i like big bundts 2011

I tried to drown myself in margaritas...

but I thought it would be better to make a Bundt instead....

I looked at many different recipes before I settled on this one for a Key Lime Bundt Cake with Margarita Icing.  I think it's the best dessert I've ever made.  So I'm making another one tomorrow for Thanksgiving.

And don't forget to lick the beaters.....

Note - I made the aforementioned Bundt on National Bundt Day on 11/15/11.   Due to the time-sucking constraints of my life/job or job/life, I hadn't had the opportunity to post as promptly as I had hoped....

Three months plus a few days into 39 Project.....and some other stuff, too

Forgive me Father for I have sinned....it's been over a month since my last blog post......




Whoops!  Wrong faith!!

Following along the oft-repeated tenet of "Though Shalt Not Blog Or Else Thine Luck Willst Turneth to Shit"....I have stayed away from my site......

It seems like this is a good, lazy Sunday to procrastinate the bill paying with the blog posting.....




Catching up in stream of consciousness order.....




I'm three months into my 39 Project.  Maybe I've unpacked a box.  Or two.  Or not.

But I've been 75% faithful to WW (ok....maybe 65% is closer to it) and I've lost over 16 lbs.

And I'm nine weeks or so into C25K and TODAY I RAN FOR 30 MINUTES WITHOUT STOPPING....at a 4.0 pace...THAT'S TWO MILES!  I'm well on my way to actually being able to run a 5K in Avalon at the end of this summer.....



I closed my office.  And mourned the death of a job that shouldn't have died.  I packed my shit up, kissed my office goodbye, and drove home in silence.


But the last week was maudlin fun.

"You want this"

"Sure"

"Well then, take it home tonight"

"OK"

(back and forth between my boss and I)



Did I mention that I'm now the proud owner of a serious set of kitchen cabinets that I rescued from my (now gutted) former office?  A contractor-friend is taking me on as a pity case and going to build me a new kitchen this summer......whoo hoo!!



On a whim, I entered a contest to win a Le Creuset 3.5 quart round French Oven.

AND I FUCKING WON IT!!

SUCK THAT, EVIL SUCKAGE OF THE UNIVERSE.

I found out on Friday afternoon.....so my entire weekend has been bathed in the glow of....wait for it.....

WINNING!!!!!



Sorry....I couldn't help myself.




Oh, and I broke in a massive case of hives THE DAY BEFORE I WAS LOSING MY HEALTH INSURANCE.  Nothing like begging your way into a doctor's office for an emergency appointment when you've got 24 hours (or less) of medical eligibility left.




Skipping back a week or so, we ran our March Madness brackets here at home....

Me, Batman & the Tiny Titan.

AND I'VE GOT THE CHAMPIONSHIP BELT BACK, BABY!!

Duh.......winning!!!!




I also did something that I thought I'd never have to do.

I signed up for unemployment benefits.

different kind of fine

The stress is finally getting to me.  I promised myself that my blog posts wouldn't devolve into a pity party.  Why me why me why me blah blah blah blah.

I've been working hard to stay on my WW plan....and following my C25K workouts.  I have been rewarded with a 12 lb. loss since I started in January.  Today I am wearing a pair of jeans to work that three weeks ago were too snug to be comfortable.  Yesterday I went on a job interview wearing a suit that previously looked, and felt, a size too small.

I'm taking these positives wherever I can find them.

Last night's workout was a five minute warm up walk, a twenty-five minute run, and a five minute cool down walk.  I purposefully do NOT look at the next workout in my app plan, because, knowing me, I'd just be dreading the inevitable.  The workouts haven't yet repeated themselves, so imagine my surprise when last night's workout was the same as the previous one.  ACK!  I almost passed out before I even got on the treadmill! 

I figured I'd give it a go and run at a pace faster than I'd ever tried....4.2 mph (a 14.17 mile).  And...I DID IT!!  I literally threw my arms in the air and stage whispered "YES" at the end of the run.  I checked the treadmill....1.75 miles without stopping.

I am so proud of myself.

I should end the story there.  It's a great post.  Nice and tidy and wrapped in a bow.

And then the endorphins kicked in.  I felt the lump rise in my throat as a I walked back to the locker room.  I sat down on the bench in front of the locker, turned the key in the lock, and began to cry.  And I couldn't stop the flow of tears as they streamed over my hot and sweaty cheeks.  I was powerless to stifle the sob escaping from my lungs.

And I knew that it is all coming down crashing around me.  I found out a friend of mine is expecting a baby...and that unleashed all of the inner sadness that I thought I had buried.  I wallowed in my sadness for another five minutes or so, got up, washed my face and walked out into the cold night air.

One day I will conquer that.  But in the meantime, I'll be the one crying on the treadmill after I finish my workout.  Just throw me a tissue and give me five minutes.  I'll meet you outside after I'm done.....

Tiny Titan

Damn.  When I really am in full-on avoidance, I don't post worth a shit.  I'm two weeks away from unemployment with no new job on the horizon.  My stress level is thru the roof and I'm no longer sleeping.

But I've lost ten pounds since January between WW & my C25K workouts at the Y.  PLUS...in the ultimate irony....I somehow managed to be selected as the Fitness Facility Tracking Winner for my company for the month of January and scored a $100 VISA gift card. I plan to spend it foolishly.

Yesterday I went to pick up the Tiny Titan from school and head down to Hebrew School.  The drive usually takes between 15-20 minutes depending on the traffic.  I use the time to ask him about his day, what he liked, how much homework he has, etc.  Here's a recap of part of our chat:

Me - How was your day?

TT - Fine.  Jeremy had his lungs taken out, so he wasn't in school today.

Me - His WHAT??  HIS LUNGS??!!??

TT - Yeah, his lungs.  Why, is that bad??

Me - HIS LUNGS??!!??  Are you sure about that??

TT - Yeah, his lungs.

At this point, I'm almost crashing my car from the disbelief and laughter because there is no way that Jeremy had his lungs removed.  At the red light, I swivel around in my seat and ask again, "HIS LUNGS?????"

To which the TT points to HIS THROAT and says, "Yeah.  His lungs."


I now realize that he means "TONSILS" and then explain the difference to TT.  His response?

TT - I didn't know that I have tonsils.  All I know is that I've got nuts and a butt.


And that pretty much sums up any man I know.

Good night folks, I'll be here all week.  Don't forget to tip your servers.

woman on the verge...

Have I mentioned that I will be joining the ranks of the unemployed March 18th? 

TPTB made a "business decision" to close my office.  I'm so disgusted that the people who hired me didn't have the balls to call me or at least email me to discuss the decision.

Fucking assholes.

I have been under incredible amounts of stress trying to find a job.  I have attempted to eliminate said stress by staying on my WW plan and consistently exercising.  And not binge eating.  Or crying.

There are days when I'm fine and everything seems quite manageable.  And there are days, like rightnowthisveryminute, that I feel like if I get a wrong look or hear the wrong song on the radio, that I will dissolve into a pool of hysteric tears.

We are fortunate in that we have (in no particular order) our health, our son, our home and our happiness (most of the time).  Money and future security.....not so much.

And when the weight of the day sneaks up on me...like with the realization that I have less than six weeks of work left...I just want to put my head on my desk and cry.

I'm not someone who puts stock in prayer.  I cannot hear someone tell me that they "pray on it" without rolling my eyes so far back into my head that I've become a zombie.  I can only do what I can and hope that my actions result in a positive result.

In the meantime, if you can't find me, I might be curled in a fetal position immobile on my couch with my dog.  At least she doesn't give me any shit or ask me why I haven't found a job yet.

last week catch-up & January recaps....

In no particular order.....

• I stuck to my WW plan about 75% of the time...net result was minus 6.2 lbs. for the month  - YAY!!
• I made a concerted effort to get to the gym everyday in January....but this winter weather has NOT been helpful.  I think I made it to the gym about 50% of the time.
• I started my C25K program during the last week of January - and survived!
• I checked out the Broad Street Run as something to work towards for NEXT YEAR.  I then began hyperventilating as I read this page.
• I did not work on any boxes.  Huge argument this past weekend.  :-(
• We discovered we had mice - YUCK.  Batman managed to trap four of them in a three day span and we haven't seen any others (or evidence thereof) so I'm hoping we've got them all.  It was like a Siberian deathcamp outside my garage.....
• The Tiny Titan had his Third Grade Consecration event at synagogue....and I was truly kvelling.
• During last week's snow event, we got snowed in at our friends' house - and I drank lots and lots of white wine and actually relaxed for a night.  I baked (and brought with me) some amazing banana / peanut butter swirl cupcakes with chocolate frosting.  OMFG.  
• I did go to the Y the next day to work off the aforementioned cupcakes.  And wine.
• And I still hate "weather events" that involve incredible amounts of wind and / or rain.  
• Lastly.....I'm going to find the kid that keeps praying for snow and beat the crap out of him / her.  Or at least tie them up and throw them in a locked closet until May.

newsflash...i didn't die last night!!!

NEWSFLASH....................

I WENT RUNNING...............................................

AND I SURVIVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took a deep breath and gave my new Couch to 5K app a whirl.

And did I mention.......I DIDN'T DIE!!!!!!

I broke out the old running shoes with the old orthotic inserts....put on the new jog bra I purchased (three cups sizes too small, so I was strapped in so tight it was like I was wearing Kevlar).....drove over to the Y and gave it a go!

I really liked the app - a pleasant woman's voice told me when I should WALK or RUN.....I truly laughed out loud when she told me that I was HALFWAY DONE!! 

Once she announced that it was time for the FINAL RUN, I could have leaped for joy. 

I'm going to stick with it....so let's see where I end up in nine weeks when this part of the experiment is over!

But......I WENT RUNNING!!!!!!!  Or at least, something close to it :-)