Back after 2 weeks

Wow. It has been a very long time since I updated. Very, um, interesting few weeks, lately. Life has been extremely stressful, very busy, and I am behind on just about everything I need to do, including exercising and, consequently, keeping this blog.

We are frantically trying to get the work completed on the new house. My husband was determined to move in yesterday, but I knew, for certain, that it would not happen.

Work is still being done; the basement is a construction site, and every inch of the house is covered in dust. The electricians have been a nightmare. Lights are still not installed, even though they had us pay for overnight shipping for several fixtures. One of the glass domes on a ceiling fan has disappeared. I suspect it was installed incorrectly, fell, and broke. Two remotes for ceiling fans have vanished. The outdoor "magic eye" (supposed to turn on the lights at dusk and off at dawn) doesn't work, and the lights are on all the time. There are still plumbing leaks. Fixtures are not yet installed. The AV system still needs work. The Corian in the laundry rooms needs to be redone. The granite in the kitchen is not yet done. Neither is any of the babyproofing. There are still sinks and showers that need to be installed. Mirrors, shower doors, and cabinets, too. The panels for the fridge and dishwashers were never ordered. Oversight on the part of the designer, so we will have to live with bare stainless steel backing for several weeks. The microwave is somewhere on a truck, due to arrive next week.

You get the picture.

We have house guests coming on Friday. Maybe, next Friday, we will move in. Hey, at least I know there's DIRECTV-- that went in this afternoon, also with problems. They were unable to put the dish on the roof, and had to install it on a pole right in the front yard. I need to find a decent planting to camouflage that thing ASAP.

I have done zero Christmas/birthday shopping. Stefan's birthday is on the 29th, Boomer's on December 8th, my husband's, on the 21st. I don't know how I'm going to manage.

The thing is, I know my "problems" are nothing. The house will get done, it is an absolute dream, and we will be incredibly happy there. I am a person who believes that all good things *do* come to those who wait. So, I am waiting patiently, and joyfully.

Um, and, eating more dark chocolate than I should. Hey, I *had* to buy a box of dark Godivas -- my son loves them, too, keeps asking for "cawk-lit" out of the box.

Exercise has been my nightly running after Boomer with Stefan under my arm, plus running up and down the driveway, pushing Stefan in the stroller while helping Boom master his tricycle and keeping him from riding into the street. I hate, hate, hate running, but I love having a good time with my sons, and the crisp, fresh air of autumn is one of the great joys in life.

I am also eating very well. Very small portions, lots of fruit, lots of yogurt. I have begun tossing a handful of cranberries in the morning juice smoothie, which gives it a cool pink color and a wonderful tart taste.

The running and the diet, however, will not build muscle. And I have no excuse: I have not done weight-bearing exercise in a while.

Tomorrow, I will go to the basement and lift.

Thank you for the kick in the ass, Jessy.