Losing a part of me

Category: Weather

  • Day 1174

    Holy crap it is cold out there. Yesterday afternoon I joked with someone that if there was any more inclement weather this season it would be my fault because I had my winter tyres switched out for the summer tyres Monday morning. we laughed ironically in the way we would when we blame someone who had their car washed for the rain. We probably should have checked the forecast before laughing.

    As I lay in bed trying to fall asleep last night I could not help but notice the howling winds outside. It sounded like we might see the Wicked Witch of the West searching for her sister’s feet under neighbourhood houses this morning. I figured at least the storm was blowing through in the night, and should be passed in the morning. No such luck.

    As I dressed to take Her Floofness out this morning, I checked the weather as I always do. The temperature was a brisk (sic!) -6°, but with the high winds (with gusts up to 50km/h) the windchill would make it feel like -17°. Just to clarify, we are in the second week of April, and no, this is not normal. Our walk was not as long as it usually would be on a clear spring morning.

    After a disastrous night the previous night, I did take a couple of naps yesterday and was able to make it through my class. When I laid my head down on my pillow last night, I had plenty on my mind… and none of it was good. I did not expect much, but when I woke up this morning I could not remember waking up in the night. My sleep score was 87, and while I only slept 7 hours it was quite restorative. I am now eager to attack today with gusto!

    What do I have going on today? I have to pack my car and drive to the other side of Toronto to check into my hotel. I will pick up my dry cleaning on the way, but until 6:30pm (when I am meeting a friend for dinner) I have nothing to rush. I do have some work that I would like to get done, so I might do that before hitting the road. We will see.

    The week before last I was a bit off my game, and the instructor evaluations for the class I taught reflected that. I knew going into last week’s class that I needed to redeem myself, and I think I did. This morning I was able to review my evals for last week’s class and not only did the numbers reflect my success, but some of the student comments absolutely made my morning. A couple that stood out:

    “(Mitch) has been an amazing instructor and i will remember these past 5 days due to how engaging he has been. I took this course a few years back and i can hands down say he is my favorite teacher! 100 stars if i could”

    “Mitch is a seasoned instructor with excellent delivery of information. He is able to provide examples and definitions. He has character and charisma. Mitch is probably the best instructor that I’ve had to date, he keeps me captivated and engaged, he’s able to take something boring and make it interesting. He both asks and answers questions from students, he is very dedicated to the subject which he teaches and has a delivery of the subject that is better than any instructor that I’ve had in my life.”

    “Thank you for the great examples you gave in class. When I took a practice test for Security+, I remember them, and they helped me to answer the questions more easily. Your way of teaching really helped me understand the material better.”

    “Mitch needs a raise”

    These were, it should be mentioned, from four different students. Even so, not everyone was 100% satisfied… I just don’t know why not because he or she did not leave a comment. Oh well.

    The sun is shining bright through my window and I have to remember that were I to step outside I would be blown away and frozen solid. Okay that is an exaggeration, but it is cold and not exactly ‘walking outside comfortably’ weather. I hope the wind will abate by this evening so I might be able to enjoy a cigar outside my hotel… if not? it will not be the end of the world.

    Have a great day folks!

  • Day 1169

    I am back on track with my partial program, and am while I am seeing results, two days is not enough to see anything really. I need to go for a few weeks to make it real.

    There is an old saying that if you do not like the weather in Canada… wait a minute. Yesterday the temperatures were hovering around 0°, with the wind chill making it feel like -5°. It snowed and when I looked out around 5:30pm there was probably 3″ of accumulation – not unheard of, but certainly not common for this part of the country on the second day of April. This morning when I took Her Floofness out there was only a hint of snow left, with temperatures hovering around 14°. It is rainy and windy (the wind chill right now has it feeling like 5°) but the actual high temperature is expecting to hit 17°by noon. The wind is not forecast to abate until the evening. Welcome to springtime in Canada.

    Since Princess Sophie did not feel like walking much in the rain, I am thinking about taking her out at lunch. I will, of course, also take her out before I head to Grimsby this evening… but we will see. I might have to answer a bunch of emails at lunch so that might not be feasible.

    I did something today that I have not done in decades: I popped the top button on my shirt from sneezing. It was not because my neck is bigger today than it was the last time I wore the shirt (it is not), but rather because I knew that I had secured it improperly… probably too high on my neck; it felt tight, and I was about to adjust the collar when AHCHOO!!!! pop goes the button. I decided to wear the shirt anyways – my tie was already tied, and I was running late because I slept through my alarm. Looking at myself in the mirror I still look dapper, so I will let it go. With that said, this shirt will go into a pile to go to the tailor.

    Speaking of sleeping in… I must have needed it, because I do not even remember my alarm going off this morning. While it is set for 5:45am, I rolled out of bed around 7am to the slight panic of ‘Crap, I’m late!’ I knew that I was not really late… especially since breakfast is no longer a sit-down meal, but a blended meal-replacement shake. I was still sitting at my computer at 8:05am with my shake and coffee. Had Princess Sophie wanted to go for her full walk that would have extended to 8:30am, which would have still had me logged in for my class thirty minutes early. No problem. My sleep score was 80 for the second night in a row. Owing to some difficult news I received on Tuesday, my sleep the previous night did not feel very good, but I guess the biometric measurements don’t lie. Last night felt better than the previous night, but that could be because I worked the 14-hour day, and was truly exhausted by the end of it.

    My class this week is going very well. I am really engaging with the students, and I feel that they are really enjoying it. What a relief after the class I delivered last week… I felt like a fish out of water and just could not get my footing. It is a relief to be back on terra firma. Next week I am teaching Wednesday through Friday, and I have to travel for it. It will be my first work-related hotel stay in over four years and I am traveling to… Toronto. Yes, Toronto is so big and the commute would be so long that they are putting me up in a hotel for three nights. Without traffic it would be an hour-long drive. In rush-hour that could easily be 2.5 hours each way, which would be fine for Thursday (when I am free in the evening), but Wednesday evening I have to teach and that would not work. I was not going to argue when they suggested I get a hotel.

    Okay, I guess I should get into the headspace for my class. Showtime is in ten minutes. Have a great day folks!

  • Day 1154

    I did better yesterday than I had the previous day, but I still have work to do before I am in top form on my program. My weight, which was up a pound yesterday, is now down two pounds this morning. I am reminded that it is not the points on the graph, but rather the trend that matters. With that said, I have to keep the trend going or else it is a huge failure.

    The meal replacements that I ordered Monday are due to arrive today, and I am stocked up to hit the ground running upon my return from Montreal Tuesday afternoon. While I am still planning to work at it until I leave, I know that on my trip (Saturday through Tuesday) I will be a giant ball of anxiety and stress, and expecting to stay true to the program is not reasonable. I set that expectation before I posted my ‘No Groceries’ calendar on the inside of my door. While I am not going to go crazy with eating and snacking, I am also not going to try to consume only meal replacements. Yes, I will take some with me. No, I am not planning on sticking to the program. That will begin in earnest Wednesday.

    Spring is in the air, and my walk with Her Floofness this morning was quite pleasant. That being said, every year Canadians experience their first warm days in March and are then shocked to find out that we are not quite done with winter weather until mid-April. With today’s forecast high temperatures of 18°, some may think that it is time to store their coats in the cellar and to change out their winter tyres. They do not notice that tomorrow’s forecast low is the freezing point, and by Saturday and Sunday that drops further to -6°. The forecast for Montreal for the duration of my stay predicts a maximum high of 7° and a low of -9°. I am not even making the appointment to change my tyres until that is in my rearview mirror.

    With all that, it was still nice to walk through the park this morning unmolested by ice and snow and slush. What were extremely hazardous walking paths a few short days ago are now mostly dry with the occasional puddle or wet patch. It is a relief to not worry about injuring oneself due to slipping and falling as a price for walking my dog through the park. While I am sad that I will be stuck behind my computer for most of the day and evening, I do plan to spend my lunch break on the balcony… and that door will be open to allow Princess Sophie to sit out and bask in the sun as she watches over her subjects walking through her realm.

    My weight is still way too far above the terrible mark, but I have a plan. That is important. My first short-term goals are to drop below that permanently, and to hopefully drop below 290 lbs. by April 11th – the night of my Lodge’s banquet.

    Have a great day folks!

  • Day 1150

    I did not buy groceries yesterday or today, but that is not really saying a lot. When I spoke with my wife yesterday afternoon I discussed my plan with her. Doing that gave me the opportunity to solidify my plan in my own mind. I will continue to eat what is in the house, but as it depletes, I will be replacing meals with protein shakes. That will begin tomorrow morning, as I finished the last of my eggs this morning.

    I do not know if this plan will get me down under the terrible mark before my trip to Montreal, but it will at least be a start. What I am really hoping is that by the time my banquet comes around (in just under four weeks’ time) I will be able to wear either of my tailored suits without worrying that the jacket is too tight. I wore one of them to Lodge Thursday evening and yes, I could have buttoned it… barely. I have four weeks to go from barely to comfortably. Wish me luck.

    I met a few of my Lodge brethren this afternoon for a number of discussions that had to happen. I left both meetings happy to have seen them and satisfied with the outcomes of the conversations.

    Today was also the first day I was able to leave the house without a jacket. Spring is definitely around the corner. Looking at the long-range forecast the high temperatures will be 7°, with the remaining days all hitting double-digits. The nights will still be chilly, with low temperatures ranging from -2° to 4° over the next ten days. Chilly, but improving.

    Have a great day folks!

  • Day 1124

    As planned, Leslie and I had a lazy and relaxing day at home. The only exception was when mid-afternoon I suggested we go down to dig out the car. I was actually joking when I suggested she come to help, but she was happy to. After receiving over 14” of snow (35cm) of snow, the car was literally unrecognizable as anything more than a heap. We trudged through the snowbanks that were up to my mid-thigh to brush off the entire car. We then pulled the car out of the spot for a couple of reasons: I wanted to pull out and pull back in so that some of the driven snow would be tamped down, but there was also something that I wanted to get out of the trunk, which would not have been easily doable without much better snow boots had I not done so.

    Leslie and I were just finishing up our dinner last night when I got a call from a cousin that I do not hear from very often. While we had a great conversation, and it was wonderful catching up with him, the reason for the call was sad. He told me that an uncle of ours (who is really our first cousin once removed, but he was my mother’s generation, so we called him uncle) passed away. While I had not spoken with that uncle in several years, there was a time when we were very close, and it was sad news indeed. Partly to remember him, but also partly because it was Leslie’s last night here, I went out to the supermarket and bought us a half pie for dessert. I have to assume that this pie, coupled with my not successfully moving my bowels this morning, is why my weight stayed the same as it was yesterday morning.

    Although the trip to the supermarket was unplanned, it was indeed a fortuitous decision. As I drove back into our parking lot, my upstairs neighbour (whose parking spot is next to mine) had pulled his car out, and the snowplow was clearing our three spots so that the snowbanks were gone, and the spots were once again flat. For those of you who have never lived in snowy climes you may not fully understand how advantageous this is but trust me… when you get 14” of snowfall then the banks between parked cars is often as high as 4’ high. Thank you, Mr. Plow, and thank you neighbour who thought of asking him!

    Leslie and I are going out for breakfast shortly, and then we will likely come home to relax for a few hours before I sadly have to drive her to the airport. This visit was too short, but I think we made the most of it. We did not do any socializing (which is too bad because some of my friends would have liked to see her), but we really just wanted to spend the time alone. It is so important with us living apart and only seeing each other every couple of months… and who knows when the next visit will be? It is hard, but I am so grateful for the time we do get to spend together.

    Have a great day folks!

  • Day 1123

    All the weight that I gained since last Sunday is now gone. Phew! I also slept very well, with a sleep score of 88. Things are looking up!

    Leslie and I went to the supermarket yesterday to make sure we had the necessary provisions to make it through the worst snowstorm of the year (and probably the worst since I moved back to Canada). We then ordered a pizza for lunch and came home. We spent the rest of the day relaxing, which included a cigar on the balcony, a lovely dinner, and then we got into bed and watched a movie. We have so little time together, and we are trying to make the most of it.

    Last night’s dinner was a veal chop, and at the last minute I decided to try my hand at making garlic bread. I did not have a lot of what I would normally use, but I gave it a shot. It was a total failure, but at least it is something that we can joke about.

    Her Royal Floofness was not impressed by the snow this morning, and our walk was as short as it has been these last couple of weeks. Leslie and I then enjoyed our breakfast together. I got some work done, and in a little while I am going to choose a book and then go lie down next to my wife to read. It will be a nice relaxing day… all that we are missing is the fireplace!

    Our lunch will be meatless cheeseburgers. For dinner I am going to try my hand at a new recipe that I have not tried before. I take comfort in knowing that if I screw it up completely (like the garlic bread cum croutons) then we have the raw ingredients to make an entire new meal. I hope that it does not come to that.

    Have a great day folks!

  • Day 1122

    I was completely shocked yesterday morning by the 2.2 lbs. gain over the previous day. It was the first time in a very long time that my weight was over 310, and I hated myself for it. I knew the reasons and I made the excuses, but I was devastated. This morning, as I prepared to step onto the bathroom scale, I girded myself, hoping that the number would be lower. It was… and significantly so. Yesterday’s 2.2 lbs. gain was more than wiped out by this morning’s 2.8 lbs. drop. Phew. I am still way too far over the terrible mark for comfort, but at least I dropped back below terrible plus ten.

    Because of all of the snow, I am not taking Her Floofness for the same long walks I usually would. It is not my decision – she looks at the snow and says ‘Nope! I’m going to do my business and then we can go back inside, and you can make me a cup of hot tea.’ No, she does not actually drink tea… but that’s the attitude she has! I went out twice besides the walks yesterday; once I picked up lunch for Leslie and me, and the other Leslie and I went out shopping. How it is that I amassed nearly 6,500 steps is beyond me. I do not anticipate doing much more than that today.

    We are going to head back to the supermarket today. The forecast is predicting 10cm of snow today, which is quite reasonable; tomorrow we are expecting another 30cm, which is not. For those of you who do not understand the metric system, that comes to nearly 4” of snow today… and nearly 12” tomorrow. While we are hoping that these predictions are exaggerated, we are nevertheless going to purchase whatever provisions we might need to be stuck in the house tomorrow. I want to make sure we have everything we might need.

    Aside from that, Leslie and I are going to spend a couple of quiet days together. We only have five days, and we are trying to make the most of them. I am praying that sometime soon we will be able to live together and, as so many other couples do, take for granted that ‘sure, I have to work tonight, and she is working during the day… but we’ll have tomorrow or the weekend to make up for it.’ We have these five days together, our first since the beginning of November, and our last until… we don’t know. We are really trying to make the most of it. That does not mean going out to fancy restaurants or socializing with others… we are just happy to be together for what little time we have.

    Have a great day folks!

  • Day 1116

    A good 9”. I suppose there are contexts in which that is a good thing, but when it is how much snow fell overnight then it just means that slogging through it with a dog (who is not much taller than that) and digging my car out because that’s how much snow fell, then maybe not. Fortunately, the snow has abated, the sun is out, and the streets (and hopefully the sidewalks) are being plowed. It’s a good thing too… I have to do some shopping today. Yes, I need to buy the usual groceries, but I also need to go to a hardware store because the flush mechanism of my toilet broke, and while I don’t mind opening the top to pull the chain by hand, I will have to fix it eventually… and rather than wait for it, I figure it best to take care it before my wife arrives on Wednesday. I do not want to make her reach into the water every time she flushes. Yes, I have been washing my hands religiously each time… not because the water is dirty, but because of the blue puck chemicals that are in there. Yuck.

    I have been eating badly these last few days, so I was shocked to see that my weight dropped again this morning… significantly. I weigh less than I did right before leaving for Montreal, which is good. I expected that with the stress and anxiety I’ve been eating that my weight would be above 310 lbs. still. Nope. PHEW! I am still a bit more than six pounds heavier than the terrible mark, but at least it’s not worse… with everything I’m going through it could have easily been much worse.

    I have to find a way to get back on track. Hopefully with Leslie coming for a few days I will be able to get a bit of a handle on myself.

    Have a great day folks.

  • Day 1105

    My weight is not cooperating, but it seldom does when I am under the weather. At least I got a good night sleep at last. I woke up in the middle of the night once or twice and was afraid I would not be able to fall back asleep, but I did. Here’s hoping that I can stay reasonably true to my game plan today.

    Whatever I may be sick with is still with me, but it is neither better nor worse than it was the last couple of days. If it does not get worse then I’m not worried about getting through the day.

    The weather is not pretty. While the temperature is reasonable, the wind is wild so the windchill is not pleasant. Princess Sophie and I made it almost to the end of the block before turning back. She does not like the howling winds. She hates wet and precipitation as well, so combining the two meant it was going to be a short walk. At least she did all of her business before we turned back.

    Today is Day 3 of my class. I am pretty much on schedule, and I hope the students are enjoying it. I did get a bit of good news from a student I taught last year – he passed one of his exams yesterday and thanked me for the class. That always makes me feel good.

    Have a great day folks!

  • Day 1099

    My weight-drop from yesterday rebounded this morning. Not all the way, but a lot. I know why it happened. I have to snap out of my funk. When I finally start working, I will hopefully feel a little better. Also, the cold snap is mostly behind us… which is to say that it is going back to normal cold winter temperatures rather than the extreme that we have been enjoying.

    I am still not sleeping well. Grrr.