REMEMBERING KATHY AND KRISTY - The Clayburg twins.

Today is the 60th birthday of my childhood friends. We started 2nd grade together in Mrs. Buck's classroom. She was a harsh and demanding teacher given to whacks on the head with a wooden ruler. I was a good student and don't think I was hit more than once, if that.

KS and KL were an anomaly--fraternal twins--who moved into their new house on Renwood in Hamilton Park just in time to attend second grade at Woodrow Wilson Grade School on Forest Hill in Peoria, IL. KS was blond and blue-eyed, KL was a brown-eyed brunette. KS struggled some with school, but KL was almost as smart as me.

KS and I were the closest, but KL and I were in the most classes together in elementary school. After 5th grade the school and their parents decided to split up the twins to allow individuation. Weirdly, even for then, their mom dressed them alike and they complied all the way through elementary school. Their clothes were wonderful, as MC was an excellent seamstress.

Today I will call KS in Phoenix to wish her a happy birthday. We usually talk once or so a year and send birthday cards. KL died tragically about 20 years ago, and KS has had the pleasure and task of raising first KL's daughter and then granddaughter.

Today is also the first day of my diet and writing it here is part of the accountability that I require. I have had my stomach stapled. Not really! I am just pretending. People who have their stomachs stapled have to eat very small portions or they get very uncomfortable and sick; they have to exercise self-control because having your stomach stapled does not change your habits or your cravings instantaneously.

By pretending to have had the procedure I can escape the pain and the expense and the side effects. Let's see how this goes... I need to lose 30 pounds and have struggled with losing any for the post-menopausal years. I used to be a champion dieter, but my metabolism is fighting back and no longer desires the teeter-totter or roller-coaster ride of pounds gained and pounds lost and pounds gained ad infinitum.