183--Down From 214

Apparently the extended Foster family has not noticed the weight loss! The first encouragement in my ongoing struggle came the other evening from someone who is not a relative. Janet, our genial host at our Tuesday prayer meeting at the church said something like this, "You're looking skinny." I swelled somewhat with pride! Family members are apparently unwilling to get me chattering! And of course, who can blame them. (Marilynne tells me that the lack of notice is simply because the process is gradual. Apparently that's good!)

But there are battles. Two weeks ago, there was the combat with a jar of caramel-coated peanuts. (I soon found out that I was in double trouble--Marilynne was planning to take that jar to the Christmas Eve potluck!) So I lost wonderfully--and disasterously. This week I had a couple of days when my blood sugar felt low. So I twice grabbed a Reese's peanut butter and chocolate biscuit. My sugar came back up in a hurry. Of course the expeditions to the sin bin had their inevitable result. At weigh-ins this past week, I was up on two occasions. Yuk! Oh well, the passion to persist remains strong! Guess that's good.

Next weekend, Toad, Donna and boys will be up here at Calgary for Christmas so I am already getting ready for "the test." There will be lots of eating and celebrating, of course. My objective is to stay the same weight thru Christmas without being a prig! (Especially the prig part! No smart remarks, Normie. I lead a much happier life since you and Maxine left off persecuting me!)

That Christmas agenda may take, will take some effort. My track record in Africa tells me that you can enjoy missionary cooking and eating out in Niamey restaurants without suffering unduly. I came back from Africa down one pound! (Marilynne says I sweated it out!)

So who cares how much I weigh? Not very many of you--but some do. I have prayed a long time for a way out of my overweight, and it seems that now I have found the way. My young Irish doctor is plenty pleased about the downward spiral of my blood pressure!