First, please go over to my friend Jim's sight and give him congratulations. He just booked a speaking part on an episode of a highly acclaimed TV series. I probably don't tell him this enough, but the fact that he took everything he owned and moved all the way across the country at mid-life for a chance to make his dreams come true really inspires me.

Which means I need to get back in the saddle with regard to my own goals. The last few weeks, I haven't been counting a thing and have indulged in quite a few cravings. I was always a bit surprised when the scale would show a loss (albiet; a small one) at the meeting. I'd somehow feel like maybe I could get away with this and eat like a "normal" person. Well, yeah...that's not really how it works. After Halloween and a week of the boss not being there and a couple of food days and Scrapbook Camp (where they served nasty sodium laden cafeteria fare)and my inability to resist the new potatoe things at Arby's, I gained. I gained over 3 pounds.

I know some of it was water weight because I hadn't been pushing the H20 the way I should be and again with the sodium laden foods. But this was the one week of the month I should have been guaranteed a loss. To make matters worse, I could feel it in my clothes. I knew I had screwed up!

I didn't pout about it, though. I just decided to stop doing what I was doing and get back on the plan. For the past three days I've been eating within my points and pushing the water like I'm supposed to. There are no certainties of a loss this week - the pounds could still be creeping from past mistakes - but I'm hoping to feel more comfortable about stepping up on the scale.

I'm hoping that this was all part of a temper tantrum that is now going away. I've been pretty angry lately and I'm not sure why. Partly, it's the "not fairness" of dieting and then I suppose guilt at my own whining about eating too much when there are so many others out there who have nothing. It's stupid, I know, so I'll just have to quit it now.

Friends are coming over tonight for cards and chili. Nothing big planned tomorrow - which will be nice. (Maybe I'll try to finish my holiday cards.) Monday is a work holiday and I'll be covering by myself. That's always a better day. I can wear jeans and leave early.

Right now, I think I'm off to the do some holiday window shopping. It's such a nice day out, I need to be in it.