Milestones, canoes and clothes!

Erich and I had made up our minds not to travel to upstate New York the weekend after CMA Fest for yet another Bo show. We told everyone we weren't going.

Well, a mere five days after arriving home from Nashville, we were on the road again. It turned out to be one of the best, if not the best, live show I've ever seen Bo do so I'm really glad we went. As I've said before, my recovery time is pretty much nil these days. I'm glad Erich is willing to indulge me in this Summer of Cindy I'm having!

My friend Paris snapped this picture of Erich and me before showtime (click to enlarge):


I was pretty stoked that the man remembered me. Yes, I'm 40. And?? ;-) I stood up the entire time and didn't feel a thing. That's a first for a Bo show. I was even up for a while before he came out and didn't need to be since I had a seat. Sweet. I'm pretty sure general admission shows, which I had totally ruled out pre-op, will be ok now. AND...I caught another pic! Dunno what's up with that. That's the third one in a row. I'm pretty sure he tossed it right to me, too. Heh.

This time I came home sick, though. And I'm still sick. I'm not sure if it's allergies or what. I know I used to get sick pretty much every time I went to see Bo. The lack of sleep and everything that goes with traveling always took its toll on my body. But I'm ok - I went through a phase of feeling badly but now the congestion is more annoying than anything else.

My cold/whatever plus unforeseen circumstances at work kept me from doing my 5K on June 23. That's ok. There will always be another race...on the weekend! I'll never sign up for another one during the week. I got up the next morning to an email telling me I could still pick up my t-shirt I ordered for race participants. Hell, I already paid for it so ok. I'll wear it around the house or to the gym or something.

I weighed myself that Wed. morning instead of waiting till Friday because at the time, I was still thinking I might attend the walk if I could get out of work in time. I thought it would be cool if I reached my 50% milestone on the same day as the 5K. And I did! I had lost 222 pounds; and my weight was 222 pounds. I'd officially lost half of myself. Excited, I posted the news on my Facebook page then came in to this when I got to the office:



My co-worker read my Facebook status and decided to do something special for me. Thank you, Tammy! You're a good friend and I appreciate your support. It's nice to come to work and get applause - literally. LOL!

And this week I'm down another three pounds - 219 present weight; 225 lost; 25 to go to goal. It doesn't seem possible that this long journey to LOSE the weight is winding down. Of course a new journey begins; the really difficult one, the one of maintenance.

I'm seeing more of a difference sooner these days. I just took two big garbage bags full of clothes to the Salvation Army yesterday. These are clothes that I have had for a year or less. There's just no hope for them. LOL! I'm not going to alter most things; it's just not worth the trouble. Thank goodness for thrift stores. It's time to start building another new wardrobe, with size 18 jeans, 10 shoes and XL to 1X shirts. Whoa. And I have reached single-digit sizes....in underwear! LMAO!! I swear to god my underwear is the funniest thing ever. The before and after, well, it's hysterical. That's all I'm gonna say about that (you're welcome).

I had a funny experience shopping before I left for Nashville. My friend Randi and I were trying on things and the pink empire-waisted shirt that I had fallen in love with was too big. It was a 1X. We went back out to try and find something smaller. Didya hear that? SMALLER. Well, 1X was the smallest they had. I had to laugh. I have spent my life not being able to wear the biggest sizes in even the plus-size stores and here I was, not able to find a size small enough. It's enough to make your head spin.

On Friday, Erich, my brother-in-law Robert and myself went canoeing on the Grand River here in town. Rob has done this lots of times but of course, a 444-lb. woman in a canoe is a skit on Saturday Night Live, not a reality. But I'm all about stretching my comfort level these days and jumping in head first to do things I never would've considered before.

I was seriously nervous because I still was holding onto that mentality that I couldn't do this. That I'd sink the canoe when I tried to get into it or people would laugh at the notion of ME in a canoe. I also wasn't prepared for the hoard of people also doing this trip. An audience wasn't cool. So I do what I do when I get uncomfortable - I get irritable, snippy. It's an impulse I'm still working on controlling. I do feel like I'm getting better at that but it's a work in progress. Comfort, in general, is a work in progress. I still have doubts about my abilities.

The lack of instruction from the company renting these canoes is pretty amazing. You are told NOTHING. At all. I guess they assume everyone knows what to do. I didn't. Luckily, Erich and Rob did. Getting in the canoe wasn't nearly as traumatic as I feared, and after we got going I was ok. I started to breathe and enjoy the scenery. I wasn't going to sink the boat or fall in. It was a gorgeous day and we had a good time. It's definitely something I would do again!





The Summer of Cindy is just getting started! July is going to be one busy month: A two-day trip to Detroit and my speech to the Centurion Club; Bon Jovi/Kid Rock concert in Toronto; ziplining at Chicopee Tube Park; another trip which will be discussed later - all this stuff and still August to go! I'm ready; bring it on.