Finishing up a 4 day weekend...

Hi all...a belated Happy Mother's Day to everyone. I was going to post something yesterday, but well...I didn't want to end up being a Debbie Downer, especially since all and all, I've been pretty gosh darn good.

So, what did I do with my LLLLLOOOOONNNNGGGGG weekend? Well...here is a quick recap.

Friday: I went for a long bike ride. I biked from my apartment to the local video store...and then over to my dad's. I went through a bunch of stuff in my brother's room (which we are using for storage right now and are going to turn it into a workout room when I move back in). I found such weird things in there....a couple of checks people wrote me back in 2000. I am not going to cash them now because well, I've seen that episode of Seinfeld, so I just shredded them. I also found so much stuff I could have been using: blank notebooks, crayons, tape, a stapler, boxes of Papermate pens, rolls of unused film, etc. I just threw stuff in a box and never looked at it again. After sorting for a while, I rode my bike home...and then started to pack some stuff.

Saturday: I took a long, long, long bike ride...I rode over to the Post Office in town...then I headed to the video store again...and rode beyond and went on the bike trail for about 4 miles and then headed back to my dad's house. I am LOVING riding my bike around town. Dad and I went shopping...and bought lotsa stuff. I came home and continued packing things I didn't need. I filled my car...and worked up a nice sweat. Oh...and I had a nice, hour long conversation with a friend on the phone. We haven't hung out in about a year...but, it was SO nice talking to her. It didn't feel like so much time had passed. We are going to make plans to hang out next weekend and actually *see* one another. I am glad I am not being such a hermit...slowly, but surely. I also watched 2 movies...Juno and Superbad. Both very funny.

Sunday: I went to church. I almost biked there because my bike and I are in love. I was running a little late, so I drove instead...plus, I don't know how long it would take me to get there, so I played it safe. Church was really nice...and was glad I spent Mother's Day there since my mom always loved going to church. I had the nicest conversation with my Pastor...and she asked me to get involved in a service project I am really excited about (more about that at another time). I headed to dad's...unpacked all the stuff from my car and started to pile it in my dad's house. My dad and I headed to my mom's grave marker and brought some fresh lilacs from the house. My mom LOVED lilacs, so I love the idea of the smell of lilacs surrounding her marker. We came home...puttered around the house a little and then I headed home. I watched some crap tv and was in bed early. It was a sad, but more than that...a really good Mother's Day.

Monday: Ah, my last day off. I could get really used to not having to work...if only that paid the bills. I woke up, puttered around the apartment and then headed out (yes, on my bike)...and yep...went to the video store. Then, I headed over to my dad's and this time went through a lot of the stuff in my old bedroom. It's kind of cluttered now and since I am moving myself and all my stuff in...I have to declutter it. I threw away 2+ garbage bins full and found bags of clothes to donate. I also found...and this is hilarious, some alcohol I had stashed and hidden from college. So, I've had wine coolers stashed in my closet since probably 1998. If that's not funny and pathetic at the same time, I don't know what is. Anyways....I finished what I could, had lunch at my dad's...and headed back out towards my apartment. I decided to take the long way since I wanted to know how long it would take to bike all the way from dad's to work. Well, I got about halfway...and went over a rusty metal hanger and it plunged right into my tire....splat...flat tire. So, I got off my bike and walked her home. It was a little less than 2 miles...and so I got some walking workout in. I came home...watched some crap tv...continued to pack and now dad is coming over and we are going to get a patch kit and hopefully fix my bike.

So...that's my weekend...which basically is packing, decluttering and my constant love affair with my new bike.

Hugs all....

Weekend Recap...

Hey there internet....I had some busy and exciting times this weekend, so I thought I'd share it with you. So, here goes...

Friday: I got home from work...and since I hadn't bought my final weight loss reward yet, even though I "earned" it weeks ago, I decided it was TIME. So, my dear ol' daddio and I went to Devil-Mart and bought me a nice, new bike. I got a great deal. It is a Schwinn Jet Star Women's Bike. It was with the clearance bikes. I think someone bought it and returned it, so I got it for over 50% off. Sweet!!! I am so excited to have a new, swanky bike. I am going to ride it to work everyday that it isn't raining (like it is this Monday morning). I am going to love the instant exercise added to my day...and with gas prices, it'll be a great thing for the environment and my pocketbook. Whoo hoo!

Saturday: I worked on Saturday...we had a big huge community service project. We were cleaning up a local park and re-doing the trail that goes to it. And guess what...I rode my bike to work. It felt great. It takes me 10 minutes to drive to work and only 15 minutes to bike it. It's awesome. The day was great for community service. It was sunny, but not too hot...and there was a nice breeze. What we did for most of the day...is clear brush and what not from the trail above the park. So, I spent hours...dragging brush, twigs and rocks onto tarps and dragging up a pretty steep hill. Let's just say...I got a nice workout. It was nice to feel physically fit enough to do it. We started right around 9am...and finished up about 3pm. I helped clean up the site...and headed home around 4pm. I was beat by the time my bike and I got home. Phew. TIRED! I made dinner...and then felt ready for bed at about 7pm. I didn't head to bed that early...but I wanted to. I think I fell asleep sometime in the 9pm hour. My body needed the rest...let me tell you.

Sunday: Ah...lovely Sunday. I didn't go to church this week. It's the annual giving drive...where they feed people a nice lunch and talk about each person's weekly giving to the Church. I know it's how the church survives, but I didn't want to be made to feel guilty about my level of giving...or feel obligated to give more than I already do. I don't give a lot each and every week in the plate, but I do always give money or goods to the dinners we have...and I have given large sums of money to special projects...like funding the summer camp program, etc. So, I feel good about my level of giving. I know that the church is also a business and it has to be...but I figured I would skip a week that reminds me of that.

I did go over and hang out with my dad instead. We've been trying to declutter the house. I think it's going to be an ongoing project FOREVER. My brother's old room is just chuck full of junk we've acquired over the years. I have boxes and boxes of stuff from college....that I just packed up, brought up and never thought of again. Mind you...I graduated in 1999. So, I spent the morning going through it and throwing away 90% of everything there. I was surprised how emotional I was going through some of the stuff. I found a lot of old pictures...and a bunch of old clothes from college. I had forgotten how overweight I was in college...denial has a way of doing that. I was probably the biggest I ever was during my college years. It was really heartbreaking looking at those old pictures. And the clothes...same thing...I would hold up the physical reminder of how big I was and it was definitely eye opening. Of course, everything in me wanted to shred those pictures and throw away all those clothes...but I didn't. I kept the pictures. I am going to put them away in a little box...and keep them as a reminder of how much change I have accomplished. I'm also going to keep them as a reminder...that I don't want to gain this weight again...that this change is permanent. It's easy to let denial take over again...and let the weight creep back on. I also put the clothes in a pile. I'm going to wash the nice ones and donate them. Hopefully someone else who needs them...will put them to good use.

And the rest of my Sunday. I had a lunch with my roomie and another friend. We went to Panera for lunch. I love that place...they have really yummy food and if you make the right choices...a lot are really healthy for you. I had a garden salad with fat free raspberry dressing. And after eating, we went back to our apartment and watched a movie...August Rush. It was completely unrealistic, but I liked it. It was great to hang out with the girls...since we haven't done that in a long time. Since I hadn't seen my one friend is almost a year, it did take a little bit to kind of get to know each other again. Now that her schedule has changed, I am hoping we are going to be able to get together more often.

I think that's about it for my weekend report...and because it's Monday, I'll report that I weighed in and lost a pound this week. That didn't surprise me at all...especially given the cardio marathon I did on Saturday with working out on the elliptical, riding my bike to and from work and all the work done on the trails, etc. I probably burned close to 2000 calories that day...

Hugs all...I hope everyone has a great Monday, even if it is a rainy one like it is here.

what type of friend are you????

One of my goals in 2008...is to work on my friendships with a lot of people. I've kind of isolated myself as of late...and I don't want to do it anymore. So, I am going to reach out and reconnect.

It got me really thinking...and if I am completely honest...which I try to be...I don't really have that many friends. Those close friends that you hang out with and share everything with. Those relationships...are very few and far between in my life. Probably my closest relationship is with my dad. I adore him...and not just because he is my father, but because he might be the most fabulous human being on the planet. I've always felt that way about him...and I just feel even closer to him in the last year since we've spent a lot of time leaning on one another. The only other really close person I have in my day to day life...is my roomie. We have a lot in common and have a good time together...and share our lives, etc. She's a doll and I feel honored to not only call her a friend, but a close friend.

I have other close friends who aren't in my life. There is my childhood best friend. She lives in town, but we just haven't made time to see one another. It's completely my fault...since it just hasn't worked out. I fully commit and plan to see a lot more of her. She's someone who no matter what...loves me and supports me. I love her so much for that....and wish I had made more time to spend with her. We're going to get together soon.

And then there is my best friend from college...she's someone who no matter how long time goes in between seeing one another or talking, things are the same. She's a kindred spirit...I guess (Wow...can you tell I like Anne of Green Gables with that statement). Our lives have changed...she's married with 2 little rugrats, but no matter what...we just adore each other. She lives in Vermont...and I am planning a trip to see her very soon. I have another really good friend from college...who is always trying to get me to come out and visit her. I wish she lived across town...or across campus, like the good ol' days because then I would be seeing her and her family all the time.

There was a long time when I wouldn't have called my brother my friend. I've always loved him...since the moment I was born...and I'd say the feeling was mutual. But at the same time...while growing up...we loved each other, but didn't like each other very much. We were just very different people growing up. I think becoming adults...we truly grew into being friends. He and his family live in Florida...so, it's always fun to visit, but I wish he lived closer so I could see them all more often. I think the world of him now...how great he is as a dad...and just how much he has blossomed into an amazing human being. I see so much of my mom in him...and that's truly a beautiful thing.

Now...most everyone else in my life fits into those friend "categories"...but I wouldn't call them close friends. Maybe they were once, but now...not so much. Sometimes time just passed...sometimes we just didn't prioritize hanging. We all have those categories...the "work" friends who you adore at work, but you just don't hang out with outside of that setting....the "email/blog" friends who you catch up through email or a blog, but don't hang out...the "long distance" friends who you adore, but are forced to adore from a far, etc.

Ok, I'm babbling....I guess my point is that I adore the close friends I have in my life and just wish I had more. So, don't be surprised if you get a call from me sometime soon...and see if we can find some time to hang. Hugs all.

Busy and fun Saturday....

Ah...the weekend is almost over. How did that happen so fast? I'm happy to report that I did get my run in on Saturday. It was raining when I got up, but it quickly stopped...so I strapped on my shoes and headed out. I didn't eat enough before heading out, so I ran out of gas and stopped at 4 miles, but still...FOUR MILES. I'm not complaining.

Saturday was also my roomie's bday. It was one of those birthdays that ends with a ZERO. I won't say which one...you'll have to figure it out. We went to the movies and then watched a rented movie. We went to see Vantage Point, which was pretty good. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but I did. I thought it was cool how they showed the same 20 minutes from a bunch of people's different views...hence why it is called Vantage Point. There was a guy sitting a few rows behind us who was SO annoyed every time the movie went back to the same starting point...I guess he didn't google the plot before going to see it. The rented movie we watched was Dan In Real Life. It was cute...and Steve Carell and Dane Cook with both quite funny.

What did I get my roomie for her bday? Well...I made a mint no bake cheesecake for her to take and eat with her family. I knew it wasn't on my diet, so I was glad she could enjoy it with them. She said it was good and they liked it...in fact, I think her sister got very excited about it. LOL I also got her 2 books about MS, health and weight loss. She's doing all the research she can and they have a lot of ideas and meals plans in there...so I hope she finds them helpful. I also got her some smelly stuff from Tar-get...and some pistachios...cause they are yummy and she likes them. I think that's it...oh yeah...and a kick @rse card.

Saturday was kind of a busy day...which is kind of nice since I usually am not the Queen of Productive and Running around. What have I done today? Well...maybe if you are lucky, I will save that for another entry. *winks*

wouldn't it be nice?

I always hear of people taking these really exciting vacations...going to Europe for a couple of weeks...going to Australia...spending a week skiing in Coloroda..yadda, yadda, yadda.

I've never been someone who has taken really exciting vacations...and that's kind of pathetic. I don't know why. I guess it takes a good deal of planning and saving and what not. Plus, I've always been the kind of person who wanted to use their vacation time to relax at home since vacations always tire you out more than rest you up, etc.

I really wanna be one of those people who does take vacations...who goes on fun trips or long weekends. I did mention to a few friends over a year ago...hoping to make a trip to Florida and do the whole Disney thing. Of course, I'd also be going to see my family and that adorable little nephew of mine. It seemed like an exciting trip to plan at the time, but none of us have really made any roads to even thinking about it, let alone planning it. And, it doesn't help that my friends and I haven't found time to hang out IN TOWN, let alone plan a trip down South for a week or more. Plus, there is the money factor. I always have money saved, so in all honesty...I could go anytime, but well...most of my friends aren't in that situation. So...I don't see that trip happening any time soon, which makes me sad.

But I wanna be a traveler...even if it means planning and going on trips solo. I want to spend more time in Florida with my family and seeing the sites. I want to go on a cruise. The idea of a cruise just seems to exciting to me. I want to make it out to the West Coast and California sometime. I'd love to spend a weekend or even longer in one of the hotels Las Vegas. I don't think I'd even need to gamble (who am I kidding...I'd play a little, but I'm cheap enough to not lose much money at all).

So...not matter how, I want to start being more of a traveler and an adventurer. I want to look for opportunities and stop being such a home body all the time. I might even start a traveling savings account...and decide I can only use that money for fun trips.

So, where should I go first?