40th Birthday in the U.S.!

I left Holland on vacation on Tuesday, and flew to D.C. on United. I used an award ticket so it was really cheap, and consciously chose economy in order to experience what it's like in my "new body". And it was fantastic, effortless and comfortable! A major victory. It helped that the plane was nearly empty, but I was just fine - even in an exit row with fixed armrests. Yeah!

I got to D.C. and spent the evening with dear friend Gail and her partner, Alex. We caught up, went out to dinner (Gail's birthday treat, thank you!), and turned in early, because I had to be up the next morning for a 6 a.m. flight.

Turned 40 on a flight between D.C. and Chicago, and spent the time feeling grateful for my 30's and how much they've brought me and how much I've experienced, for all the positive changes that have recently taken place in my life, and for the family and my wonderful husband. No regrets. A good way to feel.

Arrived in Des Moines, quickly unpacked and headed to the gym for a personal training session (yes, on vacation too!). My sister gave me a series of them for my birthday so I could stay fit while on holiday. Thanks, hon! Was a good workout - 1 hour, which is twice as long as I usually do. Will do three more before I leave!

After a nap, went out for Italian with Mom & Dad for the official birthday dinner. Had pizza for the first time in a year - but only because it was super thin-crust, no cheese, and with vegetable and chicken! Delicious, and Mom & Dad were wonderful company.

So all in all, it was a great, relaxed birthday! And no, I don't feel any older. :-) As a matter of fact, I keep feeling younger every month. :-)

I look forward to seeing friends and more family the rest of this week and next. Feels good to be home! Just sorry that Wilbert couldn't join me. Would have been much more fun!

Minor Fender Bender - Minor Whiplash

Forgot to mention that I had a small accident this week. I was sitting at a stoplight literally around the corner from work, at a total standstill, and some idiot rear-ended me and pushed me into the car in front of me. Will require a few new bumpers (he wasn't going that fast), but the worst of it was a case of minor whiplash it gave me. The ligament connecting my skull to my spine (I believe) is strained, giving me muscle aches and a constant low-grade headache. It's getting better, and hopefully will continue to do so. It's the last thing I needed this week. 

Fall Update

So here's a run-down of what's going on after much silence:

• House not sold yet, very little interest due to the housing market being almost frozen due to consumer fear and tighter mortgages. We're working closely with the realtor to figure out the correct strategy, but we still have a fair amount of time to get it sorted out.
• Preparations for new house are overwhelmingly complex. We of course want to do far more than our available budget would actually allow. So we'll have some difficult choices to make and will have to put some things off. Not really a surprise.
• Turning 40 this week! Having a small dinner tonight at the local Chinese restaurant. I asked people not to bring gifts, just to pay for their own meals. Yet certain people (to remain unnamed) are not attending because they feel strongly that I should pay for them. I'm furious; cheap-ass cloggies. Not that I have strong feelings about this. I'll focus on the gratitude I feel for the people who are there, because there are some great people coming!
• I'm going home to the U.S. for my real birthday and Thanksgiving. Stopping by D.C. to see my dear friend, Gail, on the way for an evening, then proceeding to Des Moines. Will also pop down to Missouri to see my brother and his wife. Looking forward to a relaxing and chilled-out 10 days. Will then spend Christmas at home with Wilbert for the first time ever... time to start some new traditions here.
• Work is insane. I started a new job just a month ago, but circumstances within the company have them asking me to consider doing something else. It's a difficult decision - lots of pro's and con's to each side - and all the variables are not yet known, so I won't make my decision until they are.
• Wilbert is the usual fabulous sweetheart he always has been. We went shopping in Amsterdam last Sunday with Peter and Alp and dropped by Lush, our favorite hand-made bath products shop, and lamented yet again that they had discontinued our favorite Red Rooster soap, made from orange juice, cloves and cinnamon. We then each went and independently ordered it online to surprise each other without knowing, and now have enough of the stuff to start our own Lush shop in Purmerend. How sweet! :-)
• My sister Heidi's kids continue to grow like weeds and look gorgeous, though Cristian is now going through his terrible two's about 9 months early, probably because of the arrival of his new sister, Lauren Sofia. Poor little guy! I'm grateful that I get to see them on Skype video now and again!
• Off to the spa today to enjoy a good pre-birthday soak and pampering.
• Weight is coming off occasionally and sporadically. I'm down exactly 59kg, and can't get to 60 to save my life. Probably because I'm doing a fair amount of strength training as well and building lean muscle, which is heavier than fat. At least I can see some reduction in my waist circumference, and am now down about 14 inches. Will need to buy some new pants in DSM!
• Been working with my "new" trainer Casper for about two months now, and he's tough and good. We never do the same routine twice, and he really pushes me to my limits. I've added some extra cardio to try to get the weight moving down as well, but I may have to settle for a much slower drop in weight in return for better overall health and fitness. The scale isn't the be-all and end-all of life. How I feel is. Hopefully I'll start believing that someday soon. :-)

So that's about it for now! I'll try to get back to writing more from now on.