Monday, June 21, 2010

Week 5 recap

Week 5 Recap:
Starting weight - 191.0 lbs
Ending weight - 191.0 lbs
Difference -- 0 lbs lost! Also 0 lbs gained!

Kind of easy doing the recap when you haven't lost or gained any weight.  Oh well, gift horses and all that. 

Today makes 14 days I've been working without a day off; last week I worked a smidge over 58 hours.  I listed to five episodes of Chuck on Hulu while I worked yesterday.  Before that, it was a lot of Remington Steele with a few Simon & Simon and Magnum P.I.s thrown in there.  Makes the time go by faster.  Plus I catch up on my TV. 

In exciting dog news, Cute But Stupid is seeking to suck up all of my lovely overtime pay for the month by chewing an actual hole in her foot.  Not sure what she was after, but there is now a slit in her foot about a half an inch long that gapes open far enough I swear I see tendons moving.  She didn't lick it for an entire day after I cut the mat out of her pad (what she was licking at before), but the next day she started again and she did this (on the top of the same foot) by that evening.  Tonight I cut off the bandages to see how/if it's healing up.  I've threatened Schmart Dog with amputation if she chews a hole in her foot where she has licked a spot bald.  There are no foot lickers in the CilleyGirl house!!  Foot licking is not tolerated!!  I'll even put a ban on it for the humans if it gets the dogs to cease and desist.

So I see all my plans for my overtime pay flying over to live at the vet's house.  Dammit.  I'm tempted to try to stitch the thing up myself.  Or superglue it.  Yeah, that's the ticket.

I've got to get back to the grindstone.

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Friday, June 18, 2010

Some dogs have all the luck

Mine is not one of them.

My dog CBS turned 15 this week, on Tuesday.  I kind of forgot about it until yesterday.  Luckily she's not Molly Ringwald so it was okay.  But she's had a bad week anyway.

CBS started licking one of her back paws all the time.  I was gearing up for the Return of Socky Foot when I determined that it wasn't the wonky toenil causing the problem but a blob of dirt/clay/pitch deep in the pad of her foot.  So deep that the first time I checked for it I didn't realize it was there.  Yesterday I finally got it all cut out without amputating doggie toes (I have these really, really sharp scissors and she jerks her paw around as I try to trim it) and was hopeful that would keep Socky Foot from coming back.

I came home from work last night and checked feet:  no sign of licking.  Yay!  I told CBS what a good dog she was and she says, yeah I'm solid -- and then LIMPS away.  What??  I'm thinking maybe I did cut her paw when I was cutting out the mat and then I realize she's limping on her front leg.  The pad/paw thing was on a back leg.  What??  I do the doggie pat down, looking for cuts and bumps and bruises but except for the limping there's nothing else discernible.  I figure she either tried to jump on to the outside stairs or she slipped in the kitchen and now she's pulled a muscle in her shoulder.  It's happened before.  I give her an aspirin, we go to bed. 

Which is fun in itself.  She's doing the one paw, two paw thing up all the stairs; doesn't want me to carry her, but she's moving cautiously.  She gets onto the cedar chest and onto the bed and she sacks out.

But there's more.

Middle of the night, I hear her get up and then there's this big CRASH.  Apparently she fell off the bed onto the cedar chest.  It's not that far of a drop and she seems alright so I lay down to go back to sleep.  I'm just about to drift off when there's another big noise.  I hadn't noticed that she hasn't gone outside yet but that she's still on the cedar chest.  I scoot over to see what's up and realize that when she fell off the bed she got her back leg stuck between the chest and the bed frame.  Of course, it's not the leg she's been licking or the one she's strained but a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LEG.  I apologize to the dog for laughing.

Long story short, she's still limping this morning and still licking at the other foot but otherwise okay.  Poor baby.  At least she has one good leg left.

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Howdy hey folks

Hello everybody!  How are you?  I am fine.

Yeah, yeah, whatever.

June is my second busiest time of the year, after December.  This is why I have no life.  Well, that and extreme shyness and social anxiety.  As I have mentioned way too many times, last December I worked every day but Christmas.  Last June I worked 19 days in a row.  I am set up to beat that record into dust this June, as it is extremely likely I will be working from June 8 to July 2 without a day off.  Why is that, you ask?  Partly because my boss is too cheap to hire more help.  Partly because my field of law is such a specialized field that very few people are in it and getting a new person up to speed where they'd be of any use at all would take a couple of years. 

Oh, and let's not forget that it's partly because my BOSS is in freaking HAWAII on VACATION all week.  Two weeks before our second biggest deadline.  Bastard.

In case you're wondering, I've told him all this already so I feel safe in relating it here.  The day before he left, he said he was thinking about having us ship him a box of stuff for him to work on in Hawaii.  I told him to drop dead.  Actually, I said no way in hell were we going to the time and expense to ship stuff to him in Hawaii, and if he wanted to work that badly this week then he could stay here and I'd go to Hawaii in his place.  Seeing as how I've NEVER BEEN and all.  He called the first day he was away at 5:45 a.m. his time.  I yelled at him.  It's been nice and peaceful here ever since. 

The moral of the story is I have neither the time nor the energy to do any running and I will most likely be fairly scarce around here as well.  My days, every day, consist of going to work, working, going home, eating dinner, and going to sleep.  It gets to be where taking the time to eat gets to be inconvenient; so far I've done pretty well in stopping to eat on a regular basis lest I get even more stressed (and obnoxious) than I am now. 

Well, that's all for me.  I have a few minutes to write this because I'm still at work (it's after 7:00) and I'm waiting for some stuff to print.  I think I'll be giving up on that any minute now.

For those of you who are having a wonderfully joyous summer, please have a little fun for me :)

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Monday, June 14, 2010

Week 4 recap

Wow, I had no idea it had been nearly a week since last I was here.  Did you miss me??

Week 4 Recap:
Starting weight - 191.0 lbs
Ending weight - 191.0 lbs
Difference -- 0 lbs lost!  Also 0 lbs gained!

Status quo for this ferret this week.  In retrospect, that's pretty good because there was a fish stick incident.  That repeated a few times.  More of a fish stick rampage, I'd say.  No idea why I crave fish sticks.  It may be more of a tartar sauce craving; the fish sticks are merely a convenient vehicle by which I can convey the tartar sauce to my mouth.  But I'm over it.  I'm happy to report that while buying one last package of fish sticks yesterday at the store crossed my mind -- after all, I still had tartar sauce left -- I was able to resist.  I'm moving back on track with healthier eating.

In that regard, last Friday finally saw the assemblage of my BBQ.  Saturday saw the successful grilling of big slab o' beef on the BBQ.  But not entirely without incident.

I have this fear of propane.  I fully expect fireballs with corresponding losses of arm hair and eyebrows, if not outright explosion.  Mostly because I have caused many fireballs in my propane experiences, although thankfully my losses have been limited mostly to arm hair and to date there have been no explosions.  The electric starters on those things never work for me; by the time I resort to attempting to light it with a match, there has been a build up of a cloud of propane that lights with a "fwooomph!" and usually takes my arm hair with it.

Amusingly, I have no fear of kerosene or other combustible liquids.  Growing up, we had this kerosene heater that we would use to heat our gigantic garage when we had to work out there in cold weather.  That meant we had a big barrel of kerosene that we used to fill up the heater and, well, our empty bottles of lighter fluid.  Because actual lighter fluid is for wussies.  I will get my body as far away as possible from a propane fueled device before attempting to light it, yet I will blithely squirt copious amounts of kerosene onto an already-lit charcoal grill or wood fire.  Go figure.

So, after assembling my new little BBQ, I cautiously attached the small propane cylinder, turned on the gas and inserted a (extremely long, because I had to keep my distance) wooden match into the wooden-matchy-lighty-spot.  And nothing.  I could hear gas hissing, but no fireball, no fwoooomph!  Damn thing wouldn't light.


So I turned the gas off, waited the requisite five minutes for the gas to dissipate, and tried again.  Still nothing.  I tried the whole routine again.  No joy.  I undid the propane cylinder and checked it again; yes, there was gas in there.  But maybe there just wasn't enough or it was too cold or too warm or something.  I got another cylinder.  Did the whole thing again, burning through my third foot-long match and still nothing.  Took everything apart, checked the fittings, put the original cylinder back on.  This time I've gotten pissed enough that I'm using the electric match lighter rather than the recommended wooden match.  Still nothing. 

I give up.  I go inside, get out a pan in which I can sear the beef and then turn on the oven to preheat so I can finish cooking the beef in there to get the rareness I like.  I'm still annoyed so I decide to try it one last time.  I've already taken the box it came in out to the recycle bin so I can't exactly return the thing now.  I'm so ticked off by the BBQ not working that I am no longer cowering below the table as I attempt to light the thing.  I'm standing fairly close, leaning cautiously over the grill as I turn on the gas and insert the lighter. 

And still nothing.  I'm reaching out to turn off the cylinder, and perhaps chuck the BBQ over the fence, when my body shadows the grill and I see.... blue flame reflected in the bottom of the BBQ.  It's lit!!!  I'm getting ready to do a dance of joy when I begin to think back over how I did it this time so I can repeat the process when I realize---- damn thing has been lighting EACH TIME I've tried.  It's just that there was no corresponding fireball or fwooomph!!  And I was not aware that a propane grill could be lit with no noise or risk of life or limb (or hair on that limb) whatsoever.  But this one can.  I know, because it took me all of three seconds to light it again on Sunday. 

I still have a healthy respect for propane.  But it's now tempered by all the things I can grill!!!

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Week 3 recap

Week 3 Recap:
Starting weight - 190.8 lbs
Ending weight - 191.0 lbs
Difference -- 0.2 lbs gained!

Not bad for a four day mini-vacation that involved much too much cake and several burgers.  Although all things considered, it probably involved an okay amount of cake but much too much frosting.  I have a weakness for frosting.   I also didn't do a whole lot of exercise over the past week, with the exception of some shoveling of lots of horse doody.  Last but not least for the excuses, it is heading into that TOM and like any good chiquita I have that whole retaining water thing going on right now. 

Overall I am still down 3.4 lbs since I started.  And my clothes still fit well.  So yay.

My days away were pretty nice on the whole.  Too much driving; it's a 5 1/2 hour trip each way, and I was fairly car-shaped at the end of it.  Also my stepdad has fully morphed into SuperAsshole! and refused to even stay in the same house as me Friday night.  He chose instead to sleep at their airplane hangar.  Jerk.  But it was nice to spend time with my mom without him around. 

My friend's 40th birthday went off without a hitch.  Beautiful weather.  Lots of family, which after knowing each other for 25 years is pretty much my family now too.  I think her dad is ready to adopt me.  And there was cake.

So, Friday was driving, Saturday was party and visiting, and Sunday it rained.  I curled up in the recliner all day on Sunday with a book and watched a zillion hours of Law and Order.  And ate cake.  Monday I drove home.  Because I was out of cake.

The best news of the weekend, at least for me, was that I think I figured out why I've been contemplating chewing on a gun barrel for the past few weeks:  I think my new blood pressure med reacted poorly with my antidepressant.  I consulted Dr. Google and there have been instances of this med triggering a depressive episode when taken along with my specific antidepressant.  Yay?  I went off of it on Thursday to test the theory and by Saturday morning was feeling a zillion times better.  Once I catch up on all the sleep I missed while I was at the ranch -- there are no curtains so that when dawn dawns it wakes your ass up.  And if you do sleep through it, there's a handy black lab who will lick your hand until you get up to feed her.  Because there were also no alarm clocks.  There used to be, but it disappeared. 

Now that life seems worth living again, I'm ready to do things like laundry and caring about eating healthy again.  The beautiful Ms. Purple Moonflower mentioned a magazine called Clean Eating the other day.  I finally found it when I was up in Wenatchee and found it very useful with a lot of tasty recipes that I'm anxious to try.  I'd like to get the book discussed in the magazine as well, to learn more.  Yesterday I even bought natural sour cream as part of starting to eat clean.

Speaking of eating, I didn't get to make up stuff for lunches this week so I must now go not eat clean with some Chef Boyardee.  Yum yum yum.  I'm going to look at it as a rare treat (as well as a chance to get tomato sauce on this shirt), rather than something I'll do on a regular basis. 

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Chugga chugga chugga

I keep chugging on along.  Still breathing.  Had all of my hair chopped off yesterday, not ENTIRELY my idea (Brian ;p) and so far I don't like it.  At least my hair grows really quickly.

I'm heading out tomorrow for hopefully drier skies in eastern Washington.  We're not sure how many people are coming to the BBQ/party on Saturday but, as I told my friend's husband, more cake for us!  Gosh, the sacrifices I make for my friends :)

Internet access is spotty at best at the ranch so I'll likely be MIA until at least Monday.  Sunday I will have the ranch to myself (except for the ranch creatures) and I plan to do nothing that day that I don't wanna do.  Some swimming pool adventures with the pups may be involved!

Down 5.8 lbs total as of today.  Luckily just about all food this weekend will involve at least a 15 minute drive so I should be pretty good in that respect even if I am on vacation.  I'd like to maintain that loss through Monday's weigh-in. 

Have a great weekend all!

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Ask that great psychic master, The Mighty and Mysterious Google!

It seems I am not the only one in a blue period.  The blognet is full of people bemoaning their blahs.  For most, this seems (to them) to be unusual.  For so many at one time, this seems (to me) to be very unusual.  So, I turned to my trusty oracle, Google*.  I asked The Mighty and Mysterious Google:  What's up with the world right now?  And here is what I got back.

First and foremost on people's minds is what's new and hip in food, cocktails and entertaining.  I take this to mean we are looking for distractions from our troubles.  Or for just a really good guacamole recipe.

Next up gets specific about those troubles:  an article on what's new in the world of drill rigs.  Not sure if the problem is that drill rigs leak once they blow up, or if there are whole articles devoted to drill rig current events.  Or that there is a readership for such things.  Which reminds me.  I saw a joke on Twitter about the BP disaster over the weekend:
Question:  Guess what's just been spotted in the Gulf?
Next, it seems that Jell-o, space pirates, and the proliferation of the word "yaka-wow!" throughout the cyber world are disturbing minds worldwide as well.  Me, I'm finding the thought space pirates covered in Jell-o and exclaiming yaka-wow! to be more disturbing.  That could just be me though.

Robert's Midi Jukebox is also bringing people down.  Knock it off, Bob.  Although I will admit to being intrigued rather than depressed by a song titled "Shut Up and Sleep with Me."  You too?

Earthquakes, weird weather, and Copenhagen make you blue too.  Guessing it's Copenhagen the city and not Copenhagen the chew.  Wouldn't it be cool if they determined that all nicotine products were causing global warming, economic downturn, and reality television?  They'd finally have to get rid of that crap (particularly reality television).  While I cannot speak for others, that would perk me right up all on its own.

Last, but certainly not least, the source of all of our sadness is The Official Weblog of Tim & Kendra!!!   Obviously, those three exclamation points are there only to mask their deep and abiding pain.  I feel you, Tim and Kendra, I feel you.

Well, that is all from today's episode of The Mighty and Mysterious Google.   Would you like me to consult the oracle Google on your behalf?  Send me a question, or try it for yourself.  If you can climb out of the doldrums long enough, that is.  Try thinking about a world without The Bachelorette.  It would be a happier place, I promise.

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl


*The oracle Google involves asking a question and using the top ten responses to discern your answer.  Kind of like tarot cards.  But not.
 Answer:  Water!

Week 2 Recap and finding the reason to keep breathing each day

Week 2 Recap:
Starting weight - 191.2 lbs
Ending weight - 190.8 lbs
Difference -- 0.4 lbs lost!

Added to the 3.2 lbs I lost during Week 1, that brings the grand total to 3.6 lbs.  Only 45.8 lbs more to lose.  Yippee! 

The ending weight reflected my, shall we say, relaxation of counting calories on Saturday and Sunday.  This morning I was at 189.0, down another 1.8 lbs.  I ate better yesterday plus I hiked (with two friends and three out of our collective seven dogs) four miles on Sunday afternoon.  But I don't regret the fabulous Greek food I had on Sunday at this little cafe/brewery some friends and I found in downtown Vernonia after our hike.  If you're in Vernonia, go check out the Blue House Cafe & Brewery.  It is amazing, and we didn't even have any of their tempting desserts (and I LOVE baklava, but they'd put it all away by the time we'd finished eating as they close down before the dinner time). 

It felt really good to get out on Sunday.  I believe it has come through on here lately that I am struggling lately to find a good headspace.  In other words, I've been fighting a bout of depression.  It's been a chore just to find a reason to get out of bed every day, much less anything else.  During the work week I have a good reason to get up, except for the past couple of weeks everyone around me was all snarly and surly and the weather was lousy; that wasn't helping.  On the weekends, well, there's been a lot of sleeping going on.  Before the sleeping, there's a lot of staring at the bedroom ceiling in the dark.  Nothing interests me, from the actual interesting stuff (like books, movies, TV) to the mundane (such as laundry, cooking, eating, breathing).  Including running or any other form of exercise. 

So it was really good to get out Sunday and Monday.  I was even motivated to do some chores last night.  I'm feeling the yard work this morning.  I hope all this will continue as I'm having a mini-vacay this weekend, heading to some place (hopefully) sunnier and drier, to help my best friend from high school celebrate her 40th birthday.  My parents are taking advantage of my presence to get a free ranch sitter, so I'll have the place (including the pool) all to myself.  With three big dogs to look after, I'm thinking I might take each one for a walk so as not to tire them out too much yet get me the maximum exercise.  And there's been a coyote spotted on the property so for an extra added bonus I may get to shoot something.  Woo hoo!

And all the while, I'll wait for my brain to get its chemical act back together. 

Here's hoping your own personal skies are sunny this week :)

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl