Our Recent Travels- Part 1

Seeing that I am (or was, not sure how this traveling thing will work out now that we are in the States) a Traveling Bandita, I thought I should talk about our travels over the past few months.  We knew that our time in Europe was coming to an end, so we left London whenever possible.  Anyone who has followed my blog knows that Kenny and I don't need much of an excuse to travel; once we were pretty certain of our move back date, we had a real incentive to fly away on a (near) weekly basis. 

In early June we spent a long weekend in Milan and Lake Como.  We had heard terrible things about Milan from just about everyone but thought it would still be worth seeing.  Plus, Lake Como is an easy drive from the city.  We only spent two nights in Milan, and that was honestly enough time.  The main thing I wanted to do was see the Last Supper.  Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible for people who don't plan their trips months in advance to view the Last Supper.   Tickets are inexpensive but book up very quickly.   The easy alternative is to take a group tour of Milan that includes the Last Supper.  Sorry, but I don't like being trucked around like a bunch of cattle.  Instead, I arranged a few hours with a tour guide in advance, and we were able to have a private tour of the Last Supper. 

Our guide was a very chic Milanese woman who loved my dress.  She incorrectly assumed that I had purchased it in Milan-- a compliment I was happy to receive!

From Milan we drove to Tremezzo, in Lake Como, for the weekend.  Milan was wonderfully warm and sunny; Lake Como was significantly cooler.  It was still beautiful, but I would have welcomed a slightly warmer experience.

We had a wonderful lunch at Vill@ D'este on our first day... we enjoyed our visit so much that we had lunch there on our way back to the airport as well.  The property is amazing-- click on the link to see how perfectly manicured the grounds are!

The obligatory photo after lunch:)

 

Multiple towns sit on the lake, connected by a fantastic ferry service.  We spent a cold, rainy day hopping from town to town.  The owners of our hotel suggested a little restaurant for lunch.  It consisted of four tables, a little glass-enclosed kitchen with the chef and one waitress.  The establishment was so small that the wine was kept at a neighboring property!  In true Italian form, we started our meal with pasta and then moved onto a fish course.  I loved my pasta but could sadly (or happily?) only eat a little.  Thank you Band.  The chef cleared our plates and incorrectly assumed that I didn't enjoy the dish.  I have refined the art of complimenting the dish/meal immediately rather than explaining, defensively, that I really enjoyed the meal but just don't have much of an appetite. 

 



The view from our hotel

We had such a great time and were thrilled that we missed the madness surrounding the Queen's Jubilee.  We ate well and drank like fish.  Still, I came home weighing the same amount as when I left!

I'm BAAACCCKKKK!

Hi there Blogland.  I am back, or at least I think I am back.  Sorry I have been MIA since May, but I have just had too much going on to focus on blogging.  Here is the short of my spring and summer...

Remember when I was all happy about the house Kenny and I planned to buy?  Well, that became a debacle.  One week before the closing my attorney called (yes, I was in London, and yes, the house is in New Jersey) to tell me that the seller was $50k light for the closing and that the house would be going to a shortsale.  Fun times.  Luckily his bank was willing to proceed with the closing on the condition that we agreed to give up a small credit the bastard seller had previously agreed to.  As annoying as this was, giving up the credit was a lot cheaper than losing the house entirely.  So a month later than expected we flew home and closed on the property.  The next morning we had locksmiths come in so Senor Shady couldn't get into what was by then OUR home.  This was the last weekend in June. 

Since then I have been flying back to NJ for about a week a month to deal with housing issues.  We had to change about 90% of our electric from aluminum to copper, we've redone the hardwood floors and installed wood where we had really ugly tile, installed new garage and fire doors, and so on and so on.  Luckily my mom has been really helpful with letting my contractors in when I have been in London.  Without her, only a fraction of this would have been accomplished.

The exciting conclusion is that Kenny and I moved from London to NJ on September 15th.  We are not yet in the house, but I spend most days here dealing with contractors.  We hope to be moved in by the middle of November.  We shall see.   

I have a lot more to catch everyone up on, but this is a decent start.  Most importantly, I am OK and I am back in the States.  I did not fall off the blogging wagon because I was gaining weight (promise- my weight is pretty stable).  Balancing travel, life in London and the house was just all I have been able to focus on.  Now I need to catch up on all of your blogs.  I have something like 15,000 posts to read, and that just isn't going to happen.  I will try to figure out the big things that I've missed in the last few months. 

More to come:) 

Who Says You Can't Go Back

Been all around the world and as a matter of fact

There's only one place left I want to go

Who says you can't go home?

Yesterday I mentioned that Kenny and I are buying a home.  We are, and we are VERY excited! 

When we initially moved to London on Halloween 2009, I made Kenny promise that we would leave in two years.  His contract was for two years, and I thought that would be more than enough time living overseas.  Kenny had never liked London (he had done frequent business here in his former role), and my mom and I are too proudly Irish to think that anything good could ever come of living anywhere near the queen (lack of caps done for emphasis).  I moved to London with great hesitancy, and Kenny thought for a while that I would likely live at mom's for two years and just fly over to see him on occasion.  But I was a good wife.  I packed up my stuff and moved- more like I had corporate movers come to our condo while pointed at everything and told them A. air shipment, B. boat shipment, or C. storage, but you get the idea. 

Two years came and went, but we didn't.  It just made sense to stay here for professional reasons.  We are now in our third year and have decided that it is time to move back to the States.  If we stay here any longer, we will really have to commit to living here for a minimum of 5 years.  We need to start focusing on having children after all, and I don't want to be disrupting a small child's routine if it can be avoided.  I also want the support of my family, mostly my mother, with the whole baby thing.  Kenny works obscene hours, and I would be stuck in our flat alone. 

Enter- stage left- house hunting... we still don't know when we will be moving, but Kenny suggested that I schedule time out with my realtor during my March trip home.  He had initially said that we would not consider purchasing anything until September, so I had no interest in bothering my realtor.  I already receive daily MLS emails from her listing all homes in our price range, so I know the market.  I also know what I like.  I told him that I would go out with her when we were closer. 

Clearly that changed.  Interest rates are very low, and the town we want to live in has very little on the market.  Towards the end of February, Kenny told me again that I should go out with the realtor and said that we should buy something if I find something wonderful.  Music to my little ears.  So I had my realtor book some appointments, and I started my house hunting extravaganza.  I found a home I liked on the first day (mom came to see it with me), and the following day I brought in my builder to give me an estimate of what it would cost to make some very necessary changes to the structure.  I put a bid in, a bidding war ensued and we lost out to a cash buyer (damn you people with that much cash).  I found out that we lost the home the day before we went to the Maldives, and I was very bummed.  Luckily two other homes came on the market one week into the Maldives trip.  Mom went out to see them with the realtor; she then gave me a report and told me to fly in to see them both.  This is what precipitated my one day trip home between the Maldives and Portugal. 

I have typed A LOT and have written absolutely NOTHING about our soon-to-be home.  The structure is somewhere between an expanded ranch and a cape (I might post a picture after we close, but I feel that doing so now is a bit premature).  It is just over 4,100 square feet.  It has 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, a formal living room, formal dining room, great room (kitchen and family room area), a sun room, a large office for Kenny, a multi-colored slate patio, and a two-car garage.  The master bedroom suite is downstairs, as is a second bedroom with its own bathroom.  The office is also downstairs.  The seller's realtor kept telling me how we could convert the office into a bedroom (it was originally a bedroom) if we were so inclined, and I reminded her that I am 33 and have yet to have an occupied uterus.  Unless I wind up needing in vitro and give birth to a litter, I am pretty confident that 5 bedrooms will be more than sufficient.  The house will wind up needing a lot of work in the next few years, but it is in move in condition.  The kitchen is dated for my taste, as are most of the bathrooms.  These are just cosmetic changes though, so I am not going to let them worry me.

As for the location, we will be back in New Jersey!!!  I know that poor NJ is the butt of many a joke, but I still love it.  My area looks nothing like the NJ Turnpike or Newark-- and Tony Soprano is nowhere in sight.  Our home will be 5 minutes from my beach club, and Kenny will be just a bit over an hour from work.  It is one town over from where I grew up and shares the same zip code.  My private elementary and public high schools are located in this town, so there is a good chance that our child/ren will attend the same schools that I attended.  I will consider going the public route for elementary school-- we have years to figure that out.  We will be 15 minutes from my mom and just about 10 minutes from my office (assuming I go back to work).  And for the BIGGEST news of the day, we are set to close on May 29!  Kenny is scheduled to fly back to London that evening, so I do hope we can close on time.   

Now that this is actually right over the horizon, I am having anxiety (not bad anxiety, just anxiety over making such big changes).  I will save that for another post.                    

Pour Some Sugar On Me

Well hi there, Blogland.  It has (again) been a while since I have posted.  First, I am busier than usual and have been traveling since March 12 or so.  Second, I am not losing weight.  Combine these two reasons, and we see why I have been MIA. 

I just started working out this week after a two month hiatus.  Some of you probably read that I really messed up my body earlier in the year due to excess exercise.  It took me a while to get that sorted out, and during that period I was exhausted.  My body cried 'uncle'; luckily I listened.  From there I started traveling and really didn't have time to exercise (I am always active, but I mean gym/elevated heart rate exercise).  Just in case you don't really believe that I have been out of town for two months, here is my itinerary:

March 12-20- in NJ to deal with my doctor, sort out my body and start house hunting-- more on that later.  Land in London on March 21, unpack and repack, and fly to the Maldives via Dubai on March 22.  Arrive in the Maldives on March 23- stay until April 1.  Arrive home in London at around 11pm on Sunday, April 1.  Unpack and repack.  Have car service collect me at 7:30am on Monday and fly to NJ.  Land in NJ at 12:30 that afternoon, view a home I like at 1:30, put in an offer at 4, negotiate the price by 6:30 over dinner with my mom and some of her girlfriends.  Agree on price by 7pm and enjoy what is left of dinner.  Run some errands on Tuesday before catching a 7:30pm flight back to London.  Land in London Wednesday morning, unpack and repack, and fly to Portugal for Easter weekend the following day (Thursday for everyone who is completely lost).  Return to London late on April 8 (Easter Sunday).  See friends for a day or two before unpacking and repacking to AGAIN return to NJ the morning of April 12.  Mom and I went to PR from April 15-20, and Kenny and I attended the fundraiser for his boarding school on April 21.  He left for London the following day, but I decided to stay in NJ.  At this point we started to run into some issues with the house we were scheduled to buy, so I was busy looking for replacement houses.  Kenny came back to NJ on April 27, and we were in NYC from April 30-May 4.  Then we FINALLY flew back to London on May 7, arriving on the morning of May 8.  A friend visited from the US from May 11-13, and that brings us pretty much current. 

So now I am back to the gym but am operating at a much lower intensity.  I did 1 hour of cardio on Monday and 50 minutes on Tuesday.  Today I went to my first Body Pump class, and the girls in the class actually shrieked when they saw me after so long.  What a great feeling!  I will increase my workouts at some point, but for now I am just getting back into a routine. 

As for the sugar title, SUGAR is the devil and is another reason I am not losing weight.  When I became sick in February and March, I pretty much listened to my body.  When it wanted salmon, it got salmon.  When it wanted white beans, I served them up.  And sadly, when it wanted chocolate... I obliged.  That was fine for a while, but sugar is a slippery slope.  The same way a crack addict cannot smoke even the slightest bit of the stuff without risking a full relapse and an alcoholic can't have a sip of vodka tonic without (more likely than not) waking up next to a full bottle of tonic but a much less full bottle of vodka, I cannot bring that sweet goodness into my home. 

Up until recently I was SOOO well-behaved.  I would have desserts occasionally when I was out to dinner or at/hosting a dinner party.  Apart from that, I stayed away from sweets.  I stayed away from them for so long that I thought I was now fine with sweets and I could eat them responsibly.  More importantly, I thought I would save money by buying a larger quantity of that sugary goodness and rationing it out over time.  Rational Nora thought this was a great idea- a little bit of sweets per day- no more.  Sugar Addict Nora also thought this was a great idea- trick Rational Nora into thinking she was in control before diving head first into the sweets Rational Nora bought.  Sugar Addict Nora definitely won the battle.  Rational Nora WILL win the war.

I am back to life without my daily sweets.  I won't buy them on the fly or rationalize that just a bit would be A-OK.  Once I get the taste for sweets, it takes time to ween myself.  Today I had tuna salad and sauteed zucchini for lunch.  No chocolate, no ice  cream, nothing to ruin the hour I spent Body Pumping.  Today is a new day, and today is going in the right direction. 

**One thing on my weight, it is surprisingly stable given what I have been doing (eating) and not doing (working out).  I got down to 193.4 for one day, but that was a fluke.  I was up to 196.6 the following day.  I am bouncing between 195 and 200.  I don't like seeing any number starting with a 2, but I know it is temporary.  Blah.  

I Got Chills, They're Multiplying, And I'm Losing Control

Good morning blogland.  I have mentioned that I constantly have 'Nora theme songs' running through my head.  I wake up singing (quietly, I promise) and continue throughout the day.  So... I figured that I should start using song lyrics for the titles of my blog posts.  Let's see how long this keeps up for. 

Today's topic is being stuck.  It has happened to almost all of us, and we can all agree that it sucks.  I was banded for 6 months before I ever experienced being stuck and PBing (you can read about that trauma here).  In the beginning PBing was very violent and unpleasant.  Now I know why- I did not know what being stuck felt like, and I did not know what my body's little warning signs were.  Because of this, I would continue to eat slowly, so I had food on top of my stuck stuff.  When I PBd, it could take up to an hour to get fully unstuck- yuck! 

Now I know almost immediately if I am going to have issues, and it is because I get chills when stuck.  I can be eating a lovely meal, be 100% OK, and then poof- chills up and down my spine.  This is my body's little warning.  Once I get that feeling, I simply stop eating.  My one issue is that being stuck invariably leads to a PB.  I read that some of you can just wait a few minutes to become unstuck.  I am not one of those people.  Whatever is stuck will come up; this is just how my body likes it.  At least my PBing is much less traumatic than it had been.  It just takes a few seconds, and it is over.  I am very thankful for my chills! 

How about for everyone else?  Does your body give you any indication that something is wrong?  Are your PBs much more tolerable than they were in the beginning?

Continuing on today's topic of being stuck, I only get stuck right before or during my TOM.  My band is SO loose for most of the month, and then my period comes and changes things.  I have been contemplating a fill for two months and do have an appointment on Friday just in case.  I have not had a fill since September and think it is about time.  I haven't been losing much weight recently, and a little fill might help that.  Still, I don't like TOM tightness.  I am conflicted.  At least I have a few days before I need to make up my mind.    

Big Lights Will Inspire You-- Let's Here It For New York

Mom and I headed into New York yesterday, tickets in pocketbook, to see the musical that almost everyone wants to see.  For the non-New Yorkers, B*O*O*K of M*O*R*M*O*N is the hottest thing on Broadway.  Tickets are completely sold out for about the next year.  Luckily my credit card sent out an email last week offering tickets along with a pre-theatre cocktail party at Ruth's Chris.  How could I not take them up on such an amazing offer?

The cocktail party was a wonderful start to the evening.  I wasn't in much of a eating mood, but the food was fantastic and plentiful!  Four well-known Broadway actresses attended and participated in a Q&A before signing autographs. 

I snapped a photo for the blog (of course)

Mom tried to take a photo of me in front of the theatre, and this really nice stopped and took a photo (three photos actually) of us together.  I have no patience for people who say New Yorkers are unfriendly.  It is frankly untrue.  New York is one of the only cities where locals will take pictures for tourists, help tourists read maps and guide them through the subway system.  But I digress...

Just to prove that we were actually there!

Look at how cute my mom looks:)

We had really great Orchestra seats, and I felt the need to take a picture.  Unfortunately one of the workers there threw a bit of a fit.  I caught her in a left-handed heil Hitler salute, but at least I also got the stage.

She who takes her job very seriously

The show itself was laugh out loud funny.  From the first number to the end, the audience was convulsing in laughter.  It was also one of the most offensive things I have seen, but that is to be expected given the creators.  Other than the wow factor of seeing such a popular show, being there really made us feel like 'insiders'.  It was apparent that others felt this way as well.  Everyone I spoke with was a regular theatre goer-- still everyone felt almost honored to be part of the event!  I am not going to discuss the musical itself, lest I ruin it for anyone who has tickets.  What I will say is this: book your ticket to see this musical (as long as offensive religious humor doesn't offend you).  

If You Like Pina Coladas

Mom and I had a fun week in Puerto Rico.  Our hotel wound up only being so so, but we made it work.  The place clearly caters to vacationers who want to go through their holiday piss drunk.  The pool bar was the most popular destination at the resort.  Not our scene.  At least we know to go elsewhere next year.  On the subject of drinking, the pina colada was created at a bar inside this resort in the 1950s.  It is the hotel's claim to fame.  And yes, the pina coladas are pretty damn good there. 

View from our bedroom

Really ugly art at a local restaurant

Easter Travels & Back On Track

Kenny and I really enjoyed our golf weekend at the Ritz-Carlton in Portugal.  I am only a beginner golfer and was very anxious about playing for three days in a row.  This anxiety grew when I learned that we would be playing with others.  I usually only play with Kenny and wasn't thrilled that I would have to keep up with much better golfers.  Luckily the husband and wife duo we played with on day one were very nice.  We had a great time with them, and my confidence improved after that round.  The mother and daughter pair from day two were decidedly less pleasant, but Kenny and I still enjoyed ourselves.  The caddie master let us play by ourselves on Sunday, and that was just fantastic.  My game is improving-- I just need to take more lessons.

I am happy to report that my body is now back on track.  I haven't made it back to the gym yet but am remaining active.  My schedule has been hectic, and I just haven't had the time to exercise.  I have started losing weight again, and I am no longer craving crazy foods.  I do have a strong desire for these little suckers though.     
 

Now that Easter is behind me, I must stop with the chocolate!

I am going to New Jersey tomorrow and will stay for about a month.  Mom and I are heading to a resort in Puerto Rico this weekend for our annual 'a mom and her kid' vacation.  Even though I see my mom pretty frequently (especially considering that I live over 3,500 miles away), I always look forward to having an excuse to spend more time with her. 

I seem to always be packing, unpacking or repacking.  Today is no different.  I need to unpack from my last three trips in order to repack for tomorrow.  Off I go.  Toodles. 

Marvelous Maldives

I. Love. The. Maldives. I love travel, love vacations and love beaches... but I REALLY love the Maldives.  It is a simple as that. 
  
When we arrived at the airport, we were greeted by a porter who brought us to the boat.  Our resort is on a private island about 15 minutes from the airport.  After flying from London to Dubai and Dubai to Maldives, hopping onto a boat for a little ride was so much easier to handle than being crammed into a car.  As our boat approached the dock, the front desk staff was standing on the dock waving to greet us.  It might be a bit cheesy, but it was a nice first impression.
  

From our boat- pulling into the resort

We were given this amazing room on the beach and were very lucky to be on the quiet side of the island.  Some days we had the beach entirely to ourselves.  At most we shared with 5 or 6 people!

    

View from our room

  

Our anniversary was on March 28- three years and counting!  We decided to relax during the day and take a sunset dolphin cruise before dinner.  We were on a traditional Maldivian boat and saw a load of dolphin.  Unfortunately I didn't bring my good camera, so the dolphin pictures are lacking.

  

  

That is a dolphin, I promise!

All of the restaurants were great (no, I didn't gain weight), but we wanted something special for our anniversary.  We arranged for private dining on the beach with a five-course menu.  I ate so little of what we ordered but loved every single bite!
 

 

   

In addition to two desserts, the restaurant made this cake for us. 

After we cut it, they sent it to our room along with a bottle of bubbly!
  

What amazing staff to do this for us!

   

Evening shark feeding

  

Kenny and I were talking about my weight loss over drinks one evening, and he said some of the nicest things I have ever heard come out of his mouth.  He said that if I want to lose more weight, he completely supports me as long as I do it for myself and don't hurt myself in the process.  But he stressed that I should NOT do it for him.  He said that he is more attracted to me now than he has ever been and doesn't think I need to lose more.  How sweet!  We all know that I had a bit of an issue last month with working out too much and not getting my period, and he doesn't want that to happen again (nor do I).  On that note, I got my period over vacation.  While this would normally be exceedingly annoying, we were both very happy.  My body sorted itself out without the need for taking the 10-day regimen of pills prescribed by my OBGYN.  When I start working out again next month, I will be much more balanced in my approach. 

In lieu of my progress picture in gym clothes

     

Getting ready to leave:(

     

Parking lot-- Maldives style

  

Now I am packing for our golf weekend in Portugal.  I have more to report about our vacation and my trip home, but it will have to wait until next week. 

Happy Easter! 

Back From The Maldives- For Another 4 Hours

I wanted to let everyone know that Kenny and I are back from the Maldives.  We had a FANTASTIC time and were (not surprisingly) very bummed to pack up and take the boat back to the airport on Sunday.  I have a lot to report and will post pics at some point, but I don't have the time right now.  I am flying back to NJ this morning for one night and have a car picking me up in 90 minutes.  I am still sitting in my pink marshmallow-looking robe even though I should really be getting showered and out the door.  I land back at Heathrow on Wednesday morning, and we then go to Portugal for Easter on Thursday evening.  This is all a long way of saying that I don't know when the Maldives post will be forthcoming-- but I promise that it will be:) 

Happy Monday!

The Perils of Excess Exercise

Remember how I was working out like a mad woman... and how I was loving (just about) every minute of it?  Well, all good things must come to an end.  First, I got an upper respiratory infection in the beginning of February that I just couldn't kick.  I'd start to feel a bit better only to feel like hell only a day or two later.  Then Valentine's Day came but my period didn't.  I kept working out and wound up going what I can only describe as bat shit crazy.  I became a bottomless pit of food- all food.  After making veal cordon bleu for Valentine's day, I proceeded to eat it like a sandwich for the next few days (as in, I cut a veal cutlet in half and chomped into it until it was gone).  I also ate cookies, brownies, the raw filling for key lime pie- minus the yolk- and on and on.  For about two weeks I just couldn't control myself.  My body was out of control.  I was also exhausted!  My weight was a mess, and I gained 4-5 lbs in days.  For the record, I was not pregnant.
I spoke with some of my gym girlfriends prior to my trip home, and they all implored me to go to the doctor.  I wound up going to my gyno last Tuesday and explained my situation: that I hadn't had my period since January but wasn't pregnant and that I increased my workouts significantly in January and February.  She felt that I probably stressed my body too much this year.  Because ovulation is not a necessary bodily function, your body (or my body in this situation) can decide not to ovulate if it senses more stress than it likes.  In my case, my weight loss and excess exercise could have caused this stress.  She ran some blood work, and all of the tests came back fine.  Now for the fun part.  I have to take 10 days of pills to try to jump start my period.  After I take the pills, it is anyone's guess when my period might come.  So now it is like being 14 years old all over again.
I guess the moral of the story is that moderation is key to just about everything.  I will continue to work out 6 days a week (except for when I am traveling) but will limit my workouts to no more than 2ish hours a day.  Most days I will stop at the 90 minute mark.  I will also vary my routine so that I am not always working out at such a high level.  I love the workouts, but I have actually stalled my weight loss by doing too much.  My body knew something was up and did everything it could to get me back on track.  Now I just need to rely on modern medicine to do the last little bit.  Fun times!       

Unpacking and Repacking

Hola everyone.  I have been a terrible blogger and am trying to make amends.  Here is a little update of what I have been up to:

Two weeks ago The American and I, along with our husbands, saw Z.a.c.h. B.r.a.f.f. in All-New-People.  I LOVE ZB from his days on TV and was thrilled to get to see him live.  If anyone is passing through London in the next few weeks, see this show! 

Earlier that Friday Kenny called to see if I wanted to golf at his club over the weekend.  I immediately said yes and then froze.  After doing a quick mental inventory of my closet- 3 jeans, 3 dresses, 12 cashmere sweaters, and gym clothes, I realized I had a problem.  I had neither the mandatory collared shirt nor the khaki pants, and this caused immediate anxiety.  The sizing in the UK, like the rest of Europe, does not cater to heavier members of society.  The GAP only goes up to a US 14, whereas the US stores carry up to 18 or 20.  Scary stuff.  I told Kenny that I would go shopping, and off I went.  I had trouble finding much in a 14 and asked one of the managers to help me.  We found a few pieces to try on, and they were all--  --  -- BIG.  Actually, the cropped/skinny cut size 14 was tight in my freakishly muscular calves, but other than that I swam in the 14s.  I had grabbed one pair of khakis in a 12; they fit like a glove.  I suppose vanity sizing is catching on.  Nora is no size 12.   

We did golf on Sunday, and I looked the part until I tried to hit the ball.  I don't have pictures of me on the course, but here is Kenny's club:

The following day I flew to New Jersey for the week.  Between seeing my mom and dad, catching up with friends and handling some personal matters, I felt like the Tasmanian Devil spinning from one event to the next.


Before going home, I ordered an obscene amount of clothing.  I never know what size I am and wind up ordering EVERYTHING in at least 2 sizes.  My mom's living room looked like a UPS shipping facility.  Here is the damage after I had tried on and sorted everything!

 This picture does not adequately capture the number of boxes

piled up, but it was the best I could do!

I  kept a few dresses (depending on your definition of a few), some jeans and two bathing suits.  I also bough new gym clothes because everything was getting baggy on me.  The jeans were all size 12- the dresses 14.  All hail vanity sizing!

I met a friend of mine for lunch on Saturday, and I just had to share the view with everyone in blogland...

Now I am back in London and am doing a quick unpack, along with some laundry and dry cleaning, before flying to the Maldives via Dubai on Thursday evening.  I am very much looking forward to some fun in the sun but will try to get a bit more blogging in before my departure!  

 

Scary Pictures

I've been trying to come up with an anniversary gift for Kenny, as we will be celebrating three years of marriage on March 28.  We each have difficulty coming up with gift ideas for the other.  We pretty much have what we need and buy what we want, so choosing the 'right' gift can be very stressful.  I also have the added anxiety of being uncomfortable spending the money Kenny has worked so hard for to buy him a gift (hey Honey, glad you worked all of those late nights and weekends so I could buy you this golf club that you probably don't even need). 

Now I opt for what I hope to be thoughtful gifts.  For Valentine's Day I gave him a gift certificate for a face and head shave and a ritzy men's grooming salon.  For our anniversary I have been creating photo albums on S.h.u.t.t.e.r.f.l.y.  I made a Year 1 album and a Year 2 album.  I will make Year 3 as well but will have to wait until April to do so.  We travel frequently and have such amazing pictures, yet they frequently remain hidden on the hard drive of our computer. 

The Year 1 album is pre-WLS, and Year 2 pictures end only 2 months after WLS.  Seeing some of these pictures made me cringe.  I considered NOT putting them in the album, but hey, those pictures are still of me and of our time together as husband and wife.  It is the reality of the beginning of our married life together, and they should be in the albums. 

Now let's take a peak.  And feel free to cringe as well.

Mauritius- April 2009

Lisbon, Portugal- May 2010

Elounda, Crete- August 2010

As Lap Band Gal recently commented, " I can't get over the ginormous size of my calves. Yikes.".  It is amazing to see how differently I stood when I was carrying all of that extra weight.  I so clearly leaned backwards-- I guess to keep myself from falling forwards.  I wonder how much differently I will stand when I shed some more of these excess lbs. 

I know I've come a long way, but I also know I still have further progress to make.  Come on Nora, let's do this!

March Madness

I had intended to write a wonderful post about Prague and my birthday week (I didn't intend for the celebrations to last for a week, but hey, I'm not going to say NO either), but I waited too long to do so.  Now Prague seems so distant and talking even more about my birthday a bit too silly. 

Instead, let's talk about my freaking weight.  I have had a lot of trouble maintaining Onederland.  After my low of 196.6, I am now hovering between 199.0 and 200.4.  This isn't the end of the world, but it isn't making me too happy either.  I was doing my crazy workouts (2+hours a day, 6 days a week) until Saturday.  I have been feeling a bit run down and just couldn't see myself suffering through my third spin class of the day.  So I unclipped my shoes after two classes, went to a mini-abs class instead and proceeded to come home and take a way-too-long nap on the couch (after a shower, I promise).  I am starting to regain my energy but feel that I am still dragging a bit.  Until I feel 100%, I am going to scale back on my gym routine.

My eating has been very erratic.  I was a bottomless pit for at least two weeks in February.  I was always hungry, and nothing I ate made me full.  Then on Saturday (when I was feeling run down), I had just about no appetite.  That proved to be a good thing, as my band decided to tighten up on me.  Now I am back to being loose.  VERY annoying.  I am scheduled for a fill next week and really don't know what to do.  Most of the time I feel that I could use one (0.05 maybe), but I am not sure.  I have started craving some foods that I only crave when I need a fill, so I am leaning towards visiting the wonderful Dr. K for a little liquid lovin.  I haven't had a fill since September, so it is probably time.  At the same time, Kenny and I are off to the Maldives at the end of the month and I would hate, hate, hate to be too tight.  Oh well, I have 9 days to figure it out. 

Here is my monthly comparison photo.  I might (sadly) weigh one or two pounds more than I did in the February picture.  Blah.

Happy Birthday To ME!!!

Today is my birthday.  I am now 33 years old.  I woke up to the cutest birthday card and a new Salvatore Ferragamo scarf.  I've become a bit of a scarf gal, and Kenny is happy to purchase these wonderful pieces of silk for me!

Kenny wrote that he knew Muldoon, mom's dog, would want to

say Happy Birthday, so he picked this card:)

I completed my normal Tuesday gym routine and got LOADS of Happy Birthdays from my gym ladies.  I love that I have become part of such a great community!  Upon returning to the flat, I was greeted by these fabulous flowers-- courtesy of my mother:)

Tonight we are celebrating my triple threes over a tasting menu at a Michelin-starred restaurant in town.  My real birthday celebration was in Prague, but I am never one to say NO to an evening out with Kenny.  I will post about Prague separately in the next few days. 

I thought a nice way to end my birthday post would be to show some pictures of how I looked in past birthdays.  Kenny started a tradition of bringing me away for my birthday when we moved to London, so here we go...

Dubai 2010- 31st birthday



Sevilla 2011- 32nd birthday



Prague 2012- 33rd birthday





A Quick Update

Ahh, I have been absent for too long.  Sorry Blogland.  My schedule has just been hectic, and I took a blogging break.  I also don't have much to report.  I am off to Prague in 40 minutes and am (almost) packed, so here is a little update from me. 

Last weekend I was lucky enough to meet up with Lap Band Gal during her visit to London.  We had a great time catching up over coffee/tea, and I was thrilled to meet such a successful bandster (NOTE, Lap Band Gal is also an amazingly enjoyable person to spend time with)!  Thanks for carving some time out of your very busy weekend to see me:)

That evening Kenny cooked me Valentine's Day dinner.  He has about ZERO ability in the kitchen, so I was pleasantly surprised that he prepared a wonderful meal-- cheese and crackers to start, a Greek salad, seared swordfish, sauteed spinach, and Whole Foods desserts.  Good job Kenny:)



 
This week I have been gymming a lot, but my weight is still all over the place.  Part of it has to do with the fact that I was a bottomless pit last week.  Part of it is probably due to the muscle I am building with Body Pump and Spin.  Still, if this eating keeps up, I will certainly be visiting Dr. K next month.  I don't use my band to control my portions, but I do think I am feeling hungry before I should.  Oh well... I have until March 16 to figure that out. 

Have a good weekend!!!