The Mad Happenings of a Glass Princess

I'm sitting here trying my hardest to fight off a migraine. I've been so proud and have even boasted how well I've been feeling since eating better and losing weight. No sinus issues, no stomach issues, I really have been feeling good. But dang it if I didn't get smacked down on that one this week... I've been fighting a bad 'that time of the month'. Ugg, I hate being a women sometimes. I could have starred in a commercial for all those drugs aimed to curb symptoms... I've been like godzilla and wanting to decimate small villages, crying, bloated, achy, blah, blah, blah... the worst is the migraine. Anywho, I made an appt with the dr to do something about it, I can't do a few more months like this.

I took the boys for a walk this evening after dinner, I was hoping it would do all of us good. I really, really like my neighborhood. I was just looking at all the houses, how nice all of them are, all the kids riding their bikes, etc... I am very privileged and I should say thank you every day for that.

I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to weigh-in tomorrow. I know I have lost weight, I can feel it--and it is so freaky, I can feel my self losing, the way my gut isn't as gut-like any more, the way just my 'bum' clothes are fitting on me. I don't want to freak, I keep telling myself this is a cool thing. And I've had a few people comment, and i like hearing it, but again, it freaks me out--don't look at me. I know I need to go back to my therapist, but she is recovering from Ike, so I'm not sure when I can see her next. Just stay on task Nicole and you'll be good...

Oh, and i'm going to have postpone my dinner party, I'm so bummed. The logistics aren't going to work out right now. I think I'm going to wait a few more weeks, wait for the weather to cool down and do something outside--I have some really cool thoughts, so I think waiting is going to be the best thing.

Okay, off to bed...

OHMYGOSH! OHMYGOSH! OHMYGOSH!
I decided I needed to get to bed and had thoughts of trying to get up tomorrow and hit the gym ( Jodie ran tonight, so I need to get my butt out there too! LOL). I needed to decide what I was going to wear tomorrow so I would be prepared if my gym goal was going to happen, I'm always running late anymore for work.. I headed into the dreaded closet and I started to look at stuff. I'm in desperate need of some new clothes, my body is constantly changing and nothing fits me right. I kept turning from my pants to my shirts, back to my pants and I came across a pair of awesome black pants that I bought years ago when they were on sale as a 'motivation' pair. I had tried them on in May when I began this journey and I looked like a pig stuffed into a sausage casing. They were dreadful on me and I remember prying myself out of them wondering if I would ever get into them. Well, tonight I decided to grab them and try them on to see how far I've come, how much further I have to be able to wear them out... HOLY EVERYTHING GOOD ABOUT CRACKING. Folks, not only do they fit, I look damn good in them!!! I was jumping around, screaming, kicking, kissing the dogs, running in the living room and back and then jumping some more! I tried on about 10 shirts to see what would look best with them... I finally decided on a shirt that I've had forever... and you want the know the last time I wore it... I can distinctly remember... it was on my 29th birthday... I just had my 35th... and I'm going to look sooo cute tomorrow I'm not even going to be able to stand myself. LOLOLOL.
I honestly don't think I can go to sleep now... I'm all wound up with my bad-ass self!

(a very heart felt thank you to Jill who introduced us to this and for all my supporters out there, I know you are behind me -- watching my ass shrink.)

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while: I have plenty to say, trust me, I just don't seem to make time to do it. And the more I push it off, the more I have to say and the more I don't have time to put it all down. On a handful of occaions I have gone back and read past postings to see how I was feeling at that time, so I really want to capture everything I'm feeling... you'll hear from me soon, I promise.

So back to my 'every Monday' blog title... Every Monday night I watch Paranormal State, and every week I sit here with Sammy next to me with a pillow or my hands over my eyes. Every week I get scared and every week I love it, I want more! This show freaks me out. Catch the re-runs cause this week is the season finale (and was kinda lame)...

Pounds Lost: -24.8
Pounds to Goal: 66.2
week 1: 14May - 20May: -1.0
week 2: 21May - 27May: n/a
week3: 28May - 03June: - 6.8
week4: 04June - 10June: +0.8
week5: 11June - 17June: -1.0
week6: 18June - 24June: -1.6
week7: 25June - 01July: -2.2
week8: 02July - 08July: -0.8
week9: 09July - 15July: -0.6
week10: 16July - 22July: +1.8
week11: 23July - 29July: -7.6
week12: 30July - 05Aug: +3.0
week13: 6Aug - 12Aug: -0.4
week14: 13Aug - 19Aug: -5.8
week15: 20Aug - 26Aug: -0.6
week16: 27Aug: - 02Sept: -1.2
week17: 03Sept - 09Sept: -1.2
week18: 10Sept - 17Sept: n/a


I'm going to start the log of my new challenge, but I wanted to capture this one!

So for the last few weeks, I have been thinking about doing something 'different' for my b-day. Well, I got what I asked for... I evacuated for IKE, been hanging out at my dad's house, fought people in a grocery store for 1.5 hours as I stocked up on supplies, and had my car break down. Yeah, not what I had thought... LOL

So, after another night of poor sleep, I woke up and turned on the TV to see some daylight shots of the damage from the night before. Wow, things are not pretty, the area was not looking pretty at all. I was craving, needing info about the neighborhood. I was hoping they would turn the cameras from the Hilton to JSC, I never caught it if they did. Around lunch time I got a text from both Jodie and Danny saying that the subdivision was beaten up, but not down for the count, no flooding. Danny found out that some folks that we know stayed behind (are they crazy!?!?!) and walked around and reported that I only have some shingle damage. Not sure how many flew off, and what damage happened to the house because of it, but all I can say is that I've never been more happy to have roof damage in my life. I would have bet one of the dogs that I was going to have some flood damage, I just 'knew it'. I am so happy to say that I was wrong.

Jodie reported that she too had some shingle damage and a fence leaning over. Again, if that is the worst thing that IKE hit us with, we are very lucky.

I text Alexa to see how they were, if any water got in their house, they live in Seabrook and they got hit pretty hard. Most of the other friends have checked in, seems like we all got some minor damage. Oh! I also heard from Sandy, her family made it through the storm.

Alexa update: she just text me back, they are in Aspen. I now know everyone is safe.

Houston and the surrounding areas have a huge cleanup ahead of them. I can honestly say that my stress level went down almost immediately when I got that text from Danny. Speaking of which, he is heading back tomorrow. I text him and asked him if he would report more from my house when he had a chance. I will owe him a case of beer when I get home.

I can't really express everything that is going through my head and everything that I've seen and read and heard over the last few days. I will try over the next few posts, I want to capture all of this, but I still can't get it all out and put it down.

I'm sitting in my dad's living room watching The Weather Channel, it is 1:04am and there is a long night ahead of us.

Here is a recap of the last 72 hours or so...

Wednesday:
Had a great lunch with my girls (Jodie, Sandy (with Sage), Kim, Alexa, and Mel), most of lunch conversation was talking about evacuation, if each of us would leave and such. We were all hoping IKE would still turn some. We all are addicted to StormPulse, we now use it as a verb. LOL
I headed over to console at 2 and within a few hours things started to change for the worse, IKE decided to turn more East towards us, soon after that they announced we were under a hurricane warning and the center was beginning shut down procedures. It was mind blowing quick, it was all happening so fast. I closed up console and rushed home. Once again the Rhodes' family came to my assistance and helped me board up the house. I debated back and forth about leaving vs. staying, Chicago vs Statesboro, what to pack up vs what to leave behind. It was so overwhelming, I can't describe the range of emotions that go thru your head. I full out screamed at Joel when all he was trying to do was help give me some options. If I yelled at anyone or was rude, let me take this chance to apologize--I'm very sorry.
So I finally decided to pack up as much as could--pictures, jewelry, clothes (that still fit me) and important papers, grabbed the boyz and headed out. I turned one last time and looked at the house, said goodbye and headed to Beaumont.

Thursday:
I drove to Beaumont, leaving the house about midnight, I wanted to get out before the
mandatory evac started. I caught some very poor zzz's, got up about 7am and started for GA to my dad's house. That the wisest place for me to go, especially with my boys. It was a long 14 hours, and it didn't help that I listened to ch 247 on XM most of the way.
I arrived at my dad's about midnight. He gave me a big hug, made me some eggs, I took a shower and then hit the bed.
Whatever... I didn't sleep well at all.

Friday:
the boys got up early and had to go out. I got up with them, there was no way I could lay in bed any longer and toss & turn. I turned on the tv and saw that things were already getting ugly, the acid in my stomach churned even faster.
About 1 I just had to take a nap, i needed to lay down, my head and stomach was just killing me. I ended up taking about a 5 hour nap--it was awesome, it was the most sleep that I've had in the last couple of days. My dad reported to me that he was watching the reports and things were getting pretty bad and the storm was still hours away.
After dinner, I just had to get away and I ran over to WalMart just to clear my head. Oh! gas stations were packed here and they were already price gouging, it was ridiculous.

The saving grace of all of this is that I'm with family and that I'm in contact with friends. Jodie and I are probably 1700 miles apart, yet we still are texting and even tried to IM (LOL).

It is now 1:46am. I can't watch anymore, I'm just sick to my stomach.
Most of you know that I'm not a religious person, but I can guarantee that I will be saying a prayer tonight for everyone, for Sandy's family who stayed behind, for all of us to find the strength to return home and tackle what is waiting for us.

Okay, what city am I in? Not Houston, it is too freakin' nice outside to be Houston! I'm currently sitting outside writing this and watching the dogs run back and forth in the yard. This just might be a small slice of heaven (only if my neighbor would stop weed whacking, things would be that much better.)

I'm pooped. I had a full and busy weekend. Friday night, Lisa came over and we did some glass, we weren't going to call it a night until both kilns were full and running. Then Saturday I ran a few errands in the morning and then set up under the carport to do some cold working. I had handful of glass that needed to be polished before I slump it into forms, I had a BLAST. I love, love, love, love working on glass, it was so neat seeing each layer come off and just knowing how it is going to look so good when it is complete. And the weather could not have been nicer, no humidity, it was perfect working under the carport. The boys had a play date Saturday. Carolyn, Joe and Matteo came over and dropped Aussie off so they could all play together. We all sat down in the back and ate a quick lunch, and then the Pascucci's were off to downtown and the boys played all afternoon. Matteo is so big now, he grows every time I see him. He was getting a kick out of Sammy smelling and kissing his toes! After lunch, I got back to work, Samson and Aussie laid down in the garage while I worked, it was really cool looking back over my shoulder and just having them there hanging out with me. In my own crazy mind, it was close to perfect, art and dogs--nothing is better.
After a long day of grinding away (man, that could sound bad), I was pooped. I made some yummy turkey burgers on the grill and had a nice dinner. I really wanted to go to bed early, but I had to get stuff together for the class that I was teaching on Sunday. I started to freak when I couldn't find the supplies for one of the major projects in the class. I called Jodie for a second pair of eyes--I had to find that clay paper! I think her presence just snapped something in me, cause I found it shortly after she arrived. Landon came with her, he told me all about their day at the beach. My gosh is he getting bigger too. He is looking more like a 'boy' and not so much like a toddler anymore. He can tell you exactly what he is feeling or wants, it is really cool. Side story: I had a blast with him last Tuesday night. He had pink eye and hadn't taken a nap all day and I was really nervous to watch him, but he was so much fun. We talked and played, and went potty and put stickers on posters and raced cars and then fell asleep on the floor together. He is really a great kid and I love that I get to see him grow up. But he also makes me miss KBC more and more, I wish I had the same interaction with them.
Anywho, back to all of my art... after I finished gathering all the stuff for the class, I hit the sack, I think I was asleep before I hit the pillow, my whole body was tired.
I woke up later than I had planned (that is a common theme these last few weeks), so I was running around like a mad women before I had to leave for class. Oh, the studio I was teaching at is past Ikea... yeah, so it wasn't like it right down the road. I got there in enough time to set up and talk to the owner. I envy her studio, she has about 2500 sq feet of work space with TONS of glass all organized and glass molds that I could only dream about. Some day I want a studio like that! My three students show up shortly after I finished setting up (i was suppose to have 4, so I was a little bit disappointed that I only had 3--less $$ for me). They were nice, and quick studies, I didn't have to stop and repeat every little thing, once I showed them techniques, they were good to go... they created some really fun stuff. We broke for lunch around 12:30, we went to a very, very good Mexican restaurant, not TexMex, but real Mexican food. YUMMO. it was my free day, so I really enjoyed that meal. Class ended about 5 and then I made the trek home. I made some dinner and now I'm out here telling all of you about my weekend. Brody is now at my feet and Sammy is guarding the fence line. Yes, I think this might be close to perfect...

Man, this really was a great art weekend with some awesome weather. I could use a few more of these please. Every day doing something a bit different, but all creative. Using your mind is really exhausting... I'm going to bed early...

I promise to update soon about my WOE progress and thoughts about that... I'm just too pooped to write about it now. I'm going to hit 'Post' now and just sit out here a bit longer...