Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

The rain finally broke, and Una and I got to take a walk this morning. It's not as cold as I thought it might be. It's wintry, but that's OK, because it's winter.

I finally broke through the weight loss plateau I'd been on since Christmas. But I suppose it's positive that I didn't gain any weight over the holidays, considering that last year I backtracked 10 pounds, which was extremely disheartening at the time. My average weight loss when I was just counting calories was half a pound a week.

Now, with the help of Weight Watchers, it's more like two pounds a week of weight loss. And the best part is that I'm eating more and eating healthier than I was just counting calories.

The Gryphon is also on the same weight loss plan and is doing exceptionally well. He's down 14 pounds since Thanksgiving. Because of this, we had to exchange his Christmas gift from my sister's fiancé.

I had suggested my sister's fiancé get him a shirt to wear to work and told him what size to get. As it turns out, that size is now too big. So The Gryphon and I had him send us the receipt, and we visited Target yesterday to exchange it.

We found a really nice long-sleeved button-down shirt with ebony and charcoal stripes, which not only fits but is extremely flattering on him. It was a good exchange.

While I was there, I also got myself a new belt, because all my belts are wide, and that can be uncomfortable if you do a lot of sitting. They tend to dig into your stomach. I found a thinner belt that matches my purse.

I was explaining to The Gryphon that I couldn't choose a flashier color like blue or pink, because it wouldn't match everything. And, I said, "I'm just trying to keep my pants up until I lose a full size, rather than half a size."

A woman who was browsing nearby looked at me and smiled.

While we were out, we also got a gift card at TJ Maxx for my sister, as an exchange for the Christmas gift I gave her. I should have known better than to get my sister, who's certified as a massage therapist, a mechanical massage vest. But I remembered her telling me she doesn't have anybody near here who can give her massages, so it seemed like a good idea.

She told me this weekend that the vest is too big for her delicate frame, so I told her to return it to me and I'd get her something she wanted. She requested a TJ Maxx gift card so she could get some clothes to fit her at her new size. Also a Weight Watchers success story, she's reached her weight loss goal in plenty of time for her wedding this June.

Also this weekend, The Gryphon and I saw The Aviator, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, a biopic about Howard Hughes. His performance reminded me of James Dean in Giant,the transformation from young, rebellious entrepreneur to a middle aged man torn apart by internal conflicts and dark internal voices. In Dean's case, alcoholism; in DiCaprio's, obsessive compulsive disorder.

I was really impressed with the writing, the performance, and the cinematography of this movie.

While we were watching it, The Gryphon paid me a huge compliment. In a scene featuring Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn, he turned to me and whispered in my ear, "She reminds me of you." Now I don't know whether he means I remind him of Katharine Hepburn or of Cate Blanchett or of Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn, but I'm flattered by any one of those comparisons.

Right about now it occurs to me that I was wrong about how cold it was today. My fingertips are going numb, so I think I'll put away the tape recorder and just enjoy my long-awaited walk with Una.

Copyright 2005 by Alyce Wilson

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