14 years ago today, Jen and I said, “I do.”
There have been countless wonderfully happy days since then, but that day still stands out as the happiest. I love her more today than ever before.
Happy anniversary, Jennifer my love.
Tag: Love
Week 52 Weigh In
It is Wednesday today so it’s time for a weekly weigh in. After being way down last week I figured I would probably creep back up a smidge this week and sure enough I did.
Last week I was 205.6 and today I am 206.6, up one full pound. Oh well. I was hoping I would get below 205 by tomorrow’s one year anniversary but now that seems incredibly unlikely. I’m sure I will dip below 205 at some point, meaning my BMI will dip below 25 and I will go from being overweight to being normal weight. It’s a goal, but who said I had to get there in the first year. I mean, sure it would be nice but I’m not stressing over it.
Weight loss since surgery (approximate) is 224.8. Weight loss since the first weigh in is 245.4. Current BMI is 25.1. It was about 52.5 on the surgery date and 55 on the first weigh in date.
Tomorrow is the actual one year anniversary so I will step on the scale again and I will likely be up again. No worries. No complaints. I am so thankful that I’ve had this experience, even when it’s been painful and difficult. I’ll probably reiterate this tomorrow, but I could not have done this without the support and love of my amazing wife Jen. She’s my rock. She’s my heart and soul. I love her so much and I am so thankful for all she’s done for me through all of this insanity and upheaval. She’s incredible.
Who knows, maybe I’ll magically lose 1.7 pounds over night tonight. Stranger things have happened, right?
Sixteen Years
Sure I had a migraine this morning and sure I had super bad foamies after only 1.2 ounces of chicken at dinner and sure I was nauseous and sure today was a hectic day at work and sure I had traffic going to and from the office and sure I am somehow sick to my stomach and hungry and my head is still a little off. Sure, all of that.
But you know what the biggest take away from today is?
Sixteen years ago tonight, Jennifer and I went on our first date.
Happy first date-aversary to the love of my life. Best first date ever, and the first day of the happiest and most wonderful time of my life. Good heavens, do I love her.
Running Late on a Friday Morning
I didn’t get out of bed until almost 6:00am, which is almost an hour later than I was hoping to get up, and then got wrapped up in a couple of things and didn’t get to my morning joggin’ (yoggin’) until after 7:00am. Yikes!
While exercising, I watched a youtube video with two film guys gone shootin’ in New York. I thought to myself, self? You and your wife are going to New York this weekend, damn it! Then I checked the weather and saw we’re getting a foot of snow starting tonight and ending sometime tomorrow night.
Shit.
No New York this week. No ocean pics, no nothing pics outside of the house. What a waste. We need to go to New York soon though, and I need to take one of the film cameras with me. There. I said it. New York on film, babie! It’s going to happen. The sooner the better. I used to write all of those Stir Crazy Files posts in the early days of the pandemic lock down, but this one is stir crazy for really reals. I need to get out of the house.
My mother’s big brother is out of the hospital. I am happy. We needed some good family news, and now we have some. Continue to get well, Uncle Jim.
Jen is having computer problems. Last night I went to Micro Center in Cambridge, MA to get some components that might help, but apparently they aren’t. We might have to fly back there tonight after work, assuming the snow doesn’t come early. The Bruins aren’t playing tonight, but the Celtics have a home game at 7:30. We’re bound to hit rush hour traffic plus Celtics traffic, but it will be okay. Assuming the snow doesn’t come early. Fingers crossed.
Okay. It’s 8:24 and I still need to shower and shave and get dressed before punching into work at 9:00. I am way behind schedule today. I hate this feeling.
I am going to cheer myself up by sharing one of my favorite film shots from the Disney World trip in January. This is my road tripping travel companion love of my life woman of my dreams wife Jennifer. I absolutely adore this picture. It’s my favorite film shot by far. By miles. By astronomical units. By light years. I love her and I love this photo of her. How could you not fall head over heels in love with that smile?
Birthday
Today is my beloved wife’s birthday! Happy birthday, love!
The last two weeks or so have been an avalanche of awful. I would not have made it through without her. I cannot thank you enough, my love.
Everyone wish my wife Jen the happiest of happy birthdays!
Sick Day Tomorrow
I will be calling out of work for a sick day tomorrow. I actually scheduled it with my boss today, but I’ll send him a message in the morning to verify.
Dad is still in the hospital. Visiting hours are 10:00am to 6:00pm. I’ll probably leave here at 9:00am and get home by 7:00pm. I should be able to have a real breakfast before I go, and a real dinner when I get home. Only lunch will be a variety of protein bars and protein snacks. I’ll be able to hit my food and drink goals, I am sure.
I am worried about my father. I think my fear is that this hospital stay represents the snowball that is going to become an avalanche. I have no rational reason for thinking this, I am just gun shy after all the shit that has gone down in the past two years. I need to embrace the power of positive thinking. You can bet your sweet as I will do so when I’m with him, but when I am alone with my thoughts? I’m nervous.
I am not sure how this is going to effect our plans for the weekend. We don’t really have any plans, outside of hanging a couple of shelves in the kitchen and replacing some cabinet door handles and drawer pulls. I am just hoping to spend some time with my wife. I’ve been stressing out like crazy over the last week or two and I need to focus on her a little extra. I’d like to go away for a few days but with a huge trip coming up in less than 10 weeks and Covid still making us nervous I don’t think weekend travel is in the cards. Maybe we’ll just sit on the couch and watch whatever reality TV shows catch her eye. As long as we’re together it will be time well spent. A weekend in San Diego would be pretty sweet too. I’m trying.
I’ve been wanting to wake up very early all week this week and I keep waking up at exactly the same time. Wouldn’t it be nice to have my walkies/joggies and my breakfast done before Jen gets out of bed?
Okay, enough of my yappin’. It’s time to sit up in bed watching the last 70 minutes of Casino Royale. Talk to you later, universe.
Back to Work
Well, my four day weekend is over and I am back at work. Oh well. It was a very good weekend all around. Lots of photography exploring, some guitar playing, some new furniture, a couple of trips to see Mom including one where my father, brother, and sister in law all visited too, lots of fun spending time with the love of my life, a quick visit with the kids in Vermont, and lots of resting and relaxing and being calm.
And it’s over. I’m back to work. My next time off is for a doctors appointment on October 18th. Bring it on, let’s go.
New episodes of Andor and Handmaids Tale tomorrow, I think. A She-Hulk on Thursday and a Rings of Power on Friday and a House of the Dragon on Sunday. Also, most importantly, the final eight episodes of The Walking Dead kick off this Sunday. I don’t want it to end, really, but I think it’s time. Not sure about the 13560823467 spin offs on the AMC agenda though. There’s a Rick and Morty from this past weekend that I haven’t seen yet, but I as of this morning I am caught up on Archer.
And that, my friends, is where we’re at.
Rough Morning
This one might venture into TMI territory. I’ll be careful not to overshare, but given that this blog is more like a personal weight loss surgery journal just for me (sorry) I feel I need to document today’s fun. Again, sorry.
A couple of times over the last two months my digestive system has rebelled. I go a few days with nuttin’ but chirping crickets and then a very difficult, rather painful morning of struggle and teeth gritting and all sorts of fun. That’s me today. I have spent a lot of time in the bathroom with… very little reward. Is that skirting the TMI line? There has been success, it just took a lot of work and a lot of discomfort and now that things are… well… moving (wink wink) I don’t think it is going to stop for a while. How’s that? Did I give enough detail for me to know what I am talking about when I review this post five years from now without maybe grossing out all of you fine people who happen to read this? Would it make you all feel better if I say that people who read this page are among the finest people on the Earth? You are all kind hearted, generous, strong, good looking folks who are respected and looked up to by all who meet you. Given that, I hope I didn’t gross you out.
In other news, Jen is in the office today and it sucks. She’s going to be in the office tomorrow too and that is going to suck. Suck for me, at least. I miss her. She also has an after work, work function tonight and she won’t be home until late. I’m on my own for dinner, which isn’t a big deal, but I am going to be sad without her around.
I’m thinking of taking the camera into Boston tonight. Maybe I could get some pics of all the signs and lights in the theater district. That little area has been on my photo-to-do list for a while. Unfortunately there are thunderstorms in the forecast. We’ll have to see how it goes this evening. It would be nice, and I’ve already started researching how high I can set my ISO before the digital noise gets too obnoxious.
Here’s hoping the weather forecast changes and things clear up.
Proposal
14 years ago today I popped the question to my beloved Jennifer. Smartest move I’ve ever made.
Later this month we will have our 13th wedding anniversary.
May is kind of a big deal for us.
Happy proposalversary to my love.
Liquid Lunch
It’s almost 2:00pm and I am just getting to lunch now. When I say lunch, of course, I mean liquid lunch. I just had me a protein shake. Yummy. Will it still be yummy after tomorrow? Who the hell knows!
3.5 hours left in my work day and then I go on leave for a month. I am having a tough time wrapping my brain around that. A whole month away from work is just… weird.
It’s really loud in my yard right now. There’s a huge ass riding lawn mower tearing around like a madman. I forgot we booked a lawn service this year. It’s a good thing because we kinda don’t have a lawn mower of our own at the moment, and for the next month or so I am going to be no good to anyone.
The Bruins lost game one last night. Game two is tomorrow. I am guessing I won’t be terribly interested in watching. You know, other stuff going on.
Still no phone call telling me when to show up tomorrow. They said to expect the call between 3:00 and 8:00pm, so I am not worried… yet.
When am I going to be able to watch MoonKnight tomorrow? Do you think Disney+ will let me see it today? No? Even if I ask Mickey Mouse directly? No? Aww.
Musiciansfriend is going to deliver a new delay pedal tomorrow. I don’t expect to be able to play through it right away. You know how it is, right?
My wife Jennifer is my rock. I just wanted to share that. I couldn’t do any of this without her. She’s amazing and I am so in love with her.
What else… I don’t know. I am sure I had a reason to start typing this and I am equally sure that nothing I’ve written here has anything to do with whatever that reason was. I know that, even though I really don’t know what the reason I started this actually is. My 51st birthday is this weekend. I’d tell you all not to get old, but the alternative is really a lot worse so I won’t.
To do list for tonight:
- Put gas in the car.
- Clear a path in the cellar storage to the furnace. It’s getting a check up or something next week and I won’t be able to lift half of the stuff that’s in the way post-surgery.
- Change the litter box.
- Tell Jennifer how much I love her.
- Text the kids and tell them how much I love them.
- Call my parents.
- Text my brother and sister.
- Drink a protein shake for dinner.
- Put away the laundry that I washed and dried yesterday.
- Pack a bag.
My friends Larry and Mike have already gotten in touch. I got a text from Larry this morning wishing me luck. Last night I got a call from Mike. He’s been through this already and he gave me some advice for the recovery.
They told me not to wear any jewelry tomorrow. That means no wedding ring and no watch. I’m not sure what to do with my glasses. Maybe I’ll bring the case and ask Jen to hold on to them for me.
I’m not freaking out. Not really. I think I just want it to be over with so I can move on to the next stage. As scary as all of this is, it’s a good thing and I will have no regrets.
Okay, back to work for the home stretch.
Inside the Red Head's Head 