Raining!

It's raining!  What a surprise.  They were calling for a chance of rain today, but they do that all the time and it rarely actually rains.  So I wasn't expecting it this morning.  They're still only calling for a 40% chance, even though I've got a continuous light rain where I am.   It's not a hard rain, just drippy enough to get everything wet.  I'm delighted to see it, but I imagine there are a lot of unhappy people to have their day off, Labor Day, spoiled by rain today.

For me it's okay.  I have no outdoor plans and would rather have the rain.

I've been doing house chores this weekend, kind of like Labor Day Spring Cleaning.  I've been working on thoroughly sweeping and mopping all the hardwood flooring, which is really pretty when it's freshly done.  Plus I've been dusting, vacuuming, etc.  Yesterday I went through my closet and pulled out everything I haven't worn since I moved into this house, and put most of it aside to give to Goodwill.  I also pulled out a lot of the things that I can't wear any more due to my weight loss.  I'm about 13 pounds lighter than I was in January, and am continuing to drop weight, thanks to my change in diet and exercise.  After the Japan wake-up call I've been motivated to stick with the diet changes.  

Did I mention the Japan wake-up call?  My cholesterol was 20 points lower than it usually runs after 9 days in Japan, eating essentially only fish, vegetables, rice and miso soup.  Plus I had dropped a couple pounds while there which was no doubt due to the increased exercise as much as the diet changes.  So I'm not eating the same stuff I ate in Japan, but I'm eating significantly less than I was and I'm eating fruit (which in itself is something of a miracle because fruit has never been high on my list of favorite foods).  Basically eating less processed food and eating MUCH less fast food.  And I'm exercising three times a week.  It's working, because as I mentioned, I'm continuing to slowly drop weight.  I'll have to see how my cholesterol does the next time I give a pint of blood. 

13 pounds isn't a lot, but it's made enough difference in my waist and hips that a lot of my work slacks slide off me without a belt to hold them up.  Some of my current work slacks I have to just give up.  Even with a belt I'm lapping more than an inch of material.  So I have been doing a little work-clothes shopping this week while I've been off.   

I think I'm going to need to have foundation work done on this house, which is kind of depressing.  Especially since I just bought an expensive car.  Since I've been home all week, I've noticed some cracks I don't remember seeing.  I'll call around and get some estimates this coming week.   Damn.  Usually when I get depressing news it makes me want to go shopping, but considering this is likely to be expensive depressing news, I think I'll skip shopping today.

Which gives me plenty of time to do household chores and puttering.  I'm considering tackling straightening up the garage a little.  The rain today broke those nasty 100+ temperatures, so I can actually stand to be in the garage to more than a few minutes.  I could feasibly clean it up some.  Maybe.  Don't know if I'm quite that motivated.

I couldn't decide which pictures to use today, so went back to some of the several million from Japan that I haven't posted.  The first pic is of a small garden shrine inside one of the restaurants where we ate on Miyajima.  Then there's a picture of the turtles attempting to sun (no sun present) at Toji Temple and the ducks chilling at the Unknown Soldier Buddha temple.  

That's about it for today.