Bloggin', Dietin' & Walkin'

I've neglected the blog again.  Mind you, not as long as others on my blog list, but that is another matter.  Today, I made cold-processed soap for the very first time.  It was so exciting.  I would have done it sooner, but I was scared.  Silly, I know, but it was the lye.  I was afraid of the lye.  Then I finally found it dirt cheap at my local hardware store, and I bought it.  No more excuses.  (It is drain cleaner, by the way.)  Before I could actually make soap with the lye, Nathan sees it and says, "Hey, drain cleaner.  Let's try it on our sink!"  Our sink is stinky and we don't know why.  So, I MADE him correctly follow the instructions, instead of the typical male, just-pour-a-bunch-down-and-see-what-happens.  Guess what?  No more stinky sink.  Good stuff for drains.  Good stuff for soap.

I have to wait until tomorrow to cut the soap, but so far it looks like it is going to turn out.  Then, it has to cure for two weeks before it can be used.  (Sort of like a jar of pickles, only soapy and inedible.)  After that I will be able to tell you if my homemade soap is awesome or just okay.

Today is day seven of Phase 1 on South Beach.  I lost six pounds then gained a pound the last two days.  How does that happen?  I am eating next to nothing compared to before, and I still gain.  Hopefully, before this week is up, I will be on the losing side again.  Nathan joined in for support.  It does make it so much easier when we do this together.

As for walking, well my number is not climbing as fast as I would have hoped.  In fact, Tif-do and Mama Echo are leaving me in the dust!  It has been windy and rainy and actually snowed over spring break.  I fully admit I'm a fair weather walker.  Plus, we are putting in a new irrigation system, so in the evenings when Nathan and I usually walk, we've been shovelling dirt, which is one heck of a workout, but doesn't put miles in my handcart.  I will begin again and do better.  Maybe spring will come back and stay for real.... Maybe.