Fadedwords

We were all shocked last year when it snowed 7 inches here in the sunny state of North Carolina.  When they began forecasting it nobody really believed it was coming.  This year we’ve had a couple times when snow has been predicted, but we never really got anything.

That changed last night/today.

We’re supposed to get about 2-4 inches of snow, and it’s been sleeting all morning too.  It’s always strange to see snow here, even when I know it’s coming.

**I went out this morning (Sunday) and took a couple more pictures.  You can see them all HERE.  The roads are a mess, and while it may melt a bit today it’s going to freeze overnight and make the roads terrible for tomorrow.  We’ll see if we have school tomorrow.

I’ll be spending today snuggled up staying warm.  Merlin isn’t too sure what to do about the snow, and he’s reluctant to go outside and take care of his business.  That adds a whole new layer of fun to my weekend.

In other news, I’m feeling sad and frustrated and a bunch of other things today that I don’t want to get into, beyond saying that I’m feeling them.  I guess that will pass.

If there’s one thing Merlin is good at, it’s flailing about.

Flailing from Kate Moynihan on Vimeo.

Last week I gained 4.4 pounds.  I was astonished when I got on the scale and saw that; I haven’t gained that much in a week since I started WW.  I was incredibly upset about it, and couldn’t understand what on Earth I had done to cause such a tremendous jump in my weight.  I had been working really hard to be on track, because I have set a goal to get to 185 by the time I go to Seattle with Bethany.  This is a bit more than 15 pounds, based upon where my weight was when I made the goal.

I was still unable to work out this week due to my back.  The doctor told me to give it two weeks to get the swelling down completely.  I worked hard to stay on track with food though, but I honestly didn’t think I’d see much of a loss.  I was once again astonished because I lost 6.8 pounds.  I’ve never lost that much in a week, mainly because it’s bad to do that under normal circumstances.  This week was somewhat different because most of that weight is simply fading away from the steroid injection.  I’m still really proud because it means I lost 2.4 pounds of real weight this week.  I am 19 pounds from where I want to be, and I am feeling good enough to work out finally.  I’ll be taking it easy (no worries Mom!), but I do want to try to do at least 2 days this week.  I’ll do more if I’m feeling up to it.

In other news…

Ever since I moved to this area, I drive by this field quite often.  It’s very large, has a pond, and two really gorgeous horses.  I have been trying/waiting to get a photo early in the morning of the horses standing beside the pond, with a reflection in the water.  It took me 3 years, but I finally got it…

You can see all of the photos I took this morning HERE.

I held my brother Sean for the first time the morning after he was born.  I remember being completely awe struck at how tiny he was, and how beautiful.  I hadn’t wanted a sibling when my parents first told me that my Mom was pregnant, but the moment I saw him I knew that he was probably the coolest thing that ever happened.

He still is the coolest thing that ever happened.

In our lives he has made me laugh, he has made me cry tears of joy and tears of sorrow.  He has made me so angry I couldn’t see straight, and he has made me happy when I didn’t think it was possible.  I have been disappointed with choices he made, and I have also been more proud of him than I have ever been of anyone in my life.

Today is one of the days that I am proud, because today Sean leaves for his 9 week boot camp in the United States Navy.

Sometimes I find it hard to believe that my little brother, the boy I call ‘Kid’, is a grown man setting off to begin his life.  I know that the next 9 weeks will be perhaps the most challenging of his young life, but I know that he will get through it and leave me standing in awe once again.

Good luck Kid.  I love you.

This weekend I have discovered what all the hubbub about the show LOST is all about.  I had tried to get into it when it first started, but I just was never able to keep up.  Thanks to Netflix, I’m hooked.  I’m almost through season 2, because I cannot stop watching.  Every episode leaves me craving more, needing to know what’s going to happen next.

My back, which was out for nearly two weeks, is finally to the point where I can move almost normally.  I’m on some medicine that makes me very sleepy, but it has helped with some pretty tremendous pain.   The long weekend, spent resting on the couch, has also aided my comfort levels.  Merlin stayed with Jake all week, but is finally back home.  I’m glad to have him here with me.

I had to buy groceries today, thanks to being out of things that I absolutely needed.  Now the checking account is a big fat zero.  I hate being in this situation, with no way out of it and no relief in sight.  All I can do is hope for the phone to ring about a second job.

I’m looking forward to next weekend.  My friend Bre has invited a group of us over to scrapbook all day, which we haven’t done since before Christmas.  I’m going to start work on my zoo album, which I’ve been waiting to begin for almost a year.  It’s about time.

Now, thanks to the wonder of NSAID medication, I will be passing out.