Post Christmas Recovery

This week has been fairly quiet. I have been back to normal foods. I like getting back to normal food. I look forward to it and miss it when I don't have it. I like that. Not that I am losing weight or anything but my Christmas gain was just a couple pounds that came right back off. I did not go into Christmas with any pounds to spare, though, so I still need to lose some more. I don't like that tight feeling, etc.

So, Christmas was somewhat of an endurance test. I decided to take brother with us to see Mom and Dad. Brother can be tedious to be around and the two hour car trip can be nerve racking after a while with the constant chatter and intensity of his conversations. This year the weather was a little bad, there were ice patches, a bit of snow, and strong winds. I was nervous. I told him I was going to listen to Christmas music and not talk much so I could relax for driving. He was excited about the bad weather which I found a bit annoying because he was not the one who had to drive. Anyway, we hit a standstill because of an accident and to make a long long story short, we sat, crept, and inched in traffic for a little over two hours, and then still had two more hours or so ahead to drive in the wind and slick patches. I was determined to see my Mom because she had sounded really down when I talked to her in the morning. So I was steadfast behind the wheel.

I felt like a champion when we arrived having endured the long trip without being a crab. I credit my pleasant state of mind to the infinite supply of Christmas music on the radio. I love Christmas music, so I sang along, danced in my seat, and tuned into a variety of music. All went well during the visit. Dad liked the soft cookies I had baked special for him. We all sat around the table together, had dinner and passed around presents. Dad napped for a while and we visited with Mom. I am so glad we did not give up because of weather or traffic. It lifted my mother's spirits to have us there. We left her with cash and gifts and a clean sink.

The trip back was easy. And it was great to get home. I am glad we brought my brother but it was nice to drop him off, too (sort of like grand kids?). We were glad he did not spend the holiday alone. We also had taken him looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve with us. We were focused on being charitable this year, so I explained to the kids that we were being charitable with our time and our holiday by including him even though at times he is hard to be around. We enjoyed lots of good times at home over the holiday weekend but I was left feeling a little worn out.

So I have been recuperating from the rush of the holiday, the not normal foods, the busy and intense week I had last week at work, and from the stresses of getting the right medical care for my daughter. I am happy to say that we have found a good psychiatrist. She also loves her therapist and so do I. It is relief to feel she is in good hands. Now I can focus a little more on taking care of me. I have been reading health and fitness magazines. I love doing that. I submerge myself in information. I have been focused on getting back into the right foods for me and limiting portions. I have felt tired, though, and a bit like I am coming down with a cold so exercise has not been too hot.

I want to sleep for New Year's and do absolutely nothing. I want to go to the gym and have my steam/swim tomorrow and then lounge around and read fitness magazines and sleep. I'd like to take a chilly bike ride on the trail sometime this weekend. I miss my bike rides. I think I need some time to do whatever I feel like doing.

More will be revealed.