Wrung out

If you've ever hand washed anything you know you can wring a piece of fabric until it is almost dry. I feel like I have been doing that to myself. It's been great, don't get me wrong, to live this much but I am so tired. I am ready for the moody blue of winter to come in and still us somewhat.

Canning more peaches this week.

Took the kids on a 5 hours jaunt to the zoo with the C-family, where we were treated to some funny sights. There's little more amusing to me than watching an ancient porcupine (at one show I think they said he was 12) lumbering down a sidewalk without his leash. They got to see a polar bear really showing off his tasty treat, as he kept bringing his bucket closer and closer to the window through which they peered. And finally-- the walrus. One of the walrus females hauled up to the viewing net where the kids were just hanging on, and she doused them completely through. After gazing at her handiwork for about thirty seconds, she filled her mouth with pool water again and just let fly. The viewing area was as wet as if a man had thrown a twenty gallon bucket of water onto the kids. It was FUNNY and I was so glad the kids were laughing as hard as we were.

We started "school" this week, which for us just means paying a bit better attention. I have been working on phonics with G-girl and lettering with the small one. N-man has been picking words out more and more. We did a bio-sheet on walruses after their zoo escapade, and have started talking morning walks to energize us for the day.

I've returned to a way of eating I really used to like, in part because it worked so well for me, but after two weeks at even it's strictest "setting," this plan is failing me. I am not sure what is going on but I don't think I am going to last. Despite mindful attentiveness at times, steady exercise for months and even months where I ate whatever I wanted, I have held steady at the same (fat) weight for the last year (it's September right?) and I am beginning to despair. Nothing I do for the good or bad seems to be changing my weight or appearance. SO I am just going to choose to eat for health and suck up the ugly, I guess.