Slow Progress Is Better Than No Progress

View of the kitchen

standing in the family room

I thought I'd track the progress of the kitchen remodel from day to day with photos.  This is how it looked Monday evening, the first day they began construction/demolition.  All cabinets removed, pantry removed, crap exposed.  I haven't taken many more photos, because frankly, there would not be a huge difference to be seen.  But there IS still progress.  It's what's going on "under cover," the little stuff, the details that take time but don't get noticed.  Wiring, and rewiring.  Relocating plumbing.  Relocating air vents.  

Progress would probably be more noticeable UNDER the house than IN the house.  

So I come home anxiously each day from work, hoping to see progress.  And though it's there, it's not as obvious as one would hope to see.  Sometimes progress can be slow.  But without those details taken care of first, the fruition of the big picture could not take place.

We spent Wednesday night taking up the carpeting in the family room that connects to the kitchen, rolling it up and storing it in the garage -- to use in the living room where the carpet there needs updated.  We then had to rip up and haul away the padding, followed by painstakingly (slow progress) pulling staples out of the subfloor with needle-nosed pliers, preparing it for the laying of the new wood floor boards.  And that will take place today!  So when I get home today, I'll see wood floors in the family room where there once was carpeting.  Big visible progress!  And at some point they'll strip all the existing wood floors in the downstairs, then stain everything with the first coat.  Followed by cabinet installation -- all big, noticeable changes.  It's a process.  It takes time.

Back in late August I set a goal to lose ten pounds by October 11th for a cocktail party that we'll be attending in Manhattan, celebrating the recent wedding of our friends' oldest son and his wife.  They were married in The Caribbean about a month ago, and decided to postpone their reception and have it instead in Manhattan where they reside.  Well, I'm not gonna make that ten-pound goal by next Friday when we leave.  As of today, I'm down 5 lbs.  Slow progress?  Yes.  But better than no progress.  

I suppose there were a few "rough patch" days when I lost focus a bit, could have tried harder.  I wasn't 100% every day, 24 hours a day.  No.  I wasn't.  But I made progress, and that's what's most important.  And maybe, if I DO GIVE 100% between now and next Friday, I can probably drop another pound of fat, which in the big scheme of things may not sound like a lot, but one pound actually does make a difference when you're close to goal.  

While shopping for their wedding gift the other day, I spied a cute little black cocktail dress hanging on an end cap of dresses that had been marked down.  It was sleeveless, the left shoulder a narrow strap with little black sequins.  Classy, sexy, and all black.  LOVE.  I grabbed that baby off the rack, praying it was my size -- and it WAS!  I raced to the dressing room, slipped it on, and it wowed me instantly.  Thrilled!  It was the perfect dress for the occasion and at a FANTASTIC price.  I already have the shoes, the jewelry, and after my manicure next Thursday, I'll be all set.

I've been to the gym twice this week, and I'll have another leg day -- my big day -- tomorrow.   In addition, two mornings this week of outside cardio -- running.  One morning, it was just steady jogging, and this morning it was hill sprints for HIIT cardio, following by power walking all the way back to the house.  The morning sky was a watercolor canvas of melons and bright blues as I was finishing up. It felt good to breathe, to witness the beauty of a new day while clearing my mind and challenging my body. 

Assuming I fail to drop another pound between now and next Friday, I'll not be terribly disappointed.  I won't give up.  I still want to drop those extra five pounds.  But I need a timeline to make it a concrete goal.  So now my goal is to lose five pounds between now and Thanksgiving.  That's very doable -- measurable progress in reasonable time.  I will then have arrived at my goal weight.  The big picture.  I can do this.  I'm on my way ...