big week (m)

Monday-consult with the cardio thoracic surgeon for my mother.  He's recommending open heart surgery.  She's not buying it.  Who am I to push her?  I won't even get my knees done.  My two brothers joined me for this appointment.  My mother took it all in. Only when we got in the car did she say something: "That nurse practictioner's hair smelled like sweat."  Afterwards, we go to lunch. I order beef kabobs and eat two cubes of beef, half a baked potato and a salad with vinegar and 2 tsp of olive oil.  I bring the rest home for dinner but H eats it after skating.

Tuesday-consult with H's costumer for outfits for this competitive season.  PG is brilliant.  His clothes are superbly crafted but he's very literal, so the conceptualization part of the equation is like having back labor...painful and long.  Every time we see him, it seems, his left brain encroaches a little more into the right hemisphere of his brain.  He's so mathematical and logical that getting him to envision something is torture.  H's long program this year is the theme from Jesus Christ Superstar.  PG, the designer is flummoxed: "Jesus didn't wear pants!" he complains.  The big summer competition is 4 weeks away and we can't agree on a concept.  I'm so stressed afterwards, I eat a bag of red Twizzlers.  I think they are 7 points.

Wednesday-My husband, T, turns 60 years old.  We decorate the house with streamers and banners.  We fete him with cards and gifts.  We take him to dinner at one of his favorite places, along with my mother and Sam's friend, J.  He looks happy, but as I mentioned, he doesn't talk much.  I saved most of my points for the day.  After a boiled lobster and a salad, I eat a piece of cake.  It's from a famous bakery.  I hate it and can't believe I wasted several points on it. 

Thursday- I get up at 6:30, let the GE repairman in to fix the freezer in the side-by-side, take H to the rink, come back to learn the bill is $900 and Rich (from GE) will need 3 hours more to fix the freezer, let Chris from Comcast in to convert the last tv to digital.  Chris blocks my car which makes me a little late for Merlin.  Merlin is in a chatty mood (think of where we started) and that makes me a little late for my trainer who asks me for the recipe for the salad from Sorrento.  We get chastised by another trainer for talking about food all the time. Come home and GE is still there, the window washers arrive and don't speak English and I have a meeting in Cambridge for one of my projects and the head guy (the only decision maker in the group) has quit his job ("Didn't you see it in The Globe today?" they ask me).  Had 10 points up until 7 p.m. and then Sam, J and I go out for dinner at a Turkish restaurant and I eat too much hummus and pita.  I was full when the entree arrived.

Friday-Get H off to the rink, come back home and pack the car up with recycling to take to the dump.  Come back, make the beds and then take J to the airport since Sam is working.  Go grocery shopping, pick H up from the rink, pack lunches for the family and finish packing my clothes and beach stuff.  We are headed to Martha's Vineyard for a family vacation.  Part of T's birthday gift.  Just make the ferry with brutal traffic.  Arrive there and have dinner at an Italian restaurant.  Ordered grilled shrimp and a salad.  My order came after everyone else had finished their meal.  The waitress apologized profusely and took my entire order off the bill.  I celebrated with a gin and tonic.  4 points.

Saturday--Walked and walked and walked.  Boat trip around the island.  Saw some incredible homes.  Went to the beach and actually took off my cover-up but still was on the lookout for harpoons (old habits die hard). Came back to the hotel and walked into Edgartown. Limped back.  Dinner was swordfish, jasmine rice, steamed spinach and fresh mixed berries for dessert.  Walked out of the restaurant and heard someone call our family name.  Baseball parents from Sam's college.  From Manhattan, but they own a home right in Edgartown.  Invited us to their home on Sunday.

Sunday- Last day on the Vineyard.  Swam.  First time I went into the water this year.  Got out and my bathing suit was hanging off me.  It fit much better dry.   It looked like they let the air out of my chest and butt.  My husband said "You may want to buy a smaller size". Or, I could not go in the water and keep what I have until next year.  Went to brunch at this place in Vineyard Haven.  A hippie joint.  Ordered the egg white and black bean thing.  Waitress says she "digs it."  It was terrible.   Had a couple of forkfuls of H's banana cinnamon pancakes.  Was about to spear another bite when I noticed a woman sitting at the same table I was at last year.  She looked as big as I was last year.  It was like looking in a reverse looking glass.  I put the fork down.  Visited the friends' house in Edgartown.  I could live there.  Late ferry home.  Drove halfway to Boston in dense fog.

Net/net: an eventful week; held my ground diet-wise despite all the celebrations/vacation, but need to get back on track for the next 20 pound push.