Well I decided to get on the scale this morning to see what my starting point would be. Now, yesterday was my 62nd birthday (which is a very good birthday in my book--it represents that magic Social Security age!), and I had picked a fried chicken restaurant for my birthday. It is just down the road from my house and we used to go there quite often, but hardly ever these last three years that I've been living healthier and losing weight. I had planned out what I would have--one piece of white meat FRIED chicken, a salad with Italian dressing (their dressings are homemade and delicious), some onion rings (they're famous!) and half a baked potato with some of their delicious sour cream concoction. And that's exactly what I had. No butter on the potato, no rolls, and only one bite of the free strawberry sundae I got with a sparkler on top since it was my birthday. I have to think there was lots of salt in that fried chicken coating, but evidently it wasn't too bad, since those two pounds are pretty much gone again this morning. The scale said 150.2!!! Now that's not quite as low as I got pre-NYC, (149.8), but it's pretty darned close, considering there was Thanksgiving, Christmas and my birthday all during that time! Maybe my eating wasn't as bad as I thought? I didn't get much walking in, other than at the shopping centers and department stores, as I shopped. I know I feel terrible guilt when I over-eat, and perhaps that keeps me reined in a little bit. A cup of Chex Mix is way less than I used to eat. One mini Tootsie Roll from the grandkid's candy drawer is only 30 calories, so even though I feel badly after I eat it, perhaps it's not as bad as I think. I just feel guilty because I know I should NOT eat that kind of thing and today, I'm throwing all the contents of that candy drawer in the trash, and the rest of the Chex Mix is going out as well.

Son & I have decided it's time to get strict with ourselves again. He put on some weight over Christmas and even though I didn't do too badly, I'm still not back to that magic 144 pounds, which represents a normal BMI!

PLUS....Saturday, the photographer from Woman's World is coming to my house, which is completely over-run with Christmas. Christmas is still everywhere at my house. Some of our gifts are still sitting on the floor, and Christmas decorations are everywhere. So for the next three days, I am going to be extremely busy putting everything away and getting my house back in order for the photographer. Since the issue will be out the end of February, I don't think they will want a bunch of Christmas decorations in the background of the pictures.

So, this is how I will spend my first three days of official retirement. CLEANING! The University always closes down over the Christmas holidays and we took all the state holidays (Arbor Day, President's Day, Columbus Day & Veteran's Day), that we couldn't take when classes were in session and add those four holidays to Christmas & New Year's, and depending on what day of the week New Year's fell on, we might have to take a day or two of vacation, but we would get at least a week and a half off of work, which everybody loves. So I was used to being home the week between Christmas and New Year's. Hubby was here with me, since he also works for the University.

But today, he went back to work. I would have had to go back to work today, but I'M RETIRED! It feels weird. I think about my empty desk and my co-workers and my work computer. It was so much nicer than my computer at home. I miss it....sorta. But I'm also enjoying this time at home. And I'm so thankful to have these next three days to clean up my mess, since the photographer will be here Saturday!!!

Here's a brief survey of all the decorations I have to put away! Wish me luck!








P.S. We didn't even put up the big tree in the Family Room, because of the dog kennel taking up so much space in there this year. We're thinking by next year, we can trust Lola more and won't need the kennel. She is doing great on house-training, hasn't had an accident in months--that's PROGRESS!!! But she chewed the buttons off a brand new sweater I bought on sale after Christmas for hubby. So we just can't trust her TOO much yet!