Day 20 - Halloween

It is beautiful here right now, but it looks like storm clouds over the ocean, we will see. I hope it stays nice because this year I decided to give out candy. Maybe TH and I will even carve a pumpkin.

I don't remember ever going trick or treating, I am sure I probably did but I have no memory of it. In some respects T1 and T2 had more traditional upbringing getting to do the Halloween bit and probably all sorts of other holiday fun things that we younger children just didn't get. There is a certain envy there, but that was then this is now, and now I want to see trick or treaters.

Today is suppose to be the first 4 mile walk - TH said he was coming with us but leaving WM. We will see. I am not sure that he will be up to it, but it is Halloween, he should do something to commemorate this day. Also it is the start of week 4 for me.

BIL2 goes all out for Halloween, I have never met anyone else who seems to just embrace the holiday like he does. Loved his costume - I think that he is frustrated director under all that family man stuff.

Anyway Happy Halloween Everyone!!

Day 19 - Dog car vs people car

We have the luxury of having enough cars that one can be dedicated to the dogs. My poor T is just a bit too heavy so she has problems jumping right now, so the easiest car for her would be the newest car, but TH wants to keep that for humans. Asking why and he says we have everything in the big car for the dogs so if we go on big trips its ready to go.

Now when he says that the big car is set up for dogs he means that we have water pans and balls in it. Hmm, I guess it would be hard to transfer two water pans and three balls to other car.

The major problem is the hair. You open the door of the big car and hair just flies all over the place. It clogged up the heating vent once, it gets in between, under, above and any crack and cranny you can think of. Dog hair is like much like a pest you wish you could get rid of, but they just keep coming back.

I took the big car in once to be detailed, and when I pulled up they took one look inside and said no way are we going to be able to clean this car. They literally laughed at me. Laughed. We hadn't cleaned the car for maybe a couple of years, but still the hair wasn't more then an inch thick.

Now T doesn't shed as much as WM, but T lets me comb her, WM won't let me comb her. I think the solution to this problem is leave WM at home, TH doesn't feel that would be fair to her. She is getting on in years and he feels she deserves to go on walk with the big boys.

I disagree. She is 13 years old, and while the idea of a walk may appeal to her, physically it isn't really in her cards. Take last night for instance. I didn't have a dog car because the big one is in the shop, so I waited until TH came home so we could take the truck (the truck is much to big for me to drive - another story), so we lifted both dogs into the truck (the WM was much easier to lift) and drove to the Bay Trail. We humans had decided that TH and WM would rest if need be and do what they could while T and I went ahead and got our mileage in. So the minute we got out of the car I had to go to the bathroom (damn water) and said we had to go home. TH wouldn't hear of it and told me to "suck it up". Hmmm. Anyway I tried to put it at the back of my mind and started walking. We agreed not do three miles, but I decided we would do 20 minutes out 20 minutes back - easy peasy.

Well we went ahead immediately, TH didn't even try to keep up with us. The problem with being so far ahead was that T was nervous about them and kept wanting to go back and check that they were still coming, so every few steps she would stop and look behind to make sure they were still there. It is the herding instinct Dog T1 did that too, actually she would run at top speed between the two of us. WH started out fairly strong, but ended up getting slower and slower. By the time we actually turned around I wasn't really sure that WH would make it back to the truck. She was at the very end of her six foot leash and barely able to lift her little legs. I told TH he should probably carry her back, but he was too tired as well (he had already walked to Bart that day.)

We made it back to the truck the dogs got in and WH immediately fell asleep. Life of dogs is so hard especially when humans interfere. Next life I am coming back as a dog.

Day 18 - Rain again

We were suppose to have a 6 hour power outage but it has been called off on account of the rain. I can only guess that all those baseball fans are giving a sigh of relief that the game isn't in the City today. TH told me that on his bucket list he wanted to see the Giants win the World Series. I personally think that is an odd item on the bucket list. But who am I to judge, on my bucket list I want to go to an Olympics.

I have found myself in awe around those who are top in there fields no matter what the field. With six billion going on seven billion people, to meet or be in the presence of one of the best in their field is humbling. With sports it is easy to judge those who at the top of their class, in other areas it isn't so easy to judge. But you know when you have seen a great movie or read a great book, it is almost universal.

I was cleaning my office yesterday and came across a letter my dad had written me. In it he says "The adventure lies in the process of (re)invention". How apt is that? I feel very lucky that I was raised by two unique and sometimes great individuals.

Day 17 - Achy Breaky Tootsies

I went to bed last night and a little sore back a little sore knees a little sore feet, and I woke up with a little sore back, a little sore knees, little sore feet, and really sore toes. I am in search of the perfect shoe, then I will buy enough to last my life time. I have a great pair, but I can't quite figure out what they are. So I went and bought what I thought was closest to them and while they are comfortable they don't support the ball of my foot as well as the other one does - hence the achy breaky toes. I keep wearing them, because I don't want to wear out my other pair before March.

So I woke up this morning thinking I just didn't want to walk today. I finished my Chet and Bernie book, and I haven't started on another. It is hard for me to transition from one book to another, so sometimes I have a lag between the two. So I don't have anything to listen to and my body aches a little. Maybe I will check out Down the Rabbit Hole...

Anyway, because I don't have anyone who will notice that I didn't walk today, I probably won't. I don't have a car and it looks like rain and...bummer.

Yesterday in the park there were probably a dozen or so older men in the park and the were doing what I could guess as the samba. I wanted to stay and watch, but they gave me black looks as T wanted to join in the fray. T was especially bad (did I mention that I have a sore arm too?) and had to check out every rodent hole, and now she wants to chase those stupid creatures. I think I like her a bit out of shape.

The suspense will kill you I know -did she walk or not? Maybe I will tell you tomorrow or maybe not.

Day 16- Start of third week

558 days left. Everyone last night had a great week. I know that this is evil to say, but I wish everyone hadn't had a "perfect" week. My competitive nature never sleeps, and I want to be the big winner, and I can't do that when everyone is being "perfect". As I told T2 - second generation Winning is everything.

But the woes did come in force. I was so hungry, the food made me soo sick, I was having migraines, all I did was think about food...and I had food dreams. One other person said they had the dreams, but they didn't eat in the dream - they were just surrounded by food. So I cheated in my dreams what are going to do - shoot me?

Half the class has also engaged a shrink. My shrink is getting to the bottom of my eating. I am thinking maybe the other doctor told them to. Talking in this class isn't enough?

Kaiser says to exercise 30 minutes a day, so I wrote down that I was walking the dog for a 3o minutes a day and she wrote back that I needed to walk the dog 100 minutes a day. Okay now that is a far cry from walking 5 minutes a day now isn't it.

I think that I am going to buy a dance video and pound on the floor for those 100 minutes, that should do it for me.

Day 15 - Weapons are us

This is not a kid friendly home. TH loves medieval times and all the pageantry that he thinks comes with it. We have spears, swords, daggers, knives, and bow and arrows. Those are just the medieval weapons. They are stuck in corners hanging on dressers, bookcases, under the bed, in drawers, locked up, unlocked, hidden and open.

Every couple of months he comes showing me a magazine with some new type of weapon that he just must have. And if he decides on a sword he spends hours on whether or not he should have them send the sword sharpened. Sometimes they won't sharpen the sword, but mostly he decides on his own to not have them sharpened. But if they come sharpened, oh boy does he have fun showing me just how sharp they are.

One of our first dates was going to the renaissance fair. He had full costume, and though the temperature was well over 100 degrees (he hates hot weather), I couldn't get him to leave. I was miserable and annoyed as people would come up randomly, speaking in those fake old english accents "fair maiden how doth thy fair". I think that is all they could really come up with. It really is not my cup of tea and though I continued to go in the beginning I finally put my foot down and said no more. It is kind of like dragging someone to the opera who hates opera.

We haven't been to that fair for 15 years - but that hasn't stopped him from dreaming. Me, I never really got the fascination with the middle ages - I need my indoor plumbing which brings back to where I started, we had a sword hanging on the bathroom door and it fell on my foot, luckily it was one of the unsharpened ones.

Day 14 - Again with the Food dreams whats up with that?

I had another food dream. Geez two weeks into the program and I have had 3 food dreams. Last nights dream was more about Saturday nights dream. Saturday night I dreamed I ate 12 bagels, and one of the other participants also ate bagels so they went first on how they cheated. The facilitator then got all worried and told her that eating bagels could kill her and a good thing she only had a bite. But I had 12 (not 13 - I should have realized it was dream then)- I began to worry that maybe I would keel over right there in the room before I could confess my sins. I kept going over in my head how did I eat 12 bagels. I ate them and didn't even notice I was eating them. They just kind of fell into my mouth.

Last night I dreamt about dreaming about eating the bagels. I dreamed in my dream that I was dreaming about eating the bagels. Then in the dream I thought how stupid is that I would never eat 12 bagels, and I certainly would know that I ate them so I definitely know this is just a dream. So I sat there with my cup of tea and a piece of fudge thinking how silly that dream really was. Then ACK I was eating candy. Make a liar out of me from my prior post saying I never ate candy - or something like that...and that is all I remember. Oh dreams are such pesky little fellows!!!

Day 13 - Walks Part 2

Over two years ago I had decided to get in shape and to start by walking. It was going to be my 50th year resolution. So on the day of my birthday I dragged TH, M and T out into the beautiful outdoors. I knew to start off easy so I picked a wheelchair accessible walk (flat) with beautiful scenery. We all piled in the car and off we went. I was excited and took off like a bat out of hell. The weather was perfect for TH and I and both of the dogs seemed to be enjoying it. I wanted to walk to the end and back, which would be a five mile walk, piece of cake - yea if I were 10 years younger. The upshot I did the whole walk and needless to say I was a bit sore on the back half, but I thought it was a good soreness, something I could work out the next day.

The next day my leg was hurting and the soreness just didn't abate that much, but a resolution was a resolution, so I packed TH and the girls into the car and we went to the Empire Mine. They have walks all through the park and it is a popular place for locals to walk their dogs and ride their horses. As we got parked a lady came running up to us asking if we had seen her dog. We hadn't but by her dog getting ahead of her I had presumed that it was a off-leash park (law vs custom) so we let the dogs go free. All went well except for my leg, it just kept getting more and more painful to walk on, but I perservered. We passed many walkers very few dogs, but I was noticing that all those dogs were on leash, so I was beginning to think that maybe this was not an off leash park, just as we turned a corner and before I could stop her T went tearing straight for a big bully of a dog on-leash. As I have said before T gets dog frenzy, but once she meets a dog she is completely disinterested in them, so I never really worry about encounters as long as the owners don't get crazy. Well this owner went ballistic and T started to posture the other dog started to posture and the owner was screaming at me to get my dog. When I finally caught up (I had to run and I never run and it hurt like really bad) and got T the owner said some very nasty and hurtful things to me. And he kept saying them and cursing me until he was out of sight. That was it for me. I was embarrassed and hurt and promised never to return to that park again.

Those two walks did something to my leg and for the next year and a half I couldn't walk on the knee without pain. I even tried swimming but even that hurt. Finally the pain subsided enough that I can walk again. So what do I do? Sign of for a 50 mile walk in March!! But seriously, I am going to be more careful this time.

Which brings us to Saturday. Saturday I went back to that park by god I kept my dog on leash and prayed I wouldn't see that evil man, and had an uneventful walk - YEA!!!

Sooo where to today?

Day 12 - Candy

Hunger hasn't been an issue so far. I even went into a grocery store last night. We walked in and right as we enter there is a case full of donuts (one of my favorite foods), and then a big bin of candy - then chips. Now if I were to have a last meal (which I pretty much did a couple of weeks ago) candy would not be on it. Occasionally I eat candy, but I don't like it 1/2 as much as other people in my family. TH keeps a candy drawer at work, though he insists that he is not a big candy eater, but over the last 20 years I have found evidence to the contrary. I have seen this drawer and though not all candy (he has chips and pretzels in it too) mostly candy. But no where have I seen a bigger stash of candy then under D's bed. There is so much candy there at times she could open her own candy store. And don't get me started on T2. She doesn't have the candy in a drawer or under the bed she has flat out in huge containers all through her house.

My grandmom used to have candy out in little dishes and I used to love grabbing a piece and sitting next to her enjoying it. As I grew older I wanted to do that too, so I bought candy dishes filled them with various types of candy and waited for company. But though I don't find candy in my top 20 foods, that doesn't mean I don't like it, so needless to say that candy never made it to the company. Oh that might also have something to do with the fact I never had company either.

It is very interesting that I haven't been having any cravings. I think that it is the shakes. Though they taste horrible, they are completely nutricious and I probably haven't eaten balanced food in a very long time. So maybe this is the secret of dieting. Maybe overeating is the body's way of getting the vitamins and minerals it so desperately needs, and the mind just isn't willing. Maybe they have that saying wrong - maybe it is the flesh is willing but the mind is weak. Or maybe I need another couple of weeks before the cravings hit.

Day 11 - Walks

I have to decide everyday were to walk now. I have been hankering to go down to the beach, but I invariable get yelled out by someone who thinks my dog is a menace. She is big, but she is the most loving gentle dog you could imagine. She does bark a lot, but she is definitely not an alpha. TH comes home unexpectedly and I find her cowering under my feet. She is what she is I love just the same. So deciding were to walk is a matter of what I want to do. I can't listen to my books on tape walking on the beach. I have tried in the past and it just doesn't work, so if I walk on the beach no books on tape.

So no beach, I am in the middle of a book by Spenser Quinn and T and I are just totally delighted. I am walking along and just burst out laughing there is this part were the owner of Princess pampers her and says oh you poor thing cooped up in that plane all day - and Chet says cooped up in that plane there is plenty of room for her to run in fact she would have plenty of room to run in a mailbox. This is the second book I have read by him and I am totally delighted. I have another "Down the Rabbit Hole" that has been on my list and I definitely will read now.

We are off to GV!!! That may be a story in itself

Day 10-Funk

Well I was in a funk today. Needless to say I didn't have much to say. But M came by and was helping me and I feel much better now. Oh yea I also got my game machine!!!!

I have looked at and drooled over this machine since M told me about it. I even bought it on-line, but they wouldn't process it without talking to me first and I had a tantrum and told TH to cancel. That was probably eight months ago. So every couple of weeks I put the machine in my cart and then delete it. Can't justify the money. But it was my birthday and TH asked what I wanted other then a pinball machine and I told him I wanted this machine and he AGREED!!!

The delivery people came and I was Gleeful!! And when I told them to take it into the garage they were too. The two burly young men came struggling carrying a box as big as a small car, and they spoke in unison (like Tweedledee and Tweedledum) "man this is the biggest computer I have ever delivered, are you sure it is a computer?" "Yes Yes Yes" I squealed in delight "its mine its mine its mine."

"And this little box here is your 23" monitor?" "Yes Yes Yes" I again squealed in delight "its mine its mine its mine."

And this little piggy went to the market!!!

Day 8 - In the Waiting Room

I gave blood as I had stated in the post before but it wasn't quite as easy as I had thought it would be. I had expected a wait, but when I got there the entire lobby was filled, they were on number 18 and I pulled number 54. ACKK. Worse then that the line for the bloodletting was back in the 80's (they turn it over at 99 back to 1). I pulled my number then looked for a seat.

Have you ever noticed that in a waiting room people generally don't talk? If they do it is a whisper, like no one can hear the whisper. What are you here for? I have VD, what are you here for? Same. Like I am going to date either of you now - geez.

Anyway I trolled the waiting room to find a seat out of the way of coughs and sneezes and found one in the corner where two gentlemen were talking. A whole waiting room of people and only two people really having a conversation. So I sit across from them, whip out my notebook and pretend to be busy as I listen in.

There was nothing earth shattering they were actually talking about swimming. Whenever I hear anything about swimming my ears perk up, but he was just talking about how he was going to miss his swim today. The other gentlemen asked what time the pooled closed and the first said 10;30. Oh you can make it is close by right? The other gentlemen responds yes it just a couple blocks away, it is the public pool. Now I am wondering how anyone could think that he could make it. It was 10 am right then, he gets in in the next 5 minutes walks the 2 blocks say another 5 minutes he changes and is at pool side it is 10:15 best case scenario. But he doesn't get called for another 7 minutes...And as he was leaving the other dude said see you'll make it. Now here is guy who sees the glass as 1/2 full.

When it was my time for bloodletting I sat down in front of a very young looking gentlemen fumbled with my coat took a couple of very deep breaths and smiled. Hi, he says, I am an intern with Kaiser do you mind if I take your blood today... YIKES!!! and intern? taking my blood?? I did the only thing I could - I smile through gritted teeth and said fine as long as you don't hurt me. He gave me a really sour look, so I thought that I should probably loosen him up a bit since he was -you know- taking my blood. Oh I bet you get that all the time right I asked. He smiled - whew.

Damn it hurt!!! When he told me I was done and to hold the gauze against my pulsating wound, I did a quick peak and my blood was still on the counter - and I turned my head again. I guess he hadn't come across in his internship someone who gets woozy at the sight of their blood for me it does not matter if it is in a bottle or the vein. This guy is oblivious, I am sweating profusely my eyes are tightly shut and I ask if I can go. No let me just finish this up and tape the gauze to you then you will be good to go. It had to have been the longest bloodletting in my life!!!

Just to let everyone know my deepest desire is not to be a bloodsucking vampire - though Lestat still rocks!!!

Day 9 - Blech

Through these 9 days of blogging I have made a conscious decision that I would not use peoples names nor do I plan on it. I thought about it long and hard and thought for those who don't know me the names don't mean anything, for those who do know me I have plausible deniability, if your feelings are hurt it isn't about you.

Tonight didn't go well, so I don't have much to say. Turns out it isn't a simple math problem.

Day 7 - Blood and Doctors

Well this is the end of the 7th day and I can honestly say I have made it a week - woohoo!!!

It is blood day - or not. We were suppose to get up early (like 7 am) but I didn't get up until 9am so going to Kaiser now is going to be a long wait. Last time I had my blood drawn they almost drained me. I mean it was serious stuff. I felt like I was giving blood for the Red Cross. And the audacity of Kaiser didn't even offer me juice when I was done.

In the last 35 years I have been to the regular doctor maybe 20 times, and the last 18 times has been in the last couple of years. I have never liked doctors (a story for another day) so I kind of stress out when I go. I work myself into such a tissy that I think I am going to pass out. It isn't one thing it is everything, but always there is one overriding fear and that each time I go in they are going to tell me I have three months to live. Imagine my delight that that has never happened.

Now I am seeing a Doctor every three weeks - I may just keel over from stress.

Day 6 - Lost dogs

It was another foggy day in the City, but I made it through another day only 568 days to go.

We went to Target, to do some shopping and discovered that they have a complete grocery store now. I was floored, anything in the world you need all in one store. I am guessing with on-line shopping there has to be a catch to get people into there stores and most people still grocery shop.

TH, his D and T all went to the stick today and did our walk together - sort of...D is such an old lady and now she has that old dog walk - you know the splayed legs, she slips more often then not because of her splayed legs. It is fun to watch T jump on her and her four legs come out on the side - like in the cartoons. Now I am making myself laugh.

I don't generally take my I Touch when the four of us walk because I always think we will chat. I should know by now that going for a walk with TH is me 1/2 mile ahead and TH looking at something stopping to examine it or just racing that rabbit - . TH has good qualities so very curious about everything and anything, but geez - he can't go for a walk without smelling ALL the roses.

T on the other hand just waddled along. Before her waddle was more like a sexy sway, but now it is just a waddle. And nobody ever wants to meet her. I don't understand she is so beautiful but no one ever stops to talk or pet my beloved T life is very unfair.

We got home from our shopping and the whole neighborhood was out on their porches. I thought I was in some Tennessee Williams play (though no sexy lingerie)all looking for some stray dog that wandered into our upper middle class neighborhood. In the 20 odd years that I have lived here I have never come across a stray in this neighborhood. Nor did I know anyone else lived in the neighborhood (just kidding). But seriously, these people who all live separate lives, whose names I don't know, who gets to and from places by getting into their cars in their garage, so never seeing who they are- just that is the car from across the street (generally I am not up early enough to see who leaves, and I am working so I don't see who comes, but sometimes on the weekend I will see their cars). So here are my neighbors working together (even a neighbors car stopped) to save this stray, and we find ourselves helping out. We caught the poor dog, he looked like he had been hurt, very skinny, and the "neighbor" who orchestrated this momentous event didn't even live in the neighborhood, she also took the dog.

Feeling pretty good about everybody, I tried to talk with them, but they all quickly disappeared into their upper middle class homes without another word. The stranger stayed a minute to chat, but had to get to back to the Giants game. Ah I am still under that three minute rule.

Day 5 - Food Dreams

Ha it started!!! I dreamt about food well a specific food - tortillas. I love eating just plain tortillas and in the dream I had walked to the fridge stuck my head in and came out with the tortilla. After about eating 1/2 I realized that I couldn't eat it, so I spit it out and went to TH to confess my sin. He ignored me, so I called T2 to confess. I was crying and so very upset, and I woke up.

When I quit smoking I had these dreams all the time (dreams of smoking). I would feel the dream smoke enter my lungs I would smell the dream cigarette as I puffed away on that dream cigarette. In the beginning I would try to justify my dream smoking by saying one cigarette won't hurt me, but deep in my heart I knew that one cigarette would send me into a spiral and I would never be able to quit again. Panic would overcome me and I would wake up. As time went by I didn't make excuses for my dream smoking, but the guilt always woke me up. I think I knew if I accepted my dream smoking I would be that much closer to accepting real smoking.

So unlike my dream cigarettes the food had no taste, maybe that will come later.

Woke up to the fog. There are two kinds of fog - low lying fog and high fog. I like the low lying fog (like in the Sherlock Holmes stories), but this high fog reminds me of Seattle and the forever dreary days. We have had a week of beautiful weather and now this. Poo. I am doing the MS walk in March and according to K they think that MS might have something to do with vitamin D deficiency. To much sun can kill you not enough sun can cripple you - what are you going to do Goldilocks?

Day 4 - Chicken Soup

Who would have thought chicken soup is just as good as tomato soup!!! So two days in a row the sky parts and steps descend and I ascend into HEAVEN!! And no I didn't add mushrooms.

T is out front greeting all the neighbors today. Still hot, but we have the door open so it isn't so stifling. T and I are reading "Dog On It" and she has informed me that the author has most of it wrong. Chet, she tells me is a moron.

Per T2 telling me how Sister N male child D loved Hunger game I decided to give it a try. I too am loving the story - I seem to like to YA books, I wonder what that says about me.

I found myself going into the kitchen and open the fridge. Go open the fridge stick my head in shut it and do it again 10 minutes later. I wasn't hungry just bored hmmm...

They said that your emotions may be all over the map, but I didn't think they thought you would get happy. I was sitting there watching TV and I turned over and saw TH sleeping on a little smooched pillow. The pillow hardly supported his "ski jump nose" let alone his big old hairy head and then next to him was my pillows all stacked up to watch TV - 7 pillows all told. I started giggling - then laughing - then pee in my pants laughing. I ran to the bathroom (unlike Sister N I was able to control it until I got to the bathroom) laughing so hard I fell off the pot. The next thing I know I have a tongue in my face worried licks all around. The hysteria aborted by my beloved companion.

I seem to be boring people of late, or maybe I am just noticing. First my TH son calls to wish me happy belated birthday and he is three minutes into the conversation and says he has to get back to the bar. That was after 2 forced laughs and three whats and 4 very pregnant pauses, I can't imagine why he would want to get off the phone. Then my lovely mother called, we are talking and suddenly three minutes into the conversation she says she has to go and see what the dog is up too. Maybe D needed to get back to work and maybe my mom had to get the dog, but when my niece called and told me three minutes into the conversation that she was tired and going to bed I know I have a problem. I blame it on the shakes.

Day 3 - TOMATO SOUP

I lOVE Tomato soup. Drinking the shakes was a bit depressing, but then I had tomato soup!!! It is the best soup ever!!! I died and went to heaven.

It was 80 degrees in the city and with T, D & M in one room with the door closed the temperature must have hit close to 100. Miserable, I drank all eight glasses of water but sweated it out.

I had my first Yap today. T (the human one) was planning on going out to dinner, but then decided maybe take-out. Take-out in my present state of mind - I think not!! I yapped at him telling him he was not bringing any take-out into my home, in fact after he got home from dinner he had to go do the whole shower mouthwash thing...but after my tomato soup I'm good. Nothing he has could possible compare to my tomato soup.

TH (the Human one) friend asked TH if it would be okay if he (TH) couldn't make dinner to have dinner with me. Now I do like TH's friend but we have never had more then a five minute conversation so I couldn't really imagine D really saying that he could have dinner with me without TH.

I was wrong - D wanted to talk about this diet center for last hopes he is setting up. It sounds like a great idea, but...it sounds just like what I am doing. I haven't told him, so I didn't feel right telling him that it is already being done. However, he does have a point there is a diet out there for everyone who really wants to lose weight you just have to find the right one, in this case one size does not fit all. I hope I found mine.

Day 2 - The Day After

Ah from the mouths of babes...

The excitement and joy one has when they first undertake a life changing event. Everyone tonight was on best behavior talking how this is the one the one that will change your life. I am just to cynical for all this love and joy.

I started early (the product), and when I got to the office I reeked of the product. It was coming out of my pores - seriously - I smelled like their damn chocolate shake. I get to the counter to sign in and the administrator starts choking. Now I was worried that she would smell the product on me, but this is the second time I have met her and the second time she has started choking when I am in her vicinity. We have come to the conclusion that she is allergic to me. Feeling safe that she didn't smell the shake on me and maybe a little worried that she was going into respiratory arrest I opened my mouth to give her words of encouragement not to die and I burped that foul smelling shake. She went running out of the office - literally no hyperbole.

I felt a bit like I was in kindergarten and I kind of acted like it too. We had to meet the people to the right and left, so I met E and B. Both were charming and more sociable then the first night. I found out that E loves children and Braden does the AIDS walk. They found out it was my birthday. Happy birthday T!!!

Introducing B I said he did the AIDS walk and walked 6 miles for it jokingly I said I couldn't do a mile. We then segued into exercise and lo and behold the facilitator picked up on my joke and asked if I exercised. Being the honest person that I am I said no. She then asked if I could walk 5 minutes. I mean come on get real 5 minutes seriously? I laughed and said I guess I do exercise I walk the dog more then 5 minutes less then an hour. I guess she thought I was lying to her -but you said that you didn't exercise. Geez...

You definitely got a flavor of everyone, one person both people on each side of her didn't know anything - I just talked about myself I didn't ask you any questions - could be things to come.

T and I went out early this morning down by the ocean. It was a tough walk, I never socialized my T and she becomes a little excited when she sees her kind. I try to spy them beforehand but she always seems to see them first then I have to deal with the high pitch keening and barking.

The food is terrible. I don't think in 20 weeks it is going to get any better, but I did discover it I put ice in and blend it is a bit more palatable kind of like a vanilla milkshake. We were told to stay away from neigh sayers, what if that nay sayer is meigh?

Day 1 - the Journey Begins

Well I promised T2 that I would blog my journey and since today is the "official" day it is fitting in so many ways to start the blog today.

T and I went for a walk at Candlestick park it is a nice quiet park for the most part, and most importantly it is flat. It is one of those rare sunny days, but I only encountered three walkers and one dog even though the parking lot was 1/2 full. Probably out fishing - took T out that way (to the piers) once and she grab a fish (from some old man's bucket)- I made her drop it, but I wasn't going to pick it up. I didn't stick around to hear what the guy said - glad I don't speak Chinese.

Anyway every time we walk the park T gets very excited thinking she will get lucky twice. She probably would if I left her off leash, but I am a quick study. T got a squirrel or whatever those ground rodents are. She wasn't even trying for it, she was walking along off leash minding her own business and this stupid squirrel ran right under her feet. Can you imagine her delight!! Not a thing to do but step down and it is caught. Me - all I can think is that dirty diseased rodent and in it is in her mouth and her mouth touches me quite a bit - oh help I think I am going to die. So I am sitting their squealing like a pig, T is shaking with excitement and the squirrel is having a heart attack. I ran away left T there to do as she pleased, but being the insecure dog she is she dropped the squirrel and ran after me afraid I was going to leave her behind.

Today the sidewalks were covered with those pests. They have no fear, and even T got tired of them. I am going to bring in a couple of coyotes and let them take care of it. Even the hares are fearless.

Anyway I digress, today I am starting though I started Sunday. I already know what I am in for, and trying to find the easiest way to handle it. Usually for me it is the journey that I enjoy, but this time I think that I am looking forward to the destination just as much. I know over the years people have watched while I have tried to make this journey, in the beginning they were saying "oh that is not so bad, you don't have far to go". Now people are saying you have way to far to go - it just isn't possible. I have been hearing that for the last 10 years. Once you get to a certain point you can't ever go back. Is that like you can't go home again? I am all about beating the odds. It is what I do.