Dieting, Being Sick and Where did the Time GO?! January 13, 2009

Emily testing the limits on soapmaking day--she isn't supposed to go beyond the terrazzo!

My year has started out with the usual attempts to get everything inventoried and all the year end numbers finalized. I start out with a bang, and then usually get bogged down as shows and life keeps getting in the way.

I watched Oprah's big announcement about gaining back part of the weight she had lost a couple years ago and I decided to get SERIOUS about losing weight in a way I could sustain and still feel like I am LIVING. So, I made the big commitment--drink water (no problem), no fried foods (no problem), no trans fats (pretty sure I am ok here, but, I need to check labels) and no alcohol (I will miss the mojitos, but I will live!)--all for one month while I get back into the dieting swing.

And then, a couple days into the diet while relaxing during my break until my shows start, I get SICK. Yuck. But, being sick and dieting is a good thing in actuality--I lost six pounds that week! And it turns out it's not a bad way to force yourself to relax. I read two books--one by Janet Evanovich (it was #13 in her Stephanie Plum series) and one by a Swedish author, Stieg Larsson called, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". And I slept--A LOT!!!

So the Monday after the worst part of being sick was over, I get a call from my craft show buddy, Eve. She asks me what I am doing to get ready for the show THIS WEEKEND. I tell her that I have two weeks to get ready--but luckily she corrects me--I have five days to get ready! Where did that month off go!?! What did I get accomplished??

Well, I didn't have any time to reflect really as I was sitting on about a dozen out of stock soaps that needed to be made. I really had enough soap for the first show, but, the one the weekend after was going to be a problem if I didn't get moving. SO, I broke out the soap pots (and the new wood paddles) for two days to get caught up. I did the bare minimum to get ready, and just prayed that I wouldn't have to work in the cold for the weekend.

Aren't they beautiful--handmade by woodcarver, Ralph Davio