I Did It!!

This last Christmas I was absolutely determined to make it through the holiday season without gaining any weight.  Well, I did it! I am so very pleased.  In fact, with The Husband's determination to shed a few pounds and the resulting reduction of unhealthy carbs, I have shed a couple pounds (but only a couple) in sympathy. Yay for me!

I've mentioned The Husband's employer participates in a health improvement/reward website with accompanying step counter.  There are (at incremental levels of participation - duration one year) rewards in the form of cash gift cards.  With all the trouble I had with my step counter over the summer I figured I was fortunate to receive $100 in rewards.  But...as the year mark neared I began to wonder if I couldn't manage to hit the next reward mark.  And,  I did it! Just this morning I hit that next goal and I now have $200 to spend.  I'll probably sit on that cash for a bit to decide just what luxury reward I'll reap.

The setting full moon.

Stepped out the door this morning on the dot of 7.  A bit late for me.  Had to snap this shot of the moon - it was so beautiful, with that hazy orange ring around it.  Just as I was soaking in its beauty I was rewarded with a (wait for it.....) shooting star!  I've been known to get up in the middle of the night (wrapped in blankets out on the patio) to see meteor showers, but I can't ever recall seeing one just on a random basis - rare for me and I so loved it.

Buds on a tree by the school.

I keep talking about getting a small camera, in fact I have one - but it isn't great in low light levels. I resist a new one because it's another thing to carry/keep track of (and when I walk in the mornings I only have so many places to stash things).  I find myself increasingly disappointed and frustrated at the faults of my phone camera, as good a camera as that is.  It isn't all operator error, although I admit to wanting to just point, click and be on my way with the pixels portraying the picture exactly as it is in my mind.

Buds on my lilac bush.

I've been noticing on my walks lately that there are buds on lots of the trees and shrubs.  (Pointing, clicking and heading quickly on my way doesn't work when there isn't a zoom.) What a happy thing to notice:  there is hope for new life (spring) even in the deadest month of the winter.

The Husband was as infuriated as I was at the local power company charging a monthly fee for net-metering customers.  He followed up (unlike me who was content to just rant a bit) and in the process contacted the reporter who wrote the original article.  Said reporter responded with a phone call and this afternoon is sending someone out to photograph our solar panels.  ???  Not quite sure what to make of this.  The upside:  I don't imagine they'll be in the house so I don't have to rush around cleaning.