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.

The last few weeks have been very quiet.I am living the lull between semesters and refueling for the final push.

Christmas was nice and quiet. We had a small meal in the evening with a fire crackling away. My gift to Carol that evening was throwing the Scrabble game. Earlier in the day we went for a walk in the park for approximately three miles. It was a bit cool, but pleasant.

New Years day we went out and did our usual Saturday workout. I, being the old geezer that I am, was in bed by nine New Years eve.

Next week I will start gearing up for classes again. It is going to be a busy semester.

I have been mired in the mud with my weight loss the last two weeks. I move from 198-201 without seeing any additional changes. I am improving my fitness though.

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

Off to Arkansas to visit Carol's parents this morning. I am looking forward to the journey, Carol is stressing due to the excess of grading she must complete. She should be able to get some stuff done in the car and hopefully it will keep her from stressing too much about the traffic on the roads.

Weather forecast looks nice for the weekend. Cold but no dumps of rain scheduled. I am looking forward to the journey today. It has been a long time since I went anywhere. Well, little over seven months! I wonder if my 60 pounds lost will help improve gas mileage.

It has been quiet here at home. I have been just waiting for grades to be posted and Carol has been grading and working on her research. The weather has been mixed, cold and warm. Even managed a nice 70 earlier this week. Wish we had more of them. It is still shocking to be able to open windows in December and not freeze to death.

And it is exactly 60 pounds lost. The scale said 203 this morning. Weight loss has slowed down lately, but I expected that. I do have droopy floppy skin that is not going to disappear all that quick.

It has been a quiet week. Very little has been going on with me, go to the gym, park, take Carol to work, get groceries, play an old game, work on my school stuff. I have three things to finish off in the next three weeks to complete the semester. My enthusiasm is low. :)

On to happy thrilling news. Carol has IRB approval and can start her research. Another step forward, and now the crazy gets crazier for her.

The weather has been acceptable here. Bit chilly, but not miserable. I don't much mind most days, though I still dislike winter, even here in Texas.

Thanksgiving next week. We are going to have a simple meal here at home. Tasty, but not excessive. I may slip down to whole foods to see if I can find a delicatta squash for Carol, but the rest of the menu is simple and delicious.

My weight loss has been stalled, at least the scale is not moving. I am seeing improvements in other ways though, so I don't much care. I am at the best weight I have been at for at least 5 years, I am eating way healthy, I get in cardio and strength training, so I am doing everything I need to be doing. Carol took a photo of me at the park yesterday, which I am going to include just cause.

Greens fade to brown but no white on the ground.

I am sitting in class waiting for the end of lunch hour and a half . The next afternoon session should be starting in an hour. I did two presentations this morning, and now I have very little to do for the rest of the course. The course ends tomorrow at 5.

Things have been quiet but busy for me lately. I have been going to the gym or the park for exercise on a nearly daily basis. Switching up high intensity cardio with low intensity and strength training different parts of my body on alternating days. Not sure how long this gym keener thing will last, but I am enjoying it at the moment. Weight loss has become jerky, but I am now down to 208, or a total loss of 53 pounds! I am having trouble keeping pants on, and what pants I do have totally do not fit. Woe is me. :)

My last practicum hours were last Wednesday, so no more commute to Dallas. Strangely enough, I have kind of missed the drive. Even though it was kind of a pain, it was also a variation in my schedule. I miss the traffic!

I am thinking about taking a walk in the park either Sunday or Monday. I need to get away sometime soon and reconnect to nature. I have been too wrapped up in suburbia and I feel increasingly alienated from myself. A low level of stress/anxiety that never leaves except when I step into the woods. I usually can feel the weight lift not long after I begin walking in the bushes.

Carol has begun lobbying for another kat, but I resist. Don't need another pest trying to sit on me at night. I think she is just jealous cause all three kitties will climb up on me an go to sleep leaving her catless!

Leaves are beginning to go golden here. The temperature is falling, frost happening, and I am not all that happy about that. Fortunately, it is not too miserable just yet. Some time in the next two weeks or so I will have to go get some pansies an plunk them into the ground. I never did get around to planting a fall crop of veggies, life just got to crazy back in September. I can feel things winding down already. Be nice to be able to let go of some of my stress for a bit in December.

oh. p.s. and another think, I will post a photo or two should I go out into the wilds next week!