Eggnog, Christmas cookies, Thanksgiving meals (but mostly eggnog) - a few years ago these conspired together to pack about 20 extra pounds on my body, taking me to about 200 pounds. Since my body leveled out as an adult, I was consistently 180. The charts say that's high, but it seems to be my natural weight.

I got sick of being fat and started trying to casually lose some of this extra mass. Eat less at lunch, add just a little extra exercise. Going to the beach last month actually helped since we skipped about a meal each day. So does walking Ellie each evening.

Anyway, I've been monitoring the loss and today I stepped on the scale to find myself at 188 pounds! That's the first I've been south of 190 in years.

So that makes me happy.

Here's a rundown of my life as it is right now:

• This week has been Vacation Bible School. I always enjoy that. It was a rather hyperactive group this year, more than any other year I've seen. Our theme this year was SonCanyon Adventure, a theme we'd used before. Lots of fun, good skits, good songs. We had several new and unchurched kids, so Lord willing we can follow up on them. VBS makes our already busy lives very hectic; therefore, the following happened:
• I'm supposed to be at work at 8:30. One day this week, I forgot to set an alarm, and awoke at 9:24. My very understanding boss said I was right on time - if I lived in the Central Time Zone!
• The other week our church had a free car wash as an outreach/community service. It's amazing how many people will not stop because they don't have money for a free car wash! Hello, the sign says "FREE" along with "No money accepted"! Sheesh. I think I got the slightest idea how Jesus must feel all the time. He's offering eternal life for free and everyone keeps going on by. Either they think they need to pay for it with good works (they don't and can't), or they think they don't need it ("I'm clean enough on my own." No you're not."), or they're too busy or whatever. We would have probably had more cars if we charged a dollar a car. Sigh.
• During the car wash, I held a sign by the road - jumped up and down, yelled to people trying to get them in, waved my signs like a wild man. Great fun. This lady walked by with a scruffy looking dog on a leash. Ever the pet person, I knelt down and held out my hand - and the dog lunged at me and bit me! I don't think I've ever been bitten by a dog! The lady's response: "Did he bite you? Oh, he didn't know who you were." and then she keeps on walking! I was so taken aback I didn't know what to say (that doesn't happen often).
• I had my public debut playing guitar during VBS. I've never played in any sort of public setting before, other than at my dying mother's bedside. It went ok, I guess. At least it broke the ice so now I'll be a little more willing to do it again. It's hard not to feel inadequate when the only people you ever see playing publicly are really good. Kaitie and I have decided that we need a local person who plays guitar that wouldn't mind hanging out with us every so often and playing. If you're local and want to have some jam sessions, let me know.

I think that will do it for now. Hope everything is going ok for you in Xangaland.

Life_by_us has been blogging about how much she's into Batman. I stumbled across this article today talking about what it would take to become Batman. Hmmm, I could probably do this. 

I get into this mode where I update my blog all the time, but I only do it in my mind. Hence, I disappear from Xanga for a while. Usually it's when I'm very busy.

Someday, I hope to blog on these topics:

1. Trish tagged me for a tell-me-about-yourself post
2. Why do we blog?
3. General updates (like, I was actually bitten by a strange dog for the first time that I can remember!)
4. Two Truths and a Lie (we haven't done this in a while)

Are there any other topics you'd like me to talk about? You know, if you lie awake at night thinking, "Man, I really wish Spiderdad would talk about ____________________" then tell me what that blank is.

Ok, at least you know I'm not dead nor have I fallen off the Xanga wagon.

We did this once a long time ago. I'm going to start a story, then you add to it. Here are the rules:

1. You can only write up to three sentences at a
   time. Once someone writes something after you, then you can write up to
   three sentences more.
2. You can write as solemnly, seriously, humorously or ludicrously as you want to.
3. The
   story doesn't have to make any sense, so you don't have to follow the
   plot of those that have gone before, but you can if you want to.
   
4. No sex or profanity. Nothing demonic, occultic, etc. We're family friendly here in Spiderdad land.
   
5. Please hit the link to recommend this post. The more people that contribute, the more fun we'll have.

Here is the start of the story:

Since Frosty was gone, and no amount of snow repacking would bring him back, Leo realized sadly that the only thing he could do now was to eat Frosty's carrot nose.

I still think this guy must spy on Bev and me!