I am back in school, sort of, once more. All my classes this semester, the last semester, are online. I have been having trouble getting motivated and getting going though. Usually, the first week or so I am driven, working hard etc. etc. The sag doesn't show up until much later. This year, though the classes appear interesting, I lack motivation. Not a good thing this early.

Picked up some budget software yesterday and spent the afternoon working up a budget. I feel better about our finances now, though it is shocking to see how much we spend.

The weather is improving, I am hoping for a mild, very mild, February. I am tired of the brr ick stuff already. I have been planning my early garden, think I will put in onions, lettuce, radishes next week. Oh, and carrots as well though they are a slow developer. So, this weekend I will have to do some gardening as the weather looks nice. Maybe getting out in the sun and dirt will help moderate my mild depression. Maybe I am just pre-birthday blahing??

My weight remains steady. No change. But I am not stressing as I am doing all the right things: eating healthy and in range, exercising, sleeping. I looked in the mirror this morning and saw folds of loose skin and thought: skin is heavy, it takes time for it to disappear, it will take time for the scale to move, so not stressing the weight is right.

I have been doing some rulking (run/walk) in the area park lately. For a gift to each other, we picked up a state park pass after Christmas and have been going to the closest one lately. It has a great trail that follows the Elm Fork of the Trinity river for miles and miles. (Barb ran part of this trail when she was visiting). Once you are a mile and a half out into the bush, the sounds of the highways are gone. Still jets and all cause DFW is not that far away, but that just makes it feel like home. Anyway, I am currently up to run 7/walk 1 for 8 repeats on Saturdays (Monday, Wednesday, Friday are different with Friday's being real short), and I am thinking about moving to a steady but short run for the next few weeks. The week of Feb. 14-21 is when I do my comps and will need a lighter schedule that week. So far it has all been going great!

I am still debating this idea, but I am thinking I might run a half marathon next year on my fiftieth birthday. The Fort Worth race is held on the last weekend in February which would be right on my birthday. Assuming they don't move the date around!! That seems like it would be a wonderful birthday present to give myself. I know I can run 5k already, and I am working on the 10k, so it would not be a huge stretch and I would have a year to prepare.