Almost four years to the day …

I've been blogging for a long time. I started posting my drivel in 2006 at Ye Olde Shrinking Knitter. Life got a little complicated in the spring of 2008. I stopped writing regularly in February that year, but MISSED YOU GUYS SO MUCH that I started again, here, in May, 2008.

1000 posts ago.

If it hadn't been for that darned NaBloPoMo, I could have stretched things out and had #1000 land on May 14, 2012. Heh. I'd like to think I'm not so OCD that that doesn't bother me just a little bit, but that bothers me just a little bit.

I'd also like to think that after writing about weight loss for six years I might have lost some weight, but it turns out that hasn't happened. I haven't really been writing about weight LOSS. I've been writing about weight-loss STRUGGLE.

As most of you know, I'm a recovering alcoholic with more than 21 years of sobriety. When I hear newly sober people talk about how they know it's going to be hard to not drink for the rest of their lives, I try to reassure them that that's just not true. If not drinking was going to make me miserable, why would I not drink? I don't want to be miserable, I want to be happy, joyous and free.

And I am, when it comes to alcohol.

But I'm a prisoner of food, and I think it's time to plan my escape.

I've learned a lot about myself, struggling to get rid of a good deal of me over the past six years. Oh, hell, over the past 50, really. (I went on my first "diet" when I was 11. How in the world could my mother have encouraged that?) Six years of introspection (because what else is a blog but self-absorbed navel-gazing?) have taught me that

• wishing doesn't make it so
• good health is more important than wearing a size six
• the love of my husband, family and friends trumps everything else
• I love to cook (have you ever seen a skinny good cook?)
• I'd rather eat healthful things most of the time, and 
• life is too short to skip dessert.

Y'all have been through thick and thin with me. More thick than thin, unfortunately, but from now on it's not going to be all about the struggle. If I happen to lose some weight you will, OF COURSE, hear about it. But I'm more than my weight. (And you are, too.) And, looking back, I've certainly written about more than my weight.

You congratulated me when Mr. Shrinking Knitter and I got married. You've celebrated the births (this links to my third) of two of our grandchildren (this links to my husband's youngest. The triplets were born between blogs. (You've also probably noticed I don't write much about them or post their photos, at their parents' requests).

You were here for me when I ran my first half-marathon, and my last.

You helped me immensely when I lost my father. (I miss him so much, especially in the spring, when it's time to plant the garden.)

Thank you, for all of it. I don't have nearly as many readers here as The Shrinking Knitter did, and I don't think bloggers comment as much as they used to (I try to, but I'm guilty as well). But I know you're out there, and I appreciate you coming along for this crazy ride.

P.S. Here's the link I promised on how to make a garlic braid.