I got some good news and some bad news...bad news first.

Well, I figured it would happen at some point but I didn’t think it would be today. I waited and waited for my shipment to arrive at work today and unfortunately it never came. At first I thought maybe the ice chest finally burst since the last two shipments arrived pretty well battered. I even asked the ladies at the front desk a couple of times if the UPS man had come by. He had but didn’t leave anything for me. I guess it’s a good thing I ate out last night with my son because it left me with a spare dinner which, by the way, was pretty good. It was a porcine mushroom stuffed chicken breast with a wild rice pilaf and some veggies. By now, you all know how I feel about mushrooms but I have to say the combination was quite tasty with a few shakes of hot sauce and a couple of dashes of Molly McButter on the vegetables. I must have missed a dinner roll from a dinner during the week so I sopped it all up with that.

Now for the good news; I lost another pound this week! I went from 245 to 244 bringing my total to 14 pounds in just 5 weeks. That’s an average of almost 3 pounds per week. Looking at the big picture, I’m pleased with that. I think about how long it took me to pack on 14 pounds to get from 244 to 258; I’m sure it took longer than 5 weeks so taking it off in 5 weeks puts it in perspective for me. Do I wish it was more? You bet! Can I make it come off faster…I’m sure. Do I know how to make it come off faster…of course; exercise! I didn’t tell you in yesterday’s blog that I took a walk around lunchtime. I needed to go to the bank and there is a branch about a mile or so up beautiful and historic St. Charles Avenue so I decided to hoof it from my office located just down from Lee Circle. The round trip only took about 40 minutes. I figure I can still rip off at least a 15 minute mile and I was in the bank less than 5 minutes so 35 minutes of walking is probably a little over 2 miles. Not bad for not having trained in quite some time.

In 1996 I was walking closer to 6, 8 and ten miles a day as I was training for a marathon in Alaska. I found I could walk forever at about 10 to 12 minute miles. I was working up to marathon pace when my father passed away unexpectedly in April of a massive heart attack…he was only 59. I still made the trip and completed a half marathon but my training really fell off after the passing of my father. I was unmotivated and began to question my own mortality. My wife and I had been married for almost 5 years and living life doing whatever we wanted. Shortly after my fathers passing we began trying to have a child. After almost six years, in 2002 we were blessed with our son Hudson. He is truly a gift and a real reason to live. I’ve explained why daddy is on a diet and why he checks his sugar every morning and he is committed to helping me…it’s really cute and he keeps me in line. Sorry no pictures tonight. We’re having company and lets face it…I don’t look much different from last week! Looking forward to riding motorcycles again this weekend so let’s hope my food arrives tomorrow or I’ll be forced to deal with making my own food decisions all weekend. I’m not ready for that yet so come on UPS!!!!