reasons to love Monday

Nothing like a restful weekend to prepare you for the upcoming week! I've done a lot of soul searching and reflecting this weekend and I'm definitely feeling ready to face the upcoming week and the dreaded holiday season. Let's see if I can come up with more reasons than usual to love Monday...

1. Three day work week
2. A "girls only" staff this week.
3. Got a real sweet email from Next Guy who doesn't want to be the Last Guy. He appreciated my honesty and... well... we'll go out as planned and we'll do it in the light of full disclosure.
4. Been having some thought provoking conversation with Too Far Away Guy. What is it that leaves really decent people (like me, I think) relationship-less?
5. Coffee today is only ok.... I bought chock full of nuts because I had a coupon but it should be called "chock full of butts" because it's a bitter brew. Even my usual trick of adding salt to mellow it out didn't work. Because I don't use sugar in my coffee... it needs to not be bitter. But that's not a reason to love Monday... the reason to love Monday is that any coffee is better than NO coffee.
6. Got a child support money transfer this morning. Makes the next week much less stressful. Trying to stretch a dollar out of fifty cents hurts my brain and my feelings.
7. I don't mention this often but I have a great landlord. I pay late and I pay short and they're just really patient with me. Most people would have tossed me by now. And I'm almost caught up.
8. Since the guys aren't in the office this week we're not having staff meeting. No early Monday for me today!
9. I get to see some people I really love this week... Mary... Purple Michael... Aunt Ginger... Cousin Christie... mama and daddy... Cody and Marquee...
10. Dancing with the Stars finale. I'll be happy with any outcome... I enjoy all three of the people who are left and they've all had to work hard to be there in the finals.
11. my snuggie. I didn't use it much last winter because I was so fat that I was never that cold. I've lost 30 pounds of insulation and my snuggie has become my constant companion.
12. Christmas cards... I hope I get a lot of them! If you need my address, email me at julydarby@aol.com - I won't post my address on the internet because... well, that's scary.
(btw, I haven't changed the email address because it's too much trouble... same reason I haven't changed my name. I might soon. I always just introduce myself as Heather Gant. Around here, I don't have a last name... I'm just "Aunt Heather")
13. Mild temps ahead for the 3 day work week. I want to try to walk on lunch so that will help.
14. today is library day! I love the library!
15. My kitchen is almost clean - thank you, Austin!
16. Austin's dad wants to spend time with him this week... he's seen him twice this year so far so that would be a rare thing. I told him to call Austin and see what he wants to do. It will delay my trip home and shorten my visit with Purple Michael but... I'll work with him. As always.
17. I decided early on in my weight loss journey that I would allow myself a few "no-count" days per year. I know that deprivation is what makes people drop out of a "diet"... and allowing myself to incorporate my weight loss program into my life and vice versa is what will allow me lifetime success. In the south Thanksgiving dishes are mostly casseroles and conglomerations of things that would be IMPOSSIBLE to count. I plan to eat whatever I want on Thursday and not count a single point. I will do the same on whatever day we celebrate Christmas this year. But only one day for each... and I might do the same on my birthday, we'll see. I will probably gain this week and I'm prepared for it.

It's a great day... it's going to be a great week... I'm happy... I'm looking forward to the next few weeks and I'm looking forward to doing it differently, more healthy and better than ever.

Love and hugs and happy Monday, y'all!