I'm off for the next four days. I'm not sure how these days off will be spent, because I woke up this morning with a really, really bad head cold that has been making its way 'round the office and, apparently, other places. I was supposed to meet with my kitchen designer to sell my soul to Home Depot today, and she called in sick as well - just as well, I really shouldn't spend thousands of dollars while my head is so clogged I can't think. NOT a good time to make pricey decisions. It was a really rough work week - not that the work was worse than usual, but the level of computer problems and other difficulties were off the freaking charts. I'm tired and frustrated and I really need this break - I just didn't want to spend it sick.

I had things to say but now I can't remember what they were. Oh, wait, it's coming back to me.

Critter Knitting: I'm working on a dog blanket, roughly (because I didn't measure) 36 inches. Same mindless yarnover increase garter stitch pattern as the others - maybe some people would be bored by doing the same thing over and over, but it's perfect for knitting before falling asleep, and now, also perfect for knitting while majorly medicated and unable to think.

Oh, that's right, Bess ruminated a couple of days ago (I think - my timeline is fuzzy like the rest of my mind) about the difficulty of maintaining her exercise and weight loss achievements. I'm so there. I realized this week that while I'm not a "stress eater" in the traditional sense - I don't run to the store for a pint of ice cream to "drown my sorrows" when the going gets tough - I do eat more when stressed. Last night L and I went to a local beer and wings place and I ate way too much - we're talking, we're eating, we're just piling it on - the problem is, L has already taken off the few extra pounds she'd put on and looks positively tiny - I feel like a moose next to her, and I'm not majorly overweight - an extra 10 or 15 pounds at this point, but next to someone as dainty as she, I feel huge. I really need to pay attention to my own stress eating triggers - it's not a matter of buying and eating junk, it's more a matter of eating "good things" to excess. Portion control, it's all about the portion control. For me it's also about avoiding certain carbs because they trigger physical hunger, but both WW and the South Beach Diet stress portion control and healthy choices. Portion control has always been my downfall, and I understand now that it is the thing I need to watch most carefully. I've lost about 12 pounds since Christmas - I say "about" 12, because 1 or 2 pounds tend to come back and then leave again. I'm stuck on a plateau, and in looking at what I'm doing (and not doing) portion control is the issue - I've been stress eating and telling myself "It's okay because it's South Beach friendly." It may be so, but I still can't eat 3 portions of it.

Right now I have chicken breasts on the grill - they are huge, so I will cut one in half and eat a normal portion of chicken, the size of the palm of my hand, and some roasted veggies. Even though it tastes really good, I will stop at one serving. The weight will start coming off again if I can remember to pay attention to portions. This weekend it shouldn't be difficult, I can't taste a damn thing.