This is the Morning Report

Chimps are going ape, giraffes remain above it all
Elephants remember, though just what I can't recall
Crocodiles are snapping up fresh offers from the banks
Showed interest in my nest egg but I quickly said, "No thanks!"
We haven't paid the hornbills and the vultures have a hunch
Not everyone invited will be coming back from lunch
-- The Morning Report, The Lion King, extended edition

So... the week on Flore went well. Or, at least, I lost 1.6 pounds, which is good news. Thomas, on the other hand, after spectacular losses last week (5.4 pounds - which is more than I've lost this entire month - could you just hate him, or what?) had a small gain; he's back up 1 pound. This is nothing to worry about, I'm sure, as he is now 1.6 pounds away from his goal weight. (Yes, you read that right. 76+ pounds in less than a year, and he's maybe 1-2 weeks away from goal, provided that the upcoming horror known as Thanksgiving doesn't throw him for a loop. He thinks it will. I think it won't. On the few occasions in the past where he's completely overblown his diet, "gone off the reservation," as he phrases it, he's usually had spectacular losses the following weigh in. I remain convinced that he is not eating enough and the jolt to his metabolism is usually just what he needs... Wow, has this become an epic-fail type aside, or what?)

We also increased our walk... instead of walking 2.2 miles, we're now walking 3.4 miles, although the plan is to only do the "long walk" twice a week, and continue to do the shorter walk twice a week. The reason for this is because the shorter walk takes us past the playground, and Darcy always wants to play. The problem is, recently, it's been dark by 5:45, and we're usually passing the playground when it's pitch black (have I mentioned this walking path is NOT lit? Bad planning on someone's part. Probably mine.) and I don't really want her climbing around on jungle gym equipment when she can't see her feet - and probably more important to my peace of mind, I can't see her. So... to wind up yet another long-winded explanation; we walk earlier in the day on Tuesdays - which is Thomas's work from home day - and Sundays, where we walk in the morning. Those days, we'll take the short walk, so Darcy can play at the playground for a bit, and take the longer walks on Thursday and Friday.

The longer walk takes us through the nearby golfing community, and some of them already have Christmas lights up. Also, the walkways are neat, clean, and very well lit. Anyone who can afford to live in that neighborhood probably wouldn't have much tolerance for shoddy sidewalks. (Ever notice that? How lower class neighborhoods have the crappy sidewalks, even though, technically, maintaining the streets is the city's job? And yet, they keep seeming to spend more money where the rich, powerful people are. Yep. Democracy at work, it's such a lovely thing!)

Anyway, while I'd love to stay and chat, I don't really have time right now. I've got a 2 hour dentist appointment in half an hour, and I really must be out the door! I'm getting fitted for my last two crowns - at least I'm hoping they're my last two crowns, because really, at $270 out of pocket, EACH, the crowns are making it damned impossible for us to have any money for Christmas this year. Also, my computer is slowly, but surely, dying a slow and painful death. So, you know, if I disappear for a while, don't panic. I'm just crying my eyeballs out because my computer has died and I can't afford a new one.

But hey, at least my mouth will look nice.