Good morning, everyone! And by “everyone,” I mean the three people who might still wander onto this blog by accident. I know… I know. I’ve been terrible at keeping this thing updated. Between work and spending time with James, my brain has the attention span of a goldfish with Wi‑Fi. But I’m trying to do better. Really.
So… where do I even start?
Let’s begin with work, because that’s where most of my sanity has gone to die. Work has been absofreaking CRAZY for about 18 months straight. Every time I think I see a little light at the end of the tunnel, someone cheerfully builds a brick wall right in front of it. It’s been nonstop, back‑to‑back projects since October 2010. I love my job, I really do, but 60‑hour work weeks? I’m too old for that nonsense.
Speaking of being old—I turned 51 in November. It didn’t hurt too much. Better than the alternative, right? And honestly, I’m feeling pretty good these days. Since June 2010, I’ve lost 63 pounds. Thirteen of those since January 1st. My goal is another 17 by the end of March, and then another 20 after that. I’m aiming for 230 pounds and—fingers crossed—off my diabetes and blood pressure meds by the end of the year.
I’ve made some big changes to my diet. I’m trying to get most of my nutrition from plants now, with a little fish or chicken on the side. And yes, sometimes a steak or pork loin sneaks onto my plate because I’m human. But meat is now a side dish, not the star of the show. My skin looks better, my energy is up, and if I eat too much meat, I feel like I swallowed a bowling ball.
I flirted with the idea of going full vegan, but let’s be honest—I’m not ready to break up with meat completely. I have, however, mostly ditched dairy. No milk, cheese, or butter since Christmas. I still have the occasional egg with whole‑grain toast and homemade hummus because I’m not a monster.
Oh! And I signed up for organic, locally grown produce delivered every other week. I’m obsessed. The veggies taste like they were picked by woodland elves. After eating this stuff, Safeway produce tastes like disappointment and pesticides. Maybe I’m imagining it… but I don’t think I am.
James and I are doing well overall. He hasn’t worked in almost two years and was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. It’s been rough on him emotionally, but he’s handling it with more grace than I probably would. We’ve applied for disability and are waiting to see what happens.
We’re also debating whether to give up the house and rent for a while. I’m feeling the need to be mobile. If the right job came along, I’d be open to leaving California. It would have to be somewhere that recognizes our marriage… maybe the Netherlands? Teleplan is headquartered there. Who knows. We’re just seeing where life takes us.
Before I wrap this up, here’s a fun family update: I’m about to become a great‑uncle. My nephew Josh and his girlfriend are having a baby boy in March or April. I’m thinking about a trip to North Carolina this spring, so I’ll definitely get some baby time in.
Love you all!
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