New Hair-do and a Diet

Chip and I try to go out for a special dinner once a month, but with my having mono then having surgery and getting a concussion, we have not been out since Valentine's Day.  I usually wear my regular hairstyle, but I wanted to try a new hairstyle.  When I went to Renee's Beauty Shop last Friday,  I told Renee that I wanted something different for going out to eat with Chip, yet I wanted to keep my length.  She pulled out a Miss Ingerid hair styling book that she bought in the fall for special holiday hair styles.  We flipped through it, and I discovered that I usually wear "Everyman's Dream," or a pony tail.  We picked a feminine style, "The Grecian."  It involved pulling my hair back on both sides to the middle, then letting my curls cascade down.  I bought my own Miss Ingerid book so that I could try some of the pony tails and twist styles at home.  Also, I need to redo how I am finger curling my hair at night.

When I got home and tried to fit into my old green velvet dress, I could not fit into it, not even wearing my tightest girdle.  I had to wear one of my newer dresses that I bought in December.  I looked at the side tags and realized that these were all two sizes larger than my regular size.  Judy at Dream Dresses did not tell me that I had gone up two dress sizes.  She knew that I had been ill all year, so she must have felt sorry for me and did not tell me.

I went to the doctor yesterday to weigh in.  I have gained twenty pounds since last January!  I did not realize because I have been wearing my loose house dresses or in bed in night gowns.  Dr. B. put me on what he calls "Dr. B's Special Diet."  He explained all the foods for sick people, along with recuperating in bed, and the Thanksgiving and Christmas foods caused my weight gain. 

The diet is actually do-able.  He wants me to lose the weight slowly or I may get loose skin, especially around the neck.  It involves cooking regular meals, but with leaner meats, adding more vegetables, and substituting beans for some of the breads.  He also said that I am ready to exercise lightly by walking, as long as I have Emily with me in case I get dizzy.  This will be good for both of us, for Emily has a bit of a belly.  We will also do leg lifts and arm exercises holding cans of soup for weights.

I am supposed to weigh in at Dr. B's office every Monday.  Emily is going to keep a graph of my weight loss.  She also took my measurements and is going to record these monthly.  She is the little scientist!

I see that I will be practicing "Prudence" in a much different way than I expected this year.

2012 Addendum:  I bought this book from a store on ebay.  I found some cool clips and combs at Wal-Mart that allow you to make easy buns and this grecian style.   I am going to try this finger curl/bobby bin thing once, then it is hot rollers all the way.