Reality check

We got more snow here today. Not a lot, just two or three inches of fairly fluffy stuff, but enough that clearing it off of the pavement was a good idea. Technogeek took care of most of it when he got home tonight; I probably should have started on it earlier in the day, but from inside it didn't look like much at all. Well, that "not much at all" adds up fast when you're trying to shovel it off of an area that will take six parked cars with room to spare! Technogeek got the sidewalks and about 3/4 of the parking pad before he gave in and dragged out the snow blower. It hadn't been started since sometime last winter and was a bit balky, so while he was arguing with it, I took the shovel to the area in front of Athos' workshop.

Friends, I learned something this evening: I am in much worse physical shape than I thought I was! It's time to get serious about both weight loss and exercise. I've been intending to do it, just hadn't managed to get around to it yet. You know, the "I'll start tomorrow" routine - but tomorrow somehow never comes. Well, tomorrow is damned well going to be tomorrow, because I'm tired of wearing my fat jeans and having trouble carrying a large bag of dog food from the car to the kennel. (I used to be able to sling 50-plus pound boxes of meat around without too much trouble, back in the day.)

So starting tomorrow, I'm going to hit the treadmill and the weight machine, and see if I can't get this 50 year-old body back into some sort of reasonable condition before Spring. While I'm not going to post my starting weight (too embarrassing!), I do intend to post regular weight loss totals. According to the BMI charts, I have around 50 pounds to lose. I don't anticipate being able to lose all of it by, say, early April, but if I can manage at least 30 lb. by then, I'll consider it a victory!

What makes my current situation particularly galling is that less than a year ago, I was 25 lb. lighter, and to find myself right back where I was before . . . well, frankly, it pisses me off. I'd fought hard to lose that weight. Mom's illness and death and eating mostly restaurant meals for a couple of months really started the downhill slide, and not working away from home has done the rest. A year of being mostly sedentary has not done good things for my health.

So, blogger friends Jean and Dori (and you few bored souls who stop by here occasionally), if I haven't posted any updates recently, please call me on it. Dori recently participated in the National Arthritis Foundation's annual Jingle Bell 5k Run/Walk (she talks about it here) and - even though I have no claim on any of her accomplishments - I have to say I'm awfully proud of her! Now maybe I can do something to make her proud of me.

Now, if you'll pardon me, I'm going to go take some ibuprofen for my aching back after shoveling snow earlier....