm thinking of places I can drive so that I can put the top down in my car and enjoy the sun on my face!

In lieu of having a job to go to, I've finally created a sort of 'schedule' for myself. I've bought an alarm clock to start waking up a little earlier (although all I do after I wake up is sit on the couch and drink coffee and read! lol). I try to get a morning workout in usually and sometimes if my roommie wants to go after work, I'll go with her and burn a few more calories. Since I've committed to losing weight, I figure it doesn't hurt.

I suppose I should mention a bit about this. Maybe if I mention it here for the world to see, you all will keep me honest and make sure I'm keeping at it (since I didn't keep at it last time I mentioned it. lol). Should I post my weight and loss each week? Eep! Then you will all know how much I weigh! But since I probably won't see any of you, it shouldn't really matter, should it? Ok, I'll start each post with it.. But in this case, I'll end the post with it. Anyhow, here's the thing: since I left high school almost 20 years ago, I have probably gained 14 pounds. I wasn't exactly my ideal weight in college but looking back, I'd take that now! lol So, here's my plan:

My goal is to lose 20 pounds. If I lost 25, that would be great, but I want to see how things go. I've had an easy time losing 5 pounds but after that, it gets difficult and I usually give up. Tortilla chips and mexican food and beer seem to be the main causes of that. lol BUT, this time I am determined. I am making a deal with myself to change my life eating habits. I will still eat mexican food on occasion but I need to be careful. It's something that I allow myself to overindulge in and frankly, that's what's gotten me here in the first place. Lots and LOTS of overindulgence. I seem to think it's okay to eat as much as my boyfriend.. doh!

Anyhow, I've always gone to the gym. Getting to exercise isn't a problem for me. Truly, it's eating. I love eating, I love food. I used to workout so I could eat what I wanted. I never took my weightloss seriously though. Now I'm getting serious. My reward to myself when I lose the 20 pounds (which I think will take at least 6 months to be maintainable) is to go to Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson, AZ for 4 days.. I'm still working out the details but it's a place I've always wanted to go and it's supporting my commitment to losing weight so it's all good. I need to work out a few more details but I'll have some other goals to list in the future.

So that's it. I need to get out of here and get to the gym, now that we've talked about it. I need support so keep bugging me! But this blog won't be all about weightloss so don't worry. It's just on my mind today and I wanted to put it out there. THERE.

original weight august 7th: 182
last Saturday's weight : 178

now you really have to squint to read that! lol

Tuesday ramblings...

Here I am at my favorite little hideaway. I went for the Chamomile tea today, after coming here late yesterday and having coffee. I was unable to get to sleep last night, then once I did, I woke up and never really felt rested. So herbal tea it is.

Again, it's only Tuesday and I'm busy. It's hard trying to fit it all in. How do people work? lol

I think I will be okay getting my title and registration changed over. My dad is sending a letter and my credit union sent some information that shows that I paid sales tax. I also found some old information about my car insurance so if that doesn't show I used to own the car..... I'll be pissed! lol

This past weekend was a good one because my roomie was home. Usually she goes to her boyfriends cabin over the weekend. It was just like old times, working out together, hanging out and drinking (a glass of) wine and chatting til all hours... We went to Costco, I have to say I love that store. I got all sorts of things that I use on a daily basis (sure, I got a thousand of them, but I'll use 'em!) and I got a few things I didn't need either. Part of the whole weight loss thing is being prepared and not allowing myself to get too hungry. Yesterday I went to my local market to see if I'd saved any money (yep, I'm a nerd) and I did! Score!

Well, this is a boring post but I just wanted to say I'm alive. I need to get out of here and back to the house. I'll write again later... when something happens to me! lol

A new look

really girly, don't you think? I mean, I've moved, I'm getting married, I am on a quest to truly lose 25 pounds after all these years, I guess it's time to change things completely. Mix it up a bit. Why not?

I'm going to start by shamelessly plugging this fantastic coffee shop I mentioned earlier in the week. It's called C&P Coffee Company and it's in West Seatt1e. It's in an old house with odd pieces of furniture strewn about everywhere, funky art on the walls. People sit here for hours, online, drinking coffee. If I wasn't on a serious plan to be more aware of eating well, I'd try that darn coffee cake or the banana bread or whatever it is. It's not a measly little slice either but a big chunk. I love this place. It fits the slightly overcast day that is today, the only thing that would add to the mood would be a fire in that fireplace. I have a feeling I'm going to know people here after a few more days. LOL (oh yeah, did I mention that they allow dogs too?)

Ok, now I want to get down to my frustrations.. I went to get my new drivers license yesterday. Which was a pleasant experience that I certainly didn't expect. I had a nice chat with the DMV woman (her name was Enough, if you can believe that. I didn't want to ask her what it meant, but it seemed obvious.. lol) and she gave me all sorts of clues on how to get the title and registration changed (I had to go somewhere else for that), how to catch the bus into Seatt1e so that I didn't have to pay for parking, etc, etc. What she unfortunately didn't tell me what exactly how many hoops I was going to have to jump through to get my stuff accomplished. Sigh... I took a different bus than she suggested which still got me downtown but I didn't know exactly where it was going. When I finally realized that I was far away from my stop, I got off and walked back to the building I needed (probably about 10-11 blocks). I could've taken the bus back (it's free within downtown Seatt1e from 7-7) but it was a nice day so I walked. I got to the admin office and the woman told me I needed to go to the dept of revenue because I might have to pay sales tax on my car for bringing it into Washington. Of course the dept of revenue was back where I had just walked from, so I went outside, this time catching the free bus which took me most of the way. I had to walk the last 4 blocks which was fine. When I got there, I found out that I have to have proof that I bought the car, that I paid sales tax in CA, that I even owned the car (I transferred title to my dad since he was using it while I was gone), etc etc. If I can't show them I paid sales tax, I have to pay sales tax on the blue book value of my car. What a money making scam! Not only did I pay the car off 2 years ago, I don't have a majority of the papers that I got from my bank (HEL-LO! I'm in the process of moving! sigh). So... so much for me becoming legal anytime soon. Bloody hell. Am I really surprised? No, I guess not, this is a state organization, after all...

Besides that, I've been reviewing my options for cell phone service as well as phone/cable/internet to bring to the house. I don't know what the best option is yet but I'll figure it out. I have a few more weeks before it becomes imperative. The cell phone would be nice though - I'd love to send texts and stuff. I made a decision on the gym and since I joined yesterday, I haven't actually worked out! lol Hopefully I'll get to it this weekend. I'd also like to get out and look at furniture and a down comforter - at least so there's a little bit in the house when M arrives next month.

I guess that's it for now. I hope you like the new look. I hope to get back online and read your blogs one of these days but for now, I have to say hello from here. so, hello!