Ow! My Finger!

Dear Friends and Family,

I'd write about my weigh-in, except it was a non-event.

And, P's finger got squeezed by a slamming door yesterday.

I got the call. I went to pick her up. She was sitting there puffy-faced, red-eyed, eating with her hand on ice. She looked so sad and forlorn, I wanted to cry. I scooped her up and hugged her and held her and sang to her and tried to comfort her.

We decided to leave school for the day. She napped in the car, then napped at home. She agreed to the Advil. And, we watched her all evening.

She keeps saying her nail is missing. And, she's a little gentle with the hand, but it looks like she's bending the finger and using the hand. The nail is completely black and blue. I hope it doesn't fall out.

It's been a stretch - tumbling down the stairs, falling out of her chair, falling out of our bed, and now this. Time to keep a closer eye on her for awhile.


Cheers!
mouse

03.05.12: Work Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

The overarching theme of this weekend was Mr. mouse's work. He rarely needs to work weekends, but he needed to work this weekend.

So, Friday night, P and I went out for pizza and waited out the snow. Then, we came home and played and read and went to bed. P fell off of our bed, but that hasn't stopped her from asking each night to sleep in it again.

Saturday, P and I had toast for breakfast and played until Mr. mouse got home from his overnight. Bakery, library, breakfast, and gift shopping rounded out the morning. Naps for P and Mr. mouse and conference calls and constant email rounded out the afternoon.

Sunday, more conference calls, more emails, dim sum with a friend, more naps, more conference calls, more emails, dinner, more conference calls, and more emails.

Before you think I'm really annoyed by this, I'm not. It wasn't the most fun, but I recognize it's not a frequent occurrence. Honestly, though, it's less disruptive when I'm alone with P altogether. We don't need to coordinate schedules. We don't need to work around schedules. We don't need to make space or time. We can just be ourselves.

But, this should be over this week. And, hopefully, next week life returns to normal.


Cheers!
mouse

Nail Biting

Dear Friends and Family,

I know I'm trying too many things at once. But, I'm curious.

The laundry thing has been working this week. On nights we get home at a reasonable hour, I bring down a load of laundry to do during the evening. Too early to declare success, but progress.

In the mornings, I set the timer for 15 minutes. I organize while I make my coffee. Then, when the timer goes off, I stop and resume my normal morning routine of coffee, news, blog, etc. Too early to declare success, but progress.

Now, I want to see if I can add another "thing" to the loops. Nail biting. This week I want to try and figure out what my cues are. Unfortunately, I don't think it's a single one. I think it's a panacea of sorts for me. I wouldn't be surprised if there are multiple cues.

But, I'm optimistic. I think this isn't an impossible nut to crack. Why? Well, I already have some clues.

• I only bite my nails at work. I don't bite at home. I don't bite during the car ride. If we go on vacation, I inevitably come back with progress on the nail front.
• I don't think I bite during meetings. I'm almost certain it's when I'm at my desk alone. Not 100% certain, but almost certain.
• I know if I get regular manicures, my likelihood of biting goes down. I've had several instances of growing my nails through this process. Polish reduces the likelihood even more.
• I know there's a certain point when my nails get too long and then they all go at once.
• I know it's hardest to recover when they are bad. When they are decent, I somehow don't bite as often. Like it's either a virtuous cycle (of sorts) or a vicious cycle (most of the time).
• I don't bite evenly. My right thumb and left ring finger are the most frequent victims. My pinkies tend to fare well.

If nothing else, it'll give me "intellectual challenge" in March. And, it'll definitely help on the "when things look good" front of the happiness map.

Which reminds me. The laundry? It helps with getting to "completed to do list" which leads to "being relaxed." And, the 15 minutes in the morning? It helps with "clean house" which leads to "when things look good."

Optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

Retirement Review

Dear Friends and Family,

It's March 1.

I reviewed our retirement savings. No surprise, February was a good month.

Luck has really been on our side in this for which I am grateful. We both still have jobs. We haven't had any major unexpected expenses. The stock market has been generous.

For now, we're about a third way to our retirement goal. Onward. Time to find more investments for our February savings.


Cheers!
mouse

Habit Formation

Dear Friends and Family,

Because I've always been interested in habit formation and my finger nails are bitten to nubs and there's an article floating around on habits, I've decided to...

Stop biting my nails? Nope. Start doing laundry.

Yep.

Here's my current routine. I come home. I divest myself of my "pockets" - wallet, watch, glasses, keys, camera, etc. I hang up my coat and put my gloves away. I take my phone upstairs with me and plug it in. I change. I put a pin in my hair. I come downstairs for the evening.

New routine. Same as above. Except, after I put a pin in my hair. If I'm home at a reasonable hour, as in we didn't go out for dinner, I sort through the laundry and bring a load down to wash. I load the washer and set it to clean. I put the laundry basket on the stairs to take up later in the evening. I am downstairs for the evening. Resume former routine.

Sometime in the evening when the load is done I transfer it to the dryer and set it to dry. This is new.

When I head up for bed, instead of just walking up, I bring the laundry basket back up and load the laundry on the floor (from the sorting) back into the basket. Resume former routine of brushing teeth, etc.

I think it's got a shot at working. But, what about the laundry that's now dry that needs to be taken out, folded, brought upstairs, and put away? I've asked Mr. mouse to keep that part afloat for now.


Cheers!
mouse

02.28.12: Weekly Weigh In

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 141.4

I gained 2.2 lbs since my weigh-in last Tuesday.

Ouch. It hurts to write that.

Yes. We went out for dinner on Sunday night. Yes. I ate some birthday cake. Yes. I dreamt of ice cream.

No. I'm not convinced I deserved to gain 2.2 pounds.

Before I overreact, I think I should give it another week to see how I do this week. If I lose, then I'll assume it's a fluke. If I don't, then I'll assume I need to readjust.

Things I'm already considering - how do I make sure I'm eating food? I'm eating mostly food, but the baked potato chips they have at work are not food. I can pack my own potato chips which are food.

No. No overreacting. Vitamins. Milk. Water. Track.

See you next week.


Cheers!
mouse

02.27.12: February Almost Gone

Dear Friends and Family,

We had a long list we needed to get through on Saturday that included sledding, a nap and a birthday party. That's ambitious. Fortunately, P fell asleep on our way out to the snow. We played in the snow for a little bit before P decided the hill was "too fast" for her. And, made it to the birthday party in good time. Phew. Disaster averted.

Sunday was a much less ambitious day until Mr. mouse decided he wanted to go sledding again. I'm not sure if he wanted better photos or to get P over her fears or what but he was insistent on going. P was trying to be a good sport, really, but you could tell she really didn't want to go. So, I offered up the park as an alternative, which brought a whole new level of happy to our P and a whole new level of ticked off to Mr. mouse.

P and I had a wonderful time in the park followed by a happy lunch and a good nap. Mr. mouse? He worked off his anger doing errands. We all went out for a happy dinner.

I don't think he realizes how hard she tries to say yes to him. I think he presses his luck sometimes. I know I do as well. But, yesterday, I had no interest in sledding either so I was more than happy to vote with P on the matter.

And, since my spring allergies are starting, I am aware we may have lost our last photo shoot of the winter. But, I'm okay with that.


Cheers!
mouse