Random Bits and Pieces

For starters, this is why I never open my door when people knock on it.

Oy. Only my second day back and already I'm exhausted! Well, I started off exhausted--the first week back after a two-week break is always difficult, but especially when the weather is constantly overcast (and no rain to show for it! Damn!).

In some kind of Oh-God-What-Was-I-Thinking?! moment, I've gone and started a unit about painting at one of my schools. Tomorrow I'm actually passing out paint, brushes and little tubs of water. Pray for me.

Thing is, 98% of the kids will just get on with it, following directions and enjoying mushing the primary colors together to make secondary, etc. But that 2%--Oy! I'm going to have to keep on eye on them. And the cleanup will be a nightmare, as I have to get 8 pallettes washed out at the end of each 50-minute class period and ready for the next group.

In Fat Girl news, I'm doing pretty well with the working out and eating well. Tonight for dinner I had Sweet Potato Bisque from Trader Joe's. Yummy! And only 130 calories per serving. I also toasted a whole wheat sandwich thin with peanut butter and honey. I found the peanut butter at Trader Joe's, and it's a low-fat, low sodium, low calorie version. I worried it might also be low-taste, but it's the creamiest, most delicious peanut butter. I added some honey and I almost expired from happiness.

Eating well does not have to be dull!

This week has started off BUSY. Yesterday, after a full day at work, I had an appointment with G. the Trainer, then a regular Chorale rehearsal. Barely any time at home. Today, I had to put in a full workout (G. asked me to do some strength training without him today), then went to PetCo for an appointment at 6:00.

What kind of appointment? You ask.

Well, on Saturday, I signed up to volunteer to help Lodi's Animal Friends Connection. Once a week, I'll go to the Stockton PetCo and clean out the cat cages where 3-4 cats stay for a week or two for exposure to potential adopters. Stockton PetCo is, of course, where I first encountered a wee little orange tabby named Kahn, who purred like a Harley, licked my nose, and had me wrapped around his paw within 10 minutes.

(There he is with his friend, Mr. Nibbles, who was adopted just as I arrived that day. How anyone before me was able to resist all that creamsicle goodness is a mystery to me to this day.)

It didn't take long for Kahn to become a FORMER shelter baby. One year later, he's my darling Harley Dude, and believe it or not, all of the ladies I've talked to at AFC not only remember me, they remember Harley specifically. Tonight, I met with a lady named Diana, who was showing me where everything is kept, what to do, etc. I said, "I am the proud mama of an alumni--his name was Kahn." Her response?

"Little orange guy. I remember him. He was a sweet little guy!"

I asked how they can remember specific cats out of the hundreds that must go through the shelter and foster homes. One lady, on Saturday, said, "Some just stick out." I just laughed and replied, "Well, Harley does have personality."

So I feel really good about the opportunity to volunteer and to give back to the people who helped me find my Doodlebug. And don't worry, I won't be tempted to adopt another--I am firm in my belief that two is the perfect number of felines in this household. They've already taken over; I hardly need to add to their numbers, right? : P

I finally arrived home at 7:30 tonight, in time to make my quick-but-yummy dinner, and now, it's just about time to get to bed. I'll need my energy tomorrow, so I can get through the painting and color-mixing, and then a long cardio workout (I have to do 3.5 miles on the treadmill, as much jogging as I can, at an incline of 3.0). By 4:00, expect me to be showered, in my jammies, sitting on my butt.

And it will only be Wednesday!