Update--Four Weeks

Let me start with the good news. Four weeks into Nutrisystem and I'm down 10 pounds. Yay!  But I am a little concerned. Here's how the weight loss went by week: Week 1: -7 lbs; Week 2: -2 lbs; Week 3: -1 lb; Week 4: no change. Sigh. First, let me say, I haven't lost ten pounds in four weeks in a very long time. And, showing no loss at all in the last week was a real drag. One I'm used to, to be sure, but none the less disappointing. I have ordered the second month, and while the packaged stuff came right away, the frozen stuff has yet to ship. Still sitting in their warehouse, 9 days after it was ordered!!! Someone needs to tell Nutrisystem that I regularly get shipments from a shop in the U.K. in 3-4 days. Shipments from China usually take a week. Hey, Nutrisystem, have you every heard of Amazon??? Now that they bought Whole Foods, I can get groceries from WF in ONE HOUR. And if you think Amazon is not coming after you, Nutrisystem.......WAKE UP! Does this sound like a broken record? It should. I had the same trouble last month. They told me it was due to the hurricanes in Florida and Houston. Yeah. What now? The real issue, of course is that while the non-frozen breakfasts are palatable, the lunches and dinners are really, really awful. So I switched up most of my lunches and dinners for frozen food. But now I'm out of frozen food and who knows when it will be replenished.

I confess. Yesterday, I went to the store and bought two Lean Cuisines and two Smart Ones to try to get me through this week. It's hard enough having to sit and smell real spaghetti or salmon or steak that Tom is cooking for himself and Tim, while staring at a Lean Cuisine Mac and Cheese. But try doing it when you're eating a 5" cardboard pizza with three slices of mushrooms and a tablespoon of fake cheese. Oh yuck. If I make it through another four weeks, it will be cause to celebrate....(with a bottle of wine and a bag of Fritos).

In the meantime, I am trying to fill the void with the vegetables. Home made soup helps.  Here's a Butternut Squash and Mushroom number I whipped up one day and then ate soup for my veggies for the next three:

 I sauteed the squash and mushrooms with onions and garlic in cooking spray. Then I added loads of seasonings. Salt, pepper, thyme and chili powder. Added chicken stock and simmered for about 20 minutes. Then I pureed it with my stick blender. If you don't have a stick blender, put it on your Christmas list. It's definitely one of my top ten favorite kitchen gadgets......And since I have at least a thousand of them to hear my husband tell the story, you can see that I love it.  Oh, and the soup? Very tasty and filling.

BTW, many of you have been asking where my next book is.  Well, I have been working on #11 on and off for a year now. (Mostly off). I have been having a constant battle in my head and heart between the writing and the sewing. Most of this year, the sewing has won. Here's my latest craze: Halloween Hats!

 I made three of them for Julie and Melissa and I to wear up at Big Basin where we will be camping the end of October.  Our campsite will definitely win the Halloween contest.

Okay, well, now back to the d%$#& diet.  Many times I really wonder why I'm doing this. With who knows how many missiles pointed at California, I will be really, really mad if my last days are spent eating this crappy food. Oh, sorry. I guess I need an attitude adjustment.

Anyway, the book, The Breach at Briar's Burn, is 50% done. I guess I'll quit whining and go finish it.  Afterall.......

SALLEE??????