Change of Plans for Dinner -

So, after studying Famous Dave's menu for a long time and deciding what to eat, Dave picks me up and says he doesn't want to go there because it's too noisy. I said, where do you want to go? He says, I don't know. Well, I didn't know either because I had planned on going to FD. We decided to go to Pazani's off Route 103, where they have good pizza.

Oh, the best part - we get to Pazani's and there is a horde of little girls celebrating a birthday and they are having a great time, but it was loud. So much for quiet. All in all, they were well behaved for 10-year olds. They left while we were eating and we saw them go into the Nail Spa down the shopping center. I guess they all got manicures???? I pity the poor people who had to deal with 10, 10-year olds.

Since we had just had pizza the night before we ordered pasta dishes. I saw Chicken Primavera and chose that. When the meal came, it had a cream sauce (does it usually?) I saw it and thought, "Damn!" The dinners came with salads and since Dave doesn't eat salads, I ate mine and his. The salads were small, so the both of them made a decent-sized salad. The meal was, I would say, OK. I put some red peppers on it and little bit of salt, and it still didn't wow me. Their pizzas are the best things they make. I ate only, and make note of this, I ate only half of the pasta! What self control. I'm finally getting into the proper state of mind. Put the rest into a "doggie bag", but the doggie didn't get any of it and brought it home. Not sure what the point count was on this meal, but it could have been worse. I could have eaten it all AND the rolls they gave us, but I did not. {A BIG PAT ON THE BACK FOR THIS SHOW OF CONSTRAINT!}

Dave has left to go on his photo shoot with some people who are setting up a photography shoot. They are going to Conawingo (SP?)Dam. Apparently, bald eagles go there in the morning when the motors are turned on because fish are spewed through and they just pluck the fish out of the water. Hope they are able to see some birds today.

Breakfast is 1/2 bagel from Bagel Bin; they make really good bagels (or sort of, the knife slipped and it's not really half, but I'll call it that or I will be shaving slices of the bagel all morning!) with cream cheese. After I have that Romeo and I will go outside for a nice long walk. Leg still acting up, so walking it is.

Have a 5K on Sunday in Baltimore for a St. Patrick's celebration. As usual, I will have to wear my Protestant orange, just to make a statement. Ha!

Tomorrow Sara and I have a riding lesson. I think I'll be able to ride Bryce (and if that isn't a name for the Horsey Gay Pride Society, I don't know what is!). He is, allegedly, trained to either training level or first level dressage. There is a horse show on March 27. If all goes well: he's a good ride and Cathy can get her trailer out, we will go to Legacy Stables for a dressage show. I think Cassidy might go, but other than the two of us, I don't know.

Went for a 58:01 walk and burned 166 calories. It was a good walk; Romeo is exhausted! Sleeping already.

Let's See....

Today is Friday ( a good thing). Went out to lunch instead of the gym today for a much needed break! Lunch was a bowl of black bean soup and a field greens salad. The soup was very good and with the salad, not overly filling.

Tomorrow Romeo and I will go on a very long walk in the a.m. His last long walk was when it snowed last month. I was going to make it short, but we kept going and the next thing I knew it was an hour later! Oh, well, we both survived.


I started yet another pair of mittens with the tan/chocolate yarn I bought. AND, the very bright hand dyed yarn came in with the white yarn for another pair! These are so fast and easy; easier than socks mainly because I want to make knee highs and it takes longer to get the length of the sock before turning the heel, etc. I'm thinking I will start a sweater just so I won't be using FIVE double-pointed needles. Two regular needles would be so tame! Hmmm....

I'll see if I can get a photo of the new mittens in progress. I'll have to get Dave to show me how to do it. I know how to take the picture.... just don't know how to upload to computer.

Unfortunately, my leg is still not perfect! I'm not happy about that and there is a 5K coming up next week! Elliptical is a good thing, but not the same. Sara's ankle is bothering her, so we could both be casualties before the race even starts!

Dinner tonight is Famous Dave's, so I'm already thinking what I can eat. I'm thinking chicken with a small salad (which they say is a substitute for the sides). I had a salad there before which was described as something along the lines of "bbq" and "chicken". When the salad came out, it was a bbq salad dressing! Yuck! I'll never do that again. Another choice: Lemon pepper grilled chicken with a salad (no sides, of course.)

Is It Time to go Home?

Finally got photos of my sweater. I'm very pleased with this; I used the same colors as the pattern, but reversed them so that the main color is the darker color. Absolutely easy to knit, including the two-colored patterns at the bottom, cuffs and neck.

















My first mitten ever! It was a challenge like all things done the first time. Now that the first one is complete, the second mitten is a real breeze!

When knitting and pulling the yarns along, I did pull a little too tightly. I'm attempting to make the knitting looser on the second mitten, but not sure if I'm accomplishing that! Anyway, I did block this mitten a bit, and it fits, so that's all that matters.

Palm side of mitten. Go me! This is something I thought would be very difficult to accomplish, but after working slowly through it and reading the instructions at least 10 times, it's not so difficult as I had imagined. It's become so easy that I've offered to make my daughter a pair of black and white mittens to go with her new black pea coat that she got for Christmas. What a glutton for punishment I am. I'm going to use a thicker yarn (Wool of the Andes) and a bigger needle (size US 4) since her hands are bigger than mine. I'd rather have them a bit big than she can't get her hands into the mittens at all.

Next on my list (not knitting) is to find some new exercises. I'm doing well with the running and the strength training, but I need to do something totally different to rev up my metabolism. I'm looking into swimming, either here in D.C. or maybe getting Dave to go with me on Saturday mornings. He could use the exercise, as well. I've fallen off the wagon with WW point counting, so that's another thing I have to attend to. If Sara can make her meals, freeze them, eat proportionately, so can I. I might not make meals in advance, but I can plan menus every week.

Day Two Back on Weight Watchers

Monday night on the way home I fell asleep (on the infamous MARC train and dark when we left Union Station). When I woke up, I had no idea where I was and I thought I had missed my stop! I was really panicy when I realized the people who get off at my stop wern't in the car any more. Not to bring any attention to myself, I slowly got up, put on my coat, collected by belongings and slowly went to the train car where I was to exit. Much to my relief, I saw all the Dorsey people standing in the aisle in line to get off! Whew! Almost had a panic attack. Tonight's mission is to: a) stay awake or b) wake up before I miss the stop.

As the afternoon wanes to an end, my exercise and eating regimen has been a success (so far!). I ran on the TM for 45 minutes and over 300 calories burned.

January 6

1.5 pounds down since Monday's weigh-in. Ok, Ok, I know, it all works if one follows the plan correctly and diligently.

Good work out today - elliptical for 20 minutes on Hill, Level 8. Strength training. Just about 200 calories burned today.

Tomorrow is a Department lunch, but I have already figured out what I am going to have. It's really nice that restaurants post their menus online. Now I don't have to sit at the table wondering what I should have.