A little relief...finally!

Okay, okay. I guess I was a little too tight, because now, I feel great. It's amazing what just a couple of lbs will do to make things better. I got my last fill on Aug. 1st and I felt pretty good for about 6 weeks. Then the one and only pb episode...followed by several more instances of tight band days. The weekend before this past, we went to Nashville IN for the weekend and then onto the OSU-Indiana game in Bloomington. Wouldn't you know that whole time we're out with friends, my band puckers and has a temper tantrum. Out to eat a couple of times and each time I had to box it up when I could and bring it back to the room. Of course I ended up eating crap during the tailgating since all those goodies went down fine. Frustrating weekend food-wise, but had alot of fun with friends. Always enjoy "little" Nashville, the artsy shops and lovely landscape. Great little town to hang out.

We stopped in Columbus IN on the way down and spent a few hours shopping at the premium outlets. Needless to say, I did very well. The first store...GAP. It's been years since I've even stepped foot in the store, but I honestly didn't know what size I was in misses. The pants I usually buy don't come in a lower size in Women's so I'm off to the misses departments to figure out what brands fit well. Found a great pair of jeans at the GAP and also 3-4 pair at the Lee/Vanity Fair outlet. I could kick myself for not buying another pair of the trouser jeans I bought there. Just the kind Stacy and Clinton from What Not to Wear would say to buy. I was afraid that they wouldn't wash up well since they were only $21, but they washed great with just a light touch of an iron to get the major sharp crease back. Crap. I'll have to scavenge the malls around here to see who might carry that particular style I guess. Got lots of great things, new belts, lower rise jeans, sweaters, shoes (the credit card was smokin'). But hey, I don't get to shop much and my rationale was I just got rid of several bags full - I needed some clothes that fit!

This past weekend we went to Columbus Ohio to a party my OSU senior nephew was having. His annual OSU Buckeye party. Also, met up with our friends from the week before and celebrated Steve's 50th birthday at Ruth's Chris and stayed overnite. First we went to pick up Derek at Otterbein College, then went to some other friend's daughter's OSU house for lunch and check out her place. Typical overpriced college house. She ended up only being 1/2 block away from my nephew's place so it worked out great! Then my friend Patty and I snuck away during the game and "took a walk" to the nearest outdoor Mexican place and treated ourselves to a couple of margaritas. We called my sister-in-law to meet us and she snuck away from the party too. After the party, we checked into our hotel and changed and met up with our friends for the birthday celebration. The hotel, Homewood Suites, was one of the better ones I've stayed in recently. Very spacious...I wished we were staying more than 1 night. And what can I say about Ruth's Chris, it's just the best. I could have cut my filet mignon with a fork. I truly think they have the best steaks anywhere I've ever been. Plus the bonus, the plates are heated to 500 degrees so your steak isn't cold by the time you are done eating. Great for bandsters!

Hubby says we're going to have to stay home the next couple of weeks to get ready around the house for the winter. I agree. I need time to decompress and focus on "us" for awhile.

Gracie girl (the stray who found her way back) is about ready to have her kittens. And get this, I go out about 7:30 am this morning to feed her, and I look up before I walk out onto the deck, and there is a deer about 40 feet from me. Now mind you, we live in town. Imagine my surprise when I see a big, big doe staring right at me. We had our moment of sizing each other up. I knew by the time I went and got my camera it would be gone, so I just stared at it for about a minute before I opened the back door and it trotted of toward the edge of the cornfield next to us. Gracie just stared at the deer looking as stunned as I was. Wow, what a great way to start the morning. Had to leave a note for hubby about it this morning otherwise he wouldn't have believed me.

Now that my band has been more cooperative the past few days, I am realizing that this is the restriction where I need to be. I'm hoping it will stay this way for awhile longer, since the idea of another fill right now is the furthest from my mind. And recently, my cousin found out her port/tubing was leaking and needs to get it replaced. She is not happy and rightly so. So, that is always in the back of my mind that with every fill comes the possibility that there could be a puncture and more surgery (and more money). The lbs are coming off, ever so slowly. But I feel good and I look much better and the compliments are nice. So, I'll take each day as it comes. 5 more lbs and I'll officially just be considered "overweight" instead of "obese". That will be a nice change and a nice mini-goal.