You've Come a Long Way Baby

Ah, the good ole days...the women in my family went to Hawaii. It was December 1990. (I purchased a little Santa squatting on a surfboard tree ornament.) In this photo I must weigh about 300 pounds. Wearing appropriate luau garb. (Can you say muumuu?) I remember that during this I was a vegetarian (or maybe an icecreamatarian.) My definition of vegetarian at the time was I could eat everything but meat products. So I ate everything. Notice how it took two people to hide me? (and one of them doesn't even have a face!)

This was back in the days when you could get upgraded to first class if you wore nice enough clothing. My sister and I put on our best Lame Giant clothes and schmooged into first class that day while my grandmother was forced to sit back in coach. Grandma had worn tennis shoes and her tennies weren't classy enough for first class (just 3rd). Of course, my sister and I couldn't fit in coach seats either. We fit in those larger first class seats. Our weight didn't stop us from going to the luau, getting lei'd and pretending to have tons-o-island fun while sweat dripped and burned my eyes. I never got in the water once. Water would have destroyed my ever-so-fashionable perm. Or that was my excuse during that visit.

I finally stopped perming my hair when Susan Smith killed her kids by driving her car into John D. Long lake.

Since that photo of me in Hawaii, above, I've lost (and gained) probably close to 300 lbs. With the loss of Chris, well, there goes another 180 lbs. (I'm doing great in the weight loss department.) That's a lot of weight for one person to lose.

I'm doing very well (thanks for all those comments and support! I was in awe of so much support and kind words. Many comments helped me grieve more - which I know is a good thing). I'm back on track, mostly, and focused on all the good things to come. I know this much about me -- I am remarkable at rebounding. I have to be. I still feel tremendous grief over the loss of my relationship though not the beginning of my friendship with Chris. (I still can't get over the thought that this man thinks there is someone possibly better than I out there for him!?! I mean what the hell is he smoking? ) Chris is my biking buddy and has been a huge encouraging factor in my physical activity so we're going to see what happens. Just like with a cancer illness, the best revenge is to get on with your life, right?