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A Laborious Day Weekend
Sep. 6th, 2018 12:02 pmSo I checked my official health report and compared it with my current total. It looks like I gained two pounds during the last two weeks since my last weigh in, and it turns out that it was because I gained two pounds of muscle. But aside from that, I actually lost more weight than I expected. As of last official weight check, I actually lost over 20 pounds! No wonder people have noticed the difference.
It looks like a little fat was gained as well between the two weeks where I compared my weight, but not a significant amount. It really explained why I was getting worn out between my shifts to the point where I'd go take a break and fill up on whatever was in my bag just to feel all right again. I might be burning more than I originally thought.
Michelle, despite not feeling like she lost that much, actually lost 10 pounds. The second job has been doing good for us in that regard.
Despite all that, I don't feel like I've had any hormonal problems or the like. I never feel like I get enough sleep, though.
The Weekend
This Memorial Day weekend we took a trip to Boston so I could get the replacement curtain arms at IKEA. We stayed at a Hilton not far from there--believe it or not, rooms are really expensive during Labor Day weekend. Yeah, I know, isn't that surprising in a place like Boston where you can find a college every half mile you walk? Anyway, the Hilton was all suites and ours oddly felt like it was designed on the IKEA ascetic: simple functional furniture, a door to a makeup room that was a sliding panel, and tiles that looked like carpet and thankfully was made out of a heat insulating material so didn't feel cold nor hot.
IKEA was as godawful as you'd expect IKEA to be when a flood of college kids are coming in. We avoided Boston in general because of that craziness, but instead were given the opportunity to slowly peter into a continuously fed line of cars that were guided by a traffic controller.
Despite that, because we didn't need to get much, the trip was relatively easy. Walking through the labyrinthine warehouse flagship didn't feel like a real experience on our legs and I held two 10 foot curtain rods like a way-too-large rifle at my shoulders while trying to avoid having it hit any signs or floating decorations along the way.
Then we got the poles, some brined salmon, some vegan caviar, and then it was to Target!
"You deserve to treat yourself" Michelle said after our weight loss revelations, so we got a pint of Ben and Jerry's from there along with a bunch of microwavable junk food. Hell, I even got a flavored seltzer.
Of course, once we got in with our sack of foods, I opened the fridge to realize that there was no freezer. "Guess we're living today like 9 year olds and eating dessert first," I announced as I tried to force Coconut 7 Layer Bar into my mouth and hating myself slowly with each shovel into the sugary abyss. The worst part of it was that I swear the dairy free version is more sugary than the hand-packed pints from the scoop shop.
Michelle won before me. I gave up and the ice cream would later be used to flavor her coffee the day later. By the way, dairy-free ice cream? Doesn't really lose structure when it melts.
We didn't eat everything, and devouring a platter of salmon on crackers with mustard may sound amazing, but also loses its joy after awhile.
I kept falling in and out of sleep as Michelle watched a romantic period drama about a book club that survived the WWII occupation.
Sunday came and we decided on a scenic route back up to avoid most of the people. Micro Center in Kendall (I know, we said we wanted to avoid people so we took the least obtrusive way we could find) to look through all the new gear, classic dim sum lunch in a small town a few miles out of Boston, then the Yankee Candle flagship store where Santa was outside teaching kids to paint pumpkins while the inside had Christmas displays and people looking for a way to escape the heat between endless aisles of soy candles and affiliated brands. One trip to a supermarket later to get ready for the week and off to home we went.
We celebrated Labor Day by defying it. I picked beans, giving me enough to can 5 and a half jars for our first yield. Pretty good! I made two test batches as well; one with a heavier mix of garlic, and another with a bit of "Italian seasoning" (read: oregano and fennel seed).
The curtain arms were replaced and reinforced with an extra arm. This time everything was accounted for. I think it'll hold this time and if not, then I'm giving up. We considered maybe moving the bed around and putting a bookcase instead for the whole wall if that happens. I don't want to test it because it's on drywall.
Michelle got the apartment in order. The bed was cleaned, the clothes were put away, everything looks "normal" again.
I sorted through parts for a Lego soccer stadium that I was going to gift Michelle's mother with, then sorted through what parts were available versus what wasn't. I had to get the missing parts through three different distributors through something that I can only describe as "Cardshark for Legos"
Also bought a ton of other Lego sets for her parents. Train station for her dad (to expand his Christmas village motif) along with a lot more tracks. Ship in a bottle for her grandfather. Her sister is the only one we haven't accounted for yet. I still need to get her mother a custom Lego set of the Portuguese soccer team.
Then dishwashing, replacing the glassware, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
I feel like I lost muscle mass from this weekend, but now I can fit into a tighter notch on my belt without it being too uncomfortable. This is progress!
Gardening
Apparently, the cannabis in the yard was removed because someone noticed: next association meeting is going to be a petition to remove the garden. Sigh.
I'd like to contest it, but I'm a renter so I don't think I have much say. I already know that the person who grew the stuff was probably the one person who uses the garden that's also the only owner among those who uses it. Double sigh. I'll probably need to rent a plot somewhere as a result.
Future Plans
Michelle got a call from her parents and they were nagging her about getting married again, which annoyed us. I don't think they know how much we're doing (to be fair, I really don't because she doesn't want to tell them about our second jobs). We're still set to get our credit dealt with by the end of the year, so that's what matters to me overall.
It looks like a little fat was gained as well between the two weeks where I compared my weight, but not a significant amount. It really explained why I was getting worn out between my shifts to the point where I'd go take a break and fill up on whatever was in my bag just to feel all right again. I might be burning more than I originally thought.
Michelle, despite not feeling like she lost that much, actually lost 10 pounds. The second job has been doing good for us in that regard.
Despite all that, I don't feel like I've had any hormonal problems or the like. I never feel like I get enough sleep, though.
The Weekend
This Memorial Day weekend we took a trip to Boston so I could get the replacement curtain arms at IKEA. We stayed at a Hilton not far from there--believe it or not, rooms are really expensive during Labor Day weekend. Yeah, I know, isn't that surprising in a place like Boston where you can find a college every half mile you walk? Anyway, the Hilton was all suites and ours oddly felt like it was designed on the IKEA ascetic: simple functional furniture, a door to a makeup room that was a sliding panel, and tiles that looked like carpet and thankfully was made out of a heat insulating material so didn't feel cold nor hot.
IKEA was as godawful as you'd expect IKEA to be when a flood of college kids are coming in. We avoided Boston in general because of that craziness, but instead were given the opportunity to slowly peter into a continuously fed line of cars that were guided by a traffic controller.
Despite that, because we didn't need to get much, the trip was relatively easy. Walking through the labyrinthine warehouse flagship didn't feel like a real experience on our legs and I held two 10 foot curtain rods like a way-too-large rifle at my shoulders while trying to avoid having it hit any signs or floating decorations along the way.
Then we got the poles, some brined salmon, some vegan caviar, and then it was to Target!
"You deserve to treat yourself" Michelle said after our weight loss revelations, so we got a pint of Ben and Jerry's from there along with a bunch of microwavable junk food. Hell, I even got a flavored seltzer.
Of course, once we got in with our sack of foods, I opened the fridge to realize that there was no freezer. "Guess we're living today like 9 year olds and eating dessert first," I announced as I tried to force Coconut 7 Layer Bar into my mouth and hating myself slowly with each shovel into the sugary abyss. The worst part of it was that I swear the dairy free version is more sugary than the hand-packed pints from the scoop shop.
Michelle won before me. I gave up and the ice cream would later be used to flavor her coffee the day later. By the way, dairy-free ice cream? Doesn't really lose structure when it melts.
We didn't eat everything, and devouring a platter of salmon on crackers with mustard may sound amazing, but also loses its joy after awhile.
I kept falling in and out of sleep as Michelle watched a romantic period drama about a book club that survived the WWII occupation.
Sunday came and we decided on a scenic route back up to avoid most of the people. Micro Center in Kendall (I know, we said we wanted to avoid people so we took the least obtrusive way we could find) to look through all the new gear, classic dim sum lunch in a small town a few miles out of Boston, then the Yankee Candle flagship store where Santa was outside teaching kids to paint pumpkins while the inside had Christmas displays and people looking for a way to escape the heat between endless aisles of soy candles and affiliated brands. One trip to a supermarket later to get ready for the week and off to home we went.
We celebrated Labor Day by defying it. I picked beans, giving me enough to can 5 and a half jars for our first yield. Pretty good! I made two test batches as well; one with a heavier mix of garlic, and another with a bit of "Italian seasoning" (read: oregano and fennel seed).
The curtain arms were replaced and reinforced with an extra arm. This time everything was accounted for. I think it'll hold this time and if not, then I'm giving up. We considered maybe moving the bed around and putting a bookcase instead for the whole wall if that happens. I don't want to test it because it's on drywall.
Michelle got the apartment in order. The bed was cleaned, the clothes were put away, everything looks "normal" again.
I sorted through parts for a Lego soccer stadium that I was going to gift Michelle's mother with, then sorted through what parts were available versus what wasn't. I had to get the missing parts through three different distributors through something that I can only describe as "Cardshark for Legos"
Also bought a ton of other Lego sets for her parents. Train station for her dad (to expand his Christmas village motif) along with a lot more tracks. Ship in a bottle for her grandfather. Her sister is the only one we haven't accounted for yet. I still need to get her mother a custom Lego set of the Portuguese soccer team.
Then dishwashing, replacing the glassware, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
I feel like I lost muscle mass from this weekend, but now I can fit into a tighter notch on my belt without it being too uncomfortable. This is progress!
Gardening
Apparently, the cannabis in the yard was removed because someone noticed: next association meeting is going to be a petition to remove the garden. Sigh.
I'd like to contest it, but I'm a renter so I don't think I have much say. I already know that the person who grew the stuff was probably the one person who uses the garden that's also the only owner among those who uses it. Double sigh. I'll probably need to rent a plot somewhere as a result.
Future Plans
Michelle got a call from her parents and they were nagging her about getting married again, which annoyed us. I don't think they know how much we're doing (to be fair, I really don't because she doesn't want to tell them about our second jobs). We're still set to get our credit dealt with by the end of the year, so that's what matters to me overall.
