Walking is definitely having an effect on me, mentally and physically - I can feel my stress level has dropped. Last night I got home a bit late, and the instant I walked in the door I changed my shoes, grabbed Murphy's leash and headed for the lake. It was dark by the time we got home, but he seemed better with the idea of heading home in the dark, rather than starting the walk in the dark. I can understand that. The weather is going to change again, we're going to get cooler and more seasonal starting today, so perhaps my urge to knit will return too. The past few days have been focused on everything but knitting, but all good and positive things.

So the only knitting news was a minor CATastrophe - like an absent-minded idiot, I left the French Market bag in progress on the coffee table Sunday night. What the hell was I thinking? I wasn't thinking - I turned off the living room lights and didn't see it there, I just plain forgot I'd put it down there. The rest is predictable - I woke up to find a trail of Cascade 220 around the loveseat, down the hall and into the back bedroom, where it had been unrolled around the room. It's not too badly knotted though, so it can be salvaged with a little time and patience. I am sure I have another skein of this red, so I can cut the mess off and knit off a fresh skein until the ambition strikes to fix the cat-tortured skein. The bag itself was undamaged - thank God for circular needles, things don't fall off as easily as on straights. My cats are not kittens - they're 8 and 9 years old - and they still get into things like raccoons. Damn rotten cats. So between adding walking to the schedule, phone calls and evening household chores, knitting has been pushed to the back burner.

I'm enjoying and nodding along with Bess's ruminations on weight lifting, weight loss, body image, etc. I love lifting weights - I think it's an exercise made for inwardly focused people, in a sense it is like knitting, it relaxes the mind and clears the head. And it feels so good!

Long chat with both offspring last night - Girlchild is on the same fitness kick. We've set a goal for ourselves - 15 pounds by Spring Break. That's a very reasonable goal, about 2 pounds a week. Then it's time for new clothes. Mom needs a new look BAD. Oh yeah. Whenever I watch What Not to Wear, I cringe - I see myself in so many of those women, stuck in a clothing rut, wearing things that are practical but unflattering because when I'm not happy with my weight I can't stir up any enthusiasm for shopping. I work in a casual workplace, which doesn't inspire me to dress better either, so it's Dockers and easy-care shirts, day in and day out. I try not to look too much like one of the guys, but frankly, I do. I'm sick of it. Sick Of It. I want dresses for summer - sleeveless, cool, pretty dresses.

Time to quit being Babes and reclaim the Inner Babe. The mission is on.