weighing in...

I bought a new scale yesterday. The old one was temperamental. I stepped on it the other night, and woo-hoo, I had suddenly lost 15 pounds! I was absolutely certain it was malfunctioning, but I am so lame I stood there admiring that nice low number. Everytime I stepped on it, I got a different number, all nice beautiful numbers. I know, I could have changed the battery. But this scale has always been tricking me, I would have to stand on it three or four times to get the right reading and never was sure what exactly WAS the right one...

So I bought a new one, clearanced half price, of course. Fifteen bucks to know exactly how much I weigh. And this morning, I am finally back at the lowest number ever, in like 20+ years anyway...the number I hit three weeks ago, before I gained a little back again...that's how this "diet" is working...like the Bunny Hop, forward-backward-hop-hop-hop. I am really trying just to hop though!

It is a rainy day here in central New York state. Chilly, rainy, lovely. The trees are blazing with color, one of our maples is orange, the other red. The pear tree is burnished orange, and we crunch in the fallen leaves when we romp around the yard with Suri. We aren't leaf rakers here, we like the natural look, ha.

The mornings are too dark for my walk, I have to fit it in later in the days. Even with my hideous glow-in-the dark vest, I don't feel comfortable. I mean, yes, the drivers can see me. But I can't see what's in the woods, or what on earth I am stepping in...out here in the country, there are things in the road...but I won't ruin anyone's coffee enjoyment by going into detail.

My brother has been here a few times, patching up the broken pipes on that hot tub. A few of the boys helped him turn it up on it's side so we could make sure he found all the cracks. He just has to test it to make sure we didn't miss anything and that the fixes are truly fixed. I am so looking forward to using that hot tub!!!

Paul and I are really looking forward to the Thanksgiving meal we are going to prepare for Benjamin and some of the soldiers. Ben said he was inviting at least three medics and 10 mortars. With us, that makes 16. I texted him back, "16 is unreasonable!" ha. it will be less than at home. I don't know where they will all sit, in his one bedroom apartment, but we will just call it cozy. I am just plain excited about it. It's one of those things, I already know that Paul and I will be blessed far beyond what we give...

In other news, it looks like my son Joseph might be moving out to Washington to stay with Benjamin for a while. Nursing school is just not working out for Joe. He doesn't like it. He is re-considering what to do, and has some ideas. I told him I am fine with it, but he can't just get a part time job and hang out. He has to go to college, get a career. He can do this from Washington too, and this way Benjamin won't be all alone in that apartment he rented for he and Ashley.

Well, since I am a nice mom, I let two little girls stay home today. Camille, my little baby kindergartner, not yet five years old, is just so tired out from four days in a row of getting up and going on that bus...she was reverting to her old, "Mama, I want you!", this morning. Char said she does that on the bus sometimes...wah. She is lying on the couch with blankets, sucking her thumb and watching, "Dinosaur Train". Sonja K. is also here. Miss Sonja is ten years old, the fifth of the Five-Girls-In-A-Row-In-Five-Years. She is still a little girl, yet she is growing up. She doesn't always find her place around here, and needs a lot of attention. She is very sweet and caring. And, she needs jeans. So...we are going to return a few things to Target today, and get her some.

And, we are going to have fun.

I am not going to clean the house or exercise first, just go off and enjoy these girls. Then pay for it later, ha.

I DID already clean up some things, put in a load of towels. So I am not that big of a slacker.

If I am going to get things done when I get back this afternoon, I had better hustle and get out the door. I am wondering if we should bring Suri along. She loves going bye-bye...hmm. Plus, she is horrid when she is left home alone. Yesterday I was out in the back yard with my brother Bob, and Suri was alone in the house. She took the bag of potatoes off the counter and and batted them all around the floor. And: the glass jar of honey. It was lying, unbroken, on the floor. I imagine her standing on her hind legs and using her paws like hands and gently placing that jar on the floor. But probably not. Why the glass didn't break on our tile floor is just a bonus for me, I guess. That would have been a heck of a mess to clean up.

Camille is asking when we are going, and I have nothing else to say.