Random Saturday Morning

I'm facing another weekend in the Windowless Room of Misery, but before I seal myself inside it with my fellow masochists, a few random things:

Did you know that the actor Dick van Patten has a pet food company? I didn't, until the nice lady at Woof Gang Bakery in Biltmore Park suggested his bison and sweet potato treats as something Murphy's tummy might tolerate. He does tolerate them very well, and apparently they are doggy crack, because I stopped in yesterday to pick up a fresh supply and there were only two bags on the shelf. I bought both and anxiously asked the owner if they were being discontinued - she said they were not, and she'd order more right away. Whew! It's been a while since another company discontinued what we'd called the "chicken cookies" - little low-fat chicken flavored bones - and I was so happy to find another treat that Murphy can eat, because what's a dog's life without treats?

It was chilly and rainy here all week, and I was busy every day, mostly sitting in chairs, and there was fast food involved here and there along the way. The slow and easy weight loss I'd been experiencing on WW has ground to a halt, and I need to rededicate myself to the program, including getting my ass out to walk this evening after class. I'm down about 12 lbs since Christmas, but it's nearly Memorial Day and that's hardly impressive, nor where I want to be. I'm about 10-14 pounds from my goal weight, and even losing the 12 pounds made a world of difference in how I look and what I can wear, but I'm not done yet.

Knitting? Still working on the mindless Pi Are Square Shawl now and then, while catching up on beloved old TV shows via Apple TV. I do not miss my former cable package much. I need to schedule more sitting and knitting time this summer, because I have a cardi for Supergirl on needles, and one waiting in the wings for the future Wondergirl due in October. Baby sweaters are so fast to knit you'd think I could just whip 'em out, but I chose a Sirdar pattern that isn't all that well written, and keeping the stitch pattern while decreasing, etc., is explained thusly, in its entirety: "Keep the stitch pattern." which is not a hell of a lot of help. I have to work on it when I'm rested and patient, and I haven't been either of those things much this week.

Supergirl is the light of our lives and developing in leaps and bounds - at 14 months her speech is just exploding with new words and concepts every day - she TALKS now, like a real little person, and she's walking steadily and with confidence. Any day now I expect her to turn to me and say, "Grandma, are you EVER going to finish my sweater?"

I am loving my Kindle - in addition to the free books available, there's a world of quirky and interesting books for under $5. I'll never give up paper books entirely, but I'm already looking down the road toward moving to a house next winter and the thought of lugging fewer boxes of books is a relief.

So, in sum: I'm reading more, watching less TV, not knitting or exercising enough, and working a lot. That's about it for my week. It's more fun than it sounds - I'm loving learning my new career - but when I write it down, it is a snore.

I'm looking forward to June, because my daughter is coming for a long weekend in the middle of the month - whether she'll fly up by herself or she and her husband will drive up is still under discussion. (Dogs to board, cat sitters to engage, it's a big process to get away for a few days....) Either way, we will have much fun!

Off to the Windowless Room of Post-licensing Education.