Christmas Shenanigans

Our trip back home was great.  We were in the States from December 16-28 and had a whirlwind visit.  Between seeing our families and catching up with friends, along with balancing Kenny's work commitments, we were utterly exhausted!  We landed late on Friday night and hosted a dinner for friends at my mom's home the following evening.  Not the best planning on our part, but we didn't have other options. 
  
We spent four nights at the Palace, which is still a favorite hotel of mine.  Sure, it is a bit dated and in need of some TLC, but it is beautiful (and the service is just about perfect).  On our first night in New York we had a lovely dinner with Catherine and her mom at G.r.a.m.e.r.c.y.T.a.v.e.r.n..  Catherine and I frequently catch up when I am in town, but this was the first time we have added others to our nights out.  It was great to meet her mother and see what a close relationship they have, though I had a pretty good clue that this was the case through reading her blog.  My mom and I are definitely girlfriends, and it is wonderful to see other women who have close relationships with their mothers.  Her mother is very sweet, and I hope I will have the chance to see her again.  I also loved having Kenny join the mix.  I had shown him some of Catherine's progress pictures when I was trying to sell him on Lap-Band surgery-- it was pretty much a session of hitting him over the head and saying LOOK, it CAN work!  I don't know for sure, but I think that seeing her pictures was very helpful to Kenny.  Over our dinner he was able to meet one of the most successful bandsters out there and see how fantastic she is (band or no band).  Anyway, we all had an amazing night with great company, food and wine.  Catherine's mom has the only picture from the night, but if she gets her hands on it, one of us will post.  
  
The following evening I met up with a girlfriend from law school.  She was my matron of honor, and, for those of you have followed my blog from the beginning, the only person I have told about my surgery other than mom and Kenny.  She was supportive of me having the surgery initially (or at least seemed to be) but hasn't been all that complimentary about the progress I have made.  I am not sure whether she feels that I am cheating, is jealous that I am now smaller than she or actually believes that she IS being supportive, but it is a bit awkward.  We met at the Palace to exchange gifts before our reservation at my favorite Thai restaurant.  I opened the door, and she made a passing comment that I looked good-- then NOTHING.  Very strange.  We headed down to the restaurant, and the strangest thing happened.  I walked into the place, spoke with Shaun, the waiter I have known for years, and he had absolutely NO CLUE who I was.  Another woman walked in behind us, and he asked whether we had a reservation for three people.  I said that no, it was just the two of us, and he just looked at me blankly.  I finally caught on that he didn't recognize me, and at about the same moment he looked at me and figured out who I was.  He put his hands out wide up by his shoulders, then moved them closer together down by his waist and said something like "I had no clue who you were- you have lost SO MUCH WEIGHT".  Then he pretty much spent the evening chatting with my girlfriend and me.  At one point I actually felt terrible for my friend.  Shaun asked me what made me finally want to lose weight, and I mentioned health, being able to get pregnant, looking good for Kenny, etc.  He was so positive about the progress that I have made-- then looked at my friend, put his hand on her shoulder and said "it's alright"-- I guess referring to her weight.  I acted like I didn't hear what he had said, but she must have been less than happy at that moment. 
  
I won't bore you with day by day progress of our trip, but I did have one other experience with not being recognized that I'd like to share.  Before our wedding, Kenny and I registered at Bloomingdale's and Williams-Sonoma.  I then found a local china store that carried our pattern and registered there as well.  My family owns a small company, and I feel strongly that I should support the local stores whenever possible.  We gave this store a lot of business around the time of the wedding, and now I go there for all of my china/hostess gift needs.  The owners know that I have been losing weight given that I buy something there just about every month, but I was busy during my November trip home and hadn't been in since September.  I walked into this store, and nobody acknowledged me other than a cursory 'hello'.  The daughter walked right past me.  I finally said hello and asked a question, and the mom, daughter and husband stopped in their tracks.  The mom said that she heard my voice in the store but couldn't find me and that none of them recognized me at all.  I get minorly grouchy that I am now treated like a stranger at places I have frequented for years, but it is really reassuring to know that I am in the process of a true transformation.            
     
Speaking of this transformation, it is even apparent in the gifts I received for Christmas.  Mom gave me a new 16 gig iPod for the gym to replace the one I sweat broke last month.  Among other things, Kenny gave me a heavy LL Bean fleece jacket to wear on my way to the gym.  If mom and Kenny had given me these gifts in prior years, I would have been offended.  How DARE they give me gifts that push me towards the gym.  Now I am so thankful to have a new iPod full of high energy music (well, not that full- I am still taking gym music recommendations) and a really warm jacket to wear rather than sweating on a coat that requires dry cleaning.  In catching up on your blogs, I see that so many of us now get gym clothes or something that will help keep us warm (yeah, Kenny gave me new shearling slippers as well).  Isn't it great when we have supportive people in our lives who enable us to get and stay healthy rather than enable us to eat sweets while lounging on the couch and gain weight!