Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Project overload and Red Vines

Howdy y'all!

Someone tell me again why I decided to take on EVERY single home project known to man?  Between coughing up sawdust balls and blowing black paint out of my nose, it's been a real treat around our household these days.

I feel so bad for the Mr.  You can tell by the look on his face that this has all happened pretty fast for him.  We usually throw an idea out there and marinate on it for a few months years and then we might get around to it.  (I couldn't help but think of when I bought 2 paint samples for the guest room that I painted on the wall 3 winters ago to "force" us into painting because how embarrassing would it be to explain those big patches of paint on the wall to potential overnight guests?  Nope, just never had anyone spend the night in 3 years so yeah...fail.  On the upside, it's a good thing we didn't because it's nowhere near the color we painted it so I guess our laziness paid off.)  With this project, we came back from Chicago and 6 days later we were in the throes of cleaning the basement and getting rid of everything in our guest room.  January was literally a blink in our world before it was gone.  We're hoping it's all for the better when it's all done, which right now feels like that's never going to happen.  I think that's how you know you're in the middle of a project right?  The light at the end of the tunnel feels more like a train than the sweet reward of completion.  But Friday the granite goes in so that'll be done.  It's looking like Saturday the crown molding in our bedrooms will go in making our place a "crown molding throughout" kind of home due to a talented friend who did our bathroom and living room molding.  Check that off the list.  Then the 16th the door guy will come in to measure and get our doors ordered so we can get those hideously dated blonde faux oak (or Foak as we call it) wood doors in a wood chipper where they belong.  Unfortunately, it would be twice as much if we got the door frame replaced like we were planning on and since we're less than 5 years out on selling this place, we've decided against it so you know what that means?  Sand, prime, paint and poly the door frames.  Can you feel the excitement?

*crickets*

You can bet your sweet bippy I told him to paint those mofos too because I just can't take any more painting projects right now.  So those will be some big items off of the table which should make life a little easier.

Then you have the everyday stuff that HAS to be done like oh exercise, planning meals, etc.  Sunday was a close one.  Lots of projects being juggled at once and then before we knew it, it was 7pm and we were hungry so we ate then went down to do free weights about 7:30pm.  Not that I ever would've skipped exercise but there are some nights when skipping is way more tempting than others and that was one of them!

I'll be honest, it was a BAD day with a few crying fits (no, Aunt Flo isn't in town) and I split the individual Red Vines I bought for movie night with the Mr as a big "eff you" to the atmospherical poo that was Sunday.  I know better but in the past it would've been MUCH worse.  It would've been order a large pizza, maybe cheesy garlic bread if I was feeling particularly bad, 2 cans of pop each then drown ourselves in grease until we felt like we were going to puke and not get anything else accomplished for the night including exercise.  So yeah, I'll take 240 calories worth of Red Vines that are never in the house over 2000+ calories that I could have delivered to my home.

Several appointments are set up over the next week so we've got a LOT of cleaning to do.  I have a doctor's appointment today, my first in 4 years which means I was about 200 lbs heavier when she saw me last.  The knot in the undies about that I'm now considered a "new patient" so I have to go and fill out paperwork, get a 2 minute session confirming I have no issues then come back another time for the physical I requested.  What a bite in the ass.  I said "uh, so I have to pay 2 co-pays?" and the wench receptionist who obviously hadn't had her coffee yet said no that the insurance company should pick up the physical since it's a wellness visit.  Whatevah.  It still makes me a little nervous though because my blood pressure usually spikes WAY up when I go to the doc so I'll have to take a reading then take a pic of it before we go so they know that isn't my norm.  Bleh.  So my focus is going to be keeping balance for both of us as he's got a ton going on at work.  Poor nugget.

How do you keep balance in your weight loss plan when everything around you is trying to suck up every minute of your day?

====================
Like this post? Don't miss another one...subscribe via email or RSS feed. (Because you're cool like that!)

14 comments:

  1. Are you going to move to Hawaii permanently?!? Because, you said that you're T-5 years to selling.

    Stress and I don't go well together, so I am no help on the weight loss/stress front.

    Also, sad note: I can't have red vines anymore as they have wheat in them. No, it's true. Weird,huh.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Stress and weight have been a disastrous combination for me lately. Balance is a pipe dream.

    As to the doctor - they're used to higher BP than normal. It's called white coat syndrome and lots of people have it. Their BP spikes just in time for the Dr. appt. Your picture idea is a good one though.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm not great at stress/balance. I try very hard to make myself go to the gym 1st thing. There are days I can't. If it's a 12 hour work day I sub by requiring that I take extra laps around the building during the day. Sometimes you're just trying to squeeze one good thing into a day...

    ReplyDelete
  4. WOW--your schedule wears me out just reading about it. That's a lot of projects, a lot of work, and after the work is done, there's always the clean-up. But it sounds like it's gonna be gorgeous when you're done. Are you ever gonna be done? I am jealous over your granite countertops. I need new countertops and sink so badly in my kitchen, and my wood floor badly needs re-done. I've probably complained about this before.
    The doctor visit will be great. Even though you are considered a "new" patient after 4 years, they should have your file, and the first thing they always check is that weight. They will LOVE the fact that you've lost so much weight, and you wll get to hear all about it. My doctor asked me if I was sick, when I went in after losing 100 lbs. or so. I kept hving to reassure him that no, I felt fine, that I had worked VERY HARD to drop this weight. The picture of your normal BP at home is a good idea. Lots of us have the white coat syndrome! Good Luck!

    ReplyDelete
  5. YOU, Mrs, are my heart's inspiration...

    I can't believe you've done all you have in a couple of weeks, with a husband super busy at work, and only one meltdown!!! I am an infant in the face of such greatness!!!

    BALANCE? I'm supposed to BALANCE in my life?!

    ...I got nothing for ya... I'm still struggling mightily in this area... mostly I go, go, go, flounder, go, go, flounder, STOP! pout, aggitate, regroup, go, go, go... you get the picture.

    How can I be 51 years old and still not have a sense of how to balance my life? SIGH.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Just super that you and the Mr. did go and workout. That alone for me would be an accomplishment with all that I might have going on. No stress about the doctor, just pretend you are visiting a friend for some chit chat and a cup of coffee (do you drink coffee?)
    :)

    MO

    ReplyDelete
  7. Balance? What's that?

    Seriously, that's the real challenge, isn't it--finding balance in making time to take care of yourself (which is what the weight loss is, really), while life demands your attention be on anything and everything else. I'm still working on it, but the commitment to keep doing my workouts and tracking what I eat, even if it's not perfect, is the only way I can come close.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sounds like the rest of your readers are right here with me. I was going to say I simply don't keep balance during stressful times. Hence, weight GAIN over the last few weeks while our kitchen was unusable. The countertops went in yesterday, and since granite wasn't my choice but the landlord's I'm wavering between admiring their beauty and cursing the inconvenience of caring for them.

    But as I looked at a cheap wooden tray that I bought to corral my husband's coffee/creamer/sweetener clutter and placed it on the new counter, I thought of you and wondered if it would be worth sanding it and painting it a glossy black. It would look MUCH better on the granite. Nah, I probably won't.

    ;)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lindsay- We're keeping our options open. We'll get to Hawaii eventually, the land is the still and ready to be built on. Right now we're thinking a move into the city might be fun. Who knows how we'll feel 5 years from now!

    Cheri- You should totally paint that tray! HA!

    As for the rest of ya's, I can't say I'm glad we all seem to have trouble with balance but I guess I could say I'm in good company? :) Exercise will ALWAYS come first no matter what else is going on. We're 1 month away from having not missed a workout in 3 years and we have no plans to sabotage that streak! I just wish my ambition contained some forethought so I wouldn't feel like I'm in a whirlwind!

    The doc appt went well for the most part. My BP was 138/72 but she said that was fine. It was 117/72 when I took it this morning. We've got scripts for bloodwork then will go back for physicals.

    ReplyDelete
  10. You rock! Period.
    Am I the only one who had to google Red Vines? I am not a licorice fan, red or black, so that explains that one!
    I really cannot wait to see the granite! I sure hope you will bestow pictures upon us!!!
    My BP would be up as well. This is an important doctor's visit which will undoubtedly be full of great news (well, when you actually SEE the doctor).
    Thinking of you! My Mr has it rough at work right now too, hoping things calm down on that front as well.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I think that you are doing great considering! Balance can be a huge issue with weight loss, for sure!

    One of my favorite quotes that I keep in mind when I am struggling with balance is "somebody who is busier than you is working out right now". That motivates me!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'd say a few Red Vines are definitely a case of "failing better".

    I don't mind a missed workout when life is jammed up. But I get irritated when I miss one because I was out doing something more fun. Fortunately, I don't have too many of those. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. So glad to read the doc appt went well today! Balance is a tough thing...I tend to have grand ideas and go all in, but then get so overwhelmed with so many projects that I don't finish anything to completion. My focus for 2012 is organization, and a big part of that is taking just ONE thing at a time on my list and finishing it all the way through. Between my basement (storage wars, anyone?) to my wreck of an office, I can easily have something going on every weekend.

    BTW, LOVED your use of the term "pop" for your beverages. It's a battle in our house as I'm a "pop" girl and the hubs is a "soda" guy...West Coaster. Hmphf!=o)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I guess I'm the opposite of Cammy above - I'm ok with missing workouts when it's caused by being out living and doing fun stuff. I just don't get out that much, so when I do I don't mind missing. When the cause is being jammed up with "stuff" I resent the heck out of it.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to comment! I appreciate your time! (Heads up though...disrespectful or spam comments will be deleted.)