Rabbits

Somewhere back in -- oh, I don't know, junior high school, maybe -- I was told that saying "rabbits" on the first day of the month brought good luck. It was one of those kid things you did, like not stepping on the cracks in the sidewalk or holding your breath whenever a character on TV was trapped underwater to see if you'd survive in the same situation.

Well, today is the first, and here I am many long years from junior high school, still faithfully saying "rabbits" to bring good luck. It's a small bit of weirdness, one that I can indulge in quite unobtrusively, muttering a barely audible "rabbits" as I blow-dry my hair or -- if I've forgotten until later in the day -- as I sprint from the car to any of a number of errand-targets. DD isn't talking yet, but when she does, I wonder if I'll teach her to say "rabbits" along with me on the first of the month. It's a far better habit for me to teach her than some of my others (such as my habit of finishing off a box of cookies as soon as possible under the absolutely insane theory that if the cookies are no longer around I won't be tempted to eat them).

And speaking of cookies, my Haunted Halloween House was a rip-roaring success! (How do you like that for a segue?) Christened "The Nelsonville Horror" (Nelsonville being the town where the pumpkin-carving party was held), that little house drew compliments from everyone at the shindig. Of course, no one wanted to actually eat it, and despite the best efforts of the hostess and me (both of us breaking off bits of rooftop to get things started), I don't believe much more than a small slab of gingerbread was gone by the time we left. I was also shocked to find some of last-year's partygoers asking why I hadn't brought my prior contribution -- candy sushi -- yet again.

And after my candy binge on Saturday, I finally decided to take my doctor seriously and start the South Beach Diet. Yes, I still have baby weight to lose, and I wasn't exactly svelte even before I got pregnant. But I also have cholesterol to cut. Today is day 1.5 of Phase 1, which lasts 2 weeks, and so far I've been very good about resisting the orange juice in the fridge (no fruit AT ALL the first two weeks, and lucky me, I've managed to pick up a sore throat so all I want is OJ). Now I'm off to do some *shudder* exercise. What makes it tolerable is I've bought a recumbent exercise bike and set it up in front of the DVD player. Now I can exercise, watch a movie AND knit, all at the same time. Talk about multi-tasking...!