Winter Days

This week I started a study at MUSC that is looking at how Weight Watchers offers food choices. Essentially, I will be doing Weight Watchers for 12 weeks -- counting points and going to their meetings once a week. And at the end of it, they pay me $150 for my trouble instead of the other way around. I am obviously in their "study group" because my meal plan involves not just point values for foods but also a color code that reflects nutritional value -- so a cup of couscous has 4 points and is color coded as Green- indicating it is will be satisfying and will stave off hunger longer than say -- Chinese fried rice, which is 10 points for a cup and is color coded in purple meaning it is something I should only eat in moderation if I want to lose weight. My daily point target is 29 -- but there are 49 points a week I can play with -- increase my daily intake to 36 or just go over the 29 once or twice -- splurge on dessert or red wine. . . or not. It seems pretty doable.

We are having our winter weather now. The last two nights' low temperature has been down below 20 degrees. I brought the plants in and we've left the faucets dripping at night. This will last a few more days and then the coldest temps will be in the 40s and 50s with not much sun. This gives people a chance to get out their wool and fleece winter gear. for the most part, Ugh boots just aren't necessary in Charleston. Our two story condo is too hot upstairs and way too cold downstairs. I am grateful that the wireless connection for the computer is working again and I can work upstairs. It is pretty bitter downstairs when you are just sitting still.

I have lost one of the plastic balls that floats around in the dryer. How many places could it be?

I took two test this week to qualify for employment with the Census Bureau in a room as cold as meat locker. Because they tested a group all at once, and they have their process they will not deviate from -- it took 2 hours to take a 30 minute test. Jeez.

I have successfully loaded music onto the MP3 player I got for Christmas and I have learned to tune into radio stations so I can pick up Jeopardy on TV while I walk on the treadmill at the gym.

Duncan and I are reading Wesley the Owl The Remarkable Story of an Owl and His Girl aloud to each other at night. It is a very sweet story about a woman who adopts an injured barn owlet when it is just a few days old -- so it imprints on her rather than on a bird. It is full of "who knew?" kind of information about all kinds of critters and a very nice contemplation of the ways humans interact with animals in general. Plus, there are great pictures. Is he cute, or what?