Whew! Finally Back Again

When I predicted, a month ago, that my life would be a rollercoaster I sure wasn't kidding! Little did I know how many ups and downs I'd be "riding" during this time.

I finally found my digital camera yesterday while unpacking some boxes. There are still many things that are left to unpack. And did I mention we have not one but TWO storage lockers full of stuff we're still trying to either place or get rid of? Yeah! It's true.

Also, I started going to Slim4Life on Saturday. I have been stress eating and gaining WAY too much weight, more than I ever have weighed before. I can't keep this up. So I joined Slim4Life. It's expensive, because you have to pay for a whole year's worth of membership/weigh-in fees in advance. And you have to buy some diet food they have, like special supplements and snacks through them, but I really am getting desperate to stop gaining. In the past year, I've gained 10 lbs over my last all-time highest weight and I'm in danger of going into another size, one that I know is FAT for my petite body frame and would involve a major clothes buying session into a larger size which I am NOT going to do. I'm 5'3" so even an extra 10 lbs on me is very noticeable. I want to lose 30 lbs and am committed to doing it.

Weight Watchers just flat isn't working for me anymore. There's not enough accountability on it, and the points structure makes it too darn easy for me to cheat. On Slim4Life, you weigh in 3 times per week and you meet individually with a counselor. You are constantly accountable - which is what I need right now to ensure my success.

Initially, they have a 3-day "prep diet" where your food selections are extremely limited low-carb type choices. It's similar to Atkins. But starting on the 4th day of the diet, you go into different food selections. I have my Nutrition class tomorrow night to learn the eating rules etc.

So far, I've lost 4 lbs. It's probably mostly water weight, but who cares, it's 4 lbs off. Now I have 25 or 26 more to go.

Are We Here Yet? Sort Of

This move has been the hardest of any we've ever done! Gosh, it just feels so disorganized. We got the furniture moved in on Friday, but we still don't have much in place. We still have 2 storage lockers full of stuff to sort and place somewhere in this house. Although the house is larger, I don't know that it has a lot more usable space.

We're still unpacking - and our muscles ache so much, you'd think we didn't have movers! It feels like I moved the sofa on my back. Ugh.

I hope to get to knitting group this week. I miss my gang!

Did I Mention We're Moving?

Yeah. Remind me never to move again, okay?

Additional note to self and whoever will listen: Don't accumulate so much "stuff" at the new house. I'm discovering, especially as we do the basement and garage that many things I THOUGHT were treasures years ago really aren't. I could have lived without them. And I should have gone through them and pitched them years ago at my leisure, instead of now during duress.

Oh Thank Goodness It's Friday

TGIF was never so true as this week (and last). We're in the final throes of packing and getting ready to move our belongings. The move actually occurs next week - but this is our final weekend of packing and getting ready.

Since we haven't moved in many years, this is a particularly stressful move - and hopefully our last. I'm getting too old for relocating, let me tell ya!! What would have once been an exciting adventure when I was in my twenties or thirties is now drudgery - and we have aches and pains just from packing boxes? What's up with that?

I told Mary I would try to pop into knitting group for a bit this week, but doubt I can stay very long and knit unless the packing goes better than expected. I also want to get back on my physical fitness program again when the dust settles.

There are no photos this week, because my digital camera is packed away, but I have progressed a little on the fingerless gloves. I may check in briefly with the knitting group after all, because I do have a question about the gloves. They are fun to make so far! And I know fingerless mitts are something I always use. In fact, the three things I consistently wear that I knit are fingerless gloves, scarves, and socks, definitely SOCKS.

Next weekend, we have UNPACKING to look forward to. But I think we're all getting really excited about the new house. I can't wait to have a weekend to enjoy the new place with some actual knitting in my lap.

Love the Socks a Lotta

Well, much to my delight, I have finally finished BOTH of the Simply Lovely Lace socks. And gee, it only took me two months. I've been busy doing everything BUT knitting. So it was while we were driving around yesterday that I was able to finish the toe of this second one.

Let me tell you, these babies are a real gift to myself right now. I love them! They are sock-a-lishous. They fit perfect and it was chilly enough that I wore them to sleep last night. Once I finally got the hang of that pattern, I really liked it. These won't be my only pair. After we move and get unpacked, there's a Burgandy pair in my knitting future. How bout that for Sock Love? I don't often do a project twice, but these are lovely enough to redo. That's quite a testiment to their sock goodliness.

I also started these "Fetching" fingerless gloves in a charcoal color:



The pattern is found here on Knitty. Even though it calls for a size 6 DP set of needles, I went down to a size 5 because I knit loose.

Deciding I didn't need to knit a gauge swatch, I started knitting away a couple of inches down the cable section before realizing that these gloves would still be too large, even on a size 5. Normally I'd just switch down to a size 4 or 3 and start over, but my DP needles are now safely packed away somewhere in a box - who knows which one. Grrr!

Now most the darned stores will be closed because it's Labor Day, so I'll probably have to wait till after the holiday to buy some DP needles, unless I can find a Michaels or somewhere that is open. I really shouldn't be knitting anyway, we have so much packing to do. But I love these gloves and with the night temps falling, there's been a hint of Fall in the air that is making me want to knit warm things and cook Chili.

Today - we'll have chili and continue to pack. My desk and computer will probably be next, so if you don't hear from me for a couple of weeks, you'll know why.

September Morning - Ah!

Stay for just a while
Stay, and let me look at you
It's been so long, I hardly knew you
Standing in the door
Stay with me a while
I only want to talk to you
We've traveled halfway 'round the world
To find ourselves again
September morn
Neil Diamond "September Morn"


Is it really September already? After having a turbulent, busy and life-changing summer, I'm really ready for my favorite season, Fall, to arrive!

You'll notice I'm practicing diversion here - delivering a snippet of Neil Diamond and thoughts of the beginning of Fall because, I don't have knitting done. I've been focused on my new job, the start of school, and the house buying and selling process. My nerves are still on end, REALLY on end over everything.

My goal for August was to finish some unfinished objects, especially my Simply Lace socks. That wasn't done. I hardly touched my knitting all through August. So I'm not going to make any knitting-related goals for September. In fact, in general, I'm going to place a lot less stress on myself about knitting period!!! Frankly, I've got way too many other fish to fry. Knitting is supposed to be FUN, not productive, but sometimes I forget that, because I have a very driven personality.

Though I hope to do a bit of knitting over this 3-day weekend, I won't do much because I need to get in gear and really start packing.

This week I've felt weird - emotional, teary, frustrated and just plain cranky. My confidence in myself has just taken a nosedive and I'm not quite sure why - well, I think I know why, it's a whole bunch of things. For some reason, that old children's movie, NEVERENDING STORY keeps coming to mind, the part where the old man tells Atrayu "You've got to have confidence in yourself, move forward. You have to BELIVE IN YOURSELF or they'll destroy you."

I started researching confidence on the Internet last night and I found this fantastic (and short) article called, "Proof Positive: Power Ahead With a Winning Attitude." Since my anxieties and fears have really playing up this week - I'm going to do as the article suggests and name each one of them "Can't" "Second Guess" "Fear" "Not Enough" "What If" and "Oh No!" - I'm going to gently lead them out of my mind and take them all out for a beer - or maybe wine, simply because I prefer it.