12/1/99 - Things are starting to look up. I managed to go the whole evening last night without eating after supper. Of course, I went and got my shower and went to bed at 9:30. Part of that was because I wanted to lay on the heating pad for a while. My back hurt where one of the kids in my class pounced on my while I was on the floor with another student. It's a long story, just suffice it to say it hurt like heck.

We went and tagged a tree last weekend. I think my husband will be getting the Christmas platform out this weekend. We have a garden around our tree with trains and everything. I will probably have pictures to put up when it is all done. Keep the faith ;)

12/4/99 - It is a beautiful day here in MD. We have gone from weather in the 20s and 30s to the 60s again. Earlier this week it was really cold with wind which made it seem colder. Oh well, they always say if you don't like the weather in MD, just wait a few hours and it will change. They are usually right.

Tim got a dirtbike as an early Christmas present. It is a used one, but he is pleased as punch. We paid for part of it and he paid for the rest. It is also part of his birthday present. We are going to get him boots to wear when he rides it for Christmas also. He wants them now, but I told him he had to wait so he would have something under the tree.

Had a bad night last night. TOM of the month really screws me up. I felt like eating everthing in sight, and mostly did, too. It just seems like I can't get off the merry-go-round. Hoping to do better tonight. Keep the faith ;)

12/5/99 - Jai and I started decorating for Christmas today. We only got a few things out, but it is starting to look like Christmas. At least it is inside. It is kind of hard to get into the spirit when the weather is in the 50s and 60s. I want cold weather and snow. It doesn't look like that will happen any time soon.

I spent about 2 hours raking leaves this afternoon. I had planned on going for a walk, but did that instead. Was too tired to go for a walk after that. Believe it or not, there is still about an hours worth of work to do tomorrow after work. I should have done this before the rain. The darn leaves got wet and the mold is really wreaking havoc with my allergies. I am all snorted up tonight. Keep the faith ;)

12/8/99 - Had a most enlightening day at work. We had a faculty meeting on blood-borne pathogens. Did you know that HBV (hepatitis B virus) can live for up to 2 weeks. Almost wants to make me run out and get a new job. I have started a series of hepatitis B shots that the Board of Ed is paying for. I have one so far and need to get two more.

I have been trying to do better with my eating. I have decided that I can afford weight watchers, but I can't always get away on the night it is. Instead of going to the meetings, I am going to use the support boards on the 3FC's site as my support group. If I can honestly say I have made a good effort to stay on program, I am going to put $10 away so that I will have money to buy new clothes as I lose weight. I plan on putting this money away even if I don't lose weight that week. If I can't honestly say that I put forth a good effort, I won't put any money away that week. I have been at a stand still here lately. Have just let stress take over my life and am going to make an effort to change that. Keep the faith ;)

12/10/99 - Thank God it's Friday. A three-day weekend coming up for me. I took a personal business day on Monday to finish up Christmas shopping. Also, I need a mental health day. This will be the first day I have had off since school started. The sub coordinator told me I was the only one who hadn't taken any time off since school started.

I have a streak going. Three days of not eating after dinner going for me. I hope I can keep it up. The last time I did this (in September) I lost a total of 8 pounds that month. It does work, if I can just stick with it. Keep the faith ;)

12/14/99 - Just checking in to let everyone know I am still alive. What I thought was bronchitis I had caught from Tim turned out to be pneumonia. I have a ton of stuff to do to get ready for Christmas, and instead is lying on the couch feeling miserable. Will check in again when I feel better - not sure when that will be. Keep the faith ;)
12/23/99 - Finally, I am able to get in to update my page. This is the first Tripod has let me in since they changed things around. When last we talked, I told you I had pneumonia. I was home all last week on sick leave. Went back to work on Monday and worked the three days of school this week. That really wiped me out. I am still coughing a lot and feel pretty weak. However, I feel much better than I did last week.

Now James and I are off to finish our Christmas shopping. This would have been done if I hadn't gotten sick. I had taken off work last Monday to do that, then had to convert the personal day to sick leave.

We had a dusting of snow yesterday morning when I got up. The temps are in the 20s. The cold air really sets me to wheezing. On the upside, I lost 8 pounds last week. I know most of it is fluid, but I will take it. I still don't really feel like eating, and my husband is getting worried. Last night for supper I had 1/3 of a hamburger, 5 french fried and about 3 bites of baked beans. I just couldn't eat any more. Everything tastes like cardboard. I know this will change soon and then I will be battling the battle of the overeating. I am enjoying this while I can.

12/24/99 - Well, we got the Christmas shopping done, all but the dogs. We are going to do that this afternoon. After 2 1/2 hours yesterday, I was just too beat to even think about them. I slept for about 4 hours when we got home. I wonder when I will be back to my old self.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday. Keep the faith ;)

12/27/99 - I survived Christmas. I fixed Christmas dinner yesterday instead of Christmas day. That really wiped me out. Spent the rest of the day sleeping on the couch. I have gotten my appetite back, but have really been trying to be careful. I am unable to exercise yet. The dr says I need to give my lungs time to recover from the pneumonia before I can start exercising. He won't even give me a start date. I tried walking on the treadmill and started coughing and wheezing real bad. Going outside in the cold air does the same. I lost 8 pounds while I was sick and regained 3 pounds since I have started eating again. I am also dealing with TOM. It was a week late and started on Christmas day. Keep the faith ;)
12/28/99 - Things here are beginning to settle down. Jai is having 3 friends over to spend the night. (hum - I guess maybe things won't settle down tonight!!) I still cough and hack when I go out in the cold air - and don't even mention walking. I am very tired of this and the dr says it could last as long as a month because I had pneumonia in both lungs and it really damaged them. What a pain.

I have been really trying to watch what I eat. It hasn't been to bad because with being sick I didn't get any Christmas baking done. I should be doing it this week while school is out, but I just don't have the energy or the inclination. At least it is keeping me from consuming too many calories and too much fat. Keep the faith ;)

12/30/99 - As a belated Christmas present, Jai and I went and had our nails done today. I got really upset because there were three teenage girls there having their nails done and they had kids with them they were babysitting. It was pretty obvious they were loosing their patience with the kids. After they were done they called a cab and when it got there it wouldn't take them (I guess because there were too many of them). I looked out and one of them had one of the kids shaking them and when we left a different one was hitting the same little kid on the head. I sure do wish I had know who those kids belonged to because I would have taken the kids and called their parents. I am wishing I had called someone now. I sure hope those kids are okay. I can't believe people leave their kids with girls who are no older than 15 or 16 for a whole day at a time. They just aren't equipped to deal with small kids for that long.

We are going over my sister's tomorrow afternoon and over to Yobo's sister's tomorrow evening. I have been eating at the light end of my points so I can let go a little tomorrow. I still don't plan on just cutting loose entirely. I will still watch what I eat. Keep the faith ;)

gem@iximd.com