Potatoes in the Mist

I have this blah feeling now that Christmas is over...all that anticipation and now it's gone. I did plug in my little Christmas tree, though. The day we were supposed to go back to New York, I discovered that I had actually gotten tickets for January 27 instead of December 27. So we got tickets for the only seats still available that day...first class, a few hours later. First class is awesome. More leg room, less crowded, they bring you menus (not that we got anything because we had already got stuff in the South Station food court, out of habit). They also help you more (getting your stuff on and off the train; helping your kids over the gap.) We also took the kids to the Boston Children's Museum.

Today I put together a salad with baby spinach, pecans, goat cheese and homemade dressing. It was very simple - extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, and garlic. I'll try to remember to make it in the future instead of getting dressing at the store. It was much better. It probably helped that my vinegar was fairly new.

I started eating healthy on November 4, after getting a little shock at the doctor's office. Last time I checked, I lost 14 pounds. I plan to lose 10-18 more. I'm pleased with the weight loss, looser clothing, etc. But it requires constant vigilance. Salad instead of fries. Dressing on the side. Frittata instead of pasta. No bread. No cookies. No booze. I do feel better eating this way. But it's a lot of work.

There is a rumor that Monica and Chandler might be dating in real life :)

I'm bored with The Force Awakens already. My force would rather take a nap.

I finished the Scientology book. I enjoyed it, but I couldn't understand why Leah Remini stayed in that cult so long. I guess we all make mistakes, and her whole family was part of the cult (from when Leah was a child), and that probably made it harder to shake. Her sister did leave Scientology long before she did. But it was an entertaining book (although it made me dislike Tom Cruise even more).

Today I finished Until I Find You by John Irving. 844 pages...that took me a while. The verdict: not as good as Last Night in Twisted River , but still worth reading if you like his work. Then I started reading Leah Remini's tell-all book about Scientology (called Troublemaker ). It is both interesting and disturbing. Scientology is basically a cult that preys on people's insecurities and promises them career rewards if you agree to donate lots of money, attend two hours of church and/or counseling every day, and shun Suppressive Persons (people who are against Scientology). Ick.

It's 61 degrees in December. Zoe and I are at the park.

Isn't this yarn pretty? At first, I was reluctant to use it. It had an unusual texture. But now, I really like it.

We are moving! Just to the building behind us. It will have 2 bathrooms, 3 bedrooms, and be a little closer to the subway, grocery store and playground. I still can't believe it. When Zoe was born, we were told it would take 5-6 years to get a 3-bedroom apartment. It only took 4 years. The closing is on December 15, and then we will move in January. I'll miss our big living room (the new one is a little smaller, but has a bigger window) and our Empire State Building views (the new apartment is on a lower floor). The new apartment has views of trees from most windows, pretty in the fall. Also, the kitchen is bigger, though we will need to do something about the floor. And the 2nd bathroom...is fabulous. I was relieved to find out that the previous tenant did not die; she went to a nursing home. She had lived in this apartment since 1962.