Yesterday I forgot to take my lunch break. I ate throughout the day, while at my desk, but was so busy it wasn't until I was on the bus home that I turned to Shawn and said, "Hey, I forgot to take my lunch today!"  I wasn't the kind of busy that stressed me out, I was just busy enough that I was able to get from one task to the other and the other (of course all these tasks ended up preempting my original plan of filing & cleaning off my desk). Little urgent things kept popping up over the course of the day and well, I just forgot to take my break.So today, I'm taking a break. Mostly, I just wanted to sit and truly enjoy my lunch made up of leftovers from last night's delicious meal.

Roast by Mummy. Sides & Mashing by Dad & Shawn. Eaten by ME!

My parents are visiting this week and staying with us until Sunday. You have no idea how delighted I was to come home from work last night and have them cooking dinner for us. It was ready not too long after we got home and it was DELICIOUS! This is a good reason for your parents to have a key to your home. For times like this when they show up in the afternoon and you don't have to meet them somewhere to give them a key. They can just let themselves in, greet the dogs, unpack their things and start cooking you dinner. ;)

Much to Shawn's chagrin we had roast beef. Mmmmmm. It's actually my early birthday dinner-slash-Christmas dinner since I didn't see my parents over the holidays and I won't see them at the end of this month for my birthday. Oh how I loved every bit of it. I even had TWO helpings. I guess I over ate, but I didn't FEEL bloated or too stuffed. I felt great after eating it. We don't make roast ourselves, mostly because Shawn doesn't like it and secondly because, well, I don't feel like making this big of a meal for only two people (even though I can live on the leftovers forever!)

Sophie is also appreciating this visit as it means she doesn't have to get crated when we leave in the morning. My father was up and downstairs when we left, so Sophie could continue sleeping on the couch. ;)

My idea to start of this semester (which is how I think of the "new year" hoopla) is to try and appreciate all the little things, the simple things and try not to become too enraged over things I can't change. I can't fight peoples' battles for them, I can't change procedures at work that are set in stone. I need to be less cynical and jaded and annoyed by things.

The last few weeks of friends who have been ill or passed away have started putting things back into perspective for me. I lost some of that after we came back from the strike. Way too much bitterness seeped through and although I started off aloof and not getting involved, I let that go and started with the rage and annoyance again.

I appreciate my family and my friends so much. I want to do more things to show them how much they mean. Can I do this? I hope so. I have made so many other changes in my life recently that I have stuck with almost 100% (I'd say about 90%), eating habits, exercising habits, etc. I can change other habits too.

I'm a very happy person these days, even if I don't feel like it once in a while. I have a lot going for me and I want to appreciate THAT, too. I want to be able to find the joy and hope in every day like I used to (even though I was depressed). Every day I want to think of something I am thankful for, appreciative of, that makes me happy.

Meanwhile, I'm going to appreciate every single piece of left over roast beef that's in my fridge until it's gone. I am going to appreciate it SO much. And by appreciate I mean EAT. Yum.