Thursday, October 11, 2007

Thumpity-Thump!

"Twas the Every Other Month Visit To The Doctor today in order that I might be weighed, measured, queried as to my overall functioning, tagged for future study then released back into the wild. I usually make a day of it. If I have to go to the doctor where they keep the cold stethoscopes and long, scary cotton swabs, then I am also going to take a day off to watch TV and maybe do a little shopping. It's like a reward and one that makes the doctor visits almost something that I look forward to.

But, this one was cause for a little anxiety. No. I do not have some weird growth that looks like a turnip or a third eye growing in the middle of my earlobe or anything. But, in some ways, that might be preferable.

For, you see, I had a good summer. A very good summer. For the first time in years, I wasn't working at a second job and I took full advantage of the time to explore the joys of being Me In Summer. Basically this means that I spent a great deal of time lolling about on the couch looking for all the world like a modern day Cleopatra on history's most tattered and cat-hair festooned barge. I used that time to think about how great it was to have all the time in the world to do cool things.

I also seem to have eaten a great deal. Mostly black and white cookies. I love black and white cookies. I love them very, very much.

In fact, I love them so much that I kept a few around once the Summer Of Snacks was over. I gained 8 pounds. Over the period of a month, I gained 8 pounds. Maybe not a lot, in the grand scheme of things, but enough that it was going to take a little focus if I wished to shed them.

Hence, I was nervous when I stepped up on that scale this morning. I've been doing pretty well with the diet and exercise over the last month or so. But, I think we all know that pounds like to come to visit far more than they like to depart. And it's not like I haven't slipped once or twice. Or ten times... This was going to be either a great triumph for aerobically challenged Sheep everywhere or a disaster of epic proportions and one that would forever change the landscape of my jeans.

Well, it turned out to be neither. I've lost 2.5 pounds. Respectable, but nothing earth-shattering. Still, it was a relief to know that I am on the right track at this point. With the holidays right around the corner, this is not the time to find new poundage.

The level of my stress over this matter was made plain during the taking of the Sheepie pulse. 120 beats per minute. Not my personal record, by any stretch of the imagination. I beat that with beats to spare last winter when I had the Mole of Disturbing Dimensions removed. But, it still had the nurse in a bit of a tizzy. Fortunately, my doctor is a bit of a "chatter." She likes to hang out with her patients and visit a spell. This means that I have a good deal of wait-time in between the taking of the pulse and the seeing of the doctor. By the time she got in there, I had successfully managed to bring the racing pulse down to a more reasonable 88 beats per minute. My pulse rate runs high on any given day. I'd say I'm "excitable." But, I seem to spend a great deal of time lolling around on the couch so I'm not really sure just what is going on in cardiac land.

88 bpm was enough to get me out of there without a stress test, so no harm no foul. I give a great deal of the credit to my own sense of inner peace and amazing self control. Oh...and maybe a little to this:




A Humble Homespun Scarf
With socks on the back burner until the holidays are past, scarves are the traveling project of the season. I am in love with this one for the simple reason that it is probably the best yarn I have ever spun. I only wish that there were more knitters (or any knitters) at the doctor's office in order that I might have passed it around like a new puppy or one of those babies that people are always handing off to be admired. Nothing against puppies or babies. Both are delightful in their own unique ways. But a well-spun yarn is more cooperative about being passed around and will not leak any offensive fluids on you. Assuming you've done it right, that is...
With the doctor's visit over, a shiny new prescription in hand and a heart rate that was considered acceptable for the average driver, I was able to head out and run a few errands before heading home for my day of relaxation. I picked up some crackers, some salsa, a bag of bagels...and a carpet deep cleaner. I know, I know. The cleaning thing has gotten a bit out of hand. I'll work on it. After I deal with the carpets. There is kitty goo in there. It must be extracted. Kitty goo can easily migrate into the bathroom that I just spent two days cleaning and I simply won't have that. The living room was sprayed down, scrubbed and the grimy waters sucked back out in short order. Don't be too impressed, though. It's not like I moved any furniture or anything. I just worked around it. The gooey cats moved themselves once they realized my plan for the afternoon.
There was one other purchase made while I was out seeking grime-busting paraphernalia. I have an affection for zip-front, hooded sweatshirts that is deep and abiding. I have a vast collection of these garments and still feel that more would be perfectly reasonable acquisitions. Here's one I found today. Tell me...is this appropriate for a teacher to wear to school on a Friday when the already relaxed dress code becomes pretty much non-existent?

Or is it maybe too much?
I'm wearing it anyway. I just wondered what you think is all...
See you on Saturday!
SA

21 comments:

Alwen said...

Is that lovely non-curly brioche stitch I see? Very flattering to that equally lovely homespun!

sheep#100 said...

Wear it.
My prescription from Dr PreciousMetal wasn't at all shiny last night. In fact, it was just your run of the mill antibiotic on blue paper. Meh. Sinus infection. Double meh.

Anonymous said...

You should definitely wear that hoodie on Friday!

yarnslinger said...

I vote for the hoodie!!

Anonymous said...

I'm thinking I need that kitty and her words on my undies. Might make DH behave *g*

Anonymous said...

That hoodie, combined with a She Who Must Be Obeyed coffee cup -- available through your local public television station's paraphernalia catalog -- would make any fifth grader behave.

Ronni said...

I love that hoodie! You must wear the hoodie. I will come and steal the hoodie to give it a home where it will be appreciated properly if you don't wear the hoodie.

Very pretty scarf. And beautiful yarn! Really pretty yarn.

knitseashore said...

Gorgeous homespun in a pattern that really shows it off! That was very smart, to take it to the waiting room to get your pulse down. Must remember that next time I go to the doctor (a book doesn't help).

If you wear the sweatshirt in front of your computer, will it behave? Please let me know. If it does, I will definitely get me one.

Mel said...

Oh, most definitely with the hoodie! Did you know that in the prairie province of Saskatchewan, hoodies are referred to as "bunny hugs"?

Anonymous said...

Kitty goo? I do NOT want to know what kitty goo is! :) Your scarf is wonderful! It's very, very pretty.

Anonymous said...

Wear the hoodie!!
The scarf is lovely.
Karen
http://nothingbutknit.blog-city.com/

Anne P said...

Hardly a HUMBLE scarf - it is really gorgeous and with handspun!!

I think you may have a fight wresting that sweatshirt away from fluffy kitty. She posed for it, didn't she?

Anonymous said...

The sweatshirt is perfectly acceptable (just don't expect the kids to pay any attention to what it says).

debsnm said...

You, with a racing pulse? No way!!! One only needs to look back over HM's posts to see that you are, of course, perfectly reasonable and calm in all circumstances.
LOVE the hoodie! Remind the little darlin's often of that sentiment.

mehitabel said...

I vote yes on the hoodie too. And there must have been something karmic yesterday as I too went to the dr (of course I've been going weekly) and registered a v.v.small weight drop! Of course that was promptly negated by the addition of a bagful of goo into the veins, but still. We takes what we gets. Next time, I need to wear lighter shoes!

Cursing Mama said...

I'd wear it to my office.
Everyday.
It would make things much easier.

Cathy said...

Love the hoodie. I expect you already have.

I always wear my lightest clothes/shoes when I have to be weighed. I don't know if it fools anyone else except me (I'm so easy).

The fast HR is exactly why you require naps.

Anonymous said...

Totally wear the hoodie!
wait, no.. _I_ need that hoodie!
Well, okay, you can keep it, but only because I'm soon to be wearing my Rogue hoodie, and am very very happy with that plan. Even if it does mean a bunch o attached i-cord and a zipper installation...

Mia said...

oh my! That jacket is TOO cute.. YES wear it!

And 2.5 pounds is awesome. I thought I was the ONLY one who could gain that much in about the same amount of time. When the "great flood" hit, i put away the scales in disgust.

So I said all that to say..

YOU GO GIRL WITH YOUR BAD WEIGHT LOSIN' SELF ::laughing::

Knitting Linguist said...

Oh, you MUST wear that sweatshirt to school! I think that all teachers should at some point (it might give my students a better idea of their appropriate role in my classroom). :) I'm glad your heartrate came down prior to the stress test -- those don't sound like fun at all.

Lorraine said...

Better yet, parade around in the sweatshirt in front of the demon vehicle! Perhaps all it needs is a little intimidation - hissssss!

LOVE the handspun scarf. Such a great pattern to really highlight the lovely yarn. Kudos!